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Plagiarism

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Guest
Lurker
Well, I guess I've finally made it. smile


Now, I used to having my work plagarized....but this is the first time someone has tried to make money off my stuff. I just found out, that several of my stories have been stolen by some supposed "author" named Elizabeth Summers, and are on sale on Amazon in Kindle form for 6.99 a pop.

So far, she has stolen my stories "Weekend at Sonja's", "Dirty Little Secret", Kiss My Ass, Anal at last, and The Dirtier, the Better." She also has numerous other stories for sale that are no doubt stolen as well from other authors. Here is link for one of my blatantly stolen stories. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XYESSU/ref=cm_cr_error The thief even used the exact tagline from the story posted on another site.

Now I'm not sure what to do about this. Does anyone have any ideas?

PS: who the fuck would pay 6.99 for one of my shitty stories??
DirtyMartini
Purveyor of Poetry & Porn
I would contact Amazon...you are protected by the Byrne Convention...

Here is a quote...OK, it's Wikepedia...but it's correct...
"The Berne Convention was developed at the instigation of Victor Hugo of the Association Littéraire et Artistique Internationale. Thus it was influenced by the French "right of the author" (droit d'auteur), which contrasts with the Anglo-Saxon concept of "copyright" which only dealt with economic concerns. Under the Convention, copyrights for creative works are automatically in force upon their creation without being asserted or declared. An author need not "register" or "apply for" a copyright in countries adhering to the Convention. As soon as a work is "fixed", that is, written or recorded on some physical medium, its author is automatically entitled to all copyrights in the work and to any derivative works, unless and until the author explicitly disclaims them or until the copyright expires. Foreign authors are given the same rights and privileges to copyrighted material as domestic authors in any country that signed the Convention.

Here is the link...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berne_Convention_for_the_Protection_of_Literary_and_Artistic_Works

You know you want it, you know you need it bad...get it now on Amazon.com...
Lush Erotica, an Anthology of Award Winning Sex Stories
DirtyMartini
Purveyor of Poetry & Porn
I was going to say Damon, sorry to hear about your recent problems...but this might be one of mine...

I have a story of the same name that has appeared in an e-Zine recently and is scheduled to post in another this weekend...how can I tell without a Kindle?
http://www.amazon.com/Adult-Erotic-fantasies-Friends-ebook/dp/B003V4B48Y/ref=sr_1_63?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1302905204&sr=1-63

I don't want to have to buy the story to find out for sure...but, my guess is it is...

We'll all have to discuss this...I can see she has pages of stories...

You know you want it, you know you need it bad...get it now on Amazon.com...
Lush Erotica, an Anthology of Award Winning Sex Stories
Lisa
Moderator
You should definitely contact the seller and if there are other authors experiencing the same thing with this person, it might help getting them on board too. See if you can Google the other stories and find the original authors.

Sorry about what you're experiencing. I know how annoying it can be, but it's good that you're following through and doing something about it rather than letting someone else cash in on your hard work.
Dancing_Doll
Alpha Blonde
What is really shocking is that this woman is using the exact same titles and tag-lines of the stories she is stealing.

Unbelievable!

It does make you wonder, if someone had paused to change the titles and tag lines, and revamp a few things how easy it is to steal and profit without raising any red flags. The fact that this person has so brazenly done this without changing a thing makes you wonder how common this is.

Ugh. Things like this truly make me start to reconsider posting things online.
DirtyMartini
Purveyor of Poetry & Porn
Quote by Dancing_Doll


It does make you wonder, if someone had paused to change the titles and tag lines, and revamp a few things how easy it is to steal and profit without raising any red flags. The fact that this person has so brazenly done this without changing a thing makes you wonder how common this is.



Actually Doll, people who plagiarize are usually complete idiots...almost by definition, I might add...

I've seen people steal stories and post them on the same site as the original author posts...so, nothing surprises me...

You know you want it, you know you need it bad...get it now on Amazon.com...
Lush Erotica, an Anthology of Award Winning Sex Stories
ejls
Advanced Wordsmith
I posted this information on another site. This is the response I got from one of the writers there:

"This is the same writer who supposedly sold off stories from asstr.org and a few other sex story sites. Some of us on asstr received emails about a few months ago, and the person allegedly was not given any penalty because they didn't sell the books under their own name.

They had used "kindle" because an actual book didn't need to be printed. It was available through a download like it is now.

Whichever writers are affected need to contact amazon.com immediately because copies have already been sold of those books."
MorganHawke
First Person Smartass
Quote by DamonX
...I just found out, that several of my stories have been stolen by some supposed "author" named Elizabeth Summers, and are on sale on Amazon in Kindle form for 6.99 a pop. ... Now I'm not sure what to do about this. Does anyone have any ideas?


First -- contact Amazon and report the stolen material. Be aware that you're going to need Proof that the stories are actually yours. Unfortunately, I don't know what they'll ask for because my publisher usually goes after them for me -- along with the company Lawyer.

The best way to keep a story from being stolen is to make it EXTREMELY PUBLIC who that story belongs to. For online stories, an author website -- where you keep the full collection of your free posted stories -- is your best insurance for this. Having an online site will Brand those stories as yours far more effectively than you think.

Never underestimate just how rabid your Fans can be!

Believe it or not, my Fans have proven extremely effective in not only spotting poached stories, but providing a storm of hate mail to the offender. (Keeping my nose clean.) This is in addition to notifying the site hosting the stolen stories (and bitching them out) in droves. smile

And all this is Before my publisher gets a hold of them. (evil grin)

All of you authors that Don't have a personal Author site:
GET ONE NAOW...! even it's just a free Word Press or Blogspot site.


Sometimes a link to a story on an author site is all the proof you need to say a story is YOURS.
Morgan Hawke
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Purveyor of fine Smut.
Morgan Hawke's DarkErotica ~ My Website
DarkErotica Blog ~ My Writers' blog

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
Albert Einstein
TracyAmes
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by MorganHawke
The best way to keep a story from being stolen is to make it EXTREMELY PUBLIC who that story belongs to. For online stories, an author website -- where you keep the full collection of your free posted stories -- is your best insurance for this. Having an online site will Brand those stories as yours far more effectively than you think.

Never underestimate just how rabid your Fans can be!

Believe it or not, my Fans have proven extremely effective in not only spotting poached stories, but providing a storm of hate mail to the offender. (Keeping my nose clean.) This is in addition to notifying the site hosting the stolen stories (and bitching them out) in droves. smile


Bang on, Morgan! Excellent advice. Earlier this week a fan spotted one of my free reads on another 'author' site and not only blew the whistle but gathered my minions BEFORE contacting me. This is the third time this has happened...but the first time Copyscape didn't catch it - I guess you have to actually run it for it to work...my bad.

I don't mind being quoted (hell, I talk alot) but credit must be given. Flat out lifting someone's work takes balls especially when the author has a following AND their own site. Devoted bloggers and rabid fans are the best defense. They kick ass!
Tracy Ames
Erotic Word Slinger & Smarty Pants
InterracialErotica.net ~ My Website
Rants & Rambles ~ My Youtube Channel

“Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia.”
E. L. Doctorow
TracyAmes
Active Ink Slinger
10 Big Myths about copyright explained by Brad Templeton is a handy post.

Hope it helps.
Tracy Ames
Erotic Word Slinger & Smarty Pants
InterracialErotica.net ~ My Website
Rants & Rambles ~ My Youtube Channel

“Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia.”
E. L. Doctorow
MorganHawke
First Person Smartass
Quote by TracyAmes
Devoted bloggers and rabid fans are the best defense. They kick ass!


Abso-flogging-lutely!
-- However, one needs a place those fans can point to to prove that something has been stolen from their favorite author -- which is why Every Author needs a Personal Website, even if they only write drabbles.
Morgan Hawke
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Purveyor of fine Smut.
Morgan Hawke's DarkErotica ~ My Website
DarkErotica Blog ~ My Writers' blog

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
Albert Einstein
sprite
Her Royal Spriteness
i was wondering, since Amazon has a place for reviews that go with the storie, if it would help for one of Damon's fans to write a review there stating it's been stolen?

You can’t truly call yourself peaceful unless you are capable of violence. If you’re not capable of violence, you’re not peaceful. You’re harmless.
Catnip
Internet Sensation
Get together, see what you can do and make sure they get caught and burn for it.
Not even a Pirate would do something that horrible. It's like saying that Psycho was directed by Spielberg.
ejls
Advanced Wordsmith
The below is from their Conditions of Use page:

Notice and Procedure for Making Claims of Copyright Infringement
If you believe that your work has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, please provide Amazon.com's copyright agent the written information specified below. Please note that this procedure is exclusively for notifying Amazon that your copyrighted material has been infringed.

An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright interest;
A description of the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed upon;
A description of where the material that you claim is infringing is located on the site, including the auction ID number, if applicable;
Your address, telephone number, and e-mail address;
A statement by you that you have a good-faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law;
A statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner's behalf.
Amazon.com's Copyright Agent for notice of claims of copyright infringement on its site can be reached as follows:

Copyright Agent
Amazon.com Legal Department
P.O. Box 81226
Seattle, WA 98108
phone: begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting
fax:
e-mail:

Courier address:

Copyright Agent
Amazon.com Legal Department
410 Terry Avenue
North Seattle, WA 98109-5210 USA
__________________
TracyAmes
Active Ink Slinger
Thanks Ellen. Based on her Amazon reviews this isn't the first time she's stolen work. She lifted another story from a guy named Sir_Nathan. She's publishing through Amazon Digital Services. It'll be interesting to see where this goes. If it'll help, I'll gather my minions to stop this person.
Tracy Ames
Erotic Word Slinger & Smarty Pants
InterracialErotica.net ~ My Website
Rants & Rambles ~ My Youtube Channel

“Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia.”
E. L. Doctorow
scooter
Active Ink Slinger
I'd be happy if some one would just read my work,
let aloan steal it.

I'd go after them DamonX,,with everything I got.
I wouldn't quit till the culprit was face down, and bleeding.
Dancing_Doll
Alpha Blonde
Quote by sprite
i was wondering, since Amazon has a place for reviews that go with the storie, if it would help for one of Damon's fans to write a review there stating it's been stolen?


I submitted a a rather scathing review on one of the stories yesterday (about how it was stolen) to see if it would get approved on Amazon. It's up today! I'm going to add it to the other stories as well. I wonder if Elizabeth Summers reads these. smile

I guess I am a rabid fan?
sprite
Her Royal Spriteness
Quote by Dancing_Doll
Quote by sprite
i was wondering, since Amazon has a place for reviews that go with the storie, if it would help for one of Damon's fans to write a review there stating it's been stolen?


I submitted a a rather scathing review on one of the stories yesterday (about how it was stolen) to see if it would get approved on Amazon. It's up today! I'm going to add it to the other stories as well. I wonder if Elizabeth Summers reads these. smile

I guess I am a rabid fan?


i read it! *hugs* beautiful! you go, Doll!

You can’t truly call yourself peaceful unless you are capable of violence. If you’re not capable of violence, you’re not peaceful. You’re harmless.
TracyAmes
Active Ink Slinger
Just read it...nice work you rabid fan!=d> Very direct - loved it!
Tracy Ames
Erotic Word Slinger & Smarty Pants
InterracialErotica.net ~ My Website
Rants & Rambles ~ My Youtube Channel

“Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia.”
E. L. Doctorow
MorganHawke
First Person Smartass
Quote by sprite
i was wondering, since Amazon has a place for reviews that go with the storie, if it would help for one of Damon's fans to write a review there stating it's been stolen?


YES.
Morgan Hawke
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Purveyor of fine Smut.
Morgan Hawke's DarkErotica ~ My Website
DarkErotica Blog ~ My Writers' blog

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
Albert Einstein
MorganHawke
First Person Smartass
Quote by Dancing_Doll
I submitted a a rather scathing review on one of the stories yesterday (about how it was stolen) to see if it would get approved on Amazon. It's up today! I'm going to add it to the other stories as well. I wonder if Elizabeth Summers reads these. smile


It doesn't matter if the plagiarist reads them. What matters is the Site Authorities and Potentials Buyers who Will.
Morgan Hawke
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Purveyor of fine Smut.
Morgan Hawke's DarkErotica ~ My Website
DarkErotica Blog ~ My Writers' blog

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
Albert Einstein
Dancing_Doll
Alpha Blonde
Quote by DirtyMartini
Quote by Dancing_Doll
I wonder if Elizabeth Summers reads these. smile



I wonder if Elizabeth Summers can even read...if that is in fact her name...

I think you're giving her way too much credit Doll...


You are probably not far off with those assumptions, DM. One of the taglines she used for a story is "some mutual wanking and then more anal".

It's not exactly a scintillating one-liner to put on a cover.
Catnip
Internet Sensation
I was going to add a comment too, but I've never bought anything from amazon so I can't.
Dancing_Doll
Alpha Blonde
Writers, please be aware of some other erotica thieves selling stories on Amazon (I got this info off another message board). There is some speculation that they may all be the same person using different 'pen names' but you might want to check to see if you recognize any of your stories, or those of your friends. Apparently they occasionally use the tagline as the title, so just fyi.

Louise Taylor
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Louise%20Taylor

Victoria Anderson
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Victoria%20Andersen

Kelly Jordan
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Kelly%20Jordan
DirtyMartini
Purveyor of Poetry & Porn
Quote by Dancing_Doll
you might want to check to see if you recognize any of your stories, or those of your friends. Apparently they occasionally use the tagline as the title, so just fyi.



That's actually an ugly thought...if they were to change the titles even slightly, would anyone be able to recognize that the stories might be stolen?

Don't want to think about that actually...

You know you want it, you know you need it bad...get it now on Amazon.com...
Lush Erotica, an Anthology of Award Winning Sex Stories