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Clive Davies' article

edited August 2006 in - WM and WN

Comments

  • Having read Clive's article yesetrday, I'm intrigued as to who the naughty writers referred to are.  I know one of the 'memoirs' he mentioned - that was the chap that had been on Oprah wasn't it? 
    I realise that names probably couldn't be mentioned in the article because of legalities - I'm just wondering if anyone knew who had 'allegedly' been making things up and copying others.
    If we're not allowed to talk about it on here, apologies to Webbo, and I shall just have to live in ignorance. lol.
  • I may have got the wrong interpretation, but there was a new young writer who had got a book deal and her first book came out, and an author complained that there were chunks that were her writings. The new author apologised, saying she hadn't knowingly copied but had obviously been more influenced by certain authors than she had realised. Books got pulped, deal quashed.
    Don't know if this was one of the items, as have not read Clive's article.But the above sprung to mind.
  • Thanks Carol.  I hadn't heard about that. Golly, if that really was the case, how disappointing to actually get that deal and then see it dissolve.  But then, if some of it is someone else's work - whether intentional or not, it's really the only thing the publisher can do, I suppose.
  • One writer was Kaavya Viswanathan. She wrote 'How Opal Metha got kissed, got wild and got a life.' She had a huge deal including a movie and then was accused of copying chunks from Megan McCafferty and also Sophie Kinsella and it all fell to ashes.
  • Thanks Flick, that was the one. I couldn't remember the name just the story of what happened.
  • ooh, I saw that book (or did it get pulped before it was released, in which case I must have just read a review in something).  It sounded quite fun. I didn't realise there was a movie deal attached too.  Wow - bet the publishers were happy!  Wonder if she had to give back all the advance?  I guess she would have signed something to say that it was all her own work?
  • I think some copies of the book may have already gone out and been purchased.
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