Hello, readers!
Plagarism is a tough thing for an author. I've heard the saying, and I don't know who it's by, that "plagarism is the sincerest form of flattery."
(That might actually be "imitation," now that I think of it.)
Anyway. Well-known authors who find others plagarizing (that is, publishing the same or functionally the same works as their own) have a comparatively easy time of it: they can bring up the proof that their work was created first, have lawyers send cease and desist notices, sue, whatever. They have the money to do this, and the cases are often open-and-shut.
Independent authors, however, are in for harder times.
See, most of us don't have tons of money. Even those who are "relatively" successful, selling books daily, usually can't make it our career - and if we can, then all that money is going to food and sleep and electricity or pens. Not a lot left for lawyer's fees.
Rachel Ann Nunes is an independent author who has run afoul of a plagarist. She has presented sufficient evidence to convince me that her cause is just. The plagarist, Tiffanie Rushton, was a teacher who used her students' names and email accounts in order to publish positive reviews of her stolen work and negative reviews of Nunes' in an attempt to discredit her. To raise money for the civil lawsuit, Nunes has started a GoFundMe campaign. Unfortunately, donations are lagging - it's been four months and she is only about a third of the way to her goal.
I'm supporting Rachel Ann Nunes and all independent authors who want their works protected. Creating art, including books, and then watching someone else steal and profit from it without reservation would be terrible. It would be like pulling out someone's heart.
This is the link to Rachel's GoFundMe campaign. Please stop in, read the evidence for yourself, then give what you can. http://www.gofundme.com/standingagainstplagiarism
Independent authors need you.
Thanks,
Jason P. Crawford
