On May 24 author Stephen Mitchell filed suit in a Los Angeles court US District Court against author Wayne Dyer and publisher Hay House, alleging copyright infringement, claiming that Dyer “has copied verbatim a significant portion” of Mitchell’s translation of the Tao Te Ching in two different books (Living the Wisdom of the Tao and Change Your Thoughts–Change Your Life) as well as various spin-off products. Later the suit alleges that the infringing books “copy verbatim at least 200 lines” from Mitchell’s book.HR blog item
Authors
Authors Guild and Wiley Dispute Continues, Focused on 24 Contracts
The Authors Guild and Wiley have continued their public battle over contract amendment terms for what Wiley says are 24 Bloomberg Press authors who originally had list price royalty contracts. (According to Wiley, another 93 Bloomberg authors already had contracts that pay royalties on net.) On Friday Wiley reiterated their belief that their proposals are favorable to authors (“Wiley is well known for excellent relationships with our authors. Given the inaccurate information that has been recently disseminated, we will contact the affected authors again to be sure they are not in any way confused.’) Today’s Authors Guild posting reiterates their […]
Wiley's Response to Authors Guild
Posted yesterday, after the Authors Guild “alert” to authors, Wiley says that contrary to the Guild’s conclusion: “We believe former Bloomberg authors will be paid higher royalties in most instances. The limited number of contract amendments the AG apparently chose to select are not therefore representative; nor are their ‘calculations’ accurate. In any event, Wiley stands by its offer to discuss their individual contracts with all affected authors. We are happy to address any questions and concerns they may have about their individual contracts. Wiley is committed to the Bloomberg authors and is confident we will provide the best possible […]
Authors Guild Objects to Wiley Proposal for Bloomberg Authors
The Authors Guild has posted what executive director Paul Aiken calls “probably the most strongly-worded alert we’ve sent out in years,” about a proposed contract amendment sent by Wiley to Bloomberg Press authors. Calling Wiley’s communication “deceptive,” the Guild’s objections include a proposal to turn list price royalties into net royalties and a POD clause that would “empower Wiley to keep an author’s book in print with a lowball print on demand royalty of 5% of net receipts,” a rate “as low as we’ve seen.”Post
Konrath Signs Directly with Amazon
J.A. Konrath, who has blogged extensively about his success in selling his own Kindle versions of his books (generally at very low prices) has now signed directly with Amazon Encore as the publisher for the new book in his Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels series. (Hyperion has been his print publisher.) SHAKEN will be published as a Kindle edition first, in October 2010, priced at $2.99, with a print version following in February 2011. On his blog Konrath poses and answers some questions not covered in the press release” Q: You signed a print deal? I thought you weren’t signing any more […]
Authors Guild Asks Copyright Office to Fix Reversion "Gap"
The Authors Guild and the Songwriters Guild of America asked the US Copyright Office on Friday to fix “a quirk” in copyright law that could block certain works from the late 70s from being eligible for 35-year termination. Under the 1976 revision of copyright law, authors (and all other copyright holders) are allowed to terminate transfers of their copyrights to publishers after a set number of years, with different provisions for pre- and post-1978 works. Congress made such provision “because of the unequal bargaining position of authors, resulting in part from the impossibility of determining a work’s value until it […]