Twist Turn and Burn is an ebook of flash fiction I released a year ago. I gave it away for free to whoever wanted it and it went viral. Yay! But I never put it on Amazon because I would have had to charge, at least initially. But there it was, on Amazon. Some jerk posted it and is charging $2.99 for it. While they kept the cover image, my name and the title, they were thoughtful enough to remove the copyright message I put in the original, stating that it was free. Same cover, name and title? Why was my thief so lazy?
I've contacted Amazon and have to fill out some forms to get it removed or at least put to free. Until then, I posted a review that warned potential buyers. I'm at least trying to let people know they don't need to pay for it and that I don't get the money either way. Not that I'm a household name or anything but just in case some poor soul stumbles upon it.
In nicer news, I've been given an award! The wonderful Katie O'Sullivan has given me the Kreativ Blogger Award. I met Katie during the A-Z challenge and followed her blog right away. It's a cool blog and she has adorable dogs. ADORABLE.
So, here goes!
TEN RANDOM LIBBY FACTS:
1. I am currently in love with grape soda. More specifically, with Fanta Grape Zero which I cannot find in stores but is at both a burger joint and the Moe's by my house. I had two big cups of it on Mother's Day and now there is no going back.
2. I think licorice is evil, black licorice at least. They were my least favorite jelly beans as a kid. I thought they were put in the bag as punishment.
3. I don't do drugs. It's not for any moral or medical reason. I don't do drugs because I'm neurotic and I fear they would make me more so. Also, I pretty much look like the definition of a NARC, so no one offers them to me.
4. I once took a free magnet from my middle school. I was so convinced taking it made me a thief that I put it back.
5. I fell out of a car one time from drinking. And then threw up. And then fell face-down in my own vomit. True story.
6. There was a brief time in my life when I considered becoming a professional wrestler.
7. I was 23 the first time I flew in an airplane.
8. I was 32 the first time I went camping.
9. I think banana flavored anything besides bananas is disgusting. Banana bread may be the only exception, and I'm not even sure about that.
10. "I once killed a man, just to watch his wife cry." I've never been able to use that sentence in a story, but I have always wanted to.
And now to award some other bloggers! To make this as fair as possible, because I love you all, if you leave a comment today, you get the award! Whoot whoot! (Yes, this is a desperate cry for love. DO NOT JUDGE ME).
I can't get behind the black licorice thing—I always ate those jelly beans first! Also, absinthe is the best because it takes just like licorice. So ... not sure if we can remain blogging buddies :)
ReplyDeleteHope the stuff with the copyright thief gets cleared up. It seems like there was drama a couple weeks ago about a popular YA book blogger who got caught plagiarizing, but I don't know the details. Only rumors through the other blogs I follow.
Soooo many people love the black licorice. I knew it would be polarizing. :) Still friends?
ReplyDeleteI do like a good scandal. I'll try to find out more.
Wait, did someone post your short stories under their name and are taking the cash? Or they posted your stories under your name and are collecting the cash? Either way I want to kick some you know what.
ReplyDeleteAnd really sorry about number five there. Been there done that....many, many years ago. And in front of a man I really liked. Ah, well. :P
Seriously? I've heard about the thieving thing but never known anyone it had happened to. Skunk.
ReplyDeleteWow, I can't believe someone would steal your story. I think that's every writer's nightmare. Odd, though, that they kept your name on there. Guess all they wanted was the money?
ReplyDeleteYep, they left my name on there. It would make sense if my name brought in some or any recognition, but it doesn't. Lame!
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm naive. I had no idea that stuff like that could happen. Rotten!
DeleteI totally agree with you about the banana flavoured stuff - people look at me as though I'm weird when I try to explain. But then I also love all coffee flavoured stuff, but hate drinking it.
ReplyDeleteYour free fiction story is what makes me hugely worried about publishing anything independently. I have a publisher for my e-novella, and I hope they'd be on top of that kind of thing. I hope you have success with Amazon.
Hey there! Just dropping by to read your 10 random things ;-) and I'm so happy to hear you like my dogs, although they themselves are totally convinced of their own awesomeness.
ReplyDeleteFanta Grape, huh? Hmm. Maybe I'll try that!
@Annalisa, can't blame you for being wary. Though I will warn you about this too, there's a famous sci-fi author that published his book as an ebook because someone had digitized it and was giving it away as a bit torrent. So there's that fear as well.
ReplyDelete@Katie - glad to hear your dogs do not suffer from self-esteem problems. Mine is pretty self-confident as well. :)
Thanks for mentioning that Libby. It sounds scary, but I suppose the music business has been suffering from this kind of thing for years.
DeleteGood point. Pirating is everywhere. I'm sure most people are honest though.
DeleteYes, I share your opinion on drugs, to affect me much, just 2 glasses of wine I was euphoric note than usual.
ReplyDeleteSeriously? Wow. Someone said we should make google alerts for a unique sentence in all of our work ... searching for such things. I have alerts for my name and titles. Must work on the other. That's really freaky. Yet it's sort of flattering that they wanted to pirate your book. Now you can say you've arrived.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the award.
Part of me is taking the theft as a compliment.
DeleteCongrats on the award! Black licorice is gross. I am totally and utterly appalled that someone stole your stuff and put it on Amazon! How awful!!! I hope you can get it straightened out. There have to be some kind of charges that can be brought. Do intellectual property firms take cases on contingent fee bases? I mean this person has basically stolen royalties from you! I hope they rot!
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping to get them kicked off of Amazon, but I'm sure they'll open up a new account so it will be all for naught.
DeleteWhat a creep taking people's money for YOUR work! AGH!
ReplyDeleteI love your magnet story. That sounds like something I would do :)
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ReplyDeleteI didn't realize people could do that so easily. I wonder if someone is mining smashwords for free books and throwing them on Amazon. Wow. I am looking forward to reading those stories however.
ReplyDeleteSorry about the story thief (book thief has been taken). Too bad you can't wrestle that person to the ground. I think we need to combine numbers 3 and 5, and just call you Agent #5 ! Congrats on your award, and what a clever way to share it! Julie
ReplyDeleteWhen a story like the on you've told about your work being pirated comes to my attention, I begin to lose faith in human beings. Some people are immoral as in they don't know right from wrong. By replacing the magnet as a child, you showed the reverse. Are we born with innate goodness and life wears away the edges? I'd like to think so--to forgive those who know not what they do. Swine tread pearls into the mud withough recognizing how they were created. Lift your head because you can create something else, whereas whoever took your product is without talent.
ReplyDelete"Lift your head because you can create something else, whereas whoever took your product is without talent." - that is a terrific line!
DeleteWow someone putting a free product for sale on the internet is shockingly mean spirited! I hate when that happens! I hope it gets sorted out soon and people can enjoy it for free!
ReplyDeleteLibby,
ReplyDeleteHow terrible someone stole from you...really? URGH!
I loved hearing more about you and well I thought it was funny about the free magnet you 'stole'! I like that you gave the award to all your readers; that's what I do as well becuase I never want to hurt anyone's feelings and I think too that if people spend time blogging, they deserve to be recognized!
First, I share your hatred of black licorice. Seriously, it's like eating cigarette tar or something.
ReplyDeleteSecond, I can't believe your work was taken so brazenly. A very, very sad story, and something I think everyone should be on the lookout for in the digital age. Guess people will do anything to make a quick buck?
Really sucks.
Thanks guys for all your support on the theft and my hatred of black licorice!
ReplyDeleteThat's awful that someone tried to profit off of your work! It's like, if they really needed the money that badly, they should write their own stuff and sell that instead! Did you try to contact the thief? What that person did was just wrong!
ReplyDeleteI'm so with you on the banana flavoured anythings other than bananas... blerk!
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame about piracy. It's so rife too. :(
That's awful about the thievery, some folks know no shame. Hopefully you get that sorted out soon.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the reward!--and yes, black licorice is nasty. It's like tar in your mouth.
I am the opposite with bananas. Bananas themselves sort of make me cringe, but I love-love-love banana flavoured anything. I never actually realized it until this moment.
ReplyDeleteWow, what an ass. Plagiarism really should be dealt with more seriously. :|
ReplyDeleteThat's such bull that someone stole your book! And I totally agree with the banana flavor...though banana bread def gets a pass, but the reason it's all right? It's made with real bananas.
ReplyDeleteWow, what's going to happen to the person who stole your book?! Also, I'm with you on #9 - bananas and banana bread is good though. #3 - well, I grew up in the 70's and we were up to all sorts of stuff...but that was then ;<)
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear Amazon removed the guy taking credit for your book. Wow. that is just sad. I'm with you on licorice. Eww.
ReplyDeleteBut I love banana flavored anything. lol
And that line is kick-butt! You should run with it and write a story with that as the first line.
Hey Libby! I referenced this post on my blog this week ... just a heads up if you want to check it out. :)
ReplyDeletehttp://the-open-vein-ejwesley.blogspot.com/2012/06/stop-thief.html
That's so RUDE about your stuff getting stolen! But at least the thief was idiot enough to not change the name/title, so they were easily found out! if only all thieves were that silly!
ReplyDelete