This page is divided into two sections. The first consists of MY STORY, my fight to stand up for the rights of my Intellectual Property, my book PART-TME PRINCESS © 2014 Pamela DuMond. All rights reserved.
The second consists of links to articles about plagiarism and/or potential copyright infringement. These links can help you research other persons who have had their books/ IP repurposed.
My Copyright Litigation Story
2021 Update: Copyright Infringement Case Settlement
Author Note:
As of 2024 and 2023, I’m moving previously published information about Part-time Princess Copyright Infringement Lawsuit to the “Copyright” page on this site.
(Edited May 2024) In April – May 2021, parties mediated in a Federal Appeals Court. A SETTLEMENT & AGREEMENT was reached and signed JUNE 16 – 17, 2021. Both “Plaintiffs and defendants stand behind their respective allegations and denials…” “Defendants deny any wrongdoing whatsoever…”
I stand by my allegations.
As of June 2021 — not January 2021 as promoted on other sites — this CRI litigation is OVER!
My Copyright Litigation Story:
In 2016 I was perusing books on Amazon with a friend when we stumbled across a book that seemed to be problematic.
That book was in the same genre as my book, PART-TIME PRINCESS ©2014. The problematic book ( ©2016 ) had many of my character names (for same roles), most of my plot, and lots of my words that I had written and published over two years previously in Part-time Princess.
I sent both paper books to my entertainment attorney who read them and agreed with me. My attorney sent a Cease and Desist to the author in question. The author’s attorneys denied the C&D. My attorney no longer practiced litigation and advised me to find a litigator. And so I did.
That litigator contacted the opposing parties, presented evidence, and talked with them, but to no avail. We tried our very best to settle this whole thing without making it public, but the statute of limitations for copyright infringement was running out, and I was left with the option to confront or not confront.
And so in 2019 I chose to confront. This was not easy or frivolous. I spent hundreds of hours tracking and graphing written passages from both books. I hired expert witnesses. I researched and compiled side by side comparisons. This was the toughest thing I’ve ever done.
The judge decided to not look at the evidence as submitted by my attorneys and I did not get the judicial ending that I wanted.
I filed for an Appeal and was granted one in Federal Appeals Court. At this point I was offered mediation. I decided to pursue mediation and end this heart-breaking process. I hope you never have to go through this. Here’s my update:
Re: My Copyright Lawsuit #Settlement
8/2/2021
Dear Reader:
I recently learned things were said about me/my CRI suit on public pages in January 2021. This post is to set my record straight.
I stuttered at an early age, grew shy. Books saved me when I was kid. #STORIESMATTER. As a Chiropractor, I worked with Erin Brockovich. Inspired by her pursuit to help people, I pitched her story to Jersey Films. “ABC 20/20 Primetime” recently featured me on their show because of my part in this. #STORIESINSPIRE.
In 2010 a small press published my 1st book. After that I went Indie. 30 books later, I’m a USA Today Bestselling author.
I wrote “Part-time Princess: Royally Wed” – a ‘sweeter’ romantic comedy while my mom was dying. I published it in 2014 and dedicated it to her. This STORY MATTERED.
But then the ‘thing’ happened and in October 2019, I bit the bullet and sued for Copyright infringement.
In January 2021, Judge Wu ruled against me WITHOUT LOOKING at my evidence.
Legal minds encouraged me to Appeal. I filed Notice to Appeal in Feb 2021. It hit home that I already spent 4 ½ years on this and really didn’t want to spend 2 more. When the Federal Appeals Court system offered Mediation, I said “Yes.”
Parties mediated in May 2021 and a SETTLEMENT & AGREEMENT was reached and signed JUNE 16 – 17, 2021.
Mediation is a compromise. Both “Plaintiffs and defendants stand behind their respective allegations and denials…” “Defendants deny any wrongdoing whatsoever…”
I also STICK BY my allegations 100 percent.
But as of June 2021 — NOT January 2021 as promoted on other sites — this CRI litigation is OVER.
To give back to the #amwriting community — I’ve started a CRI “RESOURCE” page on my website. There are links to articles, experts, blogs, etc. It’s in the early stages, a WIP, a library of sorts. It’s NOT a discussion board.
TY from the bottom of my black and blue heart to all the generous, kind, smart folks who supported me during this visit to the 9th realm of hell. You are amazing! Special thanks to #ClaireRyan who provided her graphed out plagiarism analysis, her conclusions, and her copyright infringement comparison expertise.
My case is public record.
You can Google it and find it. It is an interesting read for persons who believe they have been repurposed by others using AI / text spinners / computer software for words, stories, or photographs.
To all you book lovers and hard-working, STORYTELLERS: You inspire me. Be fierce. Be brave. Stick up for yourself /your works. You don’t have to fight EVERY battle. Pick the ones that matter the most. Be kind. Help those in your community. Keep writing. Remember your voice matters. Your stories matter. You matter.
Xo, Pam
#romancebloggers #romancebookstagram #bookstagram #romancereadersofinstagram #eroticromance #eroticromancenovels #copyrightlitigation #mediation #copyrightsettlement #romancenovels #romanticcomedybooks #amwriting #amreadingromance #royalromancebooks #sweetromance #amwritingromance
Fight Copyright Infringement Links:
First off — if you’re here? I’m sorry this has happened to you or someone you know.
Second — I’m not an attorney and I don’t give legal advice. This page is an on-going WIP. I’ll be adding links to resources I think / thought are helpful.
This page is meant to be a library of links. As with any library I’m not responsible for the content in the linked articles nor do I agree with all the content in the links provided.
KEYWORDS: I’m adding keywords to these links so you can better target that which you might be looking for.
As always, talk to an attorney before you make any decisions regarding the issue you are facing. The best kind of attorney to talk to is an INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Attorney/ Litigator
To be clear — not someone who DABBLES in IP litigation. But an attorney who truly understands IP Litigation. This is a niche area of law.
Publishing Blogs that frequently discuss Plagiarism
David Vandagriff – The Passive Voice https://www.thepassivevoice.com/
Jonathan Bailey – Plagiarism Today https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/about-plagiarism-today/about-the-author/
Jane Friedman: https://www.janefriedman.com/blog/
Dear Author: https://dearauthor.com/
Sidebar Saturdays: https://www.sidebarsaturdays.com/
The Author’s Guild: https://authorsguild.org
Articles about Plagiarism/ Copyright
NYT “An Erotica Pioneer Goes from Hero to Villain for Dozens of Authors” September 2021 Keywords: Unauthorized re-writing books, Copyright, Trademark https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/03/business/romance-publishing-blushing-erotica.html
CBC News: Romance Ripoff August 2019 – https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/plaigiarism-in-romance-1.5220734
The Atlantic “Plagiarism in the Age of Self-Publishing” June 2016 – https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/06/plagiarism-in-the-age-of-self-publishing/485525/
The Guardian ” …Exposed as plagiarist ” 2015 Keywords: M/F romance repurposed as M/M romance. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/oct/28/prolific-romantic-fiction-writer-exposed-as-a-plagiarist
Dear Author: “RWA Panel on Plagiarism” 2008 https://dearauthor.com/features/letters-of-opinion/rwa-panel-on-plagiarism/
Dear Author: “Plagiarism is a Community Issue” 2008 https://dearauthor.com/features/letters-of-opinion/plagiarism-is-a-community-issue/
Dear Author: “State of Plagiarism Today” 2009 https://dearauthor.com/features/letters-of-opinion/cross-blog-post-state-of-plagiarism-today/
Dear Author: “Fan Fiction, Plagiarism, and Copyright” 2012 Keywords: Fan Fiction, Plagiarism https://dearauthor.com/features/letters-of-opinion/fan-fiction-plagiarism-and-copyright/
Dear Author: “10 Tips for Plagiarists” 2007 https://dearauthor.com/features/letters-of-opinion/top-10-tips-for-plagairists/
Chron “Rules for Re-writing Copyrighted Text” https://smallbusiness.chron.com/rules-rewriting-copyrighted-text-68672.html
Authors who have been Plagiarized:
Sometimes it helps reading about someone else’s story to hear how they felt. To see how they handled it.
Kim Jones – 2021 https://www.facebook.com/1062060203/videos/10221530499826168/
Kim Michelle Richardson 2019 – https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tomiobaro/jojo-moyes-the-giver-of-stars-kim-richardson-bookwoman-of
Ashleigh Zavarelli 2022 Keywords: Mosaic Plagiarism COMMENT: Reported to Amazon who took the offending book down. Link no longer available.
Almost Everyone v. #CopypasteCris – 2019 https://bookbinge.com/tag/copy-paste-cris/
Becky McGraw – 2015 – Becky’s re-purposer re-wrote her M/F Cowboy romance book repurposed as M/M. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/oct/28/prolific-romantic-fiction-writer-exposed-as-a-plagiarist
Rachel Ann Nunes – 2014 Keywords: Sweeter romance repurposed as steamy romance — Comment: Ms. Nunes documents the steps along the way in her legal case. Her posts are a great play by play of the legal process. My heart goes out to her and I applaud her bravery. https://rachelannnunes.com/how-i-learned-my-novel-had-been-plagiarized/
Nora Roberts / Janet Dailey Plagiarism — FWIW: Nora Roberts should probably get her own section. She’s been fighting this battle on multiple fronts for so many years I’ve lost count. https://www.ithenticate.com/plagiarism-detection-blog/when-romance-meets-plagiarism#.YQT221NKjUo
“Plagiarism in Romantic Fiction” Caroline Kincaid 2019 https://sites.duke.edu/unsuitable/plagiarism-in-romantic-fiction/
“Shey Stahl Plagiarism Scandal” Dear Author Keywords: Plagiarism in Fan Fiction Community https://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/monday-news-shey-stahl-plagiarism-scandal-goodreads-deletes-reviews-without-notice-amazon-shares-at-an-all-time-high-cosplay-copyright-and-paid-for-reviews/
Jamie McGuire – 2013 https://www.jamiemcguire.com/blog/2013/11/10/the-worst-and-best-day-of-my-career
Tamara Webber – 2013 — Dear Author: “The Plagiarizing of Tamara Webber’s Easy” https://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/the-plagiarizing-of-tammara-webbers-easy-by-jordin-williams/
Update. 10/18/24: Wow, what a difference a few years make. So many authors have been plagiarized at this point, it’s practically like hearing someone got cold in the winter. Keep sticking up for what is right. Follow your boundaries. Know that until the legal system recognizes the harmful affects of persons who flip your words (mosaic plagiarism, patchwork plagiarism, etc.) there isn’t that much you can do in a court of law unless you have very deep pockets, very competent attorneys, or get lucky. This is a brutal fight especially if you are up against someone with deeper pockets.
SMART PEOPLE w/ Tools to battle PLAGIARISM
Claire Ryan – 2024 Update – It seems like Claire has taken a break from this arduous job and is pursuing a healthy life. Certainly with the advent of AI in 2024, there are other competent people who can fill in some of the gaps. Claire’s brilliant, and while I hate to see her step down, I 100% respect her decision to take care of herself and her family. 2022 Update: I’m not sure if Claire Ryan is still helping authors with plagiarism. That said — she’s brilliant — and worth reaching out to her if you’re having a problem.
AI copyright infringement lawsuits and Plagiarism resources
A compilation of articles and lawsuits that involve Artificial Intelligence / Computer software in acts of plagiarism and potential copyright infringement.
Jonathan Bailey on Chat GPT: https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2023/01/03/ai-the-copyright-and-plagiarism-story-of-2022-and-2023/
THE AUTHOR’S GUILD lawsuit against Open AI Sept 2023. https://authorsguild.org/news/ag-and-authors-file-class-action-suit-against-openai/
THE WRAP “A Writer used AI to Plagiarize me” Jan 18 2023 Alex Kartrowitz https://www.thewrap.com/a-writer-used-ai-to-plagiarize-me-now-what-pro-insight/
Class Action Copyright Lawsuit filed against Midjourney, Deviant Art, and Stability Jan 2023 https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/class-action-filed-against-stability-ai-midjourney-and-deviantart-for-dmca-violations-right-of-publicity-violations-unlawful-competition-breach-of-tos-301721869.html?fbclid=IwAR098mhy2dtCWAP3FyjSfZab1x739bi_AZQwv9kN783PpU553kG7CSZ-k4s
PLAGIARISM CHECKERS
These tools get better every year but nothing’s perfect. Find the ones that work for you.
Update Oct. 18, 2024. Wow, with AI taking over just about everything — (for good and bad, as is often the case with technology) new-ish sites have been popping up for you to check for plagiarism.. In the next few months, I’ll be posting links to some of them.
TYPES OF PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism isn’t simply “Copy and Paste.”
There are other forms of plagiarism such as ‘MOSAIC’ or ‘PATCHWORK’ plagiarism where one’s words are re-written to look a ‘little different.’
Types of Plagiarism: https://www.scribbr.com/plagiarism/types-of-plagiarism/
Mosaic / Patchwork Plagiarism https://writer.com/blog/types-of-plagiarism/
TEXT SPINNING PLAGIARISM
“Plagiarism – Spinning – Original Writing”: https://simplewriting.org/plagiarism-paraphrasing-spinning-original-writing/__
‘Why Text Spinning is Bad SEO’: https://www.postmm.com/seo/bad-seo-content-spinning/
LOOKING FOR/TALKING TO ATTORNEYS
The Author’s Guild https://www.authorsguild.org – I DON’T think you have to be a member to contact them for a referral — but I might be wrong.
WHY DO PEOPLE PLAGIARIZE?
FBI – Intellectual Property and Anti-Fraud Resources
Take Down Notices — DCMA
DEALING WITH THE AFTERMATH OF WHITE COLLAR CRIME
FBI – Dealing with Aftermath of White Collar Crime: https://www.fbi.gov/resources/victim-services/coping-with-victimization
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