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Stormy Weather: Cockygate Hits the Indie World

On Friday I watched as Twitter exploded with something that has since come to be known as #cockygate. I suspect by now most serious indi-authors already know about it. In fact, one popular writer’s group with over 21K members closed its virtual doors by putting up a Taking a Break sign and informing members that they were shutting off all postings for the rest of the weekend and suggesting its members all write, edit and spend time with their families. While all those are good suggestions, #cockygate was still a thing when Monday arrived. Maybe even more so.

For those who haven’t been on social media and ask what is cockygate?

It’s about a romance author named Faleena Hopkins who has trademarked the word “cocky.” I know she has at least two trademarks for the word. One trademark is for the word when written in a specific font style (a font she didn’t have the right to trademark according to its creator). The other is simply for the word cocky. According to Hopkins, her trademark means the word cocky cannot be used in any romance book title or series.

Already there is a petition being generated to ask the United States Patent and Trademark Office to revoke her trademark. The last time I looked it had over 16K signatures. Including mine. I know of at least one attorney who claims he has submitted a request to have her trademark revoked, and RWA and other big hitters in the publishing industry are reportedly looking into the matter.

Online, Hopkins has been called a bully for the letters she sent fellow authors, demanding they change book tiles or face serious legal action, and some authors are having their books removed from Amazon based on Hopkin’s claim. On the other side, Hopkins is calling her many distractors bullies, in their treatment of her.

Hopkins’ trademark may not directly impact me, yet that doesn’t mean I’m not paying close attention to this case. While book titles can’t be copyrighted (in fact it is very common to have a number of books with the same title), it seems it might be possible to trademark a common word and prevent other authors from using that word in their book titles. If that is true—well, the possible ramifications are troubling. If an author publishes a book not knowing one of the words is trademarked—or about to be trademarked, it can cost that author significant time and money retitling the book. And if Amazon pulls the book—which seems to be happening—and disables the author’s ability to edit the book to bring it into compliance, it can be a devastating loss of income for the author.

I cringe at the thought someone might decide to claim ownership of Haunting or Ghost when it applies to book titles in my genre. Before #cockygate that seemed like a silly notion. Not so much now.

I suspect most authors have no problem with Hopkins trademarking an original logo or multi-word series name. It’s the fact she’s claiming ownership over one common word, and she’s not even the first romance writer to use the word in a title or series. Other romance authors used cocky before her.

I can understand an author’s desire to protect his or her work. I can even understand the resentment an author may feel when they believe other people are stealing their ideas. However, some authors go too far and get over-possessive, even a little paranoid. Take for example book covers.

Some over-possessive authors need to realize it’s simply the nature of the business. BookCover 101 teaches us that it’s not about having a unique cover as much as a cover that fits with the genre—a book that screams to the reader, this is the type of book you are looking for! It’s the reason Fabio was on so many romance covers back when trade publishers ruled the industry.

It also drives me crazy when an author gets possessive about stock images he or she has used on a cover. The reason those stock images are so affordable is because you aren’t purchasing exclusive use rights. In my opinion, an author has no right to jump on another author for using the same stock image.

If an author wants a unique cover, then hire an artist to create one. The house on my Haunting Danielle series was created by my cover designer; it’s not a stock image. I have the exclusive use rights. If you don’t want to see the images you purchased showing up on another book cover in your genre, then you need to pay a photographer and models to create something unique.

Authors can also get possessive over character names. Considering there are millions of books out there, and even more characters, I find it silly to get territorial over a first—or even a last name. I’ve heard of some authors contacting other authors and demanding that they change their character’s name because it’s the same name they used in one of their books. I can’t help but shake my head at the overblown ego of such a demand.

However, if an author has a right to be annoyed, it would probably be the bestselling author Janet Evanovich. And who could she could be annoyed at? Me.

When I named one character Joe Morelli, (Joe for my son-in-law and Morelli for a family friend) in the first book in my Haunting Danielle series, I was unaware of Joe Morelli of the popular Stephanie Plum series. To make matters worse, both Joes are cops.

It’s not something any reasonable author would intentionally do. If a Stephanie Plum fan happens to read one of my Haunting Danielle Books, it could very well piss them off. Readers get attached to their favorite characters. Why would I intentionally do something that could annoy potential readers? Why would any author?

Had I known about the original Joe Morelli before I had more than two books out in the series, I would have changed my character’s name. But it was too late by then. I’ve come to realize this sort of thing happens. It’s simply the nature of the business. And seriously, if I wasn’t aware of Evanovich’s popular character, then it’s a little absurd for other less-known authors to imagine someone is looking over his or her shoulder, waiting to grab a character.

In this business of self-publishing I think we need to be building our bridges, not burning them. Unfortunately, there seems to be a major bridge fire burning out of control on social media.

 

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Trying to figure out the Havasu Burglar.


These days I write about crime—mostly murder. Due to a recent rash of local breaking and entering, I got to thinking about another sort of crime—burglary. If I was to create a character who was a burglar, what would be in his or her head? What makes the burglar tick?

Apparently, the modus operandi for our local burglars, they knock on the front door first to see if anyone is home.

This is the part I don’t get. Surely, I am not the only one out there who often does NOT answer the door when someone rings the bell. Let’s be honest, when someone stops by—especially a stranger—not everyone bothers answering the door. And even if it is someone you know, how many of you will confess to ducking behind some piece of furniture so the visitor won’t see you and know you are home. I know I have.

There are many reasons for not answering the door.

I might be in the bathroom, taking a shower, or having wild sex.

It’s possible I haven’t gotten dressed yet, despite the fact it is way past noon. After all, I am a writer and work from home.

Maybe the house is a mess and I don’t want people to know what a slob I am.

Perhaps I have just murdered someone and am busy dismembering the body. No one answers the door when they are doing that. (Did I mention I write about murders?)

Or maybe I am a recluse—not too far from the truth since I am a writer—and I rarely answer the door.

Maybe I am hosting a wild orgy and the house is already filled to occupancy. (Did I mention I once wrote erotica?)

Anyway, you get my point. Just because no one answers the door, does not mean no one is home.

Apparently, some local burglars found this out first hand when they broke into a house and were welcomed by a the gun wielding homeowner. Oops…

Did I mention I live in Arizona? Everyone in Arizona has a freaking handgun. It doesn’t matter if you are a liberal or conservative; if you live in Arizona chances are someone in the household will be packing. And if it isn’t a gun, there is probably a camera or two hidden away recording every move—while the video is whisked away to some cloud to be retrieved should the need arise.

So, basically, this burglar character doesn’t seem to have the capacity to think ahead. Or maybe he or she just likes surprises and living on the edge.

The important things in life…

SONY DSC My mother and I have spent the first half of May with my daughter’s family in California. Hubby brought us up here so we could come to our granddaughter’s fifth birthday. At the party my mother was surprised by my nephew who attended, bringing along mom’s new great-grandson–for their first visit. Needless to say, she cried.

Hubby had to go back home for work after almost a week. Mom and I got to stay. One nice thing about being a writer, I can take my work with me.

Mom is 87 and was a little apprehensive about making this trip. We go home in two days, and she tells me she’s glad she came. After all, here we get to enjoy the important things in life–like my grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren.

My granddaughter adores her GG (her name for my mother, which stands for Great-Grandmother). They play dolls, enjoy tea party and have the liveliness of conversations.

I’ve had a great time visiting my daughter, son-in-law and my beautiful grandchildren. The extended visit has allowed me to bond with our two-year-old grandson, who’s shy. I’ve always been close to our granddaughter, who never seems to forget us, even though we don’t get together as much as I would like. When I go home, I will miss telling her stories at bedtime. I never seem to read to her–but make up stories, with her as the star character.

I managed to get some writing done on The Ghost Who Wanted Revenge, the 4th book in my Haunting Danielle series. When I go home, I need to wrap it up and send it off to the beta readers and then the editor. It’s currently on pre-order at Amazon.

The photo was taken this morning, me and my grandbabies.