Smeyer Accused of Plagiarising 4th Twilight Book

Kitty Pryde · Aug 4, 2009

http://www.tmz.com/2009/08/04/twilight-author-accused-of-biting-vampire-story/

I can't get the letter to load properly but it looks like another author is taking legal action against Stephenie Meyer for swiping her story. The similarity claims in the letter appear sort of, um...weak. These sorts of things happen with some regularity to uber-popular books, but I find it's always fun to watch. What say you? Infringement or not?

ETA: Wasn't sure whether this belongs here or roundtable or p&ce or what...

M.R.J. Le Blanc · Aug 4, 2009

Oh good grief is all I have to say. Until line by line comparisons surface that can give any substantial weight to the claim, it's bullcrap. And I don't even like Twilight.

Kitty Pryde · Aug 4, 2009

The LBL comparisons are here http://www.aolcdn.com/tmz_documents/0803_meyer_infringement.pdf but they seem a bit insubstantial.

TrickyFiction · Aug 4, 2009

This always seems to happen whenever an author makes it big. I remember it happening to Rowling and Brown both.

Gillhoughly · Aug 4, 2009

-- Both books contain a post-wedding sex scene
-- Both books contain a scene about a woman who's sick because she's carrying a child with "evil powers"
-- Both books contain a scene with the death of the main character's wife

Except for the last one, so does Rosemary's Baby.

For my part, I think Meyers should be sued for malapropism abuse and excessive use of the words "perfect" and "flawless."

Her editor should be fired for allowing such crimes against literature to pass over her desk without making at least a token attempt to blue pencil the poor grammar.

The suit will be dismissed.

The case against Brown had some solid reasons behind it. His researcher wife gakked the whole plot for Code from the Holy Blood, Holy Grail guys without even a thank you to them. I'm sorry they lost their suit.

.

lm728 · Aug 4, 2009

That article's got me shaking my head. The lengths people will go to....

I think Ms. Scott's trying to cash in on the Twilight phenom, just like what happened with JKR's plagiarism case. While I'm not a fan of SM, I can't help but wonder if Scott got her vampire idea from the original Twilight book (Twilight was published before THE NOCTURNE), and turned the tables on SM.

The examples aren't very solid proof. The "plagiarized" text is very garden-variety/cliched ("There was silence. It could not have been more perfect"), and I don't doubt that if you Google it, more or less the same sentence will have appeared in hundreds of books.

HJW · Aug 4, 2009

Kitty Pryde said:
The LBL comparisons are here http://www.aolcdn.com/tmz_documents/0803_meyer_infringement.pdf but they seem a bit insubstantial.

Insubstantial = non-existent I'd say.

Honestly, some people have no shame.

Barrett · Aug 4, 2009

Every time something like this comes up, I recall that maniac who showed up in Stephen King's kitchen with a "bomb" (a box of rubber bands and paper clips) claiming he'd thought of most of King's work first and felt Stephen had stolen it from him... somehow.

Unless a work has the exact same characters, including name and description, as well as the exact same story arc, it's someone who is going for cash, or a complete lunatic.

Kitty Pryde · Aug 4, 2009

Barrett said:
Unless a work has the exact same characters, including name and description, as well as the exact same story arc, it's someone who is going for cash, or a complete lunatic.

While I feel, to put it mildly, this complaint probably lacks merit, I disagree with your statement. Have you looked at the Kaavya Viswanathan plagiarism case? http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=512965 http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=512948 The author and publisher of the infringed-upon books weren't 'going for cash', just protecting what was theirs. The author admitted to it, her books were pulled, and she lost her book and movie deals.

Or what about the Alex Haley plagiarism suit? He had to settle out of court. Again, just somebody who wanted recognition that something had been taken from him.

Kathleen42 · Aug 4, 2009

I skimmed the first five pages of line by lines and, to be honest, the only similarities I saw would be found in anyone writing about weddings or sex on the beach.

~*Kate*~ · Aug 4, 2009

Kathleen42 said:
I skimmed the first five pages of line by lines and, to be honest, the only similarities I saw would be found in anyone writing about weddings or sex on the beach.

What she said.

DeleyanLee · Aug 4, 2009

Barrett said:
Every time something like this comes up, I recall that maniac who showed up in Stephen King's kitchen with a "bomb" (a box of rubber bands and paper clips) claiming he'd thought of most of King's work first and felt Stephen had stolen it from him... somehow.

Which King then converted in the short story "The Hidden Window", which then became a movie starring Johnny Depp.

I tell ya, that's the way to do it.

BenPanced · Aug 4, 2009

Kathleen42 said:
I skimmed the first five pages of line by lines and, to be honest, the only similarities I saw would be found in anyone writing about weddings or sex on the beach.

Well, mine's different. It's about a sexy wedding on the beach.

Sage · Aug 4, 2009

-- Both books contain a post-wedding sex scene

Are you kidding me? This is actually given as a reason?

icerose · Aug 4, 2009

My computer seems to be allergic to TMZ as it won't load any of the links.

As to the claims listed in this thread, I'll add my voice in with the sounds pretty weak.

Kitty Pryde · Aug 4, 2009

Sorta but not exactly. Specific lines and paragraphs within the post-wedding smex scene, which seem to be generic to any similar scene you'd find in any number of novels. The specific lines aren't that similar, like "Her lips brushed against mine before she rolled off me, onto the sand." VERSUS "His lips brushed down my neck to the tip of my shoulder." here: http://www.aolcdn.com/tmz_documents/0803_meyer_infringement.pdf

Prozyan · Aug 4, 2009

This reminds me of the guy a few weeks ago that was going to sue ABC because their miniseries "Impact" featured the moon crashing into the Earth, which was also the main plot of his book.

Some people, I swear.

brainstorm77 · Aug 4, 2009

Meyer should sue this bags ass!

JoNightshade · Aug 4, 2009

I think this just highlights the common belief that ideas in themselves are worth something. I mean, how often to newbies register on AW and say something like "I'm an ideas person, not great with grammar and stuff, where can I get an editor/cowriter/schmuck to do all the hard work?" Or the people who are all paranoid about sharing their ideas, because they are so scared one of us is going to "steal" it?

Yeah, sorry, it's all in the execution. And as far as I'm concerned, both of these authors gets an F.

Shadow_Ferret · Aug 4, 2009

-- Both books contain a post-wedding sex scene

That's just... weird. Isn't the couple usually too drunk or tired after their long day for anything other then sleep?

Kathleen42 · Aug 4, 2009

Shadow_Ferret said:
That's just... weird. Isn't the couple usually too drunk or tired after their long day for anything other then sleep?

Had you only read Twilight you would know that vampires never sleep. They typically use the hours between 11PM and 7AM to watch teenage girls sleep. This is because vampires don't have cable.

Ugawa · Aug 4, 2009

Kathleen42 said:
Had you only read Twilight you would know that vampires never sleep. They typically use the hours between 11PM and 7AM to watch teenage girls sleep. This is because vampires don't have cable.

This whole thing amuses me. Could just be for the publicity?

maestrowork · Aug 4, 2009

I wish someone would sue me for plagiarism. That means I am a hotshot.

blacbird · Aug 4, 2009

Little Bird said:
Doesn't sex typically follow shortly after a wedding?

You just keep on believing that, Bird.

caw

Cyia · Aug 4, 2009

Technically, sex didn't follow the wedding in Twilight. A fade to black in the ocean followed after the wedding (after the long trip to the private island during which I assume they played cards). Then the next morning the bride wakes up covered in feathers and bruises with a brooding groom who complains he never should have touched her and a craving for a dozen eggs a day.

So, unless all that's in the other one... Smeyer's in the clear.

Smeyer Accused of Plagiarising 4th Twilight Book

i luv you giant bear statue

aka Sadistic Mistress Mi-chan

i luv you giant bear statue

Who?

Grumpy writer and editor

i'm baaaacccckkkkkk

i luv you giant bear statue

crushing on fictional characters

brings the random.

Writing Anarchist

THE BLUEBERRY QUEEN OF HADES (he/him)

Our Lady of Parentheticals

Lost in School Work

i luv you giant bear statue

Are you one, Herbert?

practical experience, FTW

has finally arrived

Court Jester

crushing on fictional characters

It's a catastrophic success!

Fear the Death Ray

Rewriting My Destiny