All the days of our Amazon

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Mon August 23rd, 2010, 11:23 pm

Sigh. Another day, another Amazon kerfuffle. Originally spotted at Dear Author.

michellemoran · Post by **michellemoran** » Tue August 24th, 2010, 12:42 am

Oh MY GOSH. As if someone would steal someone else's title! Seriously.

There was a book called CLEOPATRA'S DAUGHTER published two decades (maybe a little less?) before mine, although I didn't know this at the time I titled my book. But these things happen. Besides, titles do get duplicated. That's just the way it is...

The best part, though, is:

it's a pretty dumb idea to use the exact same book title that a better known author has used recently

Hee hee.

Divia · Post by **Divia** » Tue August 24th, 2010, 12:51 am

Titles can't be copyrighted. In fact there were two books I ordered last month both called "Breathless" and I'm sure there are countless more.

Miss Moppet · Post by **Miss Moppet** » Tue August 24th, 2010, 3:40 am

"Divia" wrote:Titles can't be copyrighted. In fact there were two books I ordered last month both called "Breathless" and I'm sure there are countless more.

Indeed, there is no copyright in titles, and it's just as well, because most of the good ones are taken. Just look at the Queen thread - lots of duplicate titles, and if the title-a-like trend continues, there's going to be a whole load more.

I'm waiting for Amazon: The Movie. Shot of typing on a keyboard. Screenshot. Someone's shocked expression. More typing. More typing on a screen. Someone else, so shocked they jump out of their chair!

A movie like that couldn't be too long.

I checked out the Laurell K Hamilton link as well. Hilarious.

Ash · Post by **Ash** » Tue August 24th, 2010, 3:47 am

Amazing. And I thought my preschool students had childish ideas of ownership (as in if I had it at any time but no longer do, its still mine).

In A.A. Gill's collection of essays, he talks about finding another book with the same title: Foriegn Convictions. He was upset at first, but then decided to research a bit to see who this author was. Turned out it was his father in law, who wrote it a few decades ago! He thought it cool, that the title stayed in the family.

annis · Post by **annis** » Tue August 24th, 2010, 4:58 am

As someone commented, the author of the snippy comment clearly doesn't get out much. And he appears, dare I say it, to have a rather inflated ego, going by his remark "I'm very aware that book titles are not copywriteable (sic), but it's a pretty dumb idea to use the exact same book title that a better known author has used recently" (6 years ago, in fact, as another reader noted!)
Crikey!

Michy · Post by **Michy** » Tue August 24th, 2010, 5:01 am

"Miss Moppet" wrote:
I'm waiting for Amazon: The Movie.

Starring none other than Harriet Klausen!!!! hee hee hee

annis · Post by **annis** » Tue August 24th, 2010, 5:07 am

You mean Harriet is a real person? Shock, horror!

Madeleine · Post by **Madeleine** » Tue August 24th, 2010, 11:29 am

There are at least two "Northern Lights" that I can think of, one is the Nora Roberts, and the other was the original title of Philip Pullman's "The Golden Compass" - it was called Northern Lights in the UK til the film came out, then it was changed to tie in with the movie and, presumably, the US edition of the book. Think there might be a 3rd book with that title too.

ejays17 · Post by **ejays17** » Wed August 25th, 2010, 9:25 am

I can think of another book called Northern Lights (by Lorna Hill) which was only published recently, even though it was written during WW2. I'm pretty sure you wouldn;t confuse it with either Phillp Pullman or Nora Roberts.

Another author to add to my list of "not going to read because of extreme childish behavour". (Also have a list of actors whos work I wonn't watch for similar reasons

)