Status: Writing on Chapter 146 of Starchild Duel. (Page 1,321)
Doing: Writing on this blog; answering e-mails; working out, and well...you know the rest! :0)
Watching: Nothing. Usually during the day hours--up till 5PM; the TV stays off.
Listening to: Nothing at the moment. Have a bit of a crushing migraine at the moment. (Weather changes yet again--forcing yet another sinus cold onto me.)
Reading:
Kushiel's Scion. Page 252.
Star Trek: Crucible: McCoy:-Provenance of Shadows. Page 11.
TOPIC: WHY DO SOME PUBLISHED AUTHORS TREAT THEIR FANS LIKE SHIT?
I know I'm going to get snarked on this one. I mean nobody should go and upset the Miss High and Mighty J.K. Rowling.
But a recent article in the New York Times had me pissed! So I had to stick up for book fans everywhere. If anyone here is concerned about copyright issues and the like--you can go and kiss my red and white butt.
This isn't about author rights and such, but how most fans these days have been treated like crap and garbage for so long--underfoot--by their uncaring authors.
Fans should be treated with respect and like a precious commodity. This article I read just proves that fans are run ripshod over the very people they look up to.
And the question is why? Why are some authors real bitches and assholes about how their work should be perceived and coddled? If they didn't want their fans to get this heavily involved in their work--impassioned would be more like it--then maybe they shouldn't have wrote it!??
Heavens to Mergatroid! Sheesh!
***
The thing about this article is that it reveals a lot of things about the state of mind of an overtly successful author whom pigeon-holed herself into just writing one series based on one concept--and never branched out to distinguish herself into a well-rounded writer over the years.
That's the one thing that has doomed Rowling forever and ever.
But she sits there and complains that someone is taking something from her that's already been a universally recognized and established cult icon.
It's not even close to being true.
Vander Ark's lexicon is nothing more than a dictionary-compendium filled with terms and definitions written about the HP universe--along with some of the book's passages and examples.
A fan's most exalted version of a fantasy guide come to life. And Ark is a die-hard fan. And he did it because he truly loved her work.
Not because he wanted to insult her intelligence.
The only reason why Rowling is trying to stop the lexicon from being published is because she had intended to publish a similar book--but Vander Ark torpedoed that idea out of the water--years earlier than she was expecting.
But also for control of the idea and the notion that she alone has absolute rights to the HP theme--and no one else. (Reason why she's suing RDR Books for copyright infringement.)
Which is why Vander Ark felt betrayed by her in this whole affair.
She's not doing this because she feels "angry" or "outraged", but because HP was a major cash cow for Rowling (to the tune of billions), and she doesn't want to see a penny of that being challenged by some then unknown fan on the internet.
So money is the sole reason for this suit. But it's a bit hypocritical for someone whom is sitting on $300M dollars in assets--isn't going to hungry any time soon--to complain about some poor fan's intent to publish an entertainment lexicon that charges only $24.
But what she wants from Vander Ark is "control". She's okay for the book to be published--but so long as it doesn't take away work that's been already in print for the last decade.
It would be a completely differently story if the man took the HP theme and characters and copy-cat her work on an entirely different level--but he didn't.
The article clearly is trying to make it so that Rowling is the victim here. When in fact, she went and endorsed the site from the get go, admitted freely that she often perused the site to keep her own facts in the books'--straight--and said nothing about keeping the site information from ever seeing print.
Not once.
And the idea that people won't read anymore HP books if the lexicon ever goes out to print is utter foolishness. How many here have read HP more than once? How many of you have read spin-offs, compendiums, and whatnot--on HP alone? Did it stop you from going back to reading the originals?
I don't think so.
That's like saying: "There's hundreds of STAR TREK books out there, I guess I don't need to watch any of the series, now do I? I got all the information I need right here."
Screw that! I'm still watching them! lol
The argument is lame to the extreme. In their minds, it's all about money-making schemes and everyone else--not counting the millions Rowling's raked in in toy endorsements and food-related contracts with major companies here in the States and over in Great Britain.
The lexicon won't take anything away from what's already out there.
What I got from this was some amusement as well: Ms. Rowling being so distraught over the idea that someone was going to publish this lexicon--it gave her writer's block.
On what? A book that can't possibly surpass the overpowering success of HP? This is what I meant by being "pigeon-holed" earlier. If you only write one thing and one thing only, you're not going to be able to branch out to other genre--let alone other books.
Because people will link you to whatever success you had before and they won't accept anything less than that.
That's why I branched out to as many genres as I possibly could. If any one of my books were to make it, I wouldn't be confined to just one book series. I have many to choose from.
Rowling no longer had that luxury. In the 10 years since the first book came out, not one other book came out to compliment HP as a companion book.
And the idea that if Rowling loses this suit, the "floodgates will open" and writers everywhere will "lose control over their material".
Pardon my frankness, but that's literal bullshit.
One? Fan-fiction on HP has been written for the better part of the decade. The moment the book went into extreme-success mode, all bets were off on fans, readers, and writers to not capitalize on the sensation which Harry Potter was generating.
How many spin-offs of HP have their been in the 10 years hence? I lost count.
Two? Since when did Rowling ever give a damn about writers everywhere? Ever since this saga of hers went gangbusters, this woman has been on a vanity trip that would make the 60s love and peace movement look like a cakewalk.
She's been so high on herself, salivating on her on self-importance, that she hasn't cared one whit about the rights of other writers--up until now.
This is all about herself. This is all about her. This act of hers--in this instance--is more of an insult than a nod to us writers everywhere. She's trying to cry victim over an act that is widely as being more asinine than having any real substance or value.
At some point in her life, she's going to have to realize that she has next to zero control over what happens with the Harry Potter books. People are going to continue to prosper off of her work--for good or not.
Three? Unpublished writers like myself have had our works on the net for the better part of the last decade. I'm working on 6 years myself.
So why would the publishing or writing world care about what I put on the net?
I'M UNPUBLISHED. I'M A NOBODY!
Hel~lo people! No one's going to care! (lmao)
And thus far, I haven't lost control over my work. My books are so massive and complex, who the heck is going to spend hours over hours on end--trying to take something that their collective 5th-6th grade education and comprehension skills can't possibly grasp--let alone understand well enough to duplicate and then try to publish on their own accord?
Personally? I'd give out the Freedom Medal if someone were out rightly successful in their endeavor 10 or 20 years down the road. I'd like to shake their hand personally and congratulate them on the one thing which I've been failing at for the last 8 years!
("Hey, buddy? What's you're secret?")
But...? That's not going to happen.
So I'm not worried. Because--again?--no one cares who I am or what my books are about.
And my wife--whom is an avid fan of HP herself (I'm not)--put everything in contrast to this court-room drama by saying this the other night: "Someone should shut the bitch up with a doughnut.“
Sky
Showing posts with label JK Rowling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label JK Rowling. Show all posts
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
WHY I WANT FANS TO COLLABORATE WITH ME!
Status: Writing on Chapter 146 of Starchild Duel. (Still battling the flu while watching the snow continue to fall. 2.5" so far.)
Doing: Writing on this blog; answering e-mails; working out, and well...you know the rest! :0)
Watching: KIRO 7 NEWS; couple of Disney tapes.
Listening to: Dance Hits of the 90s (mix tape); "Round Round".
Reading: Kushiel's Scion. Page 252.
STAR TREK: CRUCIBLE: MCCOY-PROVENANCE OF SHADOWS. Page 11
TOPIC: THE ROWLING CONTROVERSY CONTINUES
It's strange how some people respond to an e-mail by recklessly implying that they intend to take what you've published and make some money off of your works--just because you came to the defense of someone who has the balls to take on someone like J.K. Rowling.
Talk about your amateur hour at the Improv! Or is that blind arrogance I so detect? Hmm? Such statements remind me of a comment found one of my brother's beloved Cracked cards from his Magic-The Gathering decks: "Whatever I do comes back and sticks onto you."
From what I've been able to uncover, it's nothing more than a simple power grab by Rowling in her attempts have absolute mastery over the print media. She apparently doesn't give a rat's ass about what one of her fans want to do. It's all about her and no one else.
And this is what had got my goat this week--during the bouts of the flu--authors who feel that no one but them should have the right to publish their works.
I have to agree that this is what being a writer is all about. But what I am not in agreement is with is that the fans and readers have to be forced to abide by a set of rules which spells out that they can and cannot do with the published authors' works after the book has been published.
If someone wanted to collaborate with me on any of my books in the future--a fan-based collection of short stories set in the Starchild Universe--I wouldn't be sitting there and denying that fan a chance to flex his or her imagination on the book idea.
I would be all for it.
Set up a contract that spells out what will go down and write it! Y'know? Because even though the author has sole ownership rights to his or her works, it doesn't necessarily mean that readers and fans alike can't share in the fun as well.
I think this is what needs to change and needs to be more clarified. In order for an author to be successful, it requires both sides to come together and share in the same unique vision set forth in the books themselves.
The author themselves can't expect to do the lion's share of the work--without the help of his or her fanbase and readers. Without involving them in the process of taking part in the actual writing.
Fan-fiction by itself isn't enough for most loyal fans, because they can't share what they've created with the creator or the author. All they have is a cyber audience that is presently engaged in other things--least of all in what the fan had gone and created--and that doesn't help them any.
Nor can they get it published. And that is where the problem lies. There is that roadblock which tells the fan that they cannot go and get it published--without the threat of being sued.
And that's the problem. We are in effect telling our own fans and readers: "Don't publish anything based on my works--because I'll have to sue you at my convenience."
Why? Didn't we just give them the greenlight to go ahead and write fan-fiction based on already published novel? Why don't we all sue them for even making the attempt in the first place?
I wrote some Robotech fan-fiction based on a series I hope to complete one of these days and publish.
A saga I started 13 years ago.
Why hasn't Harmony Gold or any of its creative-license members sued me for even writing it? It doesn't detract from the original vision set forth by Carl Macek and his crew of 'robbies'.
So why can't I publish it?
The problem lies in the control of the idea and the vision. Not what we all have written. It has to fly in the face of what the concept was based upon, not go fly off on a handle--with a completely different idea using the base pair of concepts.
What I want to do with my work is create stories based on what's taken place--written by fans, for fans, and published by fans.
All I would need is a contractual agreement and everything is fine.
I may not have all the time in the world to write every story based on every book I've constructed over the years, but I would like to--no: love--to see what someone else can come up with in their spare time.
And get it published through an equal-rights partnership and collaboration. I'm just tired of seeing the fans and readers get screwed by things that hamper our abilities to think and dream up shit--based on some published concept that's more outdated than a 50-year-old Twinkie.
Lawsuits are for power-hungry peons and people whom have nothing better to do with their time than make other people fucking miserable--because they've lost sight of what it meant to be flexible and understanding.
Money isn't forever. We all have to share in it at some point. But as an unpublished author myself, I want to involve my fans and readers in my works than just simply having them read the adventures of my varied characters.
I want them to experience and take part in it themselves. So that they can witness first-hand their own impact their writing has on my books.
But if people are going to be worried that it's going to take away the vision of what I've set in motion, I don't think you're going to have much to worry about: I'm already set in what I want in my books.
I know what I want. But I want to see what others can come up with.
But there's a lot in my novels that have yet to be explored. And I don't think I'm going to have time to write them all.
Which is why I want people to be involved in what I'm doing. It's not just me I'm writing for. But I'm making it possible for other people to share in what's like to have their name on something that I've created--written by my own hands--and bottom line...?
Have a little piece of the action themselves.
If people think that all it's doing is taking money away from me, I wouldn't worry about it too much. I've gotten used to living on such limited income as it is, I don't think having less money is going to impact me anymore than it already has now.
Yes, I've had my share of difficulties financially, but seriously? I don't need money to be rich. I'm already rich in ideas, concepts, and my imagination.
I will have all I will ever need to become a successful author. I just others to share in that glory and happiness. And make a little money on the side.
Others still may not understand, some may think I'm shooting myself in the foot, but it's not the mainstream that I'm doing this for.
I'm doing this because my fans and readers deserve it. Not because some overbloated egghead of an author thinks that they are too high on themselves to even notice the negative impact of denying them the opportunity of sharing in a unique collaboration.
Doing: Writing on this blog; answering e-mails; working out, and well...you know the rest! :0)
Watching: KIRO 7 NEWS; couple of Disney tapes.
Listening to: Dance Hits of the 90s (mix tape); "Round Round".
Reading: Kushiel's Scion. Page 252.
STAR TREK: CRUCIBLE: MCCOY-PROVENANCE OF SHADOWS. Page 11
TOPIC: THE ROWLING CONTROVERSY CONTINUES
It's strange how some people respond to an e-mail by recklessly implying that they intend to take what you've published and make some money off of your works--just because you came to the defense of someone who has the balls to take on someone like J.K. Rowling.
Talk about your amateur hour at the Improv! Or is that blind arrogance I so detect? Hmm? Such statements remind me of a comment found one of my brother's beloved Cracked cards from his Magic-The Gathering decks: "Whatever I do comes back and sticks onto you."
From what I've been able to uncover, it's nothing more than a simple power grab by Rowling in her attempts have absolute mastery over the print media. She apparently doesn't give a rat's ass about what one of her fans want to do. It's all about her and no one else.
And this is what had got my goat this week--during the bouts of the flu--authors who feel that no one but them should have the right to publish their works.
I have to agree that this is what being a writer is all about. But what I am not in agreement is with is that the fans and readers have to be forced to abide by a set of rules which spells out that they can and cannot do with the published authors' works after the book has been published.
If someone wanted to collaborate with me on any of my books in the future--a fan-based collection of short stories set in the Starchild Universe--I wouldn't be sitting there and denying that fan a chance to flex his or her imagination on the book idea.
I would be all for it.
Set up a contract that spells out what will go down and write it! Y'know? Because even though the author has sole ownership rights to his or her works, it doesn't necessarily mean that readers and fans alike can't share in the fun as well.
I think this is what needs to change and needs to be more clarified. In order for an author to be successful, it requires both sides to come together and share in the same unique vision set forth in the books themselves.
The author themselves can't expect to do the lion's share of the work--without the help of his or her fanbase and readers. Without involving them in the process of taking part in the actual writing.
Fan-fiction by itself isn't enough for most loyal fans, because they can't share what they've created with the creator or the author. All they have is a cyber audience that is presently engaged in other things--least of all in what the fan had gone and created--and that doesn't help them any.
Nor can they get it published. And that is where the problem lies. There is that roadblock which tells the fan that they cannot go and get it published--without the threat of being sued.
And that's the problem. We are in effect telling our own fans and readers: "Don't publish anything based on my works--because I'll have to sue you at my convenience."
Why? Didn't we just give them the greenlight to go ahead and write fan-fiction based on already published novel? Why don't we all sue them for even making the attempt in the first place?
I wrote some Robotech fan-fiction based on a series I hope to complete one of these days and publish.
A saga I started 13 years ago.
Why hasn't Harmony Gold or any of its creative-license members sued me for even writing it? It doesn't detract from the original vision set forth by Carl Macek and his crew of 'robbies'.
So why can't I publish it?
The problem lies in the control of the idea and the vision. Not what we all have written. It has to fly in the face of what the concept was based upon, not go fly off on a handle--with a completely different idea using the base pair of concepts.
What I want to do with my work is create stories based on what's taken place--written by fans, for fans, and published by fans.
All I would need is a contractual agreement and everything is fine.
I may not have all the time in the world to write every story based on every book I've constructed over the years, but I would like to--no: love--to see what someone else can come up with in their spare time.
And get it published through an equal-rights partnership and collaboration. I'm just tired of seeing the fans and readers get screwed by things that hamper our abilities to think and dream up shit--based on some published concept that's more outdated than a 50-year-old Twinkie.
Lawsuits are for power-hungry peons and people whom have nothing better to do with their time than make other people fucking miserable--because they've lost sight of what it meant to be flexible and understanding.
Money isn't forever. We all have to share in it at some point. But as an unpublished author myself, I want to involve my fans and readers in my works than just simply having them read the adventures of my varied characters.
I want them to experience and take part in it themselves. So that they can witness first-hand their own impact their writing has on my books.
But if people are going to be worried that it's going to take away the vision of what I've set in motion, I don't think you're going to have much to worry about: I'm already set in what I want in my books.
I know what I want. But I want to see what others can come up with.
But there's a lot in my novels that have yet to be explored. And I don't think I'm going to have time to write them all.
Which is why I want people to be involved in what I'm doing. It's not just me I'm writing for. But I'm making it possible for other people to share in what's like to have their name on something that I've created--written by my own hands--and bottom line...?
Have a little piece of the action themselves.
If people think that all it's doing is taking money away from me, I wouldn't worry about it too much. I've gotten used to living on such limited income as it is, I don't think having less money is going to impact me anymore than it already has now.
Yes, I've had my share of difficulties financially, but seriously? I don't need money to be rich. I'm already rich in ideas, concepts, and my imagination.
I will have all I will ever need to become a successful author. I just others to share in that glory and happiness. And make a little money on the side.
Others still may not understand, some may think I'm shooting myself in the foot, but it's not the mainstream that I'm doing this for.
I'm doing this because my fans and readers deserve it. Not because some overbloated egghead of an author thinks that they are too high on themselves to even notice the negative impact of denying them the opportunity of sharing in a unique collaboration.
A chance to expand and branch out.
It's part of the reason why some of my books don't have a defined beginning or an ending. Because there's a lot I left out. Not on purpose. Not by accident. Because that's that way the books wrote themselves.
I want the fans to help me fill in the blanks. In their own words.
Screw the mainstream way of thinking. This was never theirs to begin with.
It's mine and anyone else's who wants to share in this.
Sky
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
WEDNESDAY'S CHAOS THEORY STARTS OUT LIKE THIS...
Status: Writing on Chapter 146 of Starchild Duel. (Last one was Chapter 145. My bad! See? This is what happens when: A) You're me, and B) You've had nothing but 2 full months of nothing but bad luck left and right.)
Doing: Writing on this blog; answering e-mails; working out, and well...you know the rest! :0)
Watching: KING 5 DT CH 5.2; WEATHER PLUS
Listening to: "Passion's Killing Floor" by H.I.M.; "Visions" by Razed in Black
Reading: Kushiel's Scion. Page 252.
TOPIC: THE ROWLING LEXICON CONTROVERSY
Just so everyone knows, I'm feeling a lot better today. But boy...! Do I have a shit load of things to catch up on. MY WRITING INCLUDED.
I just got done pasting the Starchild of Ancient Lore into the ground in my latest chapter. (Trust me: She's going to be feeling much better later on--after she gets some quality nap time. :0) The battle with Cara Hastings (or Nemesis--as she likes to be called) has taken a much greater toll on the embattled surface dweller. And her boyfriend Bayen Yelou...?
Let's just say that he has his own problems at the moment. (Praetorial Guard issues as usual. It doesn't help their case much when a wide area of the Barren Wastelands gets annihilated in the process by the other stranded Starchild of Ancient Lore--as she was left to battle Cara on her own terms.)
Anyway...not to distract anyone from the reasons why I'm writing today, the issue surrounding J.K. Rowling and that website which some 50-year-old fan had created a lexicon around the whole entire Harry Potter universe is something which had only recently caught my attention. (Being sick doesn't help my case much.)
With his intent to publish what is on the website--which has roughly 1.5 million hits per month. (Or is it per day?)
And the kicker? It got a full endorsement from the writer herself. Not the publishing aspect, but the fact that she endorsed a website which took full advantage of the HP phenomenon.
And now--suddenly--Rowling's trying to sue this one fan to stop him from publishing what's already on the website!
So why the John Kerry-style flip-flops on Rowling's part? The full and undeniable fact that she wants full and uncontested control of her creation and life's work.
See, this is what I don't get. The most popular icons of the 20th century--from Green Gables to Star Trek, to The Blade Runner, Star Wars, and so on...get gobbled up by generations of fans alike.
We didn't hear George Lucas suing that group of fans for creating that one hour long--STAR WARS: REVELATIONS--episode 4 years ago. (Which was profiled on CBS News.)
So why take this issue to court? It's all about control.
"Fuck my fans and readers alike! I want TOTAL CONTROL!!!"--shouts J.K. Rowling; a.k.a: Queen Witch of the Known Universe. "None of you empty-headed peons have any rights to enjoy my work! I make the money, I make the damned rules around here!"
...
And right then and there, authors like Mrs. Rowling gets screwed in the long run over how people view her novels or any future releases that will bring on board new generations of dedicated readers.
Her book sales may not be in danger of going the way of the dodo, but her reputation and credibility gets taken down a notch.
See, this is the price of vanity which some established authors fall prey to in the long term.
They no longer see value in what their hard-won fan base has labored long and hard for--to pay homage to and give out to their respective readers as a bonus treat to some of the die-hard book worms (or movie buffs). At some point the allure and glitz dies down...and maybe it's age or something else that takes hold and the author of this and that book suddenly feels threatened by what he or she sees as treading on some unclaimed--personal--turf, and now...?
They have to make one big fucking stink over it. Given by what the creator of that lexicon site has said in his defense of his intent--you would think that Rowling would welcome such a move.
Because why? Nothing on the site distorts what the Harry Potter universe represents. It is just a collection of terms, dictionary eulogies, and lots of other fun facts based on Rowling's already published books.
So where's the fire? The fire is that one fan has one-upped Rowling's intent to do one compendium herself at some point before HP becomes a faded memory in the back of everyone's mind.
This man went and pissed all over what Rowling's grand plan to make what again...?
That's right kiddies!
MONEY!
LOTS AND LOTS OF MONEY! CABBAGE, BREAD, DOUGH, SCRATCH, MOOLA, WHATEVER YOU CALL THE GREENBACK, THIS IS WHAT SHE WANTS THE MOST.
Rowling created this massive money-making cash cow from the start about 11 years ago--with the first Harry Potter book--and now she wants to milk everything for what is worth--even at the expense of her fan base loyalties.
See, this is where I draw the line.
Copyright infringement and legalities aside, fans should reserve the right to go fucking nuts with the author's works--so long as there is no preverse scheme involved to take away the original vision set in place by the original creator or author.
The money making schtick involved in this pointed mess is something I'm still at odds over. If there is money to be made, the author should get the lion's share of the profits made from this little venture, while the creator of the said lexicon should get a modest repast for his efforts and hard work.
But the two of them should be working together on this, not fighting it in federal court.
That in itself would give fans like my wife a bit of a breather and not grant everyone a severe migraine over the issue of free creative license and who should benefit it the most.
Because--should the court rule on this--if things go awry and the judge decides that it's Rowling's sole inheritance to claim eminent domain over anything put out now or in the near future--it's going to make it damned impossible for anyone to rightfully enjoy what an an author puts out--because he or she is going to be afraid of being SUED or taken to court over fan-created works of interest; based on the original idea.
This means anyone--including the guys whom made STAR WARS: REVELATIONS--can be dragged into a court of law and sued for everything they got.
Because they happened to step on the toes of either the original author or the original creator/producer of said movie or book.
And that is going to freeze everyone's personal enjoyment of reading that book or watching that movie--because a federal judge said that fans everywhere have no rights to do anything that will upset the money-making status quos of the authors or anyone else.
As an unpublished author myself, I am a man of free will and free enterprise. As much as I want to make a sickening amount of money off of my books (a man can dream--can't he?)...I also have to realize that once the genie comes out of the bottle, it's virtually impossible to put back in.
Doing: Writing on this blog; answering e-mails; working out, and well...you know the rest! :0)
Watching: KING 5 DT CH 5.2; WEATHER PLUS
Listening to: "Passion's Killing Floor" by H.I.M.; "Visions" by Razed in Black
Reading: Kushiel's Scion. Page 252.
TOPIC: THE ROWLING LEXICON CONTROVERSY
Just so everyone knows, I'm feeling a lot better today. But boy...! Do I have a shit load of things to catch up on. MY WRITING INCLUDED.
I just got done pasting the Starchild of Ancient Lore into the ground in my latest chapter. (Trust me: She's going to be feeling much better later on--after she gets some quality nap time. :0) The battle with Cara Hastings (or Nemesis--as she likes to be called) has taken a much greater toll on the embattled surface dweller. And her boyfriend Bayen Yelou...?
Let's just say that he has his own problems at the moment. (Praetorial Guard issues as usual. It doesn't help their case much when a wide area of the Barren Wastelands gets annihilated in the process by the other stranded Starchild of Ancient Lore--as she was left to battle Cara on her own terms.)
Anyway...not to distract anyone from the reasons why I'm writing today, the issue surrounding J.K. Rowling and that website which some 50-year-old fan had created a lexicon around the whole entire Harry Potter universe is something which had only recently caught my attention. (Being sick doesn't help my case much.)
With his intent to publish what is on the website--which has roughly 1.5 million hits per month. (Or is it per day?)
And the kicker? It got a full endorsement from the writer herself. Not the publishing aspect, but the fact that she endorsed a website which took full advantage of the HP phenomenon.
And now--suddenly--Rowling's trying to sue this one fan to stop him from publishing what's already on the website!
So why the John Kerry-style flip-flops on Rowling's part? The full and undeniable fact that she wants full and uncontested control of her creation and life's work.
See, this is what I don't get. The most popular icons of the 20th century--from Green Gables to Star Trek, to The Blade Runner, Star Wars, and so on...get gobbled up by generations of fans alike.
We didn't hear George Lucas suing that group of fans for creating that one hour long--STAR WARS: REVELATIONS--episode 4 years ago. (Which was profiled on CBS News.)
So why take this issue to court? It's all about control.
"Fuck my fans and readers alike! I want TOTAL CONTROL!!!"--shouts J.K. Rowling; a.k.a: Queen Witch of the Known Universe. "None of you empty-headed peons have any rights to enjoy my work! I make the money, I make the damned rules around here!"
...
And right then and there, authors like Mrs. Rowling gets screwed in the long run over how people view her novels or any future releases that will bring on board new generations of dedicated readers.
Her book sales may not be in danger of going the way of the dodo, but her reputation and credibility gets taken down a notch.
See, this is the price of vanity which some established authors fall prey to in the long term.
They no longer see value in what their hard-won fan base has labored long and hard for--to pay homage to and give out to their respective readers as a bonus treat to some of the die-hard book worms (or movie buffs). At some point the allure and glitz dies down...and maybe it's age or something else that takes hold and the author of this and that book suddenly feels threatened by what he or she sees as treading on some unclaimed--personal--turf, and now...?
They have to make one big fucking stink over it. Given by what the creator of that lexicon site has said in his defense of his intent--you would think that Rowling would welcome such a move.
Because why? Nothing on the site distorts what the Harry Potter universe represents. It is just a collection of terms, dictionary eulogies, and lots of other fun facts based on Rowling's already published books.
So where's the fire? The fire is that one fan has one-upped Rowling's intent to do one compendium herself at some point before HP becomes a faded memory in the back of everyone's mind.
This man went and pissed all over what Rowling's grand plan to make what again...?
That's right kiddies!
MONEY!
LOTS AND LOTS OF MONEY! CABBAGE, BREAD, DOUGH, SCRATCH, MOOLA, WHATEVER YOU CALL THE GREENBACK, THIS IS WHAT SHE WANTS THE MOST.
Rowling created this massive money-making cash cow from the start about 11 years ago--with the first Harry Potter book--and now she wants to milk everything for what is worth--even at the expense of her fan base loyalties.
See, this is where I draw the line.
Copyright infringement and legalities aside, fans should reserve the right to go fucking nuts with the author's works--so long as there is no preverse scheme involved to take away the original vision set in place by the original creator or author.
The money making schtick involved in this pointed mess is something I'm still at odds over. If there is money to be made, the author should get the lion's share of the profits made from this little venture, while the creator of the said lexicon should get a modest repast for his efforts and hard work.
But the two of them should be working together on this, not fighting it in federal court.
That in itself would give fans like my wife a bit of a breather and not grant everyone a severe migraine over the issue of free creative license and who should benefit it the most.
Because--should the court rule on this--if things go awry and the judge decides that it's Rowling's sole inheritance to claim eminent domain over anything put out now or in the near future--it's going to make it damned impossible for anyone to rightfully enjoy what an an author puts out--because he or she is going to be afraid of being SUED or taken to court over fan-created works of interest; based on the original idea.
This means anyone--including the guys whom made STAR WARS: REVELATIONS--can be dragged into a court of law and sued for everything they got.
Because they happened to step on the toes of either the original author or the original creator/producer of said movie or book.
And that is going to freeze everyone's personal enjoyment of reading that book or watching that movie--because a federal judge said that fans everywhere have no rights to do anything that will upset the money-making status quos of the authors or anyone else.
As an unpublished author myself, I am a man of free will and free enterprise. As much as I want to make a sickening amount of money off of my books (a man can dream--can't he?)...I also have to realize that once the genie comes out of the bottle, it's virtually impossible to put back in.
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