Filthy Pirates!!
Unfortunately, this blog is not about Cap'n Jack Sparrow or his adventures.
It's about something that's been a topic of upsetting discussion among my fellow authors.
BOOK PIRACY!!
Back in the day, I am guilty of having downloaded pirated music from places like Napster and Limewire, and looking back now as someone who does all the work to publish my books, I understand how the artists and musicians were so up in arms about their work being stolen and offered for free somewhere else. And how wrong it was of me to do it.
Today there are still places to download things for free, like the books I and other authors have published. You may not know it, and you may have downloaded or borrowed a book from a website not affiliated with the author's publisher for free, without knowing whether or not the author or the publisher has actually given permission for that.
Today's blog, I just want to be clear I'm only talking about my books, and my permissions and experiences.
The ONLY place you can buy or borrow my books from, is AMAZON.COM.
Amazon is the ONLY company I have published through and given rights to distribute my content, via AMAZON.COM.
Through Amazon, I have placed my books on the KOLL (kindle owners lending library) and the KDP Select programs that allow readers to get my books through their Kindle Unlimited programs free of charge.
That's it.
Yet unfortunately, as the topic was being discussed and I did some digging around, I discovered my books were available on a website called Booklending.com to be borrowed or loaned, and at first glance, it appears this company is an associate of Amazon and part of the Amazon Lending Library.
If you read the fine print there on Booklending, and I did, you will find that they state in a very sneaky turn of phrase that they are not affiliated with Amazon in any way.
So why am I so upset that someone can borrow my books for free? Doesn't that give me more publicity and sort of a way to do some free advertising?
No. It doesn't.
Let's be clear that I'm not complaining, I am explaining how my system works and what all goes in to being an author.
Being an author has been and continues to be my dream job. I love it. I can't wait to type- THE END- on a new title and get it out there for my readers to enjoy.
I spend anywhere from five to twelve hours a day working on my books, and it takes months for me to finish one book to my satisfaction.
I spend money on editing. I spend money on book covers. On advertising and hype. And I don't get paid until 60 days AFTER publishing.
For instance, say I publish January 1st, I don't receive royalties or payment until April 1st.
So when I discover someone has given my book away for free, it really chaps my ass.
I copyright all my books through the copyrighting office of America and that person who has downloaded a pirated version of my book is stealing those hours and months of my hard work.
There's nothing I can do about it except send the company offering my stolen work for free a nasty email, demand they remove my titles from their website, and prepare a potential lawsuit.
Or, take my titles off of the KOLL and Kindle Unlimited and only offer them to be purchased.
I wish there was a meme with some big scaley oceanic creature, declaring that only you can prevent literary piracy.
Because it's true. I can write emails and prepare lawsuits all day long to combat the thievery of my work, but in the end, it's up to the readers to not feed that monster.
Author's names and stories are being stolen, and as this continues to be a rising issue, myself and my fellow authors are losing time and money we could be using to write more books by going to war with companies and individuals who pirate our work.
Thus, the moral of today's blog-
If you want your favorite authors to finish the next book you're waiting on, help them out. Don't download books from some skeezy website not affiliated with Amazon, so I don't have to put down the laptop and use the precious time I could be finishing the next Sarazen novel to put on my warrior princess panties and go on a warpath.
They're ironclad, and they chafe.
It may seem like a little thing to some, but as my awesome readers, if someone offers you a pirated copy of my books, or any of your favorite author's books, please say no.
I continue to be so appreciative of my reader base and your support with every new book I release. Here's to a thousand more!
It's about something that's been a topic of upsetting discussion among my fellow authors.
BOOK PIRACY!!
Back in the day, I am guilty of having downloaded pirated music from places like Napster and Limewire, and looking back now as someone who does all the work to publish my books, I understand how the artists and musicians were so up in arms about their work being stolen and offered for free somewhere else. And how wrong it was of me to do it.
Today there are still places to download things for free, like the books I and other authors have published. You may not know it, and you may have downloaded or borrowed a book from a website not affiliated with the author's publisher for free, without knowing whether or not the author or the publisher has actually given permission for that.
Today's blog, I just want to be clear I'm only talking about my books, and my permissions and experiences.
The ONLY place you can buy or borrow my books from, is AMAZON.COM.
Amazon is the ONLY company I have published through and given rights to distribute my content, via AMAZON.COM.
Through Amazon, I have placed my books on the KOLL (kindle owners lending library) and the KDP Select programs that allow readers to get my books through their Kindle Unlimited programs free of charge.
That's it.
Yet unfortunately, as the topic was being discussed and I did some digging around, I discovered my books were available on a website called Booklending.com to be borrowed or loaned, and at first glance, it appears this company is an associate of Amazon and part of the Amazon Lending Library.
If you read the fine print there on Booklending, and I did, you will find that they state in a very sneaky turn of phrase that they are not affiliated with Amazon in any way.
So why am I so upset that someone can borrow my books for free? Doesn't that give me more publicity and sort of a way to do some free advertising?
No. It doesn't.
Let's be clear that I'm not complaining, I am explaining how my system works and what all goes in to being an author.
Being an author has been and continues to be my dream job. I love it. I can't wait to type- THE END- on a new title and get it out there for my readers to enjoy.
I spend anywhere from five to twelve hours a day working on my books, and it takes months for me to finish one book to my satisfaction.
I spend money on editing. I spend money on book covers. On advertising and hype. And I don't get paid until 60 days AFTER publishing.
For instance, say I publish January 1st, I don't receive royalties or payment until April 1st.
So when I discover someone has given my book away for free, it really chaps my ass.
I copyright all my books through the copyrighting office of America and that person who has downloaded a pirated version of my book is stealing those hours and months of my hard work.
There's nothing I can do about it except send the company offering my stolen work for free a nasty email, demand they remove my titles from their website, and prepare a potential lawsuit.
Or, take my titles off of the KOLL and Kindle Unlimited and only offer them to be purchased.
I wish there was a meme with some big scaley oceanic creature, declaring that only you can prevent literary piracy.
Because it's true. I can write emails and prepare lawsuits all day long to combat the thievery of my work, but in the end, it's up to the readers to not feed that monster.
Author's names and stories are being stolen, and as this continues to be a rising issue, myself and my fellow authors are losing time and money we could be using to write more books by going to war with companies and individuals who pirate our work.
Thus, the moral of today's blog-
If you want your favorite authors to finish the next book you're waiting on, help them out. Don't download books from some skeezy website not affiliated with Amazon, so I don't have to put down the laptop and use the precious time I could be finishing the next Sarazen novel to put on my warrior princess panties and go on a warpath.
They're ironclad, and they chafe.
It may seem like a little thing to some, but as my awesome readers, if someone offers you a pirated copy of my books, or any of your favorite author's books, please say no.
I continue to be so appreciative of my reader base and your support with every new book I release. Here's to a thousand more!
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