Aisling Zena > Status Update

One comment that kills me... They lost money because they bought a book and thought it was by her?... Umm... Did you read the author on the cover?... I don't understand this comment AT ALL.

The book : Cockeyed Cowboy Roomie (A Cockydoodledo Brothers Novel Book 1) by PJ Jones is just poking fun at Faleena Hopkins.

Faleena Hopkins trademarked the word cocky then sent this to other authors :

https://twitter.com/JamilaJasper/stat...

Okay... but did she put the authors name on her work to trick the general public? I know hundreds of books (even ones on my shelves in my house) that have the same name... and many have similar premises too. If her "fans" can't figure out the book isn't hers when her name isn't on it...

Briar's Reviews wrote: "Okay... but did she put the authors name on her work to trick the general public? I know hundreds of books (even ones on my shelves in my house) that have the same name... and many have similar pre..."

Personally I think she's lying out of her teeth. If anyone buys the wrong book especially ebook you just return it and get refunded. I don't know what her damage is but it's substantial. How can you have product confusion in books when your name can be on them in capital letters?

That's exactly what I'm thinking. It blows my mind that this is happening... well, it doesn't in a sense, people like making drama for marketing purposes. But how in the world is this going to be taken seriously?

The really insane/worrying thing about this is that Amazon has been removing "offending" books... The Romance Writers Association have asked them to put a hold on that while they sort the rest of it out... but it's just insane.

She also posted an almost two hour video full of contradictions and tangents, but it starts and ends with her basically saying both "bring it, I can handle it" and "I can't handle it" and also "I only stomped all over everyone's toes to protect my series name.

Briar's Reviews wrote: "That's exactly what I'm thinking. It blows my mind that this is happening... well, it doesn't in a sense, people like making drama for marketing purposes. But how in the world is this going to be t..."

If this is for marketing it's seriously going to blow up in her face. The major problem, I think is that she is sending threatening letters to indie authors that obviously don't have the money to a) hire a lawyer to check if this is legal and b) take it to court. So she's essentially bullying other authors. It's like if the United Kingdom trademarked all the words Shakespeare invented and wont let anyone else to use them. She didn't invent the word and I highly doubt this can stand in court. But that doesn't stop all the upset.

"Offending" meaning what?... this is going to really blow up in a lot of authors's faces. The innocent authors who are going to be affected by this... oh man. :/ this is a war.

Briar's Reviews wrote: ""Offending" meaning what?... this is going to really blow up in a lot of authors's faces. The innocent authors who are going to be affected by this... oh man. :/ this is a war."

Yes! Precisely! And too many are going to pay for this madness.

That's the worst part of all of this - going after the indie authors who can't afford to go back against her. I'm sure there are "big" authors out there who used the word "cocky". Has she gone after them? This is really fishy. And scary.

Figgy wrote: "The really insane/worrying thing about this is that Amazon has been removing "offending" books... The Romance Writers Association have asked them to put a hold on that while they sort the rest of i..."

I didn't see the video but it sounds insane. I really can't see how they even gave her the trademark.

Lexie wrote: "That is so unfair to every author out there. I'm pretty sure she wasn't the first author out there to use cocky. Just imagine what this could lead to.

Please sign the petition people!!!"

It just opened a floodgate. This should be illegal. And yes, we should all sign the petition just 2k left!

Briar's Reviews wrote: "That's the worst part of all of this - going after the indie authors who can't afford to go back against her. I'm sure there are "big" authors out there who used the word "cocky". Has she gone afte..."

Completely agree!

Briar's Reviews wrote: ""Offending" meaning what?... this is going to really blow up in a lot of authors's faces. The innocent authors who are going to be affected by this... oh man. :/ this is a war."

"Offending" meaning books with the word Cocky in the title but which aren't by Faleena. I put them in quotation marks, because they're obviously not offending anyone, SHE is, but they're the titles being targeted.

She keeps going on about how "all they need to do is change ONE title in HUUUUUGE lists of titles" but she's got no idea what she's talking about. For starters, they shouldn't need to do it at all (and this will be revealed in time, I'm sure), and for another thing, this means having their cover edited, which could cost them money for a cover designer, but at the very least could cost them sales if they're just taken down.



Aisling Zena wrote: "The major problem, I think is that she is sending threatening letters to indie authors that obviously don't have the money to a) hire a lawyer to check if this is legal and b) take it to court. So she's essentially bullying other authors."


This is exactly it. She had to have known, on some level, that if she went after any big authors she wouldn't make any headway. She's done it this way on purpose, I think, to get them to bend to her will without any real worry she would have to take them to court. But I guess that will have backfired if the owner of the font and RWA go after her.


Also, Ms M pointed it out on another thread... This is how the titles look on Amazon now:

Cocky Roomie: Jake Cocker (Cocker Brothers®, The Cocky® Series Book 1)

Don't they look ridiculous?

If they let this stand, just imagine what kind of precedent it would set... No adjective would be safe in any future book titles. >.>
What's next on the trademark chopping block--Nouns? Prepositions? Conjunctions?! *smh*

Figgy wrote: "This is exactly it. She had to have known, on some level, that if she went after any big authors she wouldn't make any headway. She's done it this way on purpose, I think, to get them to bend to her will without any real worry she would have to take them to court. But I guess that will have backfired if the owner of the font and RWA go after her.


Also, Ms M pointed it out on another thread... This is how the titles look on Amazon now:

Cocky Roomie: Jake Cocker (Cocker Brothers®, The Cocky® Series Book 1)

Don't they look ridiculous? "

I definitely think she did it this way on purpose. Go after the "little" people who don't have enough resources to fight her. Exactly like a bully! I really hope someones sues her back for damages.

And they do look ridiculous. It's just too surreal. What is the world coming to..

Angela wrote: "If they let this stand, just imagine what kind of precedent it would set... No adjective would be safe in any future book titles. >.>
What's next on the trademark chopping block--Nouns? Prepositio..."

Exactly! We have a saying where I'm from : Άνοιξε ο ασκός του Αιόλου. Which really roughly translates to you let the air out of the bag and it can't go back in.

One of the weirdest things for me is that, yes, sometimes people might buy a wrong book, but we're talking ebooks at around 99c-$4.99, and like someone said above, they can return them when they realise their error...

But this is ALSO a kind of publicity. People who liked the other books that looked the same and had the same word in the title are just as likely to buy hers and vice versa.

Somehow she doesn't seem to get that, while sometimes it's a choice between one book and another, more often than not the publishing world is not a direct competition, and when you treat it like it easy, you pretty much just shoot yourself in the foot.

Figgy wrote: "One of the weirdest things for me is that, yes, sometimes people might buy a wrong book, but we're talking ebooks at around 99c-$4.99, and like someone said above, they can return them when they re..."

I really don't get her logic though. What is her revenue? Is it costing her millions? Is she getting millions? Because I would sort of understand it, if let's say J.K. Rowling did it for the word "patronus". And very fair points to her because she hasn't for any of it. But anywho, how can it be costing soooo much in "wrong" sales? And if someone likes her books they aren't allowed to like and buy similar ones? So if I like cocky alpha as*holes I can only get hers? What if I don't like her writing or her cocky males aren't cocky enough for me? I think I'm going in a rant and varying off the subject lol

Makes me ragey!

When I heard about this the other day I couldn't believe it! So ridiculous!

Eliza wrote: "Makes me ragey!"

Ditto!

Angela~supermom~ wrote: "When I heard about this the other day I couldn't believe it! So ridiculous!"

It's pretty unbelievable. I still don't get how they let her trademark a word.

She didn't TM the word - she TM'd the word in a series and with a specific font.

Thing is - the font she used is licensed - not owned - and the license does NOT allow for TMing.

But, she's sending the C&Ds herself - not from an atty - and claiming that people need to remove the word period.

ALso of note is that this is the start of Romance conference season - which makes her especially evil.

LOL people just don't make sense.

MrsJoseph wrote: "She didn't TM the word - she TM'd the word in a series and with a specific font.

Thing is - the font she used is licensed - not owned - and the license does NOT allow for TMing.

But, she's sendin..."


Ok, thank you that makes more sense on how she got it. And yes, definitely evil because she's not using it that way. Sending threatening emails like that is just plain wrong and I might be mistaken but I think they can sue her for it..

I got an update on the petition they have a new goal for 25k but also apparently an attorney has filed to have the trademark(s) cancelled.

Sharon wrote: "LOL people just don't make sense."

Nope, they don't lol

Ana wrote: "She did what?? How very cocky of her."

Right?! lol Cockblocker of the century!

If it isn't mentioned yet, you should check out C*cky Neighbour and C*cky Author written by
Fettucine Holliday

❤Bibi❤ wrote: "If it isn't mentioned yet, you should check out C*cky Neighbour and C*cky Author written by
Fettucine Holliday"

lol did you see https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... ??

Oh man. Did anyone watch the video or see the synopsis via twitter?

Briar's Reviews wrote: "Oh man. Did anyone watch the video or see the synopsis via twitter?"

No, I haven't but if you find it do post a link please. Also this link is up to date and quite comprehensive :
http://legalinspiration.com/?p=503

Follow this thread:
https://twitter.com/jenny_trout/statu...

Briar's Reviews wrote: "Follow this thread:
https://twitter.com/jenny_trout/statu..."

Thank you! :D

Aisling Zena wrote: "Briar's Reviews wrote: "Follow this thread:
https://twitter.com/jenny_trout/statu..."

Thank you! :D"

OMG she's unhinged!

No problem! :)