How do you chaps deal with this sort of thing...?

I appear to have fluffed the feathers of another writer by simply writing a book. The issue seems to be that I have written about 'her' subject. Had I known that she owned the world and had to give her blessing to anyone wanting to encroach on her territory before they would be allowed to publish a book I'd have submitted an application for permission (in triplicate).

I've never so much as looked sideways at the woman, but I am now on her hit list. I'm getting emails coming in telling me I have to approve comments to my blogs, youtube account and what have you, and when I check them I recognise the writing style immediately... even though they're supposedly from several different people. I'm very glad that I chose to vet everything first and changed my account settings all over the place.

So far she's only tried to post comments on sites where I vet content, but I am a tad concerned that her next stop will be an awful review (or six) on Amazon or something like that.

So, my question is how do you chaps deal with things like this?

PS - And how much does a hit man cost these days?

I thought everything that could happen had happened but that's one thing I've never had to deal with. Some of those websites might have monitors that could help. If she writes a bad review on Amazon they will probably delete it for you. If it continues you might try filing a harrasment complaint with the police. That might at least scare her into backing off.

The nerve of you stealing somebody else's topic! Have you no shame?

Pretty weird. Well I used to have mega-stalking on my website from somebody who said is was operating in "her town".

(It gets better... the town is Mazatlan and she's a Canadian who doesn't speak Spanish)

Hi Gina,

If she claims you have infringed on her copyrights, you could always threaten to contact ALCS (protecting and promoting authors' rights):

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Thanks for the link Shelagh, I'd not seen that site before.

lin wrote:

Pretty weird. Well I used to have mega-stalking on my website from somebody who said is was operating in "her town".

(It gets better... the town is Mazatlan and she's a Canadian who doesn't speak Spanish)

Oh my, perhaps my new 'friend' is your one's sister.

I have always loved 'Inspector Morse' with the academics murdering each other because they didn't like each other's research work. Now I'm beginning to feel as though I'm being sucked into an episode. If I'm found smothered by my own book you'll all know who did it.

It would be nice if she got tired of being jealous and wandered off and picked a new subject to "own."

I hope you find a way to stay out of her way.

Malcolm

Gina, it's a shame that some folks have to take to bullying as a way to try and eliminate the competition. I'm inclined to tell her to go and stuff herself (with the appropriate backing from your legal representation, if neccessary). Probably cheaper than a hitman, and completely legal for you.

I too understand that sites like Amazon will have deflamatory reviews removed from your books - it means you've got to find her posts of course, and that can be trickeier. Setting her name and aliases up as one of your Google alerts will help, so you can see what she is up to.

Google alerts... what a good idea.

There are so few books on this subject that there's room for at least a dozen more without the place getting crowded (in fact, I think that would be a jolly good thing), so there's really no reason for her to be so vexed.

I shall keep my fingers crossed that, if she does resort to posting bad reviews, Amazon will do away with them.

If she has sent you e-mails you have her e-mail address. Simply reply to her that a civil action suit is to follow if the harassment does not stop. The threat alone may be enough to stop her antics. If not do as I have done and have an attorney send her a reply. As you know once you have a persons e-mail address location and name othe person can be found.

When it comes to threatening legal action, what are the implications of being in the UK when my new best friend is in the US?

Hopefully she will calm down, go back to focusing on her own work instead of mine, and leave me well alone... she says, rubbing her lucky pebble and wishing on a moon beam.

Not good. Unless you're prepared to sink BIG BUCKS into this.

A thought, investigate informing her email or web host providers.

I would invite her to sue -- you could use the publicity!

There you go. DARE her to sue. Goad her into it.

But really, look into contact her internet providers. They have more play than people generally think.

(It can cut both ways. I had three sites brought down by evil enemies that made this bitch look Santa's cutest elf)

Gina,
you can see from this thread that when a member of the family is threatened or challenged, the support is there.
It won't be long before you can say, "Mess with me and I'll sick the Author Society on you."

erm ... Published Authors.

Quote - PS - And how much does a hit man cost these days?

Gina,
I was an Army Sniper for ten years...I work cheap!

Gina,

Even though everyone here knows you are kidding, it might be a good idea to edit out the part about the hit man. With the way our laws work today, even joking about something like that might be enough to have the lady who is bothering you bring the authorities into the issue, and while there is no actual harm intended here, the courts have been known to hand down some pretty ridiculous rulings. There may be a case of solicition for a murder, and not only that, but even a case against Don for joking about taking the contract.

It's a shame that we can not even make jokes without possibly putting ourselves into postion where legal action might be taken against us, but in these days of everyone suing everyone else for anything at all, or when the police takes everything that is said as reason to arrest someone, it's better not to say things.

I just read where a homeowner is behind on her house payments, and has been avoiding the person trying to serve the papers from the company saying they want possession of the house. They could not get it touch with her, but when they learned that she had a My Space page they posted the foreclosure notice there and a judge let it stand as a legal contact. The foreclosure will go forward whether the lady even sees the post or not.

We live in very stupid times in terms of what the system can do to the average person, and being safe is always better than being sorry.

Just my thoughts. Just my thoughts.

I think she's pretty safe trankly.

E. Don Harpe wrote:

in these days of everyone suing everyone else for anything at all, or when the police takes everything that is said as reason to arrest someone, it's better not to say things.

There must be quite a divide between US legal processes and UK ones. My neighbour tried to run me down and the police said it was 'just a neighbour dispute' and left it at that. We did ask if they'd be willing to do something if he actually killed me... I think they were undecided.

I don't know which is better, too much action or none whatsoever.

Lin, I am going to contact the service providers... see if that will at least clip her wings for a while.

I view the person you are describing as nothing more than a bully. No action dictates submissiveness to them. The only way in my opinion to deter a bully is by direct confrontation. I am not talking physical harm to the individuals but I am talking about firm and decisive action. Keep a copy of e-mails received from them and your replies in case anything does go to court. You have received some good ideas so whatever you decide let the individual realize instead of getting hold of a poodle they have decided to take on a pit bull.

Gina,
you are fortunate to live where it is not yet quite as restrictive as the US, however with the Internet those boundaries are not as protective. It may be best to play it on the safe side as Don suggested. That doesn't mean you should withdraw from a fight where you are in the right but rather proceed with caution.

Just realized that you got advice from two Don's. What a combo!

Funny how some things arrive at just exactly the right time. I got this in an email just a few hours after I made the post in this thread.

_________________________________________


SCHOOL -- 1957 vs. 2009

Scenario 1: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.
1957 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2009 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.



Scenario 2: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.
1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2009 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.

Scenario 3: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.
1957 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the Principal. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2009 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.

Scenario 4: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2009 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.



Scenario 5: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1957 - Mark shares aspirin with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2009 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.

Scenario 6: Pedro fails high school English.
1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2009 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.



Scenario 7: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane pain t bottle, blows up a red ant bed.
1957 - Ants die.
2009 - BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.



Scenario 8: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.
1957 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2009 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.

All too true, Don. And all too sad that it has come to this.

Sounds like it's a good idea to avoid being in public schools. :-)



As far as being "true" well.... they aren't real events are they?