Entry tags:

entitlement, fandom: harry potter, internet lawyers, this is the wank that never ends

"We differ so greatly as to be polar opposites"
The Leaky Cauldron publicly separates from the Lexicon.

[W]e do not think a win for J.K. Rowling means tighter controls on fan creativity at all, and are concerned for the opposite, as well as the attempt to misportray the issues of the case as stated in sworn affadavits. So, after a few days of careful and many-sided discussion, we, as a full staff, decided that people who have such a fundamental disconnect in beliefs cannot and should not be partners in name or spirit, and two days ago informed the Lexicon that we are severing our association....

And while Leaky has always owned the hp-lexicon.org domain and paid for the site’s hosting, we’ve promised to transfer the domain to Steve as soon as litigation is complete (a stipulation that would not have been made had ownership not been mentioned in court documents). We will continue to pay for hosting and provide free support until that day.

Note: Compare this statement to the hosting discussion back in December. There's a pretty big discrepancy there, is all I'm saying.

ETA:

lidane brings us a small sampling of comment wank. Also, did you know that this is a Fifth Amendment issue?

ETA 2, via

cbm and

insanitys_place: The defense has requested JKR as a witness.

ETA 3: SVA leaves a comment at the Lexicon site; the Times Online (UK) weighs in with "J. K. Rowling determined to block RDR Books' Harry Potter 'rip-off' "; a discussion of UK law from another site that has admitted to not reading the manuscript; someone is "baffled at how people are so willing to accept the notion that authors own the ideas they publish"; and I really don't even know what's going on here.

ETA 4: More from SVA in a Lexicon thread.

(Something that might be helpful: get ETAs emailed to you from Watch That Page. It's how I keep track of things elsewhere.)

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And Again

cbm
2008-03-27 01:02 am UTC (link)

His posts can be seen here.

Steve wrote:

Mollywobbles, you make a good point. I shouldn’t have used the word profit, I didn’t mean that actually. I meant that they both generate a lot of money. Emerson Spartz has stated in a magazine interview that he makes a “six-figure income” from Mugglenet, but no one has any idea where all the money generated from Leaky goes, and I shouldn’t have implied that it’s all just profit. I stand corrected.

As for your comments about the lawyers, you do realize that I’m not named in this suit, right? They’re not my lawyers. I am a witness, nothing more. I am not making the decisions here. I have other books to write and a life to get on with.

Steve

— March 26, 2008 @ 4:36 pm

He says he still has "other books to write". As far as I am concerned, he still has not written his first book yet.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

	Re: And Again solar_type_star 2008-03-27 02:07 am UTC (link)
	I shouldn’t have used the word profit, I didn’t mean that actually. I meant that they both generate a lot of money. "I'm not saying they "make money", I'm just saying they make money." (Reply to this)(Parent)

	Re: And Again insanitys_place 2008-03-27 02:12 am UTC (link)
	I have other books to write If he's "writing" what I think he is, he's not really writing... is he? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: And Again cleolinda 2008-03-27 03:12 am UTC (link)
	To be fair, I think a book about finding real places that may have inspired places in HP (isn't that what the next one is?) actually would be fair use. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: And Again insanitys_place 2008-03-27 03:21 am UTC (link)
	No clue which one he's writing next, if he's able to get published that is. It could be fair use. I guess it would all depend on how he actually goes about doing it. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: And Again auralan 2008-03-27 03:15 pm UTC (link)
	And if any publisher will touch him with a ten foot pole after all this. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: And Again julian_black 2008-03-29 09:34 am UTC (link)
	Ah, yes. That could be a problem. There's always PublishAmerica...or AuthorHouse... (Reply to this)(Parent)

More.

emiweebee
2008-03-27 04:28 am UTC (link)

You make another good point, Mollywobbles. I suppose you’re right. It is very difficult not to answer people’s questions, I have to admit. I’ve always run the Lexicon as transparently and honestly as I could, and I’m not used to having to just ignore people, keep my side of the story to myself, and let misconceptions run rampant.

I’ll stop talking now, and I apologize to anyone who has more questions. When the trial is over in a few weeks, I’ll try to clear up any other lingering questions or concerns at that time.

And yes, I really am getting on with my life and trying to keep all this in perspective. I have written another book which will be published here in the UK in July. Maybe we can all start talking about that one soon! It will be a welcome change.

Thanks again for the honest and civil discussion here, everyone. We’d all be better off if we could have more of that in HP fandom.

Steve

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

Re: More.

gowdie
2008-03-27 05:59 am UTC (link)

Thanks again for the honest and civil discussion here, everyone. We’d all be better off if we could have more of that in HP fandom.

Oh my God. Oh my fucking God! I just ... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Up till now I've found him hilarious - looking forward to seeing the glorious stomping. And think he's a curious creature from a logic standpoint, what with all the not making any sense.

But, that! Gah! I think my brain just imploded a little.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

	Re: More. rachel_pi 2008-03-27 06:48 am UTC (link)
	which will be published here in the UK in July So...wait, Steve is in the UK now? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: More. cleolinda 2008-03-27 06:59 am UTC (link)
	He moved there a little while back. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

Re: More.

hinoema
2008-03-27 07:33 am UTC (link)

THAT'S IT!!!!

No wonder Meuthen was making those noises about going ahead with the Lexicon- they intend to take it over! Steve is basically throwing Roger to the wolves while he makes his escape and gets on with his life, publishing under his shiny new UK publisher!

Apparently he doesn't realize they can still go after him there, and that the suit will still apply to the book there. Well, now the odd comments where he's contradicting and distancign himself from poor 'ol Rodge make sense.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: More. caffeine_fairy 2008-03-27 05:22 pm UTC (link)
	Y'know, I really thought nothing could ever make me sorry for RDR. Poor RDR. Too much picnic indeed. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	Re: More. talec 2008-03-28 12:52 pm UTC (link)
	Apparently he doesn't realize they can still go after him there, and that the suit will still apply to the book there. "I'll sue you... in ENGLAND!" (Reply to this)(Parent)

	Re: More. jaythenerdkid 2008-03-27 08:08 am UTC (link)
	I'm waiting for the post that starts with: Mollywobbles, you make yet another good point. I am a complete and utter idiot and should probably quit while I'm ~~still ahead~~ ~~not too far behind~~ able. But I'm guessing we won't be seeing that. (Reply to this)(Parent)

Re: And Again

auralan
2008-03-27 03:14 pm UTC (link)

Yes, "other books to write." Publishers are going to be so impressed by his behavior here that they'll want to work with him later. They so love to see authors publicly speak about ongoing cases related to their books and screw the publisher. That's just the sort of thing they want in an author who dabbles in derivative materials owned by giant media conglomerates.

Oh, you plan to work with RDR and they don't mind because they're even crazier with the whole posting on the web thing? Well, I suppose that will work for the ten remaining minutes they're in business once they get slapped with the court costs and legal bills. Good luck with that.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

	Re: And Again vzg 2008-03-27 09:18 pm UTC (link)
	I have other books to write and a life to get on with. Then why don't you do that, Steve, and stop using your own reputation as target practice, hmmm? He does seem to be taking a more active role recently, is all I'm sayin'. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	Re: And Again sunhawk 2008-03-28 09:08 am UTC (link)
	So now he thinks he's just an innocent bystander?! (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: And Again tofuknight 2008-03-28 07:34 pm UTC (link)
	So now he ~~thinks he's just~~ hopes to convince all the fuckwitted fanpoodles he's an innocent bystander?! Fixed it for you. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: And Again sunhawk 2008-03-29 08:16 am UTC (link)
	Oh yes, much better, thank you! Heh heh. (Reply to this)(Parent)

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