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Rowling Claims Lexicon Theft of her Work

April 14, 2008 - 7:22pm — Blake

J.K. Rowling testified before a packed courtroom in a lawsuit to block publication of a Harry Potter lexicon, telling a judge that the book amounts to a "wholesale theft" of nearly 20 years of her hard work. "We all know I've made enough money. That's absolutely not why I'm here," Rowling told the judge in U.S. District Court.

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April 14, 2008 - 8:20pm — Bibliofuture

Rowling tells court she's stopped working

An emotional J.K. Rowling said on Monday she had stopped working on a new novel because her creativity was stifled by a fan's bid to print an unofficial encyclopedic companion to her Harry Potter series.

Full story here.

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April 15, 2008 - 7:27am — birdie

stifled shmiffled

What kind of an author can't write because someone's trying to get rich off her work? Moreover, what was she wearing?

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April 15, 2008 - 10:27am — Bibliofuture

Fair Use

The work being sued over is fair use. Discussion at the Patry Copyright Blog.
http://williampatry.blogspot.com/2007/11/harry-potter-lexicon-suit.html

Here are Patry's credentials:

Senior Copyright Counsel, Google Inc. Formerly copyright counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, formerly Policy Planning Advisor to the Register of Copyrights, formerly Law Professor, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law; author of numerous treatises and articles (including one on fair use with Judge Richard Posner), including the new 7 volume treatise on "Patry on Copyright".

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April 15, 2008 - 8:28am — Fang-Face

Creativity is a delicate thing

All writing takes place in the mind, everything else is just transcription. Mental exercises are too easily distracted or over-ridden by stress or concerns. I would say off-hand that Rowling's mind is focusing on the court case enough that there isn't enough processing power left over for the writing; in a manner of speaking.

There is nothing that cannot be found offensive by someone, somewhere.

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April 15, 2008 - 10:30am — Shenanigans (not verified)

Am I the only one who finds

Am I the only one who finds it a little crass that J-to-the-K is implying that she will hold her next book hostage until this farce is settled to her satisfaction? I've never seen it end well when a celebrity decides she can start bullying her fans. Sow the wind...

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