Warning : Torchwood 'Unofficial Guide' from LJ?

[mrwubbles]

This may be major or minor depending on how you see it. I know it saved me quite a few bucks because I canceled my pre-order immediately. There was an LJ post here about Stephen James Walker's book, Something in the Darkness: The Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to Torchwood Series Two (Torchwood Series 2).


Turns out the writer (who happens to be publisher as well hence how he got away with it) had quoted several LJ posts from several posters, but as this LJ article states, the writer of the quoted information was never contacted.Now granted, LiveJournal posts are out there in the public, but the quoted people were never asked (some only found out today when they got their copy).

Perhaps Walker thought LJ posts were for public use, perhaps UK copyright law doesn't cover our posts (Walker is more than welcome to quote this though -lol-), but apparently his other previous guides were the same thing.

Maybe it's just me, but it feels like exploiting other fans for all their hard work. I can't see paying for something like that. Yes, LJ posts goes out to the ether and hey, we're vulnerable out there or as a flame I once got for a fic, 'was asking for it once it's out there'. Because this book is not out yet here in the USA, I worry no one will know this. Buy or not, it is youur decision, but I feel better posting this so it's an informed decision.

Why pay a guy for something he didn't write? Or am I just over-reacting? Maybe I am, you're all entitled to your opinion. For me, it just feels like buying a fanzine of LJ fanfic that never got the permission of the writers to print. It just feels disrespectful towards the original writer and to the fans buying this. And those who know me know what I can't stand above all else, is using the fans like this. The fans, with all their wonderful and brilliant and creative minds, are not stupid cows. I wish some of these companys stop expecting us to be stupid and present us utter crap or questionable product and expect us to drool like Pavlov's dogs!

-takes deep breath-

It wasn't cheap either. -lol-



LINKS TO BE AWARE OF:

AMAZON UK

AMAZON US

TELOS PUBLISHING

Comments

[mrwubbles.livejournal.com]

It's worth checking into.

There's so much gray in the issue that even the original poster said it wasn't worth the trouble. I think what irked me more and wish we could do something about is his demeaning and condescending response back about all of this. It felt like he made all fans sound like we're demanding special LJ treatment because he should have asked first and that we as fan girls (bad enough he insulted women too) should just be grateful like everyone else if our LJ posts ever get quoted.

Grrr. THAT gets my goat. The legal stuff he keeps repeating to get the fans rabid on that so we don't focus on his mean remarks. He said he was a fan like us, but then how can he say all that stuff? :(

[aresnz.livejournal.com]

I guess this really is a gray area. While he may not have to actually ask permission for this, acknowledging wouldn't be asking too much. Not all things are protected and really, I suppose LJ's are open to all. Again, I really don't know the particulars; thus another gray area.