I’m still in deadline hell and it’s crazier than ever. Everything is due at the end of this month, so that means the first week of April I’m on VAYCAY. I’m going to need at least a week to recover from this month’s crazy, hellish deadline stress.
So a few evenings ago it was brought to my attention that my books are being downloaded willy nilly and in great numbers from several pirating web sites and forums. Some people are even asking for “donations” for them. I can’t even express how high my blood pressure went up as I explored these venues, saw how the thieves were scrambling author names and titles in order to avoid detection and read all of the generalizations for their bad behavior.
I hesitated to write about this at all because I don’t want to draw more people to these sites and lose even more money to thievery. Because that’s what it is, plain and simple. Thievery. It’s impossible to rationalize it any other way. I waited a couple days to write about this because it worked me up so badly. The cool off period helped, but now I can feel my blood pressure rising again.
I don’t make a lot of money, folks. When all is said and done, I make the same amount as your average office worker…only without the benefits. I make as much money per year as most of you. Writing isn’t a career that’s going to put you on easy street. For most authors it’s a hobby that provides a little extra pocket money. Writers write because they love it, but I have to say that when I visit these thieving sites it makes me love it a little less.
I sacrifice a lot to write. When my husband has a good movie to watch at night, or a good TV show, usually I can’t watch it with him. I have to use that time in the evenings to write. I lose sleep to write. I miss time with my family to write. I sacrifice time to just relax in order to write. I do all of this for a small amount of money. This is my choice, I know, but to see people just taking my books for free and thinking that it’s okay makes me rethink that choice.
What if you picked up your paycheck at the end of the week and saw that people had taken money out of it? Stolen away hours of your work just because they could? Wouldn’t it make you mad? What people fail to understand is that even a loss of a couple hundred sales to eBook thievery can harm an author’s career. It’s not hurting the publisher, it’s hurting the author.
To any eBook thieves out there — Don’t steal. It’s wrong. There’s no rationalization for it, and I’m not going to waste my time addressing all the excuses I’ve seen for it. Your parents taught you better, I know they did. You should be ashamed of yourself and you know it. Do the right thing, okay? I shouldn’t have to ask.
The bottom line is that if the thievery I saw a couple evenings ago keeps on at that unbelievable rate, there’s not going to be any more authors to steal from.
*sigh* this is just so disappointing
by limecello March 16th, 2008 at 2:05 pmI hope you managed to get your books taken down/off.
Sadly, the people who do that once tend to find a way to do it again–and don’t feel they are doing anything wrong. 😥
by azteclady March 17th, 2008 at 6:47 amEbook theft is just one of those things that every author has to live with these days. There’s really no way around it. No matter how much protection you put insie your products, and no matter how secure your site is, there’s always going to be somebody who can break into it and get it for free.
I don’t condone theavery of ebooks, nor do I condone theavery of any kind whether it be ebooks, or anything else.
I can fully understand your frustration. I realize that you work ahrd at what you do, and you try to provide the best material possible for your customers and subscribers. After all, you’re running and managing a business online.
It is truly amazing what lengths people go to to get something for free these days, even if it means stealing it. There are Internet thieves everywhere these days.
I want those folks who are stealing your products to stop it immediately and do what is right and pay you for them. How can they be so low, as to steal from someone who is trying to make a living online?
I wish that I can make you feel better, but maybe this might help? I want to give you a free gift. It is my ebook entitled Ebook By Blog, and you can get it by clicking on the link here below.
Click Here To Download Ebook By Blog
This is a free gift, and I think that you may enjoy it and you can give it away if you want to, I don’t mind at all. A matter of fact, I encourage you to give it away to others.
I sure hope that you can recoop your losses,b ut I realize that more than likely, you will not be able to do so.
Yeah, it is a shame that people have to stoop that low to steal from someone who is trying to make an honest living online. Well I hate to burst their little bubbles, but if they think that everything that they do is hidden from view, boy are they wrong because the good Lord sees everything that they do, and what they had done to you is laid out bare naked right before God’s eyes, and he holds those folks accountable for their thievery of your ebooks.
by Donald Brown March 18th, 2008 at 1:07 pmPssst – book pimpage – overdue – for you at my place. HUGS!!! 😀
by Rhian March 19th, 2008 at 4:30 pmOh man, that seriously sucks, I hope you can get them to take them down.
by Ann March 20th, 2008 at 7:14 pmI have Witch Blood sitting right beside me waiting to be read (it’ll just have to wait until B&N gets Witch Fire in for me). 🙂
*taking deep breaths*
Thanks all, I’m feeling better today. LOL.
by Anya Bast March 21st, 2008 at 4:20 amI’ve recently discovered ebooks. it saves me the hassle of going to the book store and the embarassment when i hand over my mountain of romance novels.
I proudly say that i pay for my ebooks! i hope you can get those stolen copies taken off the internet.
by Abby April 18th, 2008 at 3:19 pm