The Conley Corner

This is my happy video

I am just enough of a control freak to not seriously pursue traditional publishing markets.  I know I bitch and moan about the graphic design, and the marketing bs, and all that, but what I do I DO.  It's all mine.  Me.  Anne's.  Nobody else's.

And I'm proud of it.

I am truly saddened when something happens like the blatant plagiarism of Jordin Williams in her novel, Amazingly Broken.  You can read a few articles about it, on Dear Author and mediabistro.  Not only do I work my ass off for what I do, but hundreds of other authors do as well.  Personally, I have several friends who go about the Indie Author thing full time, as well as taking care of families.  We do it the right way:  OURSELVES.  Sure, our families and friends support us, but our words are ours.

I'm sure that Ms. Williams just thought that this would be a "victimless crime."  Nobody gets hurt, right?  "I'll just "borrow" page after page of other peoples' work and nobody will get hurt.  Heck, I might even make some money!"

Well, it hurts me.  It hurts other Indie Authors who have been working so hard to earn credibility the hard way, from people who aren't really willing to give it to us.  My Mother-in-law still keeps asking me if I've gotten my big movie deal yet.  Responding to that is hard enough, Ms. Williams, without people like you mucking up the freaking market!  If my MIL ever heard about this, she will undoubtedly suggest I just copy EL James and make a million, so I can start spending more time cleaning my house.  Now, instead of just deprecating pats on the head from my family, you've given the general public more ammo against the "Indie Hacks."

You've also hurt me and others by making us that much more paranoid.  We're already paranoid about the normal paranoia stuff:  Will anybody like our books?  What do we do about bad reviews?  No mom, I didn't use the F-bomb in this one...And then there's the, I've given out a bunch of ARCs, now we have to make sure they're not being sold online somewhere.  Well, now in addition to that, we've got to scour other works for plagiarism?  Thanks!  Appreciate it, Babe!

I am proud to be an Indie Author.  Up until now, I have had nothing but wonderful experiences with the people that I've met and the things I've accomplished.  While Ms. Williams didn't plagiarize from me, she attacked my livelihood.  She's stained what I love with her thoughtless greed.

And I'm pissed about it.