Mary Stewart - Arthurian Saga

[FizzyWater]

Ah, thanks for the clarification.

[pdurrant]

Oh, and fair play: here are the messages I've got from Digimarc (the people HC use to handle piracy).

John Gilbert Nery (Digimarc Customer Support)
Jan 16, 22:43 PST

Thank you for submitting the infringement data for verification to Digimarc. We are in the process of reviewing the data and will follow up in a subsequent note shortly. If there are any questions or concerns about this ticket during this time, please do contact us.

Thank you,
Digimarc Guardian Customer Support

Blair Elefant (Digimarc Customer Support)
Jan 18, 12:13 PST

Hi Paul,

Thanks for bringing this to our attention! We've shared this link as well as your concerns with the publisher. We'll take all appropriate action in accordance with the rights holder.

All best,
Blair

[pdurrant]

And not having much luck with the "Report piracy" link, I'm going to try general customer service too.

I've sent:

Dear Harper Collins,

Amazon USA list for sale a Kindle version of The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E2Y789U/

I know that you publish this book in the US as a paperback with ISBN 978-0060548254
But it seems to me that the Kindle edition must be a pirate edition from someone pretending to be you.

My reason for thinking this are as follows:

1. The publication date is 9 April 2016, and the publisher is given as Eos. You have not used the Eos brand for many years.
2. The kindle edition is DRM-free. I didn't know that Harper Collins published any ebooks without DRM.
3. Searching for The Crystal Cave at your website does not show an ebook version.
4. The cover image displayed for the this Kindle edition is the one used on the Kindle edition issued by Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00713DNEE/)

I would be most grateful if you would check with your rights department, and let me know whether or not you publish this Kindle edition.
Please note that I am NOT asking about the paperback. I know that you publish the paperback in the US. I am asking about the Kindle edition listed at Amazon at this URL: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E2Y789U/

If this is a Kindle edition published by you, please give me details of your policy on how you choose which books to publish free of DRM.

Many thanks,

Paul Durrant.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

And not having much luck with the "Report piracy" link, I'm going to try general customer service too.

I've sent:

Could you also ask about the Smashwords copy that up on Smashwords, Kobo, B&N, & Overdrive?

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

I suspect they're wrong too since the book doesn't say it's sold by HarperCollins nor does it list that the price is set by the publisher, both indicators for every other HC book in the store (nor are they available anywhere else that every HC book is sold). It's ultimately not really up to the customer to have to determine these things though. I mean if you feel they aren't legit and decide to do a little checking and are repeatedly told they're okay what's a customer to do?


@pwalker, just curious, was that an email from their general CS or did you contact someone in Harper Voyager (the successor to EOS) CS or someone in David Pomerico's office (the head of Voyager)?

I just used the HarperCollins website contact us page.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

There is an old Omnibus version on Smashwords (& through them on B&N and Kobo) and also on OverDrive that Amazon pulled a long time ago when people complained about it being bogus.

The thing to keep in mind is that things are not static. There have been pirated copies of the Arthur Trilogy floating around for a number of years. Part of the reason that I thought it might be legit is that most of the time, those copies got pulled in less than a month. Zelazny's Amber series was the same way. People wanted it, so it just kept popping up until finally the rights holder started putting out legit versions. (maybe they will get around to at least finishing the Corwin series before I die of old age which is a long way off )

In general, one starts to see this cycle start when the author dies and less scrupulous people think they can make some money without getting caught. Most of the time, those copies get pulled in less than a week as fans notice them and report them.

One of the mistakes that people make is that they think that Amazon will only act if the rights holder complains. While the rights holder issuing a complaint will force Amazon to take it down, they are also obligated to take it down if they have reason to know (i.e. complaints) that it's not legit.

[JSWolf]

I've complained to Amazon and nothing has been done.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I've complained to Amazon and nothing has been done.

A complaint tends to yield an investigation, not necessarily a take down, no matter how sure you are in your mind that it absolutely, positively must be a pirate. Multiple complaints, and "don't buy this, it's a pirate" reviews are rarely ignored. Just be aware that if you do post a "this is a pirate" review, and it isn't, you can be sued.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

And not having much luck with the "Report piracy" link, I'm going to try general customer service too.

I've received my first reply, basically a confirmation that they've received my email:

Hi,

We have forwarded your inquiry to the editor regarding the Kindle edition. You will be hearing back from someone.

Thank You,
Nikky Hennan
Customer Service Representative
HarperCollins Publishers

[JSWolf]

I hope you get a real reply that actually makes sense.

[JSWolf]

For all the nay sayers, I just have to say I TOLD YOU SO!

The Mary Stewart Arthirian eBooks up on Amazon.com are no longer there.

[pdurrant]

Yes, they do seem to have silently vanished away. No doubt they'll be back soon under another fake listing.

No more from Harper Collins to me yet.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Yes, they do seem to have silently vanished away. No doubt they'll be back soon under another fake listing.

No more from Harper Collins to me yet.

If they come back again, I hope the nay sayers here won't still nay say again.

I did re-report The Crystal Cave and I told them that the eBook ISBN is using the UK cover and is using the ISBN for the trade paperback version. Maybe someone at Amazon had a look and saw that these were not real and took them down.

There goes the cheap audiobook versions.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Yes, they do seem to have silently vanished away. No doubt they'll be back soon under another fake listing.

No more from Harper Collins to me yet.

We will see. Sometimes books are pulled when there is a question about who actually has the rights to the ebook. I've read some authors complain when their books got pulled even though they were the authors. If HarperCollins sends you a note saying they were pirated, or you hear from Lady Stewart's estate, then that would be definite.

[JSWolf]

New news. I noticed that the bogus copy that's come from Smashwords is available at Overdrive. I've seen that one library has it. It's the version from KGStuios (which doesn't exist).