Who cares about Cassie Edwards when we can have Paul Tolmé?
I was over at SBTB where they have yet another post about Cassie Edwards and the big plagiarism brouhaha thingy that’s been going on for the last couple of weeks.
Now, I don’t know who she is or what she wrote or if she plagiarized or not. *yawn* What I want to know is: Who is Paul Tolmé? Is he single? And where can I find him? LOL
I love what he wrote in reply to what was “borrowed” by CE from his article “Toughing It Out in the Badlands” to use as dialogue for her novel Shadow Bear (jayzus, this lady needs some help with her book titles):
My story (“Toughing It Out in the Badlands”) is at the center of 2008’s sexiest plagiarism scandal.
In the Internet age, every freelance writer fears that his or her words will be appropriated without compensation. First I was angry. Then I had to laugh. To see my textbook descriptions of ferrets in a bodice-ripper, as dialogue between a hunky American Indian and a lustful pioneer woman who several pages later have sex on a mossy riverbank, is the height of absurdity.
Shadow Bear feels a longing in his loins. On page 195, after several false starts to stoke the furnaces of readers, Bramlett and Shadow Bear finally get down to business. They have sex in his teepee on some animal pelts. Hungrily, their sinuous bodies rock and quake until both explode in rapturous pleasure. When the teepee flaps are rocking, don’t come a-knocking.
This about had me rolling on the floor laughing.
That is some bad dialogue. It stands out as clunky and awkward even by the standards of romance novels. That’s because Edwards didn’t write it. I did.
As a victim of plagiarism, I am left wondering how many other works of mine have been purloined? And what does Edwards owe me? Does she owe me anything, aside from an apology and maybe a free, autographed copy of her book with an “attaboy” on the passage in question? My words did not enhance her novel. They were filler. I can imagine frustrated and horny readers cursing the ferrets and skipping ahead in search of the next nipple.
We should hire this guy to write for TBB. I’d pay him with sex *wink* and food. I knew my amazing culinary skills would come in handy one day. *g*
I’m no longer angry with Edwards. In fact, I feel sorry for her. The blogosphere is buzzing with irate calls to boycott Edwards’s books and appearances. According to an interview she did with the Associated Press, she did not know she was supposed to quote source materials. Ignorance of law and ethics is no excuse, however. Plagiarism victimizes writers. It betrays the trust of readers. It tarnishes the craft of writing.
But there is another victim here that has been lost in the discussion: the ferrets.
It’s official: I’m in luurrve! This man is smart, kind, forgiving, funny, sarcastic and freaking hot.
Do you guys think I’d scare him by emailing, and pledging my undying love to him, with an attached
**Editing to add a small note: People, give this CE thing a fucking rest already. Come on, let’s move on to the next person Romance Land will trash, bash, flame and make online life a living hell for. Are the movers and shakers getting slow or running out of material (if we were only so lucky LOL)?
Labels: bibliophile’s affair, bitchin’ news, fucking around, romance baby
LOL! I see what you mean Trollop. I do like men with sense of humor.
About Cassie Edwards, SO tired of this story. She plagiarized. Stop reading her books and publishers could cover her with honey and tie her to a tree full of hungry ants. At least that other plagiarist who predicted with her magicball she's going to be the next JK Rowling was entertaining.
Back to this Paul dude. BBs, YOU HAVE TO FIND OUT IF HE'S SINGLE! And where does he live??! ;)
1/16/2008 07:40:00 PM
I, too, am tired of hearing about Cassie Edwards - and I don't even follow this thing! I don't read her books and after this scandal there's no way I'm ever reading her. The title of her books are enough to dissuade me.
Now, this Paul Tolme is cute. And very funny. What does he do exactly? Study ferrets? Really like that picture of him. No picture of him without his shirt on? LOL! Just kidding. Of course feel free to share it with us if you actually find one. Ha!
1/16/2008 07:51:00 PM
Jolie, I edited to add the same thing.
WE. GET. IT. SHE PLASGIARIZED (or whatever she did) JUST GIVE IT A FUCKING REST!!!
Funny thing is, the more they trash and bash her the more people will take pitty on her (like me and many others).
That's one of the first things they teach you in political marketing: Make your point (if it's negative) and get out or it'll find a way of backfiring on you.
These people should hire me LOL I should have an ad on sidebar "I'm a political analyst and consultant. I help run campaigns and tell people what to wear and say. Hire me and you wont make an idiot of yourself or a mess of what you're working on" LOL
Think anyone will give me a job? LMAO
1/16/2008 07:56:00 PM
Amen to that Trollop. Let's give other plagiarists a chance to be stoned to death. It's been weeks and it still won't fucking die. Even California wildfires don't last this long. Jesus.
And yes you should put that ad on your sidebar. *G*
1/16/2008 08:07:00 PM
He looks a bit like a much cuter adrian brody.
VT you should definitely email him your pictures (not dressed as a ferret please).
1/16/2008 08:34:00 PM
Di! He does not look like Adrian Brody! I do not like him and he's not cute AT ALL.
My dear Di, you have faulty eyes. :P
1/16/2008 08:41:00 PM
I emailed him, but couldn't find my "good angle" naked pics to send LOL
It went something like this:
I think I love you
So what am I so afraid of?
I'm afraid that I'm not sure of
A love there is no cure for
I think I love you
Isn't that what life is made of?
Though it worries me to say
I've never felt this way
Believe me
You really don't have to worry
I only want to make you happy
And if you say,
hey, go away, I will
But I think better still
I ought to stay around and love you
Do you think I have a case?
Let me ask you to your face:
Do you think you love me?
I think I love you!
Now I'm waiting for his restraining order LOL
Wonder if I'll be able to take my ebookwise to prison mmmmm....
1/16/2008 08:52:00 PM
Link in my comment is broken click here to get some ferret luvin' :P
1/16/2008 08:59:00 PM
ATTENTION: CLICK HERE FOR THE REAL LINK.
Jayzuz. Babe, you're hopeless.
1/16/2008 09:21:00 PM
Vicious Trollop you made me spit half my dinner over my new computer screen.
I think I love you has to be the #1 song used by most stalkers.
And if you say, hey, go away, I will but I think I better still I ought to stay around I love you?
Can anyone say crazy fuck? LMAO
I checked Tolme's bio from the link you gave and I don't think he's a spring chicken VT. You're practically jail-bait for this guy hahaha You're what 24-25?
http://www.paultolme.com/bio.html
1/16/2008 09:28:00 PM
LMAO.. Don't go getting arrested for stalking ... who will make me laugh then
1/16/2008 10:35:00 PM
Harlot I hate you. I've been humming this song since last night. Why did you post the correct link? I can't get it out of my head!
1/17/2008 11:53:00 AM
I was following the Cassie Edwards scandal but then it became this big witch hunt. I lost interest already.
No idea who Paul Tolme is and sorry Trollop but I don't like ferrets. :/
1/17/2008 02:14:00 PM
I am more concerned, errr, confused by the fact that Ms. Edwards claims she didn't know that you had to give proper credit to sources of materials you obtained that weren't written by you. WTF?!!!? Didn't most of us learn that in high school, junior high (sorry kids, I didn't go to middle school) and/or elementary school???? I know I did.
1/17/2008 02:21:00 PM
Popola, I'm 26 (but will start taking years off when I turn 27;I'll be 26 for an extra year LOL).
He looks orange in that pic you linked. WTF? He also looks a lot younger and a lot less orange in the home pic *Grrr*
Anonymous,
Yes, I think that's quite strange. For my thesis (all three of them) I had to write so many footnotes and such a huge bibliography it took me as much time as the research itself.
They, of course, taught me this in school but I didn't put it in practice until college. Maybe she didn't go to college?
I haven't read the other book passages she copied from (they are freaking HUGE. Are you kidding me, who has that much free time? LOL) but maybe she thought taking information for dialogue wasn't plagiarism? I have no idea what could have been going through her mind.
I guess we have to wait and see what she has to say for herself later on and what the repercusions will be.
In the mean time, I don't see how people screaming for her blood, making voodoo dolls of her, planning to stone her in a public square etc. is helping matters.
1/17/2008 04:21:00 PM
I may be oblivious, but I don't see the witch hunt. I have both SBTB and DearAuthor on my RSS feed - not to mention that it's made its rounds on my lj friends-list too - and have sort of been keeping up; though, granted, I don't usually read the comments, which I gather is where a lot of the tar-and-feather response is coming from?
I did read Jenny Crusie's response to the whole thing and wish I hadn't. Ah, well. If she writes another book by herself, I'll probably still read it.
Have you guys seen Mr Tolme's response? He sounds like he has a pretty wicked sense of humour.
1/17/2008 04:48:00 PM
Re: I have both SBTB and DearAuthor on my RSS feed - not to mention that it's made its rounds on my lj friends-list too - and have sort of been keeping up; though, granted, I don't usually read the comments, which I gather is where a lot of the tar-and-feather response is coming from?
Dance, that's true, I haven't seen the posts at Dear Author but the ones at SBs were ok. They were just informing what they found.
I think most of the flaming/bashing/trashing that happens in romance land (to any author/person/blogger not just CE) comes from the readers and the comments.
I think people get really carried away sometimes.
1/17/2008 04:55:00 PM
Hi girls,
Dance? What did Jennifer Crusie say? I take it you didn't like it. I'll go to her blog and see.
1/17/2008 06:46:00 PM
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