I’m sure most of you good folks over here at Ye Olde Blogge follow the comic, but in case you missed the news posts (and you wouldn’t believe how almost everyone misses the news posts), I’ve put up the first nine chapters of MAKER SPACE, free. You can download a .pdf here, or a Kindle-compatible .mobi file here.
Why give away the samples? Many, many, many reasons. To get readers interested in the release, sure! But there was also that little matter of a television series with a lot of similarities to AGAHF. I was supposed to have MAKER SPACE out three weeks before the show was released, but they pumped the show’s premiere to early January. Le sigh.
FOR THE RECORD — It doesn’t matter where the ideas in that show came from. They are remarkably dissimilar to the book which inspired the series, but (a) you can’t copyright an idea, and (b) if the main character suddenly has a wisecracking sex-crazed koala as his best friend, I wouldn’t have the money for a legal battle anyhow. I’ve basically decided to never watch the show, and just appreciate how Josh Holloway is now paid to pose shirtless from time to time.*
What I am concerned about is having fans of a brand-new television show claim that this fictional universe I’ve been working on for more than seven years is a derivative of this other similar work. I’ve invested too many hours in developing these characters, their society, and how the implant functions. So, nine chapters of MAKER SPACE have been released ahead of schedule. There’s not enough of plot in these chapters to form spoilers, but the two tech concepts associated with the implant that I have developed in this book are firmly established.
So, be sociable. Share! And download some free content when you have time! Again, you can download a .pdf here, or a Kindle-compatible .mobi file here.
*And answer a lot of emails along the lines of Why aren’t you suing-Why don’t you-Why won’t you… These are already showing up in my inbox, and I am not looking forward to January. Guys, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: There’s not just one vampire movie, or zombie movie, or even one cyborg movie. The best thing to do is to say “Hey, if you liked that, then I bet you’ll love this!” and spread the word of the comic and the books.
K.B. SPANGLER 
I keep plugging the books and the comics.
Although I’ll probably watch the show. I’m a sucker. That won’t stop me from throwing money at you as long as I can!
Have you considered approaching the possible malefactor through a mediator? Both CBS and you have interests that you’d like to protect, and mediation could help you reach an agreement on how to do that. Just a thought.
On the new book (which I will purchase when it appears), nice dig at the creator of disasterhaus, BTW.
I think the best way to look at this situation is from the perspective of CBS. They are a major studio. They are always embroiled in some complaint from some creator alleging they are ripping off X-property. To register as “Person with Valid Complaint” (instead of “Oh Goodie, Another One”), I’d have to either throw money at a lawyer or release the Internet-Kraken.
Neither of these are really good options for me. Shift perspectives again and look at this from my point of view. First, I have basically zero dollars; a laywer is not an option. Second, if I release an Internet-Kraken, that’s forever. My name and my property will always be associated with a very public temper-tantrum. That will make it harder for me to get any large company, such as a major publishing house, to take me seriously and want to work with me. I’m still relatively young, and I very much want to establish myself as a responsible creator of record, not get myself blacklisted as a Screaming-Crazy-DramaLady right out of the gate.
If there is evidence of theft—obvious, undeniable evidence—then I might consider a Krakening. Otherwise, I’m just going hope that this creates more interest in cyborgs and I sell a ton of books because of it. I’m not happy with this decision, but it’s the best one for me in the long term.
Points taken. But you (and CBS) have a *mutual* interest in not having the Kraken released (the Kraken, like a lawsuit, is a thermonuclear option). Private mediation is more like sitting down with the other party and a referee and having a good discussion about how to avoid headaches.
Would it stop “Intelligence” from airing? Certainly not. But what it *might* do is make the network aware that it’s doing something that looks very much like stealing from a long-running comic without credit. You might get an apology; you might get some agreement that there are places that the show will not go (the places you do want to go). You might get some money–but in my mind, a mediation where money gets involved is not a good mediation–or something else might happen. At least, the network would be put more clearly on notice of that mutual interest.
Indeed, you may want to even be in a position to say (should someone else release the Kraken prematurely “on your behalf”–something that happens all too regularly) something like, “No, no, back in early ’14 the network and I had a discussion. They acknowledged X, and I agreed Y,,,” and so forth.
Law is about fixing things after they’ve happened. Mediation is about fixing them *before* they happen. There are lots of good lawyers who specialize in IP, and lots of good mediators, too. I just think if you are in a position to sic an attorney (or Kraken) on someone, you’ve already lost.
Andy, you make a lot of good points. I have been speaking with my lawyer throughout this process, and have discussed the situation with a lawyer who specializes in copyright as well. Mediation is not something I have considered, and I am not taking it off of the table, but I don’t know if it would change the fundamentals without my investing a substantial amount of time and money. Mediation, like a lawsuit, is not something I can afford to pursue without cause, and right now, the show has not aired and there is no specific cause.
Something that might help Brooke get some more recognition would be if more people follow Dorothy Heydt’s suggestion and nominate DD for a Hugo. I was already planning to nominate it myself; at the very least it’ll be longlisted. If it’s shortlisted, interest in (and access to) her work goes up up up, and this will increase her ability to KEEP WRITING THESE DAMN NOVELS to which we are all so addicted.
Hugo nomination period starts in January. I’m not suggesting that people buy Worldcon memberships *just* to nominate Digital Divide. But hey, a supporting (non-attending) membership for Loncon 2014 is just 25 pounds (about $40), you get to nominate stuff not only for the 2013 Hugos, but also for the 1939 Retro-Hugos, and you get free voting copies of most of the stuff that gets shortlisted.
And DD is a *damn good novel* which genuinely and sincerely does deserve to be considered one of the five best SF novels of 2013, CBS or no.
Yes, Digital Divide is on my nominate-for-hugo list. Everyone should read and nominate it!
Thank you. I really enjoyed the preview.