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Pirates Suck

I don’t often use my blog as a platform for issues... honestly I like to stay out of things as much as possible. There are two big reasons why; I’m a wimp and I don’t like confrontation. I’m not a big talker anyway, so I’m perfectly content with keeping my mouth shut... most of the time. I’m not going to pretend that I’ve never caused a stir with a blog post in the past, because I have. And most of those times, I probably should have kept my mouth shut. You live and learn, which I can say I have.

Here's the thing, I didn’t start my blog to make a difference or to bring awareness to issues in literature. I commend those people that did and that do, but that never crossed my mind. I’ve always had the mentality that I’m just one person, I can’t possibly make a difference. Sure I’ve read the history books, been witness to ‘one person’ making a difference. And I still think, that can’t be me.

I started my blog because I’m a reader. Because I love to read, and I love to share my love of reading. And when you start messing with the opportunity for me to read books by my favorite authors. Well, that even gets my non-confrontational ass up off the couch to grab my torch and pitchfork.

(And no, I’m not talking about banning books. Although that is another thing that REALLY PISSES ME OFF, but I’ll be doing a post about that later in the month. Just in case you didn’t know September 25- October 2 is Banned Books Week this year... more on that later)

What I’m talking about is e-piracy.

This issue has came up several times this year (and last year, and they year before that). I know there was a group of blogger that were working on starting a campaign... but honestly I am little tired of waiting for it to happen. I’m tired of not saying anything because every time I see it happen. I just get more pissed off.

Perhaps you don’t know what e-piracy is, let me enlighten you... because I am sure there are people out there doing this and not even realizing that it’s something illegal. And I’m not talking about something that’s frowned upon by other people. I mean it is ILLEGAL, as in the FBI won’t take your “I didn’t know this was illegal” plea when they slap your ass with a $25,000 fine and send you to jail.

E-piracy is taking something that is copyrighted, in this instance a novel, reproducing it... which means scanning a copy... typing the novel out in WordDoc... and then sharing that file or scan with other people. So, that ‘share site’ where you just downloaded that scanned copy of your favorite novel to share with everyone and their brother... Congratulations, you just cost your favorite author their next novel. Because guess what! If a book doesn’t make any money, a publishing house isn’t going to contract them to write another one.

Thank you so very much for ruining my chances and that author’s fans a chance to have another novel written by them. You dirty stinkin’ pirate.

Just in case this isn’t clear, when you buy a book, that does not, in anyway shape or form make you the copyright holder.

I’ve seen the arguments for illegally downloading... ‘it’s just like a library’ ‘i can’t afford to buy the book’ ‘everyone else does it’ ‘it’s not going to hurt someone like JK Rowling to lose a few dollars’

And all the arguments are bullshit. Sorry, but they are... actually I’m not sorry! They are a load of bullshit. You are stealing. Plain and simple. Would you go into your local Indie store or Borders and swipe a book off the shelf and leave without paying? I’d say the average person wouldn’t, (obviously as a pirate you wouldn't have a problem stealing something right off the shelf!) I know I wouldn’t.

I can see you pirates turning on me now. I see you thinking... well you can say that because you get books for ‘free’ all the time. And here’s my response to that. I buy books more now, than I ever did before I started reviewing. I probably buy more books than those I get for ‘free.’ Sure, there are times when I can’t afford to buy a book... unfortunately I have bills to pay and the economy isn’t all that great right now, so I can’t buy as many as I would like. But I make an effort to support the book industry in every way I can. I BUY books. So get off my back.

I wish I was more creative and I would make a Pirates Suck button, because you do suck, you are like the epitome of sucking... and I would post it proudly over there in my sidebar, but I’m not creative like that. So, if some lovely person out there wants to do that, it’d be awesome. I’ll even add it to this post so other people will have a chance to grab it and post it. And if you’re a fellow book blogger please feel free to post about this issue! (And let me know, I'll add your links to this post too!)

I also want to share with you some awesome posts that authors have done about the issue of e-piracy. They say it a lot more eloquently than me, and perhaps it’s a little more ‘real’ coming from the people that it directly effects.

A Pirate's Dare (A.S. King)
Dame for a day: Jeanine Frost (Guest post at Deadline Dames)
E-Piracy: yes, it's wrong. And, yes it hurts (Ally Carter)
Book Pirates Suck (Laurie Halse Anderson)
More Thoughts on Why Book Pirates Suck (Laurie Halse Anderson)
AAAAARGH!! Please Don't Steal Books! (Cinda Williams Chima)
Stealing Books... (Mary E. Pearson)
EBook Piracy (Cheryl Rainfield)
AAAARGH! Pirates. (Tess Gerritsen)
What is a Book Worth (Ellen Hopkins)

Bloggers Speaking Up:

Writer Musings
Girls Without a Bookshelf
It Starts With a Book