Smart girl plagiarism, part deux
So, now that the publishers have decided to withdraw Kaavya Viswanathan's novel, How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild and Got a Life, from bookstore shelves, what does that mean for the the Harvard sophomore's $500,000 advance?
Presumably, the movie deal is out. Unless, of course, a clever screenwriter can make an Adaptation-style sort of meta-story out of it.
Shouldn't Viswanathan have to give some of that money to Megan McCafferty, the lesser-known, and less "successful" author from whom she stole key passages?
Comments
Megan McCafferty:
1. Is far "better known" than Viswanathan;
2. is far more "successful";
3. has already announced that she will not seek restitution from Viswanathan.
Also, Viswanathan's novel will be re-released, with the plagarized passages removed. Many publishing industry figures feel that the new edition will enjoy increased sales, owing to the media attention. There has been no indication that the movie deal is off.
All of the above has been widely broadcast and printed.
Posted by: Peter B | April 29, 2006 07:14 AM