[…] Marr called a Laurell K Hamilton knock-off A writer for STLtoday.com accuses Melissa Marr of “taking a page” from Laurell K. Hamilton. Of course the cliche is that ‘imitation is the sincerest form of flattery’ but where does […]

The cover of the teen book is very similar to Hamilton’s covers, and the stories do sound similar. However that applies to many books. In the romance genre, it’s sometimes hard to tell one author from the next.
If you read carefully, you’ll note that I did not make any untoward accusations or accuse the new book’s author of anything illegal. In fact, for many authors, being compared to Hamilton would be a compliment.

[…] Louis Writer Writes Back Jane Henderson, the St Louis writer accusing Melissa Marr of being a “knock-off” of Laurell K Hamilton, posted a comment over at the […]

Having read both the Merry Gentry series and Melissa Marr’s debut book, I can tell you unequivocally that the two series are nothing alike, and that Ms. Marr is not doing “imitation” of any sort of Ms. Hamilton’s series. So the covers are similar? Well, no, not really. The only thing they have in common is a tattoo and showing the model’s back.
To suggest that similar styles of covers (which is not a new thing in publishing, see here: http://juno-books.com/blog/?p=284) suggests similar styles of writing, or that Ms. Marr is deliberately “copying” Ms. Hamilton in order to garner more sales for her own books, is facetious at best, and lazy reporting on your part at worst. You owe Ms. Marr an apology, and your boss a resignation.

You are irresponsible in asking this when you haven’t even read the book:

“but where does flattery end and copyright infringement begin”

Shame on you. Apparently your 12 years as book editor haven’t taught you anything about slander or copyright.

Let me see if I got this right.

You haven’t read either book, but are based on this: “The cover of the teen book is very similar to Hamilton’s covers, and the stories do sound similar.” you ask, “where does flattery end and copyright infringement begin?”

The covers look similar and the stories *sound* similar. Ye gods, what shaky basis for your piece!

Where to begin on how … ignorant you come across?

Have you read all that many romance novels, Ms Henderson, that you can state unequivocally state, “However that applies to many books. In the romance genre, it’s sometimes hard to tell one author from the next”? Or is this another, “they look similar, they sound similar” prejudice of yours?

Your blog post is so inflammatory, it borders on defamation. Marr’s novel is very different from Hamilton’s, and the covers are not similar in the least, except that they both feature a female. How many thousands of other novels feature females? You might have known this if you had taken the time to READ THE BOOK.

Personally, I think your post is suspiciously similar to one on the NYTimes website. Like yours, it was coded in html, written in English, and talks about books. I’m not saying there’s any copyright infringement, but maybe a little flattery is in play here.

I think the comments above are spot on. Read BOTH books before judging.

Also, we all know the saying, “There are no original ideas, only new ways to spin them.”

So where did Hamilton get HER ideas?

Faeries and mortals and beauty and sex and whatever all else… Not new.

Hamilton’s interpretation and Marr’s interpretation? Different. Entertaining. Well written.

That’s why BOTH are selling.

I truly don’t understand why every female author is now being compared to or accused of imitating Laurel K. Hamilton. As if her stories and writings are original, and she has the exclusivity for Vampire hunters being female with wussy male characters.

Her books from the beginning were very Sam Spade-esque which is why I read them.

As far as Ink being appropriate for children, the same can be said for Laurel K. Hamilton’s books. The author dares to say she would not want her child reading her books, but if other parents allow theirs to do so, who is she to object.

Here’s a novel idea, stop selling the MG and ABVH series as Sci-Fi, and put a disclaimer on the books.

I haven’t read Tattoo Exchange, and apparently you haven’t either. But am I correct in that you assume Ms. Marr’s story must be as sexual as Ms. Hamilton’s because both stories have faeries, mortals, and you feel the covers are similar?

Because that’s the only way I could make the jump from where you started to pre-teen sexualization through books. And since NEITHER of us have read Ms. Marr’s book, it seems rather defamatory to imply that her writing would have a negative influence on my child.

disclaimer-I don’t know Melissa Marr, but did read and allow my daughter to read Wicked Lovely