I’m trying with this thing. I really am. (link to prior entry https://lisabethdarling.com/2025/12/08/how-i-discovered-my-stolen-books-and-found-12000/)
My inquiry regarding Christmas Eve on Olympus was denied and I just let that go. It was a shot and nothing more. It didn’t actually rise to their level for the lawsuit because it’s a tiny short story and I never bothered to copyright it.
My bad.
I’ll take the 3k loss in good measure.
BUT
I am NOT willing to just roll over and play dead here. Especially not with my individual copyrights, ISBNs, and ASINs. No way.
In good faith, I sent the people in charge an email with all of my information proving that Child of War-A God is Born and Child of War-Rising Son ARE two individual novels and always have been. They are copyrighted individually, have their own individual ISBNs and ASINs and…duh…publication dates.
Easy. Right? Just fix your mistake.
Simple.
I received an email back regarding my “compilation” of these two novels and how it only qualified as one book in their eyes. So, in short; sorry, Charlie.
Dear Lisa,
Thank you for reaching out. Under 17 U.S. Code § 504(c)(1), “all parts of a compilation . . . constitute one work” for purposes of recovering statutory damages in a successful copyright infringement action. We encourage you to visit the official settlement website to review the official class notice. There, you can also find answers to frequently asked questions and important documents: www.AnthropicCopyrightSettlement.com.
Wait. What?
I went right up the wall. I really did. I mean before I sent the first email I struggled, I sat there for a good long while questioning if, for a very very brief time, I HAD actually doe that. Combined the two into one download for some ‘special’ or another.
Over and over and over I kept coming with; NO, we never ever ever put Child of War-A God is Born and Child of War-Rising Son into ONE download. NEVER.
I looked at the email remember that I worked in a law office for 8 years and I sympathize with the fact that they made an error however that has no bearing on me.
I was as kind as I could be as I, again, let them know this is NOT a ‘compilation’ and it NEVER was. I reminded them I’d sent them proof of that and, that, if some less than stellar individual decided to combine these novels into one pirated download completely unauthorized by me…that is not my fault. I should not have to be further damaged because the people in charge erroneously listed my work.
I was reserved and legalease as for a normal person as I could be but, trust me, I was livid. Still am.
I have also been, shall we say, ‘worked over’ in the mental department by….well…let’s just say I was gaslit for a long time and this has left me, to this day, wondering if what I’m thinking is right. No matter how right I know it is. I still question it.
AFTER I sent the friggin’ email my brain started questioning me…again.
OK, fine, I’m gonna settle this once and for all!
I go over to my KDP account, I open my Archived Titles…I had the fact that you can’t actually delete anything there…I cruise though and I find
Fuck! I’m an idiot! I did do that!
Wait. What? Huh? Does that I say I updated this file THIS YEAR? I haven’t even thought of that file in…damn….well…a long time. What the hell do you mean if was last modified in September?
Right under it I saw
Ok, holy fuck! What the HELL??? There is definitely a file that I had totally forgotten about looking at it made me feel ancient. I can solemnly swear I have not accessed this file in ages.
I did what anyone might do…I immediately changed my password and logged out of all accounts. I went to Google to ask it why this would happen and every answer it gave me included me actually accessing the file.
No way.
I sat back wondering if These People had accessed my account and been sniffing around. ‘Cuz well, I love a Good Conspiracy Theory. A voice in my head said; Open that account again.
I said; What?
It said; Open the account again. Go back. Look again.
Ok. Fine.
Wait. What?
OH! HAPPY DAY!
(I’m a fuckin’ idiot but…)
WOOT! I DID NOT DO THAT AFTER ALL!
Yeah, I can’t count! LOL
That file is The Heart of War and Child of War-A God is Born NOT Child of War-A God is Born and Child of War-Rising Son.
The old lady ain’t crazy just yet.
So I felt better about sending that damn email! LOL. Yes, anytime I can reaffirm my own sanity is a really great day.
In the end, hell man, that’s 3k on the line. 3k that I earned and was stolen from me and that I should have to give up because unscrupulous people uploaded my work for others to download for free. Especially not when I have proven these have always been two individual works.
At least you went down swinging.
Did you expect less?
No.
I’d still like to know why those ancient files were recently updated?
A mystery for another time I guess.
Lisa Beth Darling 