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Breaking news 2

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This is a translated story from the Brazilian newspaper
O Estado de S. Paulo não. ~Laura

Justice prohibits sale of Brazilian books accused of plagiarizing Nora Roberts

American bestselling author Nora Roberts won the first battle against Brazil’s Cristiane Ribeiro Allevato Serruya in a plagiarism case last week in Rio de Janeiro.

In her decision, Maria Cristina de Brito Lima, of the 6th Business Court of Rio de Janeiro, ordered the suspension of the sale of the physical books, e-books and audiobooks of Royal Love, Royal Affair, Unbroken Love, Hot Winter, Forevermore and From the Baroness’s Diary, and the inclusion on the cover and links made available on Amazon, Saraiva, Cultura, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and E-Bay websites of the words “suspended by court order”.

The judge also determined the blocking of royalties from the sale of these books in the bookstores mentioned. The amounts must be deposited in a judicial account. Failure to comply with Cristiane’s judicial decision of bookstores or publishers may result in a fine of R $ 5,000 per copy of work unduly sold.

“This represents a new level of judicial demand in the literary field,” says Gustavo Martins de Almeida, Nora Roberts’ lawyer. Mainly because it involves immaterial media – e-books and audiobooks – and because Nora Roberts, a foreigner without assets in Brazil, is giving as guarantee the copyright of his books published by three publishers. “It’s interesting to see the judiciary adjusting to new technologies,” says the lawyer.

Cristiane Ribeiro Allevato Serruya has 15 days to appeal the decision.

The newspaper O Estado de S. Paulonão got in touch with the Brazilian until the closing of the story.

To read the story as printed click here.

85 thoughts on “Breaking news 2”

    1. Laura,

      You rock!! Readers appreciate your efforts to defend authors’ property & the craft of writing. Your time to pursue this “mess” endears you even more to your loyal readers.

      Kathryn

    3. Just saw this on Amazon – Hot Winter: Shades of Passion (Trust)
      Hot Winter: Shades of Passion (Trust)
      by Cristiane Serruya | Feb 12, 2019
      Paperback
      $15.51
      $8.15 shipping
      Only 1 left in stock – order soon.

    1. Not always., unfortunately. The good guys don’t always win the fight. But they always fight to win. As the Marines say, Semper Fi.

  11. Congrats!!!!@

    I’m confused by the last paragraph. It sounds like Nora is putting her royalties up for security in this case as she has no assets in Brazil (guessing that’s based on lawyer’s recommendation). If so, that’s showing how much Nora is into pursuing this case. Very admirable.

    1. Not the royalties…. the copyright. That is, the right to publish these books, under these three publishers. (I’m guessing it is the books in question that have had parts sampled from them).
      Essentially Nora is saying “This is my work. These phrases, paragraphs, thoughts, come from THESE books, not hers…. and I am willing to put the rights to publish these on the line if I lose because I’m just that certain they’re mine”.
      If the judge for some weird reason found that the passages in question aren’t Nora’s, then naturally she wouldn’t be allowed to publish someone else’s thoughts as hers.

      1. Thanks for the clarification as I found it confusing as written…

  13. The hard work is paying off! First round knockout! I’m sure there will be more knockouts to come! Well done, Nora!

  14. Happy to see your work protected, Nora. Now other authors can also file and there is a precedent.

  18. Kick some ass and take names!! Congratulations ???? on this first round!!

  21. Could this be turned into a class action suit? There are so many she has damaged…

    1. May depend on how Brazilian law handles that situation. (IOW they may not allow class action suits.)

      IANAL, so just speculating.

  26. Terrific! I know that this is only the beginning and you have a long way to go, but congratulations!

  27. Maria Cristina de Brito Lima, thank you for your ruling. It’s a great step toward punishing plagiarists and those who profit from the plagiarism. Kudos to Nora for holding firm.

  28. Well DONE!!! Congratulations Nora! It helps to stop those who plagiarize the work of others!

  29. BIG Congratulations for the first round Nora! Can’t wait for a complete KO!

  30. Congratulations Nora! Now go after any others who’ve plagiarized your work.

  33. Thank you! We appreciate what you have done for all writers and we readers.

  37. Good on you Nora! The fight is not over, but its a darn good start!

  42. . . . and the big fat stinking liar award goes to . . . Serruya! And a good on you, Nora! Loves!

  44. Nora, you have always been a trail blazer. Congratulations to you and your legal team on taking quick, decisive action!

  47. It’s rotten that Amazon didn’t prevent this from happening. Thanks and praise to Nora for taking this to court and creating consequences for the plagiarist.

  51. Congratulations Nora they deserve everything they get no one has the right to take your work and profit from make sure they pay dearly for doing it. You Rock

  56. Congratulations! Awesome news provided all sales outlets comply with the courts ruling. Wishing you continued success as you go forward with all of this.

  58. Huzzah!!! That’ll teach people who think that behavior is acceptable that it really isn’t.

  60. Wonderful news. You have set the standard for the rest to follow. Congratulations.

  61. I think readers and writers will thank you for this – I can’t think of anyone else who could do this. 🙂

  62. Wonderful news! at last justice is working for the REAL issue and not trying to be “politically correct”! Stealing is stealing, whether it’s boosting a car radio or plagurism!

  63. What I’m not seeing is any mention of the “ghost writers” who were paid to write those books. Cristiane Ribeiro Allevato Serruya is responsible for hiring them, and bears ultimate responsibility, but it seems like they should have been named in this case and blackballed from the industry.

    1. The ghosts didn’t know she sent them plagiarized material. Do I think they should have questioned so many bits, chunks in so many different voices and styles? Yes. But they’re not legally liable, she is.

      She put her name on the books claimed them as her own.

      Nora

  65. A job well done by both NR and her legal team. While this action carries no weight or precedent in the US case it is informative and advisory for the US legal community. Keep up the fight.

  66. Good to hear that round 1 went to Nora. May the battle see Nora standing and the witch beneath a pile of rubble made of stone and burned wood. See those flames grabbing the witch.

  67. Another well-deserving crook “bites the dust…!”

    Congratulations, Nora… you inspire us all to stand up for what’s right. Thank you…!

  70. Congratulations on this win Nora…perhaps future plagiarizers will think twice before committing this outrageous act…..

  72. I got nosy and checked Amaon for her books. The only ones that were there as of a minute ago were the Spanish and Itallian editions of “A Baroness’ Diary” and “The Modern Man”, at least that’s what I think the titles translate as.
    >^.,.^<

  74. Congratulations Nora! This is a fabulous win for you and all Author’s rights everywhere.

  75. She’s back
    I don’t know if she modified anything or not, but she is translating the books into Portuguese and publishing them as if nothing had happened.

    1. She doesn’t have a shred of decency and no sense of shame. I’m sorry that this is still happening and that you have to keep fighting her in court.

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