Stephenie Meyer Sued over Breaking Dawn Novel

Up until now, Stephenie Meyer has withstood every charge levelled against her.  Bank robbery, tax evasion, vagrancy, assaulting Jimmy Carter, poaching on the King's lands - none of the allegations have ever stuck. But with an accusation of copyright infringement over her most recent Twilight novel Breaking Dawn, it seems that her armour has been breached.

Or maybe not.

Meyer's publisher has been served with a cease and desist order from lawyers representing Jordan Scott.  Who is Jordan Scott? She is the author of The Nocturne, a novel published by a publishing house on the internet in 2006.  Scott's lawyers claim that since the text appeared on the internet, Meyer had access to the work, and since both books feature the main characters getting hitched and schtupping on a beach in the moonlight, plagiarism is surely afoot.

The Nocturne, set in medieval France, is a tale of doomed love between young sorcerer Rainier De Aaradyn and his ample-breasted, well-toned bride Annora.  Breaking Dawn is a prepubescent sexual arousal delivery system in the guise of a book.  It is set in your daughter's limbic system.

The original letter (PDF) containing the claim and a side-by-side comparison of passages from The Nocturne and Breaking Dawn was published on ancient parchment on the internet by TMZ (and therefore we have access to it!).  I highly recommend that you take a look and read the mildly similar disjointed passages from both books, including THE TWO MOST GODAWFUL SEX SCENES EVER COMMITTED AGAINST THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.  I've never been privy to the sexual fantasies of a twelve year old girl, but if I had to guess, I think that Meyer and Scott have hit it dead on.  I would suggest that the two discard their differences and collaborate on a mega-romance supernatural epic of sucktastic proportions.

If you want to do a more thorough comparison of the works, though, you are mostly out of luck.  The Nocturne is not available from amazon.com.  Scott's website lists the book as "temporarily out of stock," although it may be available for download here.  It will cost you three dollars USD, and once you read it, any novel you may publish in the future will only be a dastardly attempt to cash in on Scott's talent.

To be fair to Scott, she wrote The Nocture between the ages of 15-18, "after I took some time away from writing music and working in film and television".  If you think that's a bit odd, she also claims to have enrolled in Harvard at 17, but transferred to UCLA.  Because you know, Harvard - who needs that rinky-dink one-room schoolhouse.  Come talk to me when you've beaten up Jimmy Carter and bitten off his ear - just like Stephenie Meyer did.

Comments

[Snarky Amber]

I find this whole suit hilair because both works are completely derivative and poorly written. Like, "OMG, evil fetus makes mother sick! HOW ORIGINAL!" You know, in the 60s when Ira Levin wrote Rosemary's Baby, maybe. And sex? On a BEACH, you say? Who ever heard of such a thing, except when talking about the drink of choice at every American sorority sister's 21st birthday bash?

Newsflash, Ms. Scott: It's not plagiarism just because two hamfisted writers managed to land upon the same hackneyed plot points for two romance novels that appear to be written by women who've never actually had a real live orgasm in their lives if their love scene writing is any evidence.

[Snarky Amber]

And yes, I did read all four books in less than a week and I did in fact love every minute of it, but I loved it like I love Rock of Love, not like I love The Wire, y'dig?

[Amy]

Well, I believe the similarities are clear. Both ladies tell a story with WORDS, for heaven's sake. Plagiaristic, indeed.

[AmyC65]

Amber, it's nice to hear of someone who, yes, read them all but, no, doesn't LOOOOOVVEEE them! OMGaaah!! Edward!!!

I borrowed a friend's copies, but she was deliberate to tell me they were the boxed set, collector's edition blabbity blah. So when I traveled on vaca, I borrowed someone else's, who was like,'yah, I quit on them. Take 'em, who cares.' So, today, I texted first friend when she asked "did you LOVE them!??!?!" - that they were OK and I was curious, so I finished them. She has not texted back. Is suspect she is disowning me.

[lori]

I think maybe I'm guilty of plagarism since I've read stuff on the internet and then also written stuff, although I haven't published or made a ton of money. hmm. I need to rethink my moral standards.

Also: I couldn't stand any of the books. I kept reading b/c my sister-in-law, who normally has impeccable taste when it comes to books, was so into them and I thought they must get better at some point.

No, they didn't.

(sorry, I know this makes me on the outs with 99% of the females in my age group. and all the tween/teens).

[iambellaluna]

Whaaa?! So pretty much another case of "I can't capatalize on my own ability (using that term loosely) so I'm going to try and piggy-back on someone else's fame and sue them for some completely stupid and rediculous, incredible reason."

AAAAAND also: didn't this book come out like over a year ago (or something like that)? I mean I think I would've heard about &/or sued sooner if I were Scott—unless, oh ya, she had to like literally pull this case out of her ass because they both suck. I'm not buying it. Not at all.

[robyn]

AMEN! one can love drivel and still acknowledge that it is drivel. i think sometimes people forget that!

[Jessi]

I read the whole thing and it's kinda far fetched. they both say wedding vows!! There are flowers at weddings!! Women love their babies and think they are beautiful!! Vampires can run fast!! I'm just not sure there is anything in any of these that is not totally to be expected. I mean, if this is plagiarism then I guess every Harlequin romance ever is plagiarized from whatever piece of crap the first one was. Also, all vampire novels must be plagiarized from dracula because there's like blood sucking and women wearing white and shit.

[Palinode]

For example, this entire entry was plagiarized word-for-word from Dracula.

I never understood why Stoker veered so off-topic in the middle of his book until now.

[Palinode]

What? You read stuff on the internet and then wrote words? Plagiarist. Jordan Scott is going to sue your ass.

[Palinode]

Playing tonight: Real Live Orgasm. Cover charge $7 at the door.

[Smiley]

I would comment but I just read these other comments and I'm afraid that one of these commenters will sue me for plagerizing off their comments. Of course anyone who comments after me be warned. I'm coming after you for plagerizing me!

[Smiley]

...Especially if you misspell plagiarism the same way I did.

[Sils]

I'm right there with you, on all of this.

[Sils]

Your comments keep making me laugh-snort.

[Samantha]

So, um wow. People get married and then have sex on a beach and cuddle afterwards and have babies they think are wonderful. My life!! It's been plagiarized! I better sue!

[schmutzie]

She has too many Es in her name.

[Palinode]

Abso-fucking-lutely. That second 'e' sets my nerves on edge. And it ruins anagramming possibilities.

[funda62]

Yes yes yes! Oh wait that would be a real live orgasm and not just my response to your post.

[TasterSpoon]

I have never noticed until this moment how she spells Stephenie. Now my head hurts.

[FlippyO]

I hate when people misspell their own names. I mean, really, why would anyone want to spell Stephanie with three e's? It looks icky. Plus, every single person who had to write out your name without knowing of its hideous alternative spelling, would spell it incorrectly. How tedious for a child. A child who never ever got to have keychains or kiddie license plates with her name on them. That's cruel.

Yes, yes I *do* have a weird spelling obsession. So??? Spelling freaks need love too.

[FlippyO]

I went to her website, where almost all of the links lead you to the same page. I'm sure this multi-talented phenom made the website herself.

Then, I went to IMDB to see all of the amazing work Miss Scott has been doing. I'm sure you'll be as impressed as I was. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1885235/bio

I'm surprised that young Miss Scott is able to walk through standard-sized doorways due to the tremendous diameter of her cranium. The way that her bio is written on both her website and her IMDB page makes her seem very, very unlikeable. Perhaps it's just me. She sounds like a small child who has been told that they're very smart, very talented, and very beautiful.

[Austin]

All I have to say to this lawsuit is: PFFFFFFT!