I've been around (and worked in the business) long enough to have seen-through all the bullsh*it that prevails in aviation publishing and the simple fact is that virtually no book is "original" or written "from the ground up" as you put it <snip> Aviation publishers just don't pay enough money to encourage anyone to produce a book from scratch, it's that simple. If you knew just how little money you actually got for such projects, you'd wonder why anyone even bothered (and many people don't!).
I think you possibly have some over-romantic notions of aerospace publishing.
My 'over romantic notions' come from having spent seven years writing full time for the military aviation press, and having penned eight military aviation books for the world's leading aviation publishers. I am, therefore, all too aware of how little is paid for books.
Even so, most of my books were written from scratch (two borrow sections from previous books), and all have been widely applauded by the people that count – the readers – for their originality and reference to primary source material. So, your argument that the only way a great, original book can be released is if someone does it as a hobby is totally flawed.
FTR, I have a mortgage and similar financial commitments, and I do not enjoy any particular financial benefits that might make it easier for me to do this than you. What I do have, in spades, is a professional pride in my work and a determination that my books will be the best researched and most informative that they can be. Why? Because I don't want the punter being ripped off, and I don't want people saying that I write **** books.
Taking my most recent book as an example: I have visited the US twice to interview retired military pilots, and have a total of 80 hours of taped interviews with around 45 individuals living across the US. Whether the story is already well known is neither here nor there; what matters is that the punter is entitled to expect fresh perspectives and new stories for his hard earned cash. The money I actually live off of is that which I earn for TV, partwork, periodical, photography, monthly magazine, archiving and research commissions. On that I am able to live comfortably.
My 7 years may be less than half of your 20, but it's enough to know that I am right about what can and cannot be done in this business. There are an increasing number of aerospace publishers who are beginning to look past writers who sit behind the excuse you just gave and are recognising that they can get incisive, brand-spanking-new (at least, written from scratch) content for the same money from guys like me. I know because they are picking the phone up to me.
As for 607… He also shamelessly steals text from other Vulcan books (including my own) and other books too, which is not something that bothers me, but it would be nice to have been acknowledged...
Right, so on the one hand it’s impossible to write anything new about the Vulcan; on the other, no one is allowed to write a Vulcan book that uses text that looks vaguely like yours?
As a side note, does he or his publisher know you are accusing him of plagiarism?
As for the new Tempus book, I stand by what I said about that too - it's rubbish.
I have also heard that it’s a rip off of a number of sources, including you, but that is no excuse for brazenly implying that it's **** without having even read it.
In any case, why don’t you take legal action? If there is as serious case of plagiarism to answer to here, you should stop talking about it here and contact your publisher.
Whether reviewers like the book or not is irrelevant
Are you joking?! The reviewer, Tim, is the punter who buys your book, reads it and then posts a review on Amazon for the whole world to see (i.e. not a sado peridocial) saying that it’s ****, not worth the money, and a re-hash of another book of yours that he already has. That is who the reviewer is.
It's worth bearing in mind that aviation books aren't produced for the interests of "enthusiasts" - they are aimed at a wider market of readers with a more casual interest.
What, you mean like the sort of person who reads books s/he buys them cheaply off of Amazon?
When have you ever bought or not bought a book on the bassis of a reviewer's opinion?
I frequently read book reviews online to see whether a book might be worth spending my spondoolies on. I wonder if I am alone?
I am sorry, Tim, but I think that your attitude stinks. And you’re right, it is a free country and I am entitled to hold this view.
I am done here. You can have the last word.