Thanks to the genius which is Mari Adkins, I checked out this post here: “[publishing] The banal evil of the Google copyright settlement | jlake.com”.

Apparently the Google plan of putting every book in the world on-line is cleared to happen, and all writers (or their estates) who do not wish their work(s) to be available to everyone without charge have a little under two months to state their objection in writing. If they do not do so, they have no legal right to control of their writing.

All over the world there is the sound of authors saying “Eh? How’s that again? Isn’t this completely opposite to anything that’s ever been agreed?” The answer to that is ‘yes, it certainly is, but it’s too late now.’

For a dose of “the new reality”, let’s try this on for size, shall we?

The real problem, the evil here, is the notion now being put into practice that a copyright license can be asserted by a third party in the absence of the copyright holder specifically forbidding it.

All through modern copyright history until now, a licensor seeking a sub-right was required to negotiate with the copyright holder before exploiting that license. No differently from a tenant seeking to rent a property is required to negotiate with the landlord before they move in.

As of now, I no longer control the sub-rights to my copyright. Under the terms that Google and the Authors Guild have set up, anyone who wants to make a commercial use of them can do so. It’s up to me to notice, to be aware, and to take steps to defend my copyright. If I don’t, well, too bad for me.

And if you don’t think Hollywood lawyers aren’t already all over this, you’re dreadfully naïve.

Have a read through the article for the complete run-down, especially you authors, as this will have an effect on everything you’ve ever written or will write ever again.

And I’m working on the long-mentioned post about my last day in London right now, so that’ll be here tomorrow. No really, it will! I swear!

None of you care do you…? Well, alright, my mother will, but that hardly counts, does it?

Many of you know that I enjoy history, architecture, social geography, culture, beer, and a damned good mystery.

Christopher Fowler’s “Bryant and May” series of books (six in total) are all set in London — or near as — and deal with all of those topics. Damned good stuff.

The latest — The Victoria Vanishes — is out now and features much discussion and details of pubs in London. I’ve not yet read it (or the previous title, White Corridor), and that will have to wait until October when I pick it up at Humdrumming Logistics Central [aka: “Trudi’s house”].

For those of you who know some pubs in the area, or have read about them, or want to know / read about them, head to this post on his blog all about the pubs he was fascinated by when writing the book: The Victoria Vanishes.

Even if you care nothing for beer, or for mysteries, or for London, it’s a fascinating bit of writing, and something that you wouldn’t think of initially when someone says ‘we must preserve the people’s heritage’, is it? Goes to show, eh?

LATER EDIT: added link to the post I’m babbling about. DOH!

LATER LATER EDIT: adjusted link to reflect new URL