Copyright Violation: A Self-Published Author’s Tale

Am I an island? Am I the only one feeling right now that 2020 never left?

The last few days of January were really rough, with many emotional ups and downs. My insomnia has gotten worse again, I feel like I’m falling back in depression, and I simply want to do everything mechanically, just for the time to pass. Because it hurts to think. It hurts to wonder. It hurts to play scenarios in my head.

And just when I thought that I was slowly getting to realise how things are going to be from now on, a couple of days ago I found out that somebody had illegally uploaded my ENTIRE book on YouTube, in the form of an audiobook, without my consent.

Those of you who’ve been here for quite some time now, you know how much I love my debut novel, Guardian of the Auras.

This was the first story that actually made me believe that I could truly be a published author. This was the first book I actually pitched to literary agents. This was the first full manuscript a literary agent asked from me to send to them. And I was so freaking excited that day, that I will cherish and protect this memory forever!

Finding out that my intellectual property had been STOLEN (because that’s what it is when you upload something on the internet, without the owner’s consent) was simply the cherry on my shitty cake.

I’ve spent the last two days contacting Amazon and YouTube, in order for the issue to be resolved. I spent hours cursing and crying, and wondering what have I done to deserve something like that. I spent even more hours wondering of whether or not I should finish the second book of the series and self-publish it again via KDP Amazon.

I feel… violated. It’s like somebody took away a piece of my soul. And this hurts. A lot!

So, to those of you who’ve been following me for quite some time and have been supporting my work and my content all these years, thank you so very much for reporting this particular YouTube channel. The entire playlist has been taken down and it is all thanks to you!

Also, if you want to truly support me by buying the book, you can follow that link to get your copy from Amazon, the only authorised distribution network.

And to you, the one who thinks that’s smarter than everyone else, every author and illustrator and content creator out there, newsflash buddy. I have a gift that you don’t: it’s called creativity. You may try to steal my hard work and my creation, my very soul and my sweat and tears, but what you can’t steal, no matter how hard you try, is my dreams!

You’ll be left with your misery and your cruelty. I may be hurt, but I will get back on my feet. I will create again and again and again. And this will be the biggest punishment of them all for you.

Mark my word!

Thank you all for stoping by once again. I told you that the posts from now onwards were going to be a bit more depressing than usual, but I will make it up to you, hopefully in the coming weeks. It truly means the world to me though, that you keep coming back and that you keep supporting me and my work all those years.

I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week, and I truly hope that this month is going to be better than the last one.

Till next time… Toodles!