The Vampire Diaries

Okay, so I'll admit I'm not a fan of the show or the books. It's not that I dislike them, but that they've never really blipped on my radar for whatever reason. However, I do realize that they're extremely popular as an intellectual property. 

As an author myself, I was both shocked and horrified to stumble across this blog post earlier today. You can find the full text of the letter the post references here. 

The unfortunate fact that this maneuver is completely legal (however morally reprehensible) underscores the desperate need for creators of all types to educate themselves as to their rights and responsibilities to their creations. Despite the fact that I feel horrible that this has happened to a fellow writer, Ms Smith's plight underscores the fact that we need to be careful that we educate ourselves.

Companies like Alloy Entertainment are not going to look out for you. They're going to look out for themselves. Although it may sound cynical, the best approach may be to look at it this way: ultimately, no one is going to have our best interests at heart but us. To think otherwise is to leave yourself open to being put in an untenable situation, so please, please, please educate yourself.