Book Cover & Synopsis/usage on blogs?

[Nora]

Hello! I want to make sure it is okay to highlight some books on my blog. May I use a book's cover/synopsis on my blog if I credit the publisher? Or, do I need to get permission from the publisher first?

Thanks to anyone who knows!

Take care,

Nora

[Cassie]

If I take a synopsis from somewhere else, I generally mention where it is from. Sometimes I am just too lazy to come up with my own...haha... I've never officially credited the cover (other than maybe mentioning the artist in the review), but most authors/publishers I have worked with WANT that cover out there, so as long as you are using it to promote their product, I think it is fine :-).

[Nora]

Cassie:

Thank you for responding! :)
I thought I'd be okay to use them, but then I thought it would be a good idea to check on here. I'm taking your suggestion to credit where I pulled the book info.

Have a great evening.

[Amy Eye]

I have been looking this up, and I don't have any definite answers yet. It all seems to come down to what is called "fair use". In most cases, it seems to be ok because you are not using the book cover to sell yourself or to promote or sell your own site.

With that being said, there was a case where a blogger was told that by posting the covers was a copyright infringement:

http://blog.librarylaw.com/librarylaw...

I'm still looking for information on this...I think this would be a good thing for many of us to know for sure!!

Here is a link to the US copyright page:
http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html

and a link to a blog with some helpful answers as well:
http://bookblogs.ning.com/forum/topic...

Hope this didn't make it more complicated!!

[Nora]

I sure do appreciate the input! While looking into this, I came across the "fair use" as well, but nothing I found was absolute. Looking at many other blogs, it seems book covers are used quite a bit without any notices. What's a blogger to do? :)

Well...Splitter, I hope you don't mind, because I highlighted "The Reluctant!" It looks like a great read.

Thanks, Amy!

[C.S. Splitter]

Cool, Nora :). I like it any time my book gets a mention!

I have no answer on the fair use thing for this. Even in books, mentioning a brand, person, or company that is in the public eye is fine...until someone gripes lol. The author can be totally within their rights, but do you really want to battle Walmart's attorney's? (just an example, could be any large entity).

Splitter

[Nora]

C.S. Splitter wrote: "Cool, Nora :). I like it any time my book gets a mention!

I have no answer on the fair use thing for this. Even in books, mentioning a brand, person, or company that is in the public eye is fine..."

Okay...so I worked backwards. I simply asked the authors if I could use their info. So far, the authors have been very nice to respond quickly, and they are fine with the attention for their books.

I hope the books get added to a lot of TBR lists, because they all sound awesome.

Authors! Visit the Noracast and spread the word about your book. :)

Thanks again to everyone!

[P.J.]

I don't think any author minds getting extra attention - well, apart from the negative trolls, of course!

Now to pop by your blog Nora ...

[Jenn]

My blog is about pimping out Indie Authors so, I don't run someone for the most part until I have talked to them,
There have been a few cases where I couldn't reach the author but I haven't had any issues.
And hey, if they hate it, fine by me, ill take it down and tell everyone you told me to do it! lol jk

[Cassie]

Ya, I can see how using a cover for your own purposes is copyright infringement.