Geraint Roberts - Ramblings of a would-be published novelist

Leonardo's revenge?

There's a court case due at the month end, the authors of a book are suing the author of the 'Da Vinci code' for lifting the ideas from their research. They originally proposed this grandiose theory. That aside, the decision may have far reaching implications for historical novels. My reserach as an example, has involved reading mining books covering the area and old newspapers to cover the events of the time. I have to do this, partly because I wasn't around in the 1880s and have little or no recollection of any of my alleged past lives. Can I be therefore accused of lifting the story from other sources?
I wait with bated breath, as I am for response on my writing. I have recently entered two short stories to a competition and reached Chapter 15 of book 2. Just could do with some recognition in the printed form. Ah, the cry of the would-be novelist!

posted by Geraint @ 2:33 pm