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Do you guys remember #Cockygate? Maybe Faleena Hopkins should have a little chat with Christine Feehan.
What the hell is wrong with you that you gotta go trademarking "DARK"? https://twitter.com/cockybot/status/1198882770186977280
What the hell is wrong with you that you gotta go trademarking "DARK"? https://twitter.com/cockybot/status/1198882770186977280
A little more clarification: https://twitter.com/aetherlev/status/1199132177461460992
The generic word "Dark" is not the only one she filed for. Check this out. #DarkCocky https://twitter.com/invisibleinkie/status/1199136899866206208
I got the #DarkCocky from this and am just gonna roll with it bc yes, extra: https://twitter.com/aetherlev/status/1199157332833259521
I will buy this masterpiece. #DarkCockyLeopard https://twitter.com/IamBadlyDrawn/status/1199164900024766464
Okay, so. IANAL, just drawing on info from #Cockygate event. Trademarks are different from copyrights. Copyright immediately protects your original works; trademarks protects words, names, titles, etc.
When Christine Feehan and her attorney, Greg Mavronicolas, filed...
When Christine Feehan and her attorney, Greg Mavronicolas, filed...
...for the word "Dark," they filed for standard characters without claim on font, style, or color. They're filing to be able to deny anyone else the use of the word "Dark" in specifically 016 class, which is series of fiction works, namely, novels and books. Same goes for other..
...generic words she chose to claim as commercially hers. As far as I understand, she believes to have the earliest use of the words, especially "Dark," going as far back as 1999 as proof that she can claim it as trademark for fictional works.
She claimed 8 words as trademarks. I'm going to assume that each words were filed with one same class (016), meaning she paid $275 each class, amounting to $2,200 on the strong belief that she owns these words. Lol.
Calling on #IPlawyers and #legal experts to clarify/confirm!
Calling on #IPlawyers and #legal experts to clarify/confirm!
When Faleena Hopkins trademarked "Cocky," she sent C&D letters to anyone who had a book with "Cocky" in the title in any form. Not just cocky by itself, but stuff like "Cocky Cowboys" and others.
She did this primarily to smaller authors, esp minority authors.
She did this primarily to smaller authors, esp minority authors.
I'm gonna go out on a limb and saaaay... this is PROBABLY what Christine Feehan is going for. Also going to go ahead and make a prediction: There will be a meltdown video soon.
Hey! A really cool expert offered up lawyerly nuggets. This is just a glimpse at how this works. Thank you, Ethan. https://twitter.com/ethanjacobslaw/status/1199360967101956096
Another look at the trademark issue, especially when Amazon enters the picture, from Marc who also offers lawyerly insights. #DarkCocky https://twitter.com/legalinspire/status/1199371767497842688
Excellent response to people thinking this is an impersonation attempt. https://twitter.com/legalinspire/status/1199375940209532934
Please read Tara Crescent's take on Christine Feehan trademarking "Dark." It's costly in so many ways. Tara was one of the targets of a takedown notice during Cockygate because she had a Cocky series. #DarkCocky https://twitter.com/TaraCrescent/status/1199423776074715142
The silence continues. We've reached out to the involved people. Crickets. What is Christina Feehan up to with Dark, Sea Haven, Carpathian, and other trademarks? https://twitter.com/wendlesnz/status/1199388984247369729
We've got a statement from Christine Feehan regarding the trademarks. https://twitter.com/AuthorCFeehan/status/1201955902040858624
These authors really love using pics of text as statements or apologies. The text: "Following advice from my attorney, I recently filed federal trademark applications for each of my series. My goal is to protect the right to use my series name [underlined] under which I've been..
..writing novels in other areas such as graphic novels, film, and television. I fully support the notion that trademark law does NOT extend protection to book titles for a single book, nor would it ever be my intention to prohibit another author from using a word like dark...
or leopard as part of a book title."
I thought her trademarks only mentions use of words in series in novelization, so I don't really know why she's saying graphic novels, film, and television.
She's also ignoring the fact that using single words even for SERIES is stupid.
I thought her trademarks only mentions use of words in series in novelization, so I don't really know why she's saying graphic novels, film, and television.
She's also ignoring the fact that using single words even for SERIES is stupid.
Anddd additional thoughts now that Feehan has broken silence: https://twitter.com/TaraCrescent/status/1201990822771798016
So, she said it; take it from someone who's been there. This is how Cockygate happened, this is how DarkCocky is going to happen. https://twitter.com/BSommerland/status/1201998200162390017
