Rowling invokes the magic of litigation

Russians making off with the intellectual property?

By Mike Whybark     November 07, 2002
Source: Herald Sun Web site

Australia's THE HERALD SUN provides coverage of HARRY POTTER creator J. K. Rowling's paper rattling in a Russian direction. A Russian author, Dimitry Yemets, published TANYA GROTTER AND HER MAGICAL DOUBLE BASS in August; a second book is also out now and more are planned.

A law firm has issued a letter to the GROTTER publishers threatening legal proceedings if the GROTTER books aren't stopped.

The POTTER books' Russian publisher's spokesperson stated, "These books were translated into English, they were compared with HARRY POTTER books and it was determined that they are a plagiarism."

Alexei Shekhov, spokesperson for the GROTTER publisher, rebuts, "It is not plagiarism. It is a parody. The common elements which are there are not used only by Rowling, but in PETER PAN and other children's books. There is nothing original in what Rowling wrote."

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