Does THE CAPTAIN’S DAUGHTER by Meg Mitchell Moore Infringe the Copyright of THE FISHER KING by Hayley Kelsey? Read on to Decide for Yourself (and see more at https://medium.com/@hayleykelseyauthor)
History:
On May 1, 2013, Doubleday VP John Pitts accepted my Facebook “friend” request. I submitted a query letter and synopsis to him via Facebook
On September 23, 2013 (and December 20, 2013 follow-up) and March 20, 2017, I submitted a query letter, synopsis, and first 50 pages of my novel to agent Brettne Bloom at Kneerim, Williams & Bloom. On July 15, 2017, staffer Lucy Cleland requested a copy for consideration. On September 9, 2017, she emailed, “I was able to connect with our agents about this, but ultimately they felt that the work wasn't for us. In the competitive trade fiction market, our agents feel the need to be very selective.”
On September 23, 2013 and December 20, 2013, I queried agent Julie Barer at Barer Literary
On November 5, 2013, I queried agent Elisabeth Weed at Weed Literary
On December 21, 2013, I queried agent Faye Bender at Faye Bender Literary Agency. (In 2014, Danielle Burby interned at the agency; see above for more re: Burby)
In 2015, agents Bloom, Barer, Weed, and Bender formed The Book Group. Weed represents alleged infringer Meg Mitchell Moore.
On July 18, 2017, The Captain's Daughter was published by Doubleday.
Does THE CAPTAIN’S DAUGHTER Have Striking and Substantial Similarities to THE FISHER KING?
Similar setting: In FISHER: summer, small fishing village on Trappe Island, Maryland. In CAPTAIN'S: summer, small fishing village on Little Harbor, Maine.
Identical minor characters’ names: In FISHER, Sheila, Brock. In CAPTAIN'S, Sheila, Brock.
In FISHER, native sons were eager to escape small fishing village for college and return 20 years later. In CAPTAIN'S, native daughter was eager to escape small fishing village for college and returns 20 years later.
In FISHER, patriarch waterman King is stubborn, taciturn, stoic, tough, gruff. In CAPTAIN'S, patriarch lobsterman Charlie is stubborn, taciturn, stoic, tough, gruff.
In FISHER, waterman father falls terminally ill, refuses to see doctor, weakens, dozes in recliner. In CAPTAIN'S, lobsterman father falls terminally ill, refuses to see doctor, weakens, dozes in recliner.
In FISHER, Gail is tall, strong, thirty-five-year-old waterman capable of manual labor. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza is tall, strong, thirty-seven-year-old lobster sternman capable of manual labor.
In FISHER, married daughter-in-law Gail resumes affair with teenage sweethearts Don, Peter. In CAPTAIN'S, married daughter Eliza starts resume affair with teenage sweetheart Russell.
In FISHER, Gail, lonely wife of sterile husband Sonny has affairs. In CAPTAIN'S, Deirdre, lonely wife of sterile husband Brock starts affair.
In FISHER, Gail continues generational illegitimacy and becomes single mother. In CAPTAIN'S, Mary continues generational illegitimacy and becomes single mother.
In FISHER, teenage Aspen is pregnant, contemplated abortion, but carries baby to term, keeps it a secret from community. Gail becomes pregnant, keeps it a secret from husband. In CAPTAIN'S, teenage Mary is pregnant, contemplated abortion, but carries baby to term, keeps it a secret from boyfriend Josh and community.
In FISHER, juxtaposes pregnant Gail doubling in size to ill King shrinking to half former size. In CAPTAIN'S, juxtaposes pregnant Mary’s peach-sized fetus to dying Charlie’s walnut-sized brain tumor.
In FISHER, Aspen is pre-med student. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza is former med student.
In FISHER, four plot points turn on letters read at key junctures. In CAPTAIN'S four plot points turn on letters read at key junctures.
In FISHER, Sonny avoids signing necessary papers for bankruptcy hearing. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza avoids signing necessary papers to appoint guardian for children.
In FISHER, Gail remains at King’s bedside when he dies. In CAPTAIN'S, Mary remains at Charlie’s bedside when he dies.
In FISHER, waterman Sonny doesn’t want to work on the mainland being anything but a waterman. In CAPTAIN'S Russell doesn’t want to work on mainland being anything but a lobsterman.
In FISHER, younger brother Wes was born prematurely, wore breathing tube taped to nostrils, was frail child cared for my older sister Gail after mother abdicated responsibility. In CAPTAIN'S, Zoe was born prematurely, wore breathing tube taped to nostrils, was frail child; Eliza was cared for by neighbor Val after mother abdicated responsibility for a week and after she died.
In FISHER, Gail is an outsider from away, not accepted by gossipy fishing community, must learn social rules. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza is an outsider from away, not accepted by gossipy wealthy community, must learn social rules. Rob is an outsider from away in fishing community.
In FISHER, watermen work twelve-hour days starting at 4:00AM, are prohibited by law from working on Sundays, emptying another’s traps. In CAPTAIN'S, lobstermen work twelve-hour days starting at 3:00AM, are prohibited by law from working on Sundays, emptying another’s traps.
In FISHER, Gail is math whiz, high-school math teacher suggests college, she keeps books for family business. In CAPTAIN'S, Mary is math whiz, high-school math teacher suggests college, she learns bookkeeping.
In FISHER, teenage Gail had never been on a date. In CAPTAIN'S teenage Mary had never been on a date.
In FISHER, wife Gail makes husband Sonny feels unmanly because he can’t support her without his father’s financial help. In CAPTAIN'S, wife Eliza makes husband Rob feels unmanly because he can’t support her without his mother’s financial help and doesn’t work with his hands.
In FISHER, wealthy tourists seeks “local color,” see island as quaint, bygone-era fishing theme park, buy up vacation timeshares. In CAPTAIN'S, wealthy tourists (including Eliza’s daughters, mother-in-law) seek “local color,” see harbor as quaint, bygone-era, buy up vacation mansions.
In FISHER, Gail discovers Sonny’s medical bill by snooping. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza discovers Charlie’s medical diagnosis by snooping.
In FISHER, Gail enlists pre-med student Aspen’s help interpreting medical terms in Sonny’s diagnosis. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza draws on her med student education to interpret Charlie’s diagnosis.
In FISHER, wounded teenage sweethearts Don and Peter can’t forgive Gail for not waiting for them when they go away to college. In CAPTAIN'S, wounded teenage sweetheart Russell can’t forgive Eliza for having abortion, going away to college.
In FISHER, Gail fasts before fertility clinic appointment, blushes when filling out personal medical history form, visits family planning clinic. In CAPTAIN'S, Mary fasts before family planning clinic appointment, blushes when filling out personal medical history form.
In FISHER, teenage Gail avoids Don and Peter by hiding out, feigning sleep. In CAPTAIN'S, teenage Mary avoids Josh by hiding out, feigning sleep.
In FISHER, un-mothered Gail seeks mothering from mother-in-law. In CAPTAIN'S, motherless Eliza seeks mothering from mother-in-law.
In FISHER, Aspen reports on stages of baby’s development. in CAPTAIN'S, Mary researches stages of baby’s development.
In FISHER, Gail envisions malformed eggs and sperm in her mind’s eye. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza envisions brain tumor expanding in her mind’s eye.
In FISHER, Don asks King to captain his trawler. In CAPTAIN'S, Russell asks Eliza to be his sternman.
In FISHER, Gail and Sonny haul crab traps harmoniously side-by-side. In CAPTAIN'S Russell and Eliza haul lobster traps harmoniously side-by-side.
In FISHER, Gail is affected by Don’s and Peter’s nearness, touch, and thinks their distinctly different body types let her to separate them from Sonny. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza is powerfully affected by Russell’s nearness, touch, and thinks she sought a distinctly different body type in a husband.
In FISHER, Gail is physically and emotionally satisfied by an honest day’s physical labor. In CAPTAIN'S Eliza is physically and emotionally satisfied by an honest day’s physical labor.
In FISHER, Gail listens to watermen ribbing each other on the two-way radio. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza listens to Russell and lobstermen ribbing each other on the VHF radio channel.
In FISHER, Gail relishes the easy camaraderie of watermen discussing the days catch and the weather at the dock at the end of the day. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza relishes the easy camaraderie of lobstermen discussing the day’s catch and the weather at the co-op at the end of the day.
In FISHER, Gail watches husband Sonny’s big hands holding a tiny baby. In CAPTAIN'S Eliza remembers how husband Robs’s big hands looked holding their five-pound daughter.
Meg Mitchell Moore Reviews
Does THE CAPTAIN’S DAUGHTER by Meg Mitchell Moore Infringe the Copyright of THE FISHER KING by Hayley Kelsey? Read on to Decide for Yourself (and see more at https://medium.com/@hayleykelseyauthor)
History:
On May 1, 2013, Doubleday VP John Pitts accepted my Facebook “friend” request. I submitted a query letter and synopsis to him via Facebook
On September 23, 2013 (and December 20, 2013 follow-up) and March 20, 2017, I submitted a query letter, synopsis, and first 50 pages of my novel to agent Brettne Bloom at Kneerim, Williams & Bloom. On July 15, 2017, staffer Lucy Cleland requested a copy for consideration. On September 9, 2017, she emailed, “I was able to connect with our agents about this, but ultimately they felt that the work wasn't for us. In the competitive trade fiction market, our agents feel the need to be very selective.”
On September 23, 2013 and December 20, 2013, I queried agent Julie Barer at Barer Literary
On November 5, 2013, I queried agent Elisabeth Weed at Weed Literary
On December 21, 2013, I queried agent Faye Bender at Faye Bender Literary Agency. (In 2014, Danielle Burby interned at the agency; see above for more re: Burby)
In 2015, agents Bloom, Barer, Weed, and Bender formed The Book Group. Weed represents alleged infringer Meg Mitchell Moore.
On July 18, 2017, The Captain's Daughter was published by Doubleday.
Does THE CAPTAIN’S DAUGHTER Have Striking and Substantial Similarities to THE FISHER KING?
Similar setting: In FISHER: summer, small fishing village on Trappe Island, Maryland. In CAPTAIN'S: summer, small fishing village on Little Harbor, Maine.
Identical minor characters’ names: In FISHER, Sheila, Brock. In CAPTAIN'S, Sheila, Brock.
In FISHER, native sons were eager to escape small fishing village for college and return 20 years later. In CAPTAIN'S, native daughter was eager to escape small fishing village for college and returns 20 years later.
In FISHER, patriarch waterman King is stubborn, taciturn, stoic, tough, gruff. In CAPTAIN'S, patriarch lobsterman Charlie is stubborn, taciturn, stoic, tough, gruff.
In FISHER, waterman father falls terminally ill, refuses to see doctor, weakens, dozes in recliner. In CAPTAIN'S, lobsterman father falls terminally ill, refuses to see doctor, weakens, dozes in recliner.
In FISHER, Gail is tall, strong, thirty-five-year-old waterman capable of manual labor. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza is tall, strong, thirty-seven-year-old lobster sternman capable of manual labor.
In FISHER, married daughter-in-law Gail resumes affair with teenage sweethearts Don, Peter. In CAPTAIN'S, married daughter Eliza starts resume affair with teenage sweetheart Russell.
In FISHER, Gail, lonely wife of sterile husband Sonny has affairs. In CAPTAIN'S, Deirdre, lonely wife of sterile husband Brock starts affair.
In FISHER, Gail continues generational illegitimacy and becomes single mother. In CAPTAIN'S, Mary continues generational illegitimacy and becomes single mother.
In FISHER, teenage Aspen is pregnant, contemplated abortion, but carries baby to term, keeps it a secret from community. Gail becomes pregnant, keeps it a secret from husband. In CAPTAIN'S, teenage Mary is pregnant, contemplated abortion, but carries baby to term, keeps it a secret from boyfriend Josh and community.
In FISHER, juxtaposes pregnant Gail doubling in size to ill King shrinking to half former size. In CAPTAIN'S, juxtaposes pregnant Mary’s peach-sized fetus to dying Charlie’s walnut-sized brain tumor.
In FISHER, Aspen is pre-med student. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza is former med student.
In FISHER, four plot points turn on letters read at key junctures. In CAPTAIN'S four plot points turn on letters read at key junctures.
In FISHER, Sonny avoids signing necessary papers for bankruptcy hearing. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza avoids signing necessary papers to appoint guardian for children.
In FISHER, Gail remains at King’s bedside when he dies. In CAPTAIN'S, Mary remains at Charlie’s bedside when he dies.
In FISHER, waterman Sonny doesn’t want to work on the mainland being anything but a waterman. In CAPTAIN'S Russell doesn’t want to work on mainland being anything but a lobsterman.
In FISHER, younger brother Wes was born prematurely, wore breathing tube taped to nostrils, was frail child cared for my older sister Gail after mother abdicated responsibility. In CAPTAIN'S, Zoe was born prematurely, wore breathing tube taped to nostrils, was frail child; Eliza was cared for by neighbor Val after mother abdicated responsibility for a week and after she died.
In FISHER, Gail is an outsider from away, not accepted by gossipy fishing community, must learn social rules. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza is an outsider from away, not accepted by gossipy wealthy community, must learn social rules. Rob is an outsider from away in fishing community.
In FISHER, watermen work twelve-hour days starting at 4:00AM, are prohibited by law from working on Sundays, emptying another’s traps. In CAPTAIN'S, lobstermen work twelve-hour days starting at 3:00AM, are prohibited by law from working on Sundays, emptying another’s traps.
In FISHER, Gail is math whiz, high-school math teacher suggests college, she keeps books for family business. In CAPTAIN'S, Mary is math whiz, high-school math teacher suggests college, she learns bookkeeping.
In FISHER, teenage Gail had never been on a date. In CAPTAIN'S teenage Mary had never been on a date.
In FISHER, wife Gail makes husband Sonny feels unmanly because he can’t support her without his father’s financial help. In CAPTAIN'S, wife Eliza makes husband Rob feels unmanly because he can’t support her without his mother’s financial help and doesn’t work with his hands.
In FISHER, wealthy tourists seeks “local color,” see island as quaint, bygone-era fishing theme park, buy up vacation timeshares. In CAPTAIN'S, wealthy tourists (including Eliza’s daughters, mother-in-law) seek “local color,” see harbor as quaint, bygone-era, buy up vacation mansions.
In FISHER, Gail discovers Sonny’s medical bill by snooping. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza discovers Charlie’s medical diagnosis by snooping.
In FISHER, Gail enlists pre-med student Aspen’s help interpreting medical terms in Sonny’s diagnosis. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza draws on her med student education to interpret Charlie’s diagnosis.
In FISHER, wounded teenage sweethearts Don and Peter can’t forgive Gail for not waiting for them when they go away to college. In CAPTAIN'S, wounded teenage sweetheart Russell can’t forgive Eliza for having abortion, going away to college.
In FISHER, Gail fasts before fertility clinic appointment, blushes when filling out personal medical history form, visits family planning clinic. In CAPTAIN'S, Mary fasts before family planning clinic appointment, blushes when filling out personal medical history form.
In FISHER, teenage Gail avoids Don and Peter by hiding out, feigning sleep. In CAPTAIN'S, teenage Mary avoids Josh by hiding out, feigning sleep.
In FISHER, un-mothered Gail seeks mothering from mother-in-law. In CAPTAIN'S, motherless Eliza seeks mothering from mother-in-law.
In FISHER, Aspen reports on stages of baby’s development. in CAPTAIN'S, Mary researches stages of baby’s development.
In FISHER, Gail envisions malformed eggs and sperm in her mind’s eye. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza envisions brain tumor expanding in her mind’s eye.
In FISHER, Don asks King to captain his trawler. In CAPTAIN'S, Russell asks Eliza to be his sternman.
In FISHER, Gail and Sonny haul crab traps harmoniously side-by-side. In CAPTAIN'S Russell and Eliza haul lobster traps harmoniously side-by-side.
In FISHER, Gail is affected by Don’s and Peter’s nearness, touch, and thinks their distinctly different body types let her to separate them from Sonny. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza is powerfully affected by Russell’s nearness, touch, and thinks she sought a distinctly different body type in a husband.
In FISHER, Gail is physically and emotionally satisfied by an honest day’s physical labor. In CAPTAIN'S Eliza is physically and emotionally satisfied by an honest day’s physical labor.
In FISHER, Gail listens to watermen ribbing each other on the two-way radio. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza listens to Russell and lobstermen ribbing each other on the VHF radio channel.
In FISHER, Gail relishes the easy camaraderie of watermen discussing the days catch and the weather at the dock at the end of the day. In CAPTAIN'S, Eliza relishes the easy camaraderie of lobstermen discussing the day’s catch and the weather at the co-op at the end of the day.
In FISHER, Gail watches husband Sonny’s big hands holding a tiny baby. In CAPTAIN'S Eliza remembers how husband Robs’s big hands looked holding their five-pound daughter.