It's no secret that Cristiane Serruya has now been outed as something worse than just a plagiarist. Her frankenbooks - and her excuses - have been lighting up the Twitterverse for hours. The rage she has sparked among both the authors from whom she stole and their avid readers will not burn out quickly.
Nothing about stealing others' worse is clever, or cunning - and it was not even very well done. Her excuse that 'the ghostwriter did it' is, in my opinion, bogus.
How do I know this? I have been a ghostwriter; for celebrities, politicians and for non-fiction authors who know their subject but not how to write (why did I do it? To make rent, to pay bills - the same reasons A-list Hollywood actresses once may have done soft-porn films before they made it big). I have never used anyone else's words except my own and the 'author' with whom I was paid to collaborate.
Ghostwriters get the work late (usually), in a mess (usually) and it's all they can do to knock it into shape by deadline. To mashup over 29 books (and counting I believe?) would simply take too long. Far quicker just to pen the words myself.
My point is, ghost writers write; they edit and tidy and suggest and, basically, help create the book. They do not steal; why would they? They are not paid enough to do it and their brand is not going on the cover. They follow their brief, and use the material they are given.
No real writer would do this to another writer (let along 29 of them) . . . when you've sweated blood and tears to get it right, you just would.not.do.it. At least, I couldn't. I'd have to be have my soul removed first.
That's the part I find so astounding; the complete ethics bypass this once-bestselling author brand must have given herself. I heard she cut and run, pulling her Twitter profile down. I hope she never returns from under her Twitterrock.
This world does NOT need any more fakes.
