Comments on: Erotic photography by Alva Bernadine, and a story about Maxim Jakubowski

By: Violet Blue

Violet Blue — Fri, 06 Sep 2013 03:59:39 +0000

Mr. Jakubowski,

Thank you for your comment.

Perhaps instead of amplifying your position, insulting me about my name and concluding with a veiled threat about suing me for slander you might engage in a discussion. Instead of clearing up misconceptions, miscommunication, or addressing my distress with any compassion whatsoever, you proved my point entirely. You insulted and devalued me exactly as you did in 2005.

And yes – as someone who has been literally impersonated in name, likeness and within the same industry, if any entity – such as a book publisher – attempts to put out a product with my name on it, they’re going to get a formal letter requesting that they stop.

By: Maxim Jakubowski

Maxim Jakubowski — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 08:40:21 +0000

Dear Violet,
If it’s any consolation, the fact that amazon and a few online outlets did not change the cover to the one that was actually published and still erroneously featured your name which had been put there by someone junior in marketing by mistake based on an earlier proposal for the book and not the actual finished manuscript, despite being requested to do so repeatedly by the publishers might actually have done the book harm, insofar as it became the worst selling anthology I’ve ever issued! So much for the power of your name! And in terms of it being used for the book’s publicity, I think you’re being somewhat disingenuous as it’s well-known that the Mammoth books just filter onto the market and when with Carroll & Graf did not have any marketing push behind them whatsoever.
And as to Billy Bob’s response, may I point out that Violet did go legal and both my lawyers and the publishers dismissed her action out of hand.
I’ve issued over 100 anthologies, and not just in the erotic genre, and never has a single author or photographer ever complained about my utter professionalism.
Can we just bury the damn hatchet? We have so many friends in common and all are nonplussed by the enmity which has emerged on your side of the fence. I admire much of what you do, and it just saddens me to see such an old matter which I wasn’t even responsible for, be resurrected in such bitter terms. Not that I would ever go legal on you for possible slander, as we’re all part of the same community.
Enough, please.

Warmly,

Maxim

By: Billy Bob

Billy Bob — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 20:31:06 +0000

IF he used your name to sell copies of his book then I suspect you have grounds for a lawsuit to recover a portion of the profits from sales of the book. You could also probably also sue him on grounds that being associated falsely with his book harmed your own business. And if he used materials from your blog without permission then you could attack him for copyright infringement. If you still care about the issue, I suggest talking to a lawyer. (I’m not a lawyer, I just play one on the interwebs.)