I came across a recent news story that stopped me in my tracks, and if you’re an author, it’s the kind of thing that could make your blood pressure rise. But if you are one, this might just make your blood pressure rise.
It’s about Harvey J. Graff, a respected historian with more than 30 books to his name, who found out that two of his older but still-popular titles had been republished by a major publisher… without his permission.
How a Publishing Shuffle Caused Chaos
Here’s the short version: big publishing companies often buy smaller ones, inheriting their catalogs in the process. But in Graff’s case, when Taylor & Francis bought Transaction (the company that had published his books), they didn’t actually acquire all the legal rights to those works. Somewhere along the way, the books were re-released under Routledge without anyone checking whether they even had the right to do it.
Graff discovered this while preparing new editions himself. Imagine finding out someone else is already selling your “new” edition, and you didn’t even approve it! He got a lawyer involved, demanded the books be pulled, and after months of slow and sometimes frustrating communication, the rights were finally returned. The publisher called it a “courtesy,” but didn’t admit wrongdoing.
And then… It Happened Again
Just when you’d think it couldn’t get worse, Graff received a random royalty statement from SpringerNature for a 1987 book he co-edited. The problem? They had republished an old edition in 2022 without realizing a newer, copyrighted version existed with another publisher. No warning, no royalties, just a surprise in the mail.
Another lengthy back-and-forth followed before SpringerNature eventually apologized, removed the book from sale, and settled the matter.
What Authors Can Learn From This
If a seasoned author can face this twice, it’s a wake-up call for everyone in publishing:
- Know exactly who owns the rights to every edition of your work.
- Search for your titles online now and then , you might be surprised.
- Don’t assume publishers will always get the legal details right.
The publishing world today is a lot less cozy and personal than it used to be. Big mergers mean big catalogs, and sometimes your work can slip through the cracks, or get re-released without you knowing.
So, whether you’ve written one book or thirty, it might be worth taking a few minutes today to make sure you’re the only one publishing your book’s “new edition.”