Author: Mariah Dietz

What Are You Reading? (+ #Cockygate Giveaway)

Posted June 1, 2018 by Holly in Features, Giveaways | 14 Comments

WAYR-New

Casee: I’m still reading Claimed by Rebecca Zanetti. It’s only the second book in the series. Now that graduation week is over, I can really get into it. I’ve been reading a few pages here and there this week but just haven’t had time to really sit down and read.

After I’m done with Claimed, I’m going to pick up Ocean’s Light by Nalini Singh. I really don’t have an answer for why I haven’t picked it up before now. Obviously I’m demented.

Holly: I started re-reading the Kate Daniels series this week in anticipation of Magic Triumphs in August. I read Magic Bites, Magic Burns and Magic Strikes. At this rate I’ll have to do another re-read to be fresh for Magic Triumphs. I did download an ARC of Iron and Magic yesterday, though, so I’mg going to dig into that soon.

Rowena: This week, I finished reading Making Up by Lucy Parker and enjoyed it. Leo and Trix were a lovely couple that really came together and I ate their story right up. I didn’t read much else in the way of books. However, I did do a lot of reading on all things #cockygate. I read all of the documents that Courtney Milan provided on the cases and the entire thing is really interesting. I didn’t think I’d ever be this invested in a court case but I am. I’m rooting for Team Romance and hope that things turn out in our favor.

My plan for the weekend is dig into I Flipping Love You by Helena Hunting. I’ve been itching to read this story and am really hoping that I get over my slump and just start reading. Wish me luck!

Giveaway Alert

We are very fortunate here at Book Binge. We have loads and loads of books to read and we want to share the wealth so each week, we’ll be tacking on a Freebie Friday giveaway to our What Are You Reading posts. This week, we’re giving away…

What Are You Reading? (+ #Cockygate Giveaway)Cocktales by Penny Reid, Nana Malone, Dylan Allen, Jana Aston, Whitney Barbetti, Sawyer Bennett, K.F. Breene, Ruth Clampett, L.H. Cosway, Amy Daws, Mariah Dietz, B.B. Easton, Jaymin Eve, Emma Hart, Staci Hart, Jessica Hawkins, Julie Johnson, Karpov Kinrade, Adriana Locke, Lex Martin, Aly Martinez, Kayti McGee, Corinne Michaels, Liv Morris, Red Phoenix, Daisy Prescott, Jessica Prince, Meghan Quinn, C.D. Reiss, Julie A. Richman, Aleatha Romig, Kennedy Ryan, Kylie Scott, Sierra Simone, Tara Sivec, Kate Stewart, Leia Stone, Karla Sorensen, Rachel Van Dyken, April White
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: May 26, 2018
Pages: 998
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books

About the Cocktales Anthology:Cocktales is a limited-release anthology (available *only* from May 26 – August 26, 2018) of original, never before published material, some of which is raw and unedited. Each story was specifically written for this anthology.

The goal of the Cocktales Anthology is to raise funds to fight against obstruction of creative expression. Specifically, what we believe are obstruction attempts through the trademarking of common (single) words for titicular use in books / or as a book series (eBooks, print, and audio).

*ALL* net profits will be donated to:1) Authors already impacted by creative-obstruction (10%), and2) Romance Writers of America (RWA) (90%) as a general donation intended for their Advocacy Fund.

Disclaimer: This anthology is not being conducted on behalf of RWA, nor does RWA endorse this anthology or effort. They have, however, graciously agreed to accept the funds.

Today is a big day for our author friends and #cockygate so to help in our little way, we’re giving away three e-copies of Cocktales: The Cocky Collective to three lucky winners. Our thoughts and good vibes to Kevin Knuepper, Tara Crescent and Jennifer Watson today in court.

What Are You Reading: Cocktales: The Cocky Collective

What are you reading this week? Any new favorites or books that drove you crazy? Share!


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Updated: #cockygate Part 2: #Cocky Author Files Lawsuit (includes link to full summary)

Posted May 30, 2018 by Holly in Discussions, News | 12 Comments

Note: This is a pinned post. Scroll down for additional content.

Update June 1, 2018: Thanks to Euna Park for the updates she was able to post on the court hearing this morning in NYC. The judge denied FH the temporary restraining order she requested for the publishing of books with the word “cocky” in the title and removed Kevin Kneupper from the lawsuit. Kevin being removed from the lawsuit has no bearing on his trademark case. That is separate.

FH’s lawyer is really claiming that the word “cocky” is synonomous with FH in the romance genre. Wow. Considering nobody knew who she was before all of this came to light, that’s overstating the shit out of things. I mean, sure, NOW that might be true but not in the way I think her lawyer meant.

Author Liv Morris also attended the hearing and had this to say about the Cocktales: The Cocky Collective:

This is more great news for Team Romance. I’m super glad to see that Cocktales will be able to continue to sell books. I really love how supportive our community has been over this whole thing. It makes me so glad to be apart of such an awesome community.

Here is a list of links that Courtney Milan provided that includes all, or well, most documents pertaining to the lawsuit:

Defendants Joint Memo in Opposition to Preliminary Injunction & TRO
Tara Crescent Affidavit
Crescent Exhibit D
Crescent Exhibit G
Declaration for Jennifer Watson
Declaration for Penny Reid
Plaintiff (FH) Reply to Memorandum of Law in further support of Plainitffs Motion
Full Transcript of Preliminary Hearing on June 1, 2018

Here are some other posts that went up in the last couple of days:

Authors Guild and RWA Prevail in Court Defending Authors in “Cocky” Trademark Dispute
Judge Denies Injunction Request in Cocky Trademark Dispute
RWA’s Update on Recent Trademark Proceedings
The Cocky Trademark Author Writes an Open Letter to Herself in Response to Cockygate
How an Author Trademarking the word “cocky” turned the romance novel industry inside out

Marc Whipple has a great running commentary on the entire #cockygate on his blog so be sure to check that out too.

Posted on May 30, 2018: Rowena and I have been on vacation so while we’ve been keeping up with the latest nonsense with #cockygate, we haven’t had a chance to update until now.

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