How is that a metaphor?

Uhm....it's uh. I got nothing.

Speaking of beastiality...

Has anyone read "Bear" by Marian Engel? [link] FAQWife insists it's a beautifully written short novel, but I've been kinda scared to read it. From the blurb on the back cover:

... a mousy librarian is summoned to a remote Canadian island to inventory the estate of Colonel Jocelyn Cary. Cary, as the reader quickly learns, has a number of secrets, but the most surprising -- and the most enduring -- is a bear. By page twenty, our librarian has met the bear and "wondered if the bear would be good company." The bear is indeed good company. Intimate company. Shocking company.

So, the Cassie Edwards plagiarism kerfuffle has now hit the AP wires: [link]

In the thread about it at Smart Bitches, a visitor who jumped all over them for being so mean said, "When you write 100 books, or even ONE, then we’ll talk.”

A few comments down, Nora Roberts weighs in:

*raises hand*

Okay, let’s talk. Plagiarism is copying another’s work and calling it your own. Minor paraphrasing doesn’t change the offense.

What's surprised me, though, is that other authors have actually defended her. I don't get it. It blows my mind that ANYONE would think it's acceptable.

I mean, I sometimes worry with my alternate history WIP that I'm simultaneously ripping off Naomi Novik (alternate version of the Napoleonic Wars, though there be no dragons in mine), Bernard Cornwell (one of my major characters is an officer raised from the ranks, though he has a vastly different personality than Richard Sharpe), and Patrick O'Brien (I'm debating on letting another major character, a real historical character and amateur musician, be seen playing the violin to unwind because it's just so Aubrey/Maturin). But at least I know I'm not copying those authors' words! I may not have the world's most original ideas, but at least I have my own words to put them into!

It's hit Fandom Wank too, where many people are displeased with Jennifer Cruisie's response.

A few comments down, Nora Roberts weighs in:

Which, you know, much as she lost me as a reader with the craptastically researched Irish Thoroughbred (fine, fine, I hold grudges that are irrational), is made of win, and may make me pick up another of her books one of these days.

It's hit Fandom Wank too, where many people are displeased with Jennifer Cruisie's response.

Which was made of fail, sadly.

I have no interest in reading Nora Roberts's books, but she sounds pretty damn awesome as a person here.

Nora Roberts speaks from experience - there was a nasty mess a while ago when another author plagairized one or more of her books. And, yes, a number of other authors as well as fans attached NR for making a fuss.

And I'm STILL boggled by the ferrets.

I am just amused that her characters seem to be well versed in obscure wildlife articles, given that they keep quoting them verbatim.

craptastically researched Irish Thoroughbred

That was her first book, IIRC.

It was Janet Dailey who plagiarized Nora Roberts. It hurt Dailey's career but didn't destroy it. She's still published, but she's not as big of a name as she used to be AFAICT.