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August 10, 2005
Controversial writer fuels the plagarism debate
Stephen Miles, one of the writers controversially stripped of the 2002 Leonard Sankey Award for New Talent in Fiction amid claims of plagarism, has chosen to publish his account of the events that sent shockwaves around the literary world with PABD.
In all, three of the five winners were later disqualified for using large tracts of other author's work within their novels. The scandal ensured that the Sankey Awards would not be held again.
Of the three writers, only Miles ever protested his innocense and All My Own Work sets out to "put the record straight" as Miles puts it.
"Copying anothers work is about the lowest thing that you can accuse any writer of. It has taken me literally years to come to terms with what happened after the Sankey's. Now, I feel like it's time for me to tell my story as it actually happened," says Miles.
However, some media experts have stated that this book is likely to reopen the perrenial debate about the willingness of authors to 'borrow' from others.
Miles remains unequivocal: "I did not steal anyone else's work." A claim thrown into some doubt by writer Richard Cooper who has recently stated that All My Own Work is, in fact, all his own work.
PABD has been in discussion with Miles for some time about this project and we are completely confident in the assurances that he has given us to the genuine nature of his novels. Our opinion is that, in many ways, Stephen has been subject to a witch hunt by the literary community and, for that reason alone, his story deserves to be told.
To judge for yourself, All My Own Work is currently being published chapter by chapter on Miles’s weblog and visitors are invited to make a donation to help Miles fund PABD’s initial fees. In return Miles pledges to offer copies of the book at a discount to the donors and acknowledge their support in the book itself.
You can find out more about the Sankey Aards and remind yourself of the controversy by visiting the official Sankey website.
Posted by iain at August 10, 2005 12:31 PM
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