Got Caught, Got Derailed and Got some really bad press

Taken from Merriam Webster Online Dictionary
See especially definitions 3a and 3b.

Main Entry: 1al·loy Pronunciation: 'a-"loi also &-'loiFunction: nounEtymology: French aloi, from Old French alei, from aleir to combine, from Latin alligare to bind -- more at ALLY
1 : the degree of mixture with base metals : FINENESS
2 : a substance composed of two or more metals or of a metal and a nonmetal intimately united usually by being fused together and dissolving in each other when molten; also : the state of union of the components
3 a : an admixture that lessens value b : an impairing alien element
4 : a compound, mixture, or union of different things 5 archaic : a metal mixed with a more valuable metal to give durability or some other desired quality

With a mixture of schadenfreude, sympathy and anger I’ve been reading about the tribulations of Kaavya Viswanathan, the Harvard sophomore who has been accused of plagiarism and had all of the unsold 100,000 copies of her novel recalled. It will be interesting to see what metal (or alloys) she is made of.

The Boston and New York papers were sated with the breaking story last week. The young lady who at seventeen had written a novel which the publisher (Little Brown) liked but thought “too dark,” was passed on to Alloy Entertainment for tarting up. I have read that Alloy Entertainment (see this web article: http://www.azcentral.com/ent/pop/articles/0701girlbook01.html), a book packager for young-adult books, creates proposals for publishers, (plot AND character) before handing the books off to a writer or writers.
Ms. Viswanathan was introduced to Alloy by the William Morris agency. Some newspapers have reported her contract to be as high as $500,000. In spite of all that money, I feel somewhat sorry for her. So much so soon, all that publicity, all that handholding. All that pressure. Zowie.
Alloy apparently worked with Ms. Viswanathan on her novel’s first four chapters-- with no more “dark” permitted. Chick lit, after all, is about overcoming gentle obstacles to achieve the universal female dream: cool clothes, a cool guy, and innocent, yet universal teen adventures. Ms. Viswanathan apparently proceeded from Alloy’s suggestions, under tremendous pressure to write a worthy, original book for her obscene advance. It is odd that her editor(s) did not hear alarm bells clanging that the book was very similar to another author’s, but there you have it: editors are very busy, as are agents, as they never tire of telling one, and the shit hit the fan.
I blame greedy corporate America, especially corporate literary America. Corporate and Literary are two words that should never be found in the same sentence.
And you have to blame the reading public for wanting “lite” literature, the same folks who watch American Idol.
So we wring hands and wonder what things are coming to. I confess, I do that. Yet some celebrities overcome bad press. Think of Kate Moss. Paris Hilton. They sucked it up and were no worse for wear. Maybe Kaavya can write a memoir about her experiences. Just keep her away from James Frey.

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