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Honorable or Tasteless?
Posted by ArsenicCookies • 1/15/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: abduction, childrens books
A little girl named Ashley Estelle was kidnapped and killed in 1993 in Plano Texas. She wrote a story in 1st grade, and an author is now publishing that story to keep the memory of the the child alive.
The story: www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa090115_mo_estell...
The book: www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail~bookid~55393.aspx
What do you think, is this lady using a tragedy to do some good OR is she being tasteless?
User Comments
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I don't see anything wrong with it if it's genuine. They say that all proceeds from the book will directly benefit abused and neglected children served by a non-profit childrens' advocacy center. -
Collin County Children’s Advocacy Center, is a nonprofit organization in Plano, Texas, serving children and families victimized by abuse. The author worked at the center and all proceeds from this book will directly benefit abused and neglected children served by the center. Therefore, I have no problem with this. -
That's where my mind was, seemed fine to me. The hubby swears its a tasteless move so I told him I'd let good ol' BC sort it out
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From the description, it sounds as though the author wrote the book as a tribute to the little girl. If the child wrote it, then it should be advertised as such. I don't think using such a gimmick to raise money for a worthwhile organization is tasteless. I do think that it's uncouth to paste your own name all over that effort in order to get some name recognition.-
"I do think that it's uncouth to paste your own name all over that effort in order to get some name recognition." That's what hubby said
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But that is what writers, authors, of books do? She brought this book to fruition and she chose to pay tribute to this little girl.
Are authors of books supposed to not put their name on the book? Why would it be uncouth? There are a gazillion books that authors/writers have written that pay tribute to someone famous and not so famous, are all they uncouth?
so if an artist does a painting that pays tribute to something like this, should they not put their sig on the painting?
Just wondering. -
per my husband:
The "author" didn't f#^$*#&%$ write it, the little girl did. It's uncouth because she doesn't have the little girls name listed. The article said the kid wrote it and this lady is capitalizing on a tragedy throwing her name out there and not giving the kid credit.
end
Lol maybe he needs to sign up for an account, he does have a blog.. hmmmm -
She would not have been able to use the material (which is clearly credited to Ashley) and format it into a book without the permission of the mother who seems to have sanctioned the project. I guess one should take it up with the mother
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So what your saying is the author of ashley's book is using ashley's name
to get noteriety for herself. Or. Is she using ashley's book to carry on the memory of ashley?
I say take the book and publish it in ashley's name. She is the author right?
Then take the money from the proceeds and give it to the foundation in
ashley's name.
If the lady who claims she wants to keep Ashley's memory alive has no problem with this then all is well.
If she does have a problem with it,then you have your answer. Tasteless.-
So would you argue the mother was tasteless for allowing her daughters work to be published and formatted by the author?
"Donovan said Ashley’s parents thought it would be a great idea to have a book and approached her because of her history of writing."
www.scntx.com/articles/2009/01/15/plano_star-courier/news/07.txt
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I don't know. It depends on what the author does. I would feel sorry for
ashley's mom if the author chooses to keep her name as the author instead
of ashley's name.-
I don't believe the author would have been able to do that without the parents permission. They asked her to write the book.
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It's ashley's book. No one else's.
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yes, but it would NOT have been made into a book without an author/writer formatting it and introducing it, which is why the parents asked her to donate her time to put it together in the first place. I would think the parents want to see people fairly credited for creating a book in their daughters honor.
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The parents of this child asked the author to donate her time to put together a book (no easy feat if any of you have tried to have work published or have a manuscript book ready for printing)using their daughters material as a tribute to their daughter. The author will make NO profit from her time or sales as the proceeds are to benefit an organization that the family supports. None of us have seen the inside of the book the introduction, how it was presented, the foreward, the tribute section that the author may have wrote and yet for some reason she is NOT supposed to put her name on the book. It is her book using material that this girls parents gave permission to use, so I am guessing that you are thinking the parents are tasteless for agreeing to this?
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No endless said the husband wasn't in agreement. So what if she put time
and effort if is to keep ashley's memory alive. If she out of the goodness
of her heart wants to keep ashley's memory alive she shouldn't have a problem with it. I can tell you that people really do put time,energy,and effort into other people because it's the right thing to do. Who cares about noteriety. I wouldn't-
The author was approached by the parents, and they would have had to have given the author permission to use the material to collate and format into a form that is book worthy. I doubt the author would have been able to put her name on the book without the mothers permission. So my question still stands do you think the mother crass for allowing this?
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Where does it say the author was approached "by the parents"
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In the news article Holly, and the author would NOT have been able to use the material without permission from the parents (since it must have been them that gave her their daughters writing).
In answer to your question the author is keeping Ashley's memory alive by donating her time to create a book at the request of her parents. why would any artist, writer, etc not sign their work? And what makes you believe the parents didn't give her permission? Have you seen the inside of the book, have you seen whether the author wrote introductions to each chapter.
Holly I just think unfair to judge this author who really devoted a lot of time to see that Ashely was honored in a book she put together.
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My question still stands. Does the "author" want noteriety or ashley's memory kept alive????
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yes, but the father of ashley is in disagreement.
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Holly do you have a link that states Ashley's father did not approach the author and is in disagreement? I see no articles that makes such a claim. The fact remains the author would NOT have been able to create the book without permission from either parent.
Either way I find it interesting that anyone would think an artist, writer, filmmaker, documentary maker, etc should not be credited for their work and sign it just because they donate their time freely or based on the subject matter. So I guess we will have to agree to disagree on this one Holly.
Till next time, take care.
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when did you get married ? did i miss something, -
There are such things as selfless acts of kindness. That is just me though.
I believe in the pay it foreward kind of thing. It really is such a good feeling to just help if u can. It's almost selfish in its on way.-
She did, she devoted her time to fulfill the parents wishes.
As I said above though:
Either way I find it interesting that anyone would think an artist, writer, filmmaker, documentary maker, etc should not be credited for their work and sign it just because they donate their time freely or based on the subject matter. So I guess we will have to agree to disagree on this one Holly.
Till next time, take care.
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@jafabrit
I'm with you on this. Ashley's parents approached Jane Donovan. She gains nothing for the hours she spent compiling and formatting and finding a publisher.
"Donovan said Ashley’s parents thought it would be a great idea to have a book and approached her because of her history of writing.
Donovan, who has spent the past 15 years as a child advocate, said she is committed to making a difference in the fight against child abuse and said she spent hours with the Estells getting to know their daughter. Through a combination of hearing stories about Estell, looking at photos and reading her book, Donovan said she was able to get an idea who she really was and what was important to her." www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6212435.html
A graduate of Averett College in Danville, Virginia, with a BA in psychology, Jane Donovan and her husband reside in Frisco, Texas. They have two children, both graduates of Pennsylvania State University. -
I guess I got confused on the parents part. I thought the mother was in agreement and the father was in disagreement. I was saying that if the father disagreed with what was going on then he had a point.
If both parents are in agreement though then I don't think there is a problem. I just got confused.-
I cannot locate a single news report online that states anything about Ashley's father being in disagreement with anything. In fact the sources provided and the ones I have located and confirmed indicate that Ashley's father and mother sought out Jane Donovan and not the other way around. If you have an authoritative source for that "father in disagreement" statement - post it here please. And, if not, then please do not spread unsubstantiated rumors from unknown sources.
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Timethief, Holly got confused.She wasnt trying to "spread rumors" or anything like that.She said something but then she took it back in a later post.No need to accuse her like that, please.
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did u not read my comment from 10 minutes ago?
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Yes I read your comment from 10 minutes ago. More to the point,
30 minutes ago you said: "yes, but the father of ashley is in disagreement."
Where did you get the idea the father was in disagreement from please? I'm asking because I cannot locate a single news report online that states anything about Ashley's father being in disagreement. -
wrong spot - see below
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10 MINUTES AGO I SAID I WAS WRONG AND GOT CONFUSED.
WHAT CAN U NOT FIGURE OUT????????????????? -
I was switching back and forth from this thread,and an article I was reading
on mr.moms. I SAID I GOT CONFUSED. I GOT THEM MIXED UP. -
Thank you for the clarification. I appreciate you making that clear that you were confused. Now I can stop looking for a authoritative media source for a statement that does not exist.
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