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SUBJECT: Jørn Lier Horst has now been summoned by Lydbokforlaget and Gyldendal. Photo: Terje Bringedal
Gyldendal and Lydbokforlaget believe that Jørn Lier Horst sells illegal copies of audiobooks to which they have rights, and is now suing his own author.
– We cannot accept that there are pirated copies in circulation in the Norwegian book industry. Jørn Lier Horst has deliberately broken his contract with Lydbokforlaget and Gyldendal. You have no right to “take back” the rights to the audiobooks now in circulation, says publisher Ann-Kristin Vasselen at Lydbokforlaget (of which Gyldendal owns half).
Jørn Lier Horst has recorded new editions of 21 audiobooks that Gyldendal and Lydbokforlaget believe they have the rights to. In late October, eight of these books went on sale and aired on Ebok Pluss.
In mid-November, Lydbokforlaget and Gyldendal announced that they would take legal action against Lier Horst if he did not stop the sale of what they call pirated copies.
Jørn Lier Horst: – It’s rude to call audiobooks pirated.
Instead of removing the audiobooks from sale, new recordings have also been released of the first two crime books by Jørn Lier Horst in the series on police investigator William Wisting and the first two books in the “Clue” series on Ebok Pluss . Additionally, Lier Horst’s new publisher, Strawberry Publishing, has published several recently recorded audiobooks by, among others, Tom Kristensen and Unni Lindell for sale on Ebok Pluss.
I disagree
– We are in the first instance in a case against Jørn Lier Horst, who has been the driving force in the case, and a court decision on these audiobooks will form the basis for prosecuting the rights of the other authors, says Vasselen, who did not think that the case would end in court. .
CASE: Editorial Director Ann-Kristin Vasselen at Lydbokforlaget believes that Jørn Lier Horst has illegally seized the rights to her audiobooks. Photo: Lydbokforlaget
– No, to be honest, I thought we would agree. We’ve long hoped to avoid suing our own author, but we no longer have a choice.
The summons was sent today to Jørn Lier Horst’s lawyer, Jon Wessel-Aas, and here Lydbokforlaget and Gyldendal demand that Lier Horst immediately stop the sale of the audiobooks that he himself claims to have every right to take back.
– In addition, we demand compensation for lost income. We believe that Lier Horst has unfairly regained the rights, says Vasselen.
– Jørn Lier Horst has always claimed that he has not done anything illegal, and seems very confident in his case when he says that he has the right to recover the rights.
– Yes, this is what we do not agree on. When Jørn Lier Horst signed a contract with Lydbokforlaget and Gyldendal, he transferred the publishing rights to the publishers. There is no right that means that an author can only “get them” when they want to, that’s not how it works, says Vasselen.
Jørn Lier Horst is as confident in his case as the other party.
– I have understood that we did not reach a solution and now I hope to try it in court. We do not agree on how the agreement should be interpreted and as I see it, I have every right to terminate the agreement with Lydbokforlaget, Jørn Lier Horst tells VG.
INSURANCE IN YOUR CASE: Jørn Lier Horst hopes to try the case in court. Photo: Mattis Sandblad
It seems strange to him that Lydbokforlaget can tell the media that they did not want to sue.
– We are the only ones who have shown willingness to find a friendly solution. I have offered millions to reach a settlement agreement so that this does not result in a lengthy legal process where my audiobooks are not available to the public, says Lier Horst.
I would have sued
Lier Horst’s attorney, Jon Wessel-Aas, had not received the subpoena when VG contacted him Wednesday morning, but he is not surprised by the development of the case.
– No, this has been notified, and we welcome a legal clarification, says Wessel-Aas.
He also represents the other authors who have terminated their agreements with Lydbokforlaget and recorded the audiobooks again, saying that they probably would have gone to court even if the other party had not.
– For now, it is necessary to establish what they believe these authors are entitled to, says Wessel-Aas.
It all started when seven authors Jørn Lier Horst, Unni Lindell, Anne B. Ragde, Vetle Lid Larssen, Thomas Enger, Tom Kristensen and Tom Egeland this fall came out on VG against major Norwegian publishers Cappelen Damm, Aschehoug and Gyldendal and their services of streaming Storytel and Fabel.
REBELLION: Jørn Lier Horst, Unni Lindell, Tom Kristensen and Tom Egeland respond to the fact that the audiobooks they have published in their previous publishers are not available on all platforms and have re-recorded several of the audiobooks. Photo: Frode Hansen
In all, the seven authors have re-recorded a total of 84 of their audiobooks.
The author’s uprising: The giants rule
The CEO of Cappelen Damm responded to the seven authors: When a few want all the cake
The authors wanted the audiobooks at Storytel, which has a much larger market share than Fabel, but was turned down due to the dispute over the rights to the books. However, Ebok Pluss said yes to the new recordings, and Ebok leader Lene Røren has made it clear that they support the authors, that they have the right to regain their rights, and has told VG that she is not concerned about the dispute for rights.
Author’s rebellion
Ann-Kristin Vasselen, editor of Lydbokforlaget, has recorded that her views have not gone all the way.
– So, sadly, it’s our last resort to sue. We cannot accept breach of contract and disloyalty. And now that it has come this far, we must also consider the lawsuits against those who have published and sold these titles against better knowledge, Vasselen says.
Strawberry Publishing now claims the rights to the newly recorded audiobooks of all seven authors. Alexander Even Henriksen, CEO of Strawberry Publishing, has previously responded to allegations of stealing both the rights and authors of others:
– This is the rebellion of an author. I know that Lydbokforlaget tries to turn it into a game between publishers, but I think it disqualifies the voices and the case of the authors, and actually shows the attitude of Lydbokforlaget towards the authors only as pieces for the publishers. This is how we refuse to treat perpetrators. It is their voices that must be heard. That is all I want to say in this case.
