Candice Carty-Williams’ debut novel, Queenie hit bookshelves last year and made such an impression that the author herself became synonymous with the book. When you hear Queenie, you think about Candice Carty-Williams. When you hear Candice Carty-Williams, you think about Queenie.
So when Sunday Times Bestseller Kimberly Chambers revealed her book cover, also named Queenie, many heads were scratched in confusion.
I’m confused. @CandiceC_W already introduced us to Queenie and this isn’t her pic.twitter.com/2EnvaawEvP
— Shanice (@ShaniceDee) January 27, 2020
This is not the first time
The mix-up has stirred up some irritation amongst Candice’s supporters and those who enjoyed Queenie last year. Why? Because for years we have seen the intellectual property of black women plagiarised by people who go on to enjoy success with it, whilst the original owners become written out of history.
You may also want to read: We Need To Talk About Plagiarism
We have seen it done many times in the past: Colonel Sanders is now credited with creating KFC’s secret recipe for its chicken rather than Miss Childress, and the song Hound Dog is globally attributed to Elvis Presley – not Big Mama Thornton, who first recorded it.
More specific to the book industry, and in more recent times, the BBC was guilty of ripping off Yomi Adegoke’s and Elizabeth Uviebinené’s book title, Slay In Your Lane in May 2019 and Ben Lindsay was guilty of releasing a book cover which was too much of the likeness of Reni Eddo-Lodge’s Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race.
Kimberly defended the title of her book by stating it had been in the making for years, and that as her main protagonist’s name is Queenie, the title clash was unavoidable.
For anyone who loved The Butler series, #Queenie is the story of where it all began.
— HarperCollinsUK (@HarperCollinsUK) January 27, 2020
The new @kimbochambers thriller is out now 👉 https://t.co/3KCvOc4ybh pic.twitter.com/iVf9HqT60q
Just to clear up any confusion you have @CandiceC_W – Queenie Butler is the matriarch of the #Butler family I have spent best part of the past 8 or 9 years writing about. I was hardly going to call the prequel, where it all began. HER lifestory “Bob, Sue and Rita Too” 🤷♀️ https://t.co/H8b6EAYvWH
— Kimberley Chambers (@kimbochambers) January 27, 2020
What is my opinion?
I have looked up the legalities of this issue and technically there is nothing stopping from Kimberley Chambers also naming her book Queenie. However, anyone worth their salt in the book world would know that having only been released last year, Queenie is still such a strong book title. This could be a big marketing nightmare.
Also, if having both Queenies on the shelf at the same time is an absolute necessity, it wouldn’t have hurt for author B to have had a discussion with author A beforehand.
What is Your opinion? Is all fair in the world of books and publishing? Can both Queenies coexist amicably? Or is Kimberly Chambers wrong for taking the title which belonged to Candice Carty-Williams?
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