Young
author admits borrowing passages
By HILLEL ITALIE
AP National Writer
April 24, 2006
NEW YORK
A Harvard University sophomore with a highly publicized first novel
acknowledged Monday that she had borrowed material, accidentally, from
another author's work and promised to change her book for future
editions.
Kaavya Viswanathan's "How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a
Life," published in March by Little, Brown and Company, was the first
of a two-book deal reportedly worth six figures. But on Sunday, the
Harvard Crimson cited seven passages in Viswanathan's book that closely
resemble the style and language of the novels of Megan McCafferty.
"When I was in high school, I read and loved two wonderful novels by
Megan McCafferty, `Sloppy Firsts' and `Second Helpings,' which spoke to
me in a way few other books did. Recently, I was very surprised and
upset to learn that there are similarities between some passages in my
novel ... and passages in these books," Viswanathan, 19, said in a
statement issued by her publisher.
"While the central stories of my book and hers are completely
different, I wasn't aware of how much I may have internalized Ms.
McCafferty's words. I am a huge fan of her work and can honestly say
that any phrasing similarities between her works and mine were
completely unintentional and unconscious. My publisher and I plan to
revise my novel for future printings to eliminate any inappropriate
similarities.
"I sincerely apologize to Megan McCafferty and to any who feel they
have been misled by these unintentional errors on my part."
The book had a first printing of 100,000 copies.
Viswanathan, who was 17 when she signed her contract with Little,
Brown, is the youngest author signed by the publisher in decades.
DreamWorks has already acquired the movie rights to her first book.
Viswanathan's novel tells the story of Opal, a hard-driving teen from
New Jersey who earns straight A's in high school but who gets rejected
from Harvard because she forgot to have a social life. Opal's father
concocts a plan code-named HOWGAL (How Opal Will Get A Life) to get her
past the admission's office.
McCafferty's books follow a heroine named Jessica, a New Jersey girl
who excels in high school but struggles with her identity and longs for
a boyfriend. McCafferty is a former editor at Cosmopolitan who has
written three novels.
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