LB Recalls 'Opal'

by Rachel Deahl, PW Daily -- Publishers Weekly, 4/28/2006

Today has not been a good one for Kaavya Viswanathan. After attempting to weather a maelstrom of controversy which descended on her in the wake of evidence that significant passages of her debut book, How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild and Got a Life, resembled some 40 sections of two novels by Megan McCafferty—Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings—the young author is now looking on as her book is removed from shelves and her movie deal is scrapped.

While Viswanathan has been mostly avoiding the press—save an uncomfortable appearance on Wednesday's Today show in which she claimed that any possible lifting of passages was entirely unconscious and unintentional—it seemed as though her publisher, Little, Brown, was standing by her. The imprint initially said revisions would be made to future editions of the book to rectify any similarities between it and McCafferty's novels, but that it was not withdrawing the title.

But last night Little, Brown released a statement saying it would recall all copies of the title from sale. Statements also came from Megan McCafferty and Crown (the RH imprint which recently released her latest title, Charmed Thirds). McCafferty said she is "not seeking restitution in any form" and ended with: "In my career, I am, first and foremost, a writer. So I look forward to getting back to work and moving on, and hope Ms. Viswanathan can too." Crown said it was "proud" of its author and "pleased that this matter has been resolved in an appropriate and timely fashion."

And, in a story coming today from PW sister publication, Variety, it was reported that DreamWorks, the studio which acquired movie rights to Opal Mehta, had received an initial script for the project just as news was breaking about Viswanathan's potential plagiarism. According to the Variety report, though the studio first considered acquiring McCafferty's work, it now seems that the project is being dropped entirely.

Movie deals aside, there remain a number of unanswered questions about the specifics of the Little, Brown recall. Will the imprint reissue the title in a McCafferty-free form? And, since Viswanathan was signed to a two-book deal, what comes of her next project? It was also unclear what prompted LB to change its mind and issue the recall? A representative from Little, Brown told PW the imprint has no further comment.