Since then, members of the literary community (including spy novelist Jeremy Duns and Melville House co-publisher Dennis Johnson) have supported the allegations. The New York Times reported on the debate, including a statement from St. Martin’s Press in response to the accusations.

Here’s more from the statement: “Ms. Hart supplied a detailed response, which cited her research into biographical and historical sources, and explained why her novel and Cothburn O’Neal’s The Very Young Mrs. Poe contain certain details of place, description and incident. As Ms. Hart explained in her response, of course two novels about the same historical figure necessarily reliant on the same limited historical record will have similarities.”

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A New York State Supreme Court justice dismissed claims of plagiarism and defamation leveled against cookbook author Jessica Seinfeld and her comedian husband, Jerry Seinfeld.

The feud began when cookbook author Missy Chase Lapine sued Jessica and her publisher, HarperCollins, for plagiarism. Lapine claimed that Jessica’s cookbook, Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food copied the guide from her title, The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids’ Favorite Meals. Lapine also sued Jerry for defamation after he called her “whacko” during a 2007 appearance on the Late Night show. The video embedded above shows a clip from that interview with David Letterman.

Reuters offers this quote from Seinfeld’s attorneys: “The decision also vindicates HarperCollins and Jessica Seinfeld yet again, confirming what the two different federal courts have already ruled: Jessica independently created her bestselling book Deceptively Delicious.” Lapine’s attorneys intend to review the case for a possible appeal. (via Publishers Lunch)

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