HOUSTON - A Kansas man is pursuing legal action against the publishers of his non-fiction book, stating they terminated an agreement with him and illegally marketed his work.
Omar Hazim filed suit against Schiel & Denver Publishing Ltd., Schiel & Denver Book Publishers and Schiel & Denver Book Group on April 23 in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas.
Court papers state that Hazim contacted Schiel & Denver about publishing his book, "Islam In the Heartland of America," on Aug. 13, 2010.
Hazim claims he entered into an agreement with the defendants because they represented through their website their ability to file the necessary paperwork to protect their client's copyrights.
According to the suit, the entities, however, failed to properly file a copyright on Hazim's behalf.
It explains the complainant ordered 250 copies on Nov. 2, 2010, for book signings he had scheduled the next month, but he only received one.
Hazim subsequently canceled payment on the 249 other books only to learn the defendants proceeded to cancel the agreement, the suit says.
He asserts the cancellation prevented him from meeting the demands for a national book signing.
"This delay closed an important window for the plaintiff to promote the book on a national basis and severely impacted the defendants' ability to promote his book in the future," the book says.
Hazim insists the respondents continued "to print, publish and sell the book without authorization and has not provided an accounting of sales or royalties payable to the plaintiff."
Meanwhile, the plaintiff has signed a new contract with a new publisher.
Attorney Delphine M. James of Houston is representing Hazim.
Case No. 12:4-cv-1286