Editing Georgette Heyer (section)

==Imitators==
As Heyer's popularity increased, other authors began to imitate her style. In May 1950, one of her readers notified her that [[Barbara Cartland]] had written several novels in a style similar to Heyer's, reusing names, character traits and plot points and paraphrased descriptions from her books, particularly ''A Hazard of Hearts'', which borrowed characters from ''[[Friday's Child (novel)|Friday's Child]]'', and ''The Knave of Hearts'' which took off ''[[These Old Shades]]''. Heyer completed a detailed analysis of the alleged plagiarisms for her solicitors, and while the case never came to court and no apology was received, the copying ceased.<ref name="Kloester275">Kloester (2012) pp. 275–9</ref> Her lawyers suggested that she leak the copying to the press. Heyer refused.<ref>Hodge (1984), p. 206.</ref>

In 1961, another reader wrote of similarities found in the works of [[Kathleen Lindsay]], particularly the novel ''Winsome Lass''.<ref name="Kloester335">Kloester (2012), pp. 335–336</ref> The novels borrowed plot points, characters, surnames, and plentiful Regency slang. After fans accused Heyer of "publishing shoddy stuff under a pseudonym", Heyer wrote to the other publisher to complain.<ref name="hodge1401">Hodge (1984), pp. 140–141.</ref> When the author took exception to the accusations, Heyer made a thorough list of the borrowings and historical mistakes in the books. Among these were repeated use of the phrase "to make a cake of oneself", which Heyer had discovered in a privately printed memoir unavailable to the public. In another case, the author referenced a historical incident that Heyer had invented in an earlier novel.<ref name="hodge1401"/> Heyer's lawyers recommended an injunction, but she ultimately decided not to sue.<ref name="Kloester335"/>