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From The Desk of Nerd³ - July 2025 Edition
🕑 Added 2025-07-18 17:03:24 +0000 UTCI got my books back.
As of today, the publishing rights of Fuck Yeah Video Games and The Paradox Paradox have reverted to me. I’m now free to find a publisher that’ll actually pay me for them, which is lovely in a way, and a huge amount of future work in another.
However, the reason I’m not leaping onto YouTube to announce this is that they’ve spelt my name wrong on the official letter confirming this. My name, for those of you who don’t know, is spelled D-A-N-I-E-L. They’ve spelt it… “Becky Holmes.”
Now, Becky Holmes is the writer of Keanu Reeves Is Not In Love With You: The Murky World of Online Romance Fraud, another book published by Unbound. I’m assuming that they simply copied the reversion letter they wrote for Becky, then spent about the same amount of time as they would on their financial planning for my version of it. However, after talking to other Unbound authors in one of the secret meetings that we have, it’s become apparent that multiple people have had the same issue. A very official, very important letter with mistakes in it.
sigh
H.G. Wells once wrote the following in The Wheels of Chance in 1896.
“There is very little deliberate wickedness in the world. The stupidity of our selfishness gives much the same results indeed, but in the ethical laboratory it shows a different nature.”
Which you may know in its more succinct version, Hanlon's razor.
“Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”
It’s a nice thought, pushing aside an aggressive stance for a more understanding one. This person isn’t trying to fuck with me, they’re just an absolute idiot. Maybe the guy next door is just really bad at organising his (still unfinished) extension. Maybe Trump’s right and Jeffrey Epstein’s client list is a hoax. Maybe Unbound just made the same mistake multiple times over in a way that benefits them.
The problem with Hanlon’s razor is, clearly, that’s it’s bullshit. The guy next door is a Grade-A twat, Trump is as guilty as a dog not making eye contact with you after you’ve been out all day and someone has obliterated the couch cushion*, and Unbound can, have, and I’m assuming will always try and fuck me over to throw money at projects as viable as Boeing’s new jet made from a single book of carpet samples. Are these people stupid? Probably. Are they malicious? Obviously.
So, I’ve updated Hanlon’s razor to this new version, Danlon’s razor…
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity, unless they’ve already shown to be capable of malice, in which case it’s malice all the way down.
It’s not as catchy, but it’s a damn sight more accurate.
Until next month,
Daniel xx
*Although, to be fair, JD Vance might also have been behind this.
Comments
Tom Spencer
Is this the perfect Dan and Rebecca game? A coin pusher game from the developer of Balatro... https://kotaku.com/balatro-publishers-next-game-is-a-coin-pushing-dopamine-machine-2000618188
Rasco_Z
Hey Dan! if we don't end up getting those signed copies know that I'll be happy to buy a new one!
jamie barber
so what about us that bought the signed edition on Unbound? whats happening there?
Qwx
Keep rockin'! I want to congratulate you, Becky, for changing your name and getting your book back! Anyways, best of luck!
CrazyTrayJay
fuck yes king
ForcastGraye
This feels like you could get them for breach of GDPR as they have essential sent you someone else's contract. Anyway, congrats Dan!
Natalie Cairns
Congratulations on getting the rights back. Hopefully that means you’ll be getting paid soon. I hate that I own both of them and you haven’t received money from me for them (I bought FYVG at the store in Edinburgh on the book tour)
Tantusar
I'll listen to anything with an RSS feed.
Aidan Rayner
Congrats on getting the book back, and on the name change!
Lewis
Congratulations Daniel and Becky! :)
Ethan PT7
Congratulations to Becky Holmes on becoming a Sunday Times. best-selling author!
Narmatonia
I'm definitely going to try and use Danlon's razor at some point
Noah Gargiullo
Hooray!
Matthew Lewis
It would probably be easier to just legally change your name than get them to change the letter. What do you think Becky?
RileyAkrst
To be fair, everytime I try to write the name Daniel, I end up misspelling it as Becky Holmes at least 3 times before getting it right
mrchestnut
very well done! I am not sure what this means for the money they refuse to refund back to me, not that matters, they were never commited to sending the books just as they were to paying their authors!
Alyssa Gordon
what does this mean for the book we backed ? im assuming unbound isnt gonna follow thru huh
TheShyBiGuy
Well at least its a step in the right direction! And you could always change your name (that might be faster)
Thomas and Lydia Wodarek
Congrats on having the book back! Would it be easier for Becky to sign a similar letter re-assigning ownership to the correct author(s), instead of fighting with Unbound again? Just wondering if that would side-step having to deal with Unbound, though maybe the letter is written in such a way that it wouldn't make sense.
Emma Goodall
I won't be able to watch the stream today but I wanted to respond back to this post. I am so happy to hear that you have got your books back Daniel. I can't wait to get the book when you get the new publisher. Wishing you all the luck to get the new publisher that will treat you right. I am absolutely shocked by the mistake on the letter. I am sure that you and other authors will get legal advice on that to make sure that the letter will apply to you and the other authors. X
Richard Bairwell
Brilliant news there Becky! Whose responsibility is it to get the backers books out to them (and did you get any physical copies like Tom Cox did?)
Bryan and Laura
I f@#£ing hope that that is Unbounds involvement resolved now but I would feel pretty unsettled not receiving a letter with my name on. Congratulations nevertheless I cannot even imagine what this has been like. Or how much time has been wasted.
Zumigal
Not Danlons razor, "Becky Homeslons" razor, obvs
Rachael Collins
The sigh of relief I just had reading you've got the books back. It's the first of the many victories we hope you'll get with your battle with Unbound/Boundless. Can't believe they cocked up documents that important (We can. We easily can)
Unionise Your Workplace Today!
Congrats Becky!
bemusedHorseman
The usual corollary is "...but never _rule out_ malice, either". But I think I prefer your version!
Rowan Adams
Fuck yeah Dan. I’m so glad that you have the books back. Can’t wait to buy one when the money can actually go to you
Tanner Moore
I couldn’t watch the stream today and I love the idea that Dan wrote this on stream and then Posted it.
Ryan
Congrats Daniel on getting the books back :)
