It is no secret that I am not a reader. If it’s more than 3 paragraphs long, to the bottom of the priority list it goes. Well this is all beside the point.

So lately, I’ve been getting a lot of press releases, & other communiqués making me feel like I’m somebody or something.

My latest release came from Sharon P. Carson, the author of “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man.” Yes this is the same title of comedian Steve Harvey’s new book.

Sharon alleges that Steve bit her style more than a little bit & is making a dime off of her original work.

Here’s what she had to say:

“Chicago, Ill. April 5, 2009 — Author Sharon P. Carson of Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, says the Steve Harvey’s book of the same name is a misrepresented take on her original work.  Carson, who is pursuing her rights under unfair competition laws, secured a copyright for the title in 2004, and then established www.actlikealadythinklikeaman.com.

Harvey’s book, published in January of this year, copies the title and theme of her work, says Carson, and takes some of her authentic thoughts and conclusions and contorts them into a detrimental message for women.  Carson says his approach is a distorted view of her original vision.

Carson says her self-published book was written, “To encourage women to accept and appreciate who they are both inside and out and to respect themselves and demand respect from their male counter part.”  She also felt women need to be as tough minded as men are in relationships, which is how she created the title, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man.

Harvey has stated the title for his book came through an editor, but originally contained the word “girl” instead of “lady,” a substitution for which he takes credit.

An excerpt from Carson’s book discusses the unnecessary concept of women changing themselves physically for their partner: “Why should women become someone they hate in order to please someone they think they love?  What if the relationship ends, will they have to change again to please the next man?”

An excerpt from Harvey’s book, on p. 207, mirrors Carson’s point: “But if you’re telling your man you want a nose job and he sees nothing wrong with the nose you already have then maybe you ought to think about leaving your nose alone.  Why run the risk of something going wrong when your man is already happy with the way you look?  Why lose the extra weight if your man is happy with you the way you are?”

In addition to reworking her original ideas, Carson objects to the anti-empowerment message of Harvey’s take on a successful woman, per p. 182: “If you’ve got your own money, your own car, your own house, a Brinks alarm system, a pistol and a guard dog and your practically shouting from the roof that you don’t need a man to provide for you or protect you, then we will see no need to keep coming around.”

Carson asks, “How does this message empower us as women?  Should we prepare for success so that we can provide and protect ourselves or should we forgo that and wait for a man come along and do it for us?”

While Carson is looking into protecting her own rights as an author, she also is concerned about getting her message out there—that women are their own authority, they are complete with, or without, a man.

Fans of Carson’s book frequently react with praise and the desire to pass on the book’s message.  One reader writes, “You were right ON point w/this book! I learned these things the hard way, but I am gonna give a copy to my daughters to read! And your insights really helped me build more effectively with my son! Thank you!”

For more information about Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, contact Sharon Carson or visit www.actlikealadythinklikeaman.com….”

After letting this marinate a bit, I did some digging through the afrosphere, I found many sites exposing this story & calling Steve out for his piece of literary pilferage.

I’m sure you wont be surprised when I say that I cannot stand Steve Harvey. I find him to be crass, not funny & he has the worst dentures in America. On the flip side, I was insanely jealous of his tapered Afro cuz that shut was sharp!

Have you heard about this story, what are your thoughts? Have you read Sharon’s work?