EXCLUSIVE: RHOSLC Heather Gay Accused of Copying Book Cover as Author Claims “They Know the Truth!”

A controversy is building around Heather Gay’s upcoming novel Eternal Glow, after bestselling author Melanie Blake alleged the cover bears a striking resemblance to her book Ruthless Women.

Both Blake and Heather Gay’s publisher, Podium Entertainment, reached out directly to Georgio Says to present their sides.

The issue began when Blake publicly compared the two covers, pointing to nearly identical imagery featuring a hand holding a compact mirror reflecting red lips. The comparison quickly gained traction online, with users questioning whether the design had been copied.

Blake tells Georgio Says she initially approached the situation privately and without accusation.

“I reached out to her straight away… really friendly,” Blake said, explaining she believed the similarity may have been unintentional and could be resolved quietly. However, Blake claims the response she received shifted her perspective on the situation.

“Her and her team… not friendly,” she said, adding that communication broke down despite her attempts to address the issue directly. Blake also pushed back on claims circulating behind the scenes that her concerns were exaggerated.

“They’re pretending that they’ve reached out to me… which is completely untrue,” she said, alleging that statements were being made publicly without direct engagement with her.

At the center of Blake’s argument is the claim that her cover evolved beyond a basic stock image into something uniquely tied to her brand.

“My image is actually shot by me… I bought the stock photography out and reshot it,” she explained, adding that her version became widely recognized through international editions of her book. She also suggested the resemblance was too close to ignore.

“When it is a copy… they’ve used kind of every excuse there is,” Blake said.

Shortly after Georgio Says began reviewing Blake’s claims, Podium Entertainment responded with a detailed explanation of their process. According to the publisher, the

 cover image was licensed through Shutterstock and originates from an image first uploaded in 2017, prior to the release of Blake’s book. Podium emphasized that the two covers are not identical, citing differences in the positioning of the lips and the hand holding the compact.

Their position is that the design was created using a legally available stock image and was not copied from Blake’s work. Based on materials reviewed by Georgio Says from both Blake and Podium Entertainment, the situation appears to stem from overlapping use of a shared stock image concept rather than direct duplication of a single image.

Blake’s version includes customized and reshot elements, while Heather Gay’s cover appears to rely on a separately licensed version of a similar or original stock image. The result is two covers that are visually similar despite being created through different processes.

Still, Blake maintains that the impact goes beyond legal technicalities and into how the work is perceived. “For five years everyone has been buying my book with that cover all over the world,” she said, pointing to the global reach of Ruthless Women.

At this stage, there is no indication of legal action. However, the dispute highlights how easily stock imagery can create overlap in visual identity, especially when one version becomes widely recognized.

Whether this is a case of coincidence, creative overlap, or something more, the situation has already sparked a larger conversation about originality, branding, and perception in publishing.

And as both sides stand firm in their positions, one thing is clear: even without a legal battle, the court of public opinion is already in session.