Legal notice · the legal framework

Rights of use and exploitation

This page sets out these rules in plain words, so that copyright is respected. In it, the author sets out:

• What the work is made of — the novel, the site and its concept.
• The user’s rights — what they may do freely, free of charge and without asking.
• The user’s duties
  • Ask for the author’s written consent.
  • Pay the author under copyright.

A page written in plain language, so that everyone can understand it.

Who is who: definitions

The author means:

Karine Baridon:

• Writes the novel.
• Designs the site.
• Devises the concept of the site.

The user means:

Any person or organisation that uses the work:

• reads it;
• listens to it;
• prints it;
• quotes it;
• talks about it;
• creates from the work;
• exploits it commercially.

For example:

• reader
• creator
• teacher
• journalist
• influencer
• bookseller
• association
• company
• publisher
• producer

The creator means:

Any user who submits one of their creations to the site’s gallery.

• The creator may also set up a creator profile, so they can be found and contacted.
• This profile is optional.

The work means:

3 inseparable elements:

1. Novel (tangible) — The Hammock and the Hummingbirds and its world.
   • Structure — 47 chapters and appendices.
   • Content — story, plot, ending, characters, names, nicknames, dialogue, places, geography of the world, invented words and vocabulary.
   • Formats :
     • Online edition — text published on lehamacetlescolibris.com, chapter by chapter.
     • Paperback — printed edition, in small and large format.
     • Digital book — e-book, for e-readers and as a PDF.
     • Illustrated book — edition with illustrations, planned project.
     • Audiobook — 47 chapters read aloud.
     • Printable text — one PDF per chapter.
     • Songs — composed from the text.
     • Translations — English, Spanish, Italian, German at least, planned project.
     • Sung book — the 47 songs brought together, in progress.
     • Illustrations — one per chapter.
     • World map — 39 places from the novel.
     • Spin-off objects — curiosities described in the novel, including lamp-instruments, planned project.
     • Comic book — planned project.
     • Animated film — planned project.
     • Screen adaptation — series and film, planned project.
     • Concert — described in the novel, brought to the stage, planned project.
     • Play — planned project.
     • Musical — the novel sung and brought to the stage, planned project.

   The author planned and described her projects in the novel; the registered text is the authoritative record.

   Copyright protects the written creation, without waiting for it to be produced.

2. Site (tangible) — lehamacetlescolibris.com

   Content:

   • Pages — structure, sequence, layout.
   • Texts — the text of every page.
   • Invented words — 339 words and definitions · page, game, PDF.
   • Character profiles — 21 profiles, one per character · page, game, PDF.
   • Running threads — 25 motifs and analyses · page, game, PDF.
   • Funny lines — 345 lines from the novel · page, game, PDF.
   • Related practical guides — 35 guides, in 5 themes: saying no and sticking to it (6), seeing clearly (6), not carrying what isn’t yours (6), lasting the distance (6), family (2) · one page per guide.
   • Map of places — 39 places, drawing and definitions · page, clickable map, guided tour.
   • Card games — a drawing system: random card, themes, link to the chapter, access to the text, the image, the audio and the song · 12 games.
   • Creative exercises — 22 exercises in 6 themes: write (8), film (4), draw (3), compose (3), translate (2), propose (2), plus 8 guides “create and give yourself permission to do it” · one page per theme.
   • Images — 243: illustrations, portraits, banners, design elements, logo.
   • Downloadable documents — 4 PDFs: invented words, characters, funny lines, running threads.
   • Original songs — one per chapter · Read page, Spotify playlist. In progress.
   • Songs quoted — Spotify playlist. No files hosted.
   • Creators’ songs — gallery.
   • Extracts from the novel — in every card, with a link to the chapter.
   • Creative draw — an element of the world drawn at random: what to create with.
   • Creative challenge — an exercise drawn at random: what to create.
   • Soul and Smile Prize — the creators’ competition.
   • Optimisers — make images and sound lighter, with nothing to install.
   • Creator profile — introduction, work, contact.
   • Creators’ directory — to be contacted directly.
   • Gallery — creations submitted, under their creator’s name.
   • Classroom resources — teachers, pupils, students.
   • Press area — press kit, press release, book fact sheet, visuals, quotes.
   • Source code — the site’s programs.
3. Concept of the site (intangible)
   • The author’s intention — aims:
     • Get people reading — extracts, to make them want the whole book.
     • Get people creating — exercises, sources of inspiration.
     • Create a sung book — 47 songs, one per chapter.
     • Creators’ concert — the author’s soundtrack, creators invited to play their own, sales on site.
     • Turn the reader into a creator — tools to create and publish: exercises, profile, gallery, optimisers.
     • Connect creators with each other — directory, direct contact.
     • Kindness rule — nobody judges. Constructive criticism yes, judgement no. Anyone who doesn’t respect it leaves the gallery.
     • Build a community — around the novel.
     • Make the novel known — Instagram, YouTube: extracts, words, images, songs, interviews. Planned.
     • Give everything away — with no strings attached and no conditions.
   • Means — listed under Novel and Site, plus 2 outside the site:
     • Social media — Instagram, YouTube. Accounts planned.
     • Creators’ concert — soundtrack, invited creators, sales on site. Planned.

     Concept = intention + media.

     The concept includes any medium serving the same intention, present or future.

   The author offers free of charge on the site:

   • The author’s texts, for the novel and for the site — the whole novel and its 47 chapters, invented words, character profiles, running threads, funny lines, practical guides, the text of every game card, the workshop instructions and the introduction to every page.
   • Audio — the audiobook and its 47 chapters read aloud, and the songs written from the text.
   • Images — illustrations for every chapter, every game and every page of the site, and the map of places in the novel.
   • Printable documents — chapters of the novel, invented words, funny lines and the practical guides, as PDFs.
   • Games — card games drawn from the world of the novel: invented words, characters, places, running threads, funny lines, random listening, creative draw and creative challenge.
   • Creative workshops — workshops to write, draw, compose, film, translate and propose, online as well as in person.
   • Gallery — creations submitted by readers, published under their creator’s name.
   • Creators’ directory — one profile per creator: introduction, work, style, and how to contact them directly.
   • The author gives everything away free of charge.
   • Book sales and readers’ support pay for it being free.
   • Support = readers chipping in so that everything stays free: spread the word, create in turn, leave a review, make a donation, buy the book, subscribe to the monthly workshop.
   • The author provides a gallery.
   • Creators publish their creations there.
   • Each creator keeps their rights and their name.
   • Each creator is responsible for what they submit.

Work = novel + site + concept.

The author, Karine Baridon, holds the rights to the work

Registrations and proof of prior creation

Registrations of the work by the author:

• 22 January 2026 — novel, e-Soleau envelope at the INPI (French intellectual property office), on the manuscript of 21 January 2026. Protected until 22 January 2046.
• 22 January 2026 — novel, U.S. Copyright Office. Registration completed on 21 August 2026.
• 5 September 2026 — concept and platform, e-Soleau envelope at the INPI. Kept for 5 years, renewable up to 20 years.

• The date of registration is proof.
• The author keeps the receipts and produces them on request.
• Creating is enough to be protected. Registration is not compulsory; it serves to prove the date.
  Article L. 111-1 of the French Intellectual Property Code gives the author, by the mere fact of creation, an exclusive right enforceable against all.

What is offered, and on what conditions

The author offers 3 uses free of charge, on 3 conditions.

Read, listen, print

• Read, listen, download, print.
• Personal, family, school, association and non-commercial professional use.
• No limit on the number of copies for teaching use.

Create from the work

• Write, draw, paint, compose, film, perform, stage, translate passages.
• Devise any other work based on the novel and its world.
• Publish the result wherever you like: gallery, personal website, portfolio, social media.

Talk about it, quote it, present it

• Quote extracts.
• Reproduce an illustration or the map.
• Write an article or a review, shoot a video, make a programme, give a lesson or a talk.
• Share any link to the site.

On 3 conditions

The permission applies when the user meets all 3.

1. The user earns no income from it. They read, create or pass it on for themselves, for their audience or for their pupils, and they receive no money for this use.
2. The user credits the novel and its author. They name Le Hamac et les Colibris and Karine Baridon.
3. The user links to the site. They put the address lehamacetlescolibris.com next to their quote, article or creation. If their medium doesn’t allow a clickable link, they write the address out.

A user who meets these 3 conditions has nothing to do.

Don’t confuse the two

Uses concerned

• Adaptation — film, series, documentary, theatre, show, paid public reading, comic book, game, app.
• Republication — publication by a third party, full translation, audiobook or e-book by a third party.
• Merchandise — objects, posters, stationery, clothing, any commercial medium using the work.
• Sale of a derivative creation — even a personal one, as soon as the creation uses the novel or its world.
• Reuse of the concept — architecture, systems, games, formats, wording, reused to promote or sell something else. The third party is taking the author’s work, not her novel.
• Exploitation of the concept by a professional — publisher, distributor, platform, service provider. This design work was done by the author: she must be paid for it, just as the professional is paid for theirs.
• Promotional or advertising use — company, brand, commercial institution.

What the user must obtain — all 3 together

1. The author’s prior written consent. No tacit, verbal or implied consent can be relied upon.
2. Payment under copyright. A flat fee, a percentage of revenue or profits, or both, depending on the exploitation.
3. A written contract, signed before exploitation. It sets out what is authorised, on which media, in which countries, for how long, how much the author receives, and when she receives the accounts of the exploitation.
   A producer must tell the author what they have sold and pay her share, at regular intervals.

The author grants permissions. The user must never assume they have permission to exploit the work commercially, nor that they have the right to do so.

Special cases

People who ask to be paid to talk about the novel

• Who — content creator, blogger, influencer who offers to talk about the novel for a fee.
• The author pays no one to talk about her work. Everything on this site is free; there is no promotion budget.
• In return, the author offers a place on her site: the recommender’s name, their media outlet and a link to their work, on the page that gathers those who talk about the novel.
• The exchange is made in visibility, both ways. That is the rule.

Special case — a recommender wants a share of the sales they bring in. The author reserves the right to decide:

• They sign a written contract before any publication.
• The contract gives them a promo code in their name.
• Without this code, the author cannot know which sales come from them, and no share can be calculated.
• They make the commercial nature of their post clear, as the law requires.
• This agreement transfers no right to the work.

Press and media

• Journalists and media are free to use the extracts, visuals and press kit on the Spread the word page, without permission or anything in return.
• The author pays for and buys no editorial coverage.

Teaching, libraries, associations

• Free use, at no cost, in class, workshops, libraries, media libraries and associations.
• Printing and internal distribution included.
• The author gives away the files, not the copies. The PDF is free; the printed book is sold.
  Example: the author may give one copy to an organiser, not 30 copies for a class. The teacher prints the chapters themselves, as many as they like.
• A workshop or event may ask for a contribution to costs — room, paper, materials — without that use becoming commercial.
  Example: a library asks €3 per participant to cover the room and the photocopies.

Scraping the site to train artificial intelligence

• The author objects to any third party scraping the work to train, fine-tune or evaluate their artificial intelligence systems. This objection covers the whole site and all its domains.
• Such use requires prior written consent and payment.
• The author remains free to use these tools for her own work. She pays for them, and uses them to create what she can’t do on her own.

References in the work to the real world

• The novel is a work of fiction.
• The author lists her sources of inspiration and her tributes on the We didn’t invent a thing page. These works remain their authors’.

Works submitted by creators

These rules apply to every submission to the gallery.

What belongs to the creator

• The creator keeps all their rights.
• A submitted creation appears in the gallery straight away. The author removes anything that doesn’t respect these rules.
• Submitting a creation gives the author no right over it.
• Their name goes with their work everywhere.

The creator accepts the following conditions

If the creator decides to submit their creation, they accept the following conditions.

• The author shows their creation free of charge, always with their name, outside any commercial use.
• The author shows it in three places: the site’s gallery, the book’s social media, a public presentation.
• The author may do nothing else with it.
• The creator may also show it wherever they like, on their side.
• The creator can withdraw this permission whenever they like. Their creation disappears from the site and social media. They can no longer withdraw it once it has gone into an object already produced: what is printed stays printed, and is not reprinted.
• The author must ask for the creator’s written consent and pay the creator under a contract in order to use their creation commercially.
  The author shows the drawing on a poster announcing her appearance at a book fair: she owes nothing, it’s a presentation.
  The author sells this poster: she asks for the creator’s consent and pays them.
  The author posts the drawing on Instagram to talk about the novel: she owes nothing.
  The author puts the drawing in a book she sells: she asks for the creator’s consent and pays them.

What will never be done

• Selling their creation on its own.
• Signing it with another name.
• Handing it to a third party.
• Changing it without their consent.
• Using it outside the framework defined above.

Using another creator’s creation

• I like this creation — the visitor lets the creator know. Nothing more.
• I want to use this creation, non-commercially — the site puts the two creators in touch. They sort it out between themselves; the author doesn’t step in.
• I want to use this creation commercially — you need the creator’s written consent and payment, just as for the author’s work.

Withdrawal

• Withdrawal by simple message, whenever they like, with no reason needed.
• Withdrawal applies to the site and digital media.
• A creation already printed stays there, and disappears from later editions.

Under-age creators

• Under 18: consent from a legal guardian.
• In class, the teacher submits for their pupils.
• The site publishes no direct contact details while the creator is under age.

Selling a derivative creation

• A creation drawn from the novel is a derivative work.
• Selling it requires written consent and a contract providing for payment.
• This consent is not refused on principle.
• The author owes the creator nothing for presenting their work: a submission is neither a commission nor paid work, and the creator knows this before submitting.

Asking for permission

The user writes to the author through the contact page. Their request states:

• Identity, and the organisation represented, if any.
• What would be exploited, and in what form.
• Media, territory, term.
• Business model and proposed payment.

• The author answers every serious request.
• The author formalises every agreement in a written contract, before anything is carried out.

Penalties and applicable law

• Any unauthorised exploitation constitutes infringement — Articles L. 335-2 et seq. of the French Intellectual Property Code. Civil and criminal liability apply.
• French law applies, wherever the site is viewed from.
• Failing an amicable agreement, the French courts have jurisdiction.
• The author changes this page whenever she decides. The applicable version is the one published on the day of use.

Last updated: 6 September 2026.

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