Here’s Why Courtney Love Is Getting Sued by the Co-Writer of Her Memoir

Writing a memoir can be a savvy decision for celebrities in the later stages of their careers, but stars with the writing chops of Patti Smith (whose Just Kids won the National Book Award for Nonfiction) are diamonds in the rough—so it’s common for musicians, actors and others to hire a co-writer or ghost-writer to complete the project.

But when Courtney Love teamed up with Anthony Bozza to help her write her memoir, things didn’t quite work out as planned: Bozza has filed a lawsuit asking the singer for $200,000 in damages. He claims he received only $100,000, half of the amount they agreed upon in 2010, and seeks further funds for potential royalties, the New York Times reports. Love herself received $400,000 of a $1.2 million advance, according to the lawsuit.

The memoir now seems to be stuck in limbo: it was originally due for a 2012 publish date. That was pushed to 2014 when the book wasn’t ready, then delayed again. Bozza’s lawyer says in the suit that Love refused to send the manuscript to the publisher, HarperCollins imprint William Morrow, even though he delivered it to her in early 2014. Bozza, who has previously worked on memoirs with the likes of Tracy Morgan and Wyclef Jean, claims that Love later texted him saying she was working on fixes to the book with another author.

Neither Love nor HarperCollins commented on the suit to the Times. If the book manages to overcome the legal and literary challenges, it’s sure to spark interest among fans of Love and her late husband, Kurt Cobain, looking for more details on their iconic marriage. The memoir is tentatively titled after a lyric from her band Hole’s song “Doll Parts,” Girl With the Most Cake.