Plagiarism

Hello,
In Portuguese, there is a saying such as this: 'whomever steps in the rain is prone to get wet.' My friends from 'English experts' suggest a nice alternative in 'If you cannot take the heat, get out of the kitchen.'

And well, as I've been posting my much loved (by me) HRH The PRINCE of PEMBERLEY as you know, I got this sad excuse for a review:

'I just came across this story and I am a little upset. I started a story over on AHA back in February 2014 with a very similar premise. With the exception that my E and D were college sweethearts who break up and get back together 20 years later. We will have to see where this goes.'

Upset... Darcy and Elizabeth haven't even started to do things to upset anyone... Believe me, they will. 

My Answer (sadly to anyone enjoying my Prince of Pemberley)

"Hello,

I'm not sure if I was accused of plagiarism yesterday on a review, if 'We will have to see where this goes' was a threat or just a wondering, but I feel I need to make it clear that this story is not derived from anyone else's. There are (as always) some personal bits although this is not a biography and (also as always) the very first idea for this story was posted and thoroughly discussed on my blog moirabianchi.com. As for AHA, I sadly found out that it's too 'mainstream for me' years ago and it's been a very very very long while since I've been there.

I have no problem acknowledging the books and authors - both mainstream and fanfic - that inspire me. In my blog, anyone can find several lists of these works. Actually, when I start a new story, or even just edit one, I stop reading romance novels altogether afraid to copy without the intention and fail to mention who or what influenced me. When I registered this story on Brazil's Copyright main office last december, the few works cited aside from P&P such as Victor Hugo's Les Mis and the songs the characters sing, are also listed as inspirational works.

In other words, this story that took me a whole year to wrap, is not in any account inspired or copied from anyone else's work besides Ms Jane Austen's.

This person who posted this sad review didn't try to contact me in these last 12 hours or so (I waited for this contact on PM, Facebook, Blog, Pinterest, Smoke signs, etc) , therefore, I can't either find out what upset him/her so much in this lovely love story, neither report abuse to FFnet. In fact, this is the most appealing detail about FFnet in my POV- freedom. Anyone can post anything, even if it's just empty rambling.

I'm sorry all of you had to read this instead of another chapter - and the next one is pivoting. I'll probably delete this later so it won't damage your enjoyment.

Hoping to have made things CRISTAL CLEAR about this issue, I can only ask you guys to forgive this outburst.

M.

---

Live and let live, right?

E beijinho no ombro! ;)"

Beijinho no ombro pro recalque passar longe

Beijinho no ombro só pras invejosas de plantão

Beijinho no ombro só quem fecha com o bonde

Beijinho no ombro só quem tem disposição

Vitriol

hello, hello.
Unlike many other posts, this greeting is not cheerful.

This is my new mantra.

This last week was pretty complicated here in my little corner of the world. 

This is not lava. Or ants. These are us marching on our 'lower Broadway'

In Brasil, we are facing the awakening of the giant. With the FIFA Confederations Cup going on, Spain beating Tahiti with unecessary 10x0, the billions spent on amazing stadiuns and all; there was a collective cry for change. If you live somewhere in the galaxy you probably have heard of the many protest marches, 300k asking for a better country in Rio and such. 




You may also have heard of fights and fires. There was that too, and it was really worrying, but the main thing was that the 'giant' (our continental country) has found its voice again. I don't want to get political here, my blog is mainly entertaining, a place for adorable zuchinis as we say here. Let me just say it was a busy week.

Also, a dear friend lost his father and that is always sad. Hang in there, friend!


But I wanted to tell you about the vitriol I got when I posted the last chapter of my story 'Image and Likeness'.

The calming tune you are enjoying on autoplay is Chopin. I dearly needed it that last thrusday when I decided I didn't need to keep reading after the fifth ugly review.

So... when I first posted this story I warned the reader about it being out of the ordinary, sometimes hard to swollow and all. You may have read it here somewhere. There was even the episode of it being rejected from my favorite JAFF site. 

a dive into the unknown... Yuppy!

As you know, writing for me is a hobby. Something I am only discovering I can do and finding pleasure in it. Therefore, as an exercize, I give myself license to write any story when it comes to my head - like this one that came to me in an instant and all complete. Wow!

But it is very different from what I had written so far. It is not a sugary romance with a lot of erotic scenes. It is a spite story filled with erotism. And it does not have a HEA. The version I was posting (the P&P one) did not have Darcy saving the day. He was as much as a pawn as Lizzy was. People hated that.

And the vitriol came. 
Oh boy! That was not pretty. 

I can only imagine what actual writers feel when their stories are reviewed.

I was surprised at first, and then hurt and then fully frustrated. 

Let me explain.

The story is supposed to render you with the doubt of the Charlotte/Anais character existence. Was it all a dark fantasy of Lizzy's head? Or Darcy's? Who has the most effed up mind?

My betas had warned me that it was not clear and I worked a little efacing the lines here and there to plant the doubt seed and I thought it was good enough. I mean, I'm not Herman Hesse or Henry Miller or Chuck Palahniuk. I'm just Moira passing time and having fun.

All the vitriol for me was more like: 'You suck at writing!', 'You could not give enough to the reader so he would understand.' He-y-alp!

Here I am back at Frustrated Ville, realizing I'm not nearly as half bad as I thought I was... *sad sigh* Well, if one can't stand the heat, he'd better not get in the kitchen. Right?

You were thinking Chopin was good? Check out this quote I found.

ok. That gets me back to my new mantra: Keep calm and drive on.

disclaimer: Google, me, thanks to all who contribute to my hobby. Even the vitriolers.