Thursday, June 24, 2010

Review of THE WITCH'S PARTY

I obtained a copy of Nicky Pacione's story, THE WITCH'S PARTY, from the Google cache for The Dark Fiction Spotlight.

THE WITCH'S PARTY is (supposedly) a true story of the time Nicky went to a Halloween party. It's rather short by Nicky's current standards - only 2100 words - but oh, what a train wreck! Let's look at the opening sentences:
It was Halloween of 1997 when I was invited to a Halloween party in Naperville, Illinois, and I had no idea what was in store for me because this was an actual party helmed by Goths. I thought it was regular Halloween Party, but what I wasn’t expecting that the party was actually ran by actual witches.
I am confused. Was the party organized by Goths? or witches? or perhaps Goth witches (if there is such a thing)? Almost immediately after this, we have the first change from past to present tense, a problem that occurs multiple times throughout the story. It appears that the editors at TDFS are as lost when it comes to the basics of writing as Nicky is.

When Nicky gets to the party, he feels:
"...like the complete outsider at this party, everyone was in long capes and dresses...The men were wearing a little more dressy takes in black...I felt like the odd man out because I was the one who had the blue collar take,..."
Translation: Nicky was too cheap or too creatively-challenged to come up with a costume. He feels out of place, and reliving that memory while writing this story apparently caused him to fall back into his habit of shilling himself whenever possible. There's now a paragraph and a half of stuff about Nicky that is both amusing (to readers who know Nicky) and completely irrelevant to the story. The witches hold a seance - and this event, which could be the most interesting in the entire story, is given just one little declaratory statement - and Nicky:
"...sat on the couch without my binder full of the works I wrote,..."
WTF? As if any normal person would go to a Halloween party with a binder full of stories. But despite getting the creeps, Nicky:
"...had this feeling I should have ran, but I didn’t because I knew if I stayed I would have a hell of a horror story to tell when I got older."
I hope the story I'm reading now isn't it, because this story is Boring, with a capital B, which rhymes with T, which...oh nevermind. The party-goers have a Ouija board, and that further creeps Nicky out because, OMG, they are trying to contact the dead. And that's necromancy. Horrors! Nicky didn't try to stop them because:
"I was their invited guest. I didn’t want to piss them off by pulling the hellfire and brimstone preacher act, living up to my Online persona GothicPreacher. ...I watched and did nothing – after all, it was Devil’s Night."
Being intimidated by women and doing nothing both sound like entirely plausible behavior from Nicky. There's bit more hand-wringing from Nicky about how creepy the Ouija board is, how people have become possessed by demons while using one, and how he feels like he's in a horror film. He mentions Lovecraft, Blackwood, Poe, etc. He states that sometimes:
"...people would see the fucking heart shaped eye fly across the room."
But:
"I was expecting something like that to happen at this party, but didn’t..."
And that's it. That's all that happened at the party. Some folks dressed in black played with a Ouija board, nothing happened, and Nicky got scared.

In summary, this is a typical Nicky "No Plot" Pacione story. There is nothing interesting or remotely scary about it.


112 comments:

Lewis said...

Sweet Jeebus that was bad. So they invited him because he was a "horror writer and a baker"... Did they want some Satanic cupcakes for after they finished playing with the Ouija Board?

Anonymous said...

That's almost as gripping and exciting as his Cuba Road story. Almost.

Jenny said...

Wasn't Cuba Road the story where Nicky fell off a fence and blamed his clumsiness on a supposed ghost?

Unknown said...

yes, that was Cuba Road, Jenny.

Anonymous said...

Tsk, tsk. You guys are forgetting that Nicky tore his jacket when he fell off the fence. He was, in reality, terrified of what would happen when he got home, and had to explain the rip. But Cuba Road would have been boring if he'd simply admitted the truth. Oh, wait . . .

Letitia said...

The editor of Dark Fiction, Stephen, has sent me an email indicating they're remorse in all of this.

He admits his initial reaction was defensive and angry (and it takes a big person to admit something like that) and that they have since seen the light regarding Nicky.

They have a staff member who is openly gay and who took great offense to Nicky being accepted. As you can imagine, Nicky is no longer going to be with them.

Apparently they have received a lot of angry emails and since and would like to start over with most of us. I say we should, and should pass this word on, and for those of us with some experience in this, possibly offer them helpful advice in their endevors.

AngryInIllinois said...

When I was reading this, um, piece, and it got to the part where Nicky started voicing his objections, I was instantly reminded of that concert he was at where he started yelling at the band's pyrotechnics. You know, the one where he was fine until they came on stage, and he started pacing back and forth growling and talking to himself while periodically yelling at fire?

I imagined something like this at the party. He was probably sitting there trying to look dark and philosophical, hoping someone would ask him about his writings even though he was probably still in his Chef Boyardee outfit from work, and when he saw the Ouiji board he probably started grumbling and pacing and crap.

I imagine he was probably ignored the whole night except when he voiced his concerns to the ladies. I'm sure after each time he'd interrupt them they'd turn to each other like "Uh okaaaaay...?" Am I the only one that suspects the "witches" thought he was a total dork?

Daniel Fabiani said...

Hi,
My name is Daniel and I'm an editor at TDFS. I see the problem here with Nick Pacione, I understand all of the hate. I have read up on his history, post his signing of your contract. Would it be right for us to just say he isn't allowed to be published by TDFS? I don't think so. BUT, the caliber of fiction on the website is very broad. Don't judge us by one story. Please, for the sake of this very small community, we should be sticking together. If you think that I'm lying about the caliber, please visit www.thedarkfiction.com on July 1st for the issue!

Daniel Fabiani said...

*correction*

I meant to say that I read up on Pacione's history after he signed our writer's contract. I admit I was very angered by it, actually sickened. But basically we can't tell him he isn't allowed unless he threatens us, or someone. And we all know that he's reading this now since he's the one who gave me this link.

I'm confused at who released his story for you to review Jenny, but I assure you that we felt his story fit into our issue because it is a VERY broad themed issue. I have to talk to my fellow editors to figure this bad boy out. I think we have been hacked as people love to HATE Pacione.

Please though, let's save the drama. Feel free to contact my personal e-mail at: dfabiani46@yahoo.com if you need to explain your case further, in a private manner.

Stephen W. Roberts said...

Hello all,


My name is Stephen W. Roberts. I'm owner, editor and all around facilitator for The Dark Fiction Spotlight.

I, nor my editing staff wish to go round for round with anybody here, nor do we wish ill will on anyone here.

I do wish to say that I don't appreciate the leak, for it makes our magazine look poorly and unsafe for authors.

Why, oh why? why not after July 1st?

Again, I see no reasoning for the bashing to begin or continue, depending on how you view this.

I reacted poorly to Letitia in the first e-mail without even knowing why she e-mailed me. I assumed it was more of the same hate mail I was drowning in from another magazine's owner who hates me for reasons yet to be known--even by me.

I apologized, but this deed had already been done right under our noses as of what? June 19th, I believe?

I don't care what you say or do on this blog or any, but I did find the leak in poor taste from the editors point of view.

He isn't hurt, we are.

He gets extra publicity and we get less submissions.

Read issue 1 is all I have to say to the Nay-sayers who may well feel the need to bash The Dark Fiction Spotlight.

Read on:

http://thedarkfiction.com/

Jenny said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jenny said...

Daniel and Stephen, thank you, I appreciate you posting here, particularly because I know you must feel picked on right now.

I assumed that because the story was in the Google cache that you had had it up on the web site at one point and then taken it down. BTW, I can also access a story by Adrien Ludens the same way. A quick search lists pages for a number of other writers as well but those pages are blank. I don't know if you were testing the page layout to publication or what, but there are offline ways of doing that that don't result in the pages hitting the Internet early.

I understand that starting up a new project can be difficult - in terms of publicity and getting good submissions to have a good quality magazine. I haven't told anyone this, but awhile back I read slush for a start-up e-zine (multi-genre, including literary and poetry) and yes, we waded through a lot of dreck to find the gems. Hm, I think I may have mixed a metaphor there.

Anyway, I do believe that you want to publish quality works.

I will also admit that this story of Pacione's is better written in terms of basic spelling and grammar than a lot of his ungrammatical crap.

However...

Anyone with a basic grasp of English who reads this story will still see many language problems with it. A skilled editor would also see the rambling tangents in the narrative, the lack of real description, and the fact that it's BORING. *Nothing* happens. Pacione goes to a party and gets creeped out by some ladies with a Ouija board even though no spooky stuff occurs. *sigh*

It's because you accepted the story with these obvious flaws, that I expressed my doubts about the quality of the other pieces selected. You say you want a broad range or works. OK, that's an admirable goal...as long as you mean a broad range of *topics*, not a broad range of writing *quality*.

I will definitely check out the full first issue of "The Dark Fiction Spotlight" when it's released, and I'll give it an honest review. I've done that with one other publication that Pacione appeared in, even though I did say that Pacione's story was HORRIBLE. (Link is: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewarticle.asp?id=56758&AuthorID=129148 - if you're curious). It's not that flattering, but I did say the PDF wouldn't be a waste of money.

One thing I do recommend is that you exercise your editing skills and fix Pacione's piece as much as possible. A while back, he sold a piece to "Tales of the Talisman". I've read Nicky's original and the edited, published version. Night and day! That poor editor must have spent hours cleaning up the original, but you know what? The published version was readable.

Good luck. I sincerely mean that. I hate to see good folks get dragged down by Nicky.

Jenny said...

I should add: if you want to see the pages that Google caught from your site, just Google the following:

"site:thedarkfiction.com pacione"

and ask it to repeat the search with the omitted results. That will give you the most complete list.

I should also add - regarding Ludens' story - avoiding the use of "said" as a dialogue tag is a clear newbie mistake. Again, I suggest you exercise your editorial skills to help this writer improve his story. And proofread it.

Daniel Fabiani said...

Jenny,
Your words on editing are great. But you are reading versions that were uploaded to the site pre-editing. I have no clue about the cache, and now it irks me. We work on those stories every day. The end product should not be as terrible as you say we are at the current moment. And we're only human.

Thanks again,
Daneil

Jenny said...

Daniel, nice to know you're working on editing the stories. I look forward to seeing the final versions.

I've also updated my blog post so that it's clear that you didn't intentionally give me Nicky's story. For others who are reading this, I posted that to irritate Nicky who was accusing people YET AGAIN of pirating his story without checking his facts.

Daniel Fabiani said...

Thanks Jenny. Nice to meet you, even though it was through this garbage/drama.

One last thing, I just have to add that not using "said" as an amateur publisher's mistake is nothing to do with how we edit. TDFS does not want to change the view of the writer, if they see it fit that "said" does not fit their story, then who are we to say it's wrong? Readers will not care about. Trust me, I've been one for 23 years.

I've dealt with too many publishers wanting to change my words. MY WORDS. I swore that I would not do that for TDFS, and I will not and neither will my team. It's in honor of the writer. If you have ever had your work published and watched an editor ruin it with THEIR changes...you should know the heartache and cheesy adds they put into your work to please the supposed "readers."

And that's not line editing I'm talking about. It's real words. Anywho, thanks again for listening to my rant.

best,
Daniel

Unknown said...

Daniel, a good editor helps the author to improve their voice. A bad editor overrides the author's voice with their own voice.

If the choice of 'said' over 'boomed' improves a work, then the editor has the right and responsibility to make that edit.

All authors have blind spots. The editor has to be their eyes in those cases.

So long as the editor respects the work and the author respects the editor, they have much to gain from the process.

baupdeth said...

To the editors, publishers, and staff of TDFS, I wish you all the best of luck and I will definitely be checking out your work, even though horror is not really what I enjoy reading; I am trying to broaden my horizons.

Heck maybe in the future I might try and submit something as well.

Stephen W. Roberts said...

Hello,

This is Stephen W. Roberts: TDFS owner and co-editor again.

I just wanted to thank you all for hearing us out and adjusting the blog.

our first concern is our authors and we don't want them to feel insecure about submitting to us when al lwe aim to do is feature authors and help the literary net community.

We don't aim to offend anybody, nor do we take pride in being mentioned in a negative light at all.

We're just a bunch of writers who wanted to help the community with a magazine, Podcast, etc etc.

Again, I believe I speak for us all at TDFS when I thank you for not dismissing us and for agreeing to give us a chance.

Signed, Stephen

P.S. For the record, Nickolaus Pacione has signed a legally binding contract and WILL be in the first issue of TDFS.

Plus 9 other brilliant authors and the 20 poems we accepted.

I also ask that you all take the time to see our site and what we're truly about.

Family, fun and even charity.

Unknown said...

You do realize that "9 other brilliant" implies that Nicky is brilliant?

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Stephen W. Roberts said...

Hello,

My wording is even somehow offensive?

I feel like I'm being judged for nothing by people who don't know me and it's as if I'm a mouse begging a room full of cats to not eat me.

You know full well that I was sayin that we have other authors in our magazine worth looking at.

I really don't see why it has to be so hostile, when we've done nothing wrong to any of you.

I know you all say you're giving us a chance and may of you have even tried to put in a good word for our intentions, but it still feels like I'm standing before some parent figure who's deciding "what to do with me"

I still remain humbly before you all in defense of my cause, but I feel like we're in a position to disregard our own pride to defend our contributing authors.

So...I guess there is nothing I can say or do until we receive your pending reviews.

With that, I thank you all again for acknowledging our words and I bid you ado.

Till we meet again,
Stephen W. Roberts

Unknown said...

If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Back in 03, I made suggestions to Nicky with all the gentleness I could and then spent the next six years getting slammed for my sexual orientation with email and blog comments that generally opened with "Listen up, Diesel Dyke." And it was coming from an obvious illiterate.

Stephen W. Roberts said...

Back in 03...

Back in 03 I was a pimple faced virgin somewhere between freshmen and Sophmore age for highschool.


I don't have the history, nor do I want said history with the flame wars. I've had a solid 3 years as a published author and never an ill word about me, aside from a critique or two and those are wanted.

I'm not used to the back and forth and I never will be, for I don't intend to be involved with it or those who bring it.

-Stephen

Stephen W. Roberts said...

With that said, "Listen up, Diesel Dyke." this is inexcusable.

T. BooneTales said...

Like I said on the other blog:

I know the people with TDFS and they’re good people in a bad situation. I say this now and I know hundreds of people who would agree.

This Nickolaus Pacione Jackhole has pulled them down and they don’t deserve it.

I, for one have no clue who this Nick character is, but I have enough reason to be pissed based on his harming the names of my good friends.

Ask around to people who know Daniel, Steve and Stacy, and all you will hear is good things. I promise this.

Time will tell.

Note* I've read about and googled this Nick Pacione asshole and see why you hate him, but he's not TDFS.

I think that they were doing a friend a favor, but before they knew said friend.

Don't forget how anonymous the web can be and don't underestimate how crafty an asshole can be.


T. Boone

Unknown said...

Time will indeed tell.

My first professional sale was not made because the editor was doing me a favor out of friendship. That would have been counterproductive.

I do not buy stories for my magazine and novels / collections for my company on the grounds that I ought to do a friend with sub-standard skills a favor.

No one cares about my friends or their desires to achieve something.

No one gives a bloody damn about anything except the quality of the product I put out.

That's how the marketplace operates.

AngryInIllinois said...

I just want to clear something up even if I'm late to all of this...

It wasn't Jenny that found the story, it was I. I had done a google search of Nickolaus Pacione and his activity within the past week or so and it popped up. I had no idea he had even "submitted" it up there for the public to see. Yes you may have deleted it, but Google cached it.

I have no beef with TDFS and glad to see you are seeing the light when it comes to him, however I have to get a few things off my chest:

- His submission was once available to the public on your site. You then accepted it and deleted it and now wish to charge people to read it (lol sorry, the thought of anyone paying to read him) this is something Pacione used to years ago...he would find people's writing online, pay them to print it, then would become furious if someone else could legally still view something once posted for free that he was trying to sell. Here's hoping you never try that idea again because it reminded me of him.

- cussedness was pointing out your wording made it sound like Nicky's work was great Stephen, it wasn't a personal or mean attack on you. However, you instantly got defensive AGAIN which is how this all started in the first place when we tried to warn you and you let your pride take over and push you in the wrong direction because you thought you were being attacked. Cussedness won't always sugarcoat her wording or sprinkle her comments with smiles and roses, but she knows what she's talking about so for the benefit of your career and company, I'd write down whatever advice she gives you. My advice? Thicken that skin so you don't get overly defensive when you aren't being attacked and once again snap at those trying to help.

Last thing...Cuss basically said what I was going to in her last post but beat me to it. You want to sell magazines? You need to give the reader great material they want to read, not material that's in there because of a favor or to bother a common enemy.

We know that you guys didn't actually like Nicky's piece, it was chosen to piss off a mutual enemy. Come on, of all the staff that claimed to like it, can you guys say you enjoyed a story where nothing happens and the author just talks about his other writing and where he was accepted? Do yourselves a great big favor, and just admit that was the case.

Because if anyone ever sees Witches Party, then hears that you guys enjoyed it, no one is going to purchase your publication with QC standards that low.

Good luck and all the best.

Daniel Fabiani said...

AngryInIllinois,
We aren't charging anyone to see the stories? Your information is backwards.

But, you said something that strikes my attention: his submission to us was once available to the public and he didn't let us know? hmmm.

Now you all may have gotten your wish for that would null and void that contract that he signed BEFORE we knew of his tumultuous past!

Thanks for the heads up. I have research to do.

all the best,
Daniel Fabiani, editor TDFS

Daniel Fabiani said...

By the by, I read online that their is a unanimous campaign to never publish Pacione by many publishers. If you all were so adamant about never publishing him, then why not warn TDFS before hand.

It's so easy for you to bash on here, but you guys couldn't go on duotrope or ralan or the horror zine, and etc., all which we immediately registered with back in February and warn us? Why not help us out then instead of kicking our asses now?

I smell snarks. Listen I'm gay, so I have every right to be involved on this nagging, for Pacione has a long and torturous history against gays, which makes me very uneasy.

Input please. It would be nice. I'll be back on later tonight. In NYC, my home, today is PRIDE and I will be celebrating. Ciao all.

Daniel Fabiani, editor TDFS

Daniel Fabiani said...

Just to add. TDFS has no enemies LOL. We're you're best friends if you wan us to be.

This is all sick. People have too much TIME on their hands. Day jobs anyone?

Stephen W. Roberts said...

Hello,

I hope nobody pays a dime for our publication, especially since it's 100% FREE.

We pay the top three stories based on fan voting. The only money moving is when we pay out to who the fans pick.

We picked Nickolaus to give the fans a nonfiction style fiction story. We didn't say it would win, but we said it was unlike what we had.

I originally lashed out, for I'd been receiving attacks from a different press and I assumed this was yet another attempt by him to stop me.

He said that I couldn't publish "his" writers, even though he has no contracts. He used fake names and new e-mails to get me to change my line-up and Letitia looked a lot like the other 7 or so e-mails I got--all from one guy.

So, yes. I bashed the Hell out of what Letitia had to say--assuming she were fake.

I caught wind of the difference and apologized. That simple.

You should do your homework before you accuse us of charging people or whatever you have said...

Just as we should do our homework of writers before we accept them.

Is it not possible that we'v known Nick without knowing what you know of him? I believe what people tell me about themselves online and see no need to google every little thing.

Nick, to me, was nothing but kind, funny and encouraging. I never heard a single ill remark about anyone, including Daniel.

So...why is it my fault?

I read and write stories, not minds or history. I don't get to pick what happens or I wouldn't be here.

I acknowledge your collected accolades and never accused you of being anything less than you say you are, for that's who I am.

I continue to return here without ill will and long for the day that you all do too.

Signed,
Stephen W. Roberts

Daniel Fabiani said...

Let is be known:
We've been given proof of Nick’s nastiness online in the VF forums. Therefore a meeting has been called and a vote will be counted whether to keep Pacione or not. Is that fair?

best,
Daniel Fabiani, editor TDFS

Stephen W. Roberts said...

No...

It's time I said this so people will stop with the "how could you like his story!?" or "You're just like him!?"

Here it is...I put over Nick as a writer and both the editors looked the other way as to do me a favor.

We had a solid 9 and I think they wanted to give me this one to "help a friend" as I was open to discussions about the top 9.

Want to know why we picked Nickalous Pacione?


To piss off the owner/editor of SNM horror magazine, Steven N. Marshall.

he is the man who went out of his way for days to attack me about writers and al lthat trash, he is why I blindly attacked Letitia and he is why I picked Nickolaus Pacione.

The despise eachother.


**brushes off chest**


There. This is done and we can stop saying that we're illiterate or accepting poor stories due to ignorance or whatever way you'll word it next.

We are guilty of one thing and that was of being goated into a flame war with another press who didn't like that we left his publication for our own.

I said it.

It's out and over.

Signed,
Stephen W. Roberts

Jenny said...

Daniel and Stephen, I don't know about any conspiracy to keep Nicky from ever publishing anything, although I do admit to snarking his writing whenever I get the chance. I don't like receiving death threats.

I can't speak for the others, but for me it comes down to the *writing*. I read what Nicky wrote - and yes, I know that's the unedited version, but that just makes it worse because that's the version you accepted - and it's weak. For all the reasons I previously mentioned.

That's why I originally said that the future looked bleak. Not because you signed a contract with a well-known Internet troll, but because you signed a contract for such poor writing.

Finally, please understand the Nicky has harassed both cussedness and her daughter for years. So if she comes off a little strong, it's because she has absolutely no tolerance for excuses for Nicky (and I don't blame her).

Daniel Fabiani said...

To Jenny and all here is the update:
Pacione will be asked to leave TDFS. he's probably going to read this here and start attacking. I ask that you defend us. Please.

Thanks,
Daniel Fabiani, editor TDFS

Jenny said...

Stephen, oops, I was writing my last post while you posted yours.

I'm sorry to hear about your problems with SNM Horror. I don't really know anything about them, other than I've heard the name before.

My advice to you is to rant and rave in private, punch something (preferably something softer than your fist), write nasty letters back to Stephen Marshal but DON'T SEND THEM, etc. Then...take a few deep breaths, and *ignore* him. Don't let what one person says to you affect your business decisions.

I know I snark Nicky here because I don't like receiving his threats and hate mail, but this is my little personal normally-lightly-trafficked corner of blog-verse. I would never let my personal feelings about Nicky influence my business decisions (assuming that Nicky's rants were in any way related to my "real" life, which they're not).

Good luck with the zine. I do mean that.

Anonymous said...

"To Jenny and all here is the update:
Pacione will be asked to leave TDFS. he's probably going to read this here and start attacking. I ask that you defend us. Please.

Thanks,
Daniel Fabiani, editor TDFS"

They did defend you. By telling you how bullshit pacione was. Honestly, they shouldn't have bothered. You should have kept him and let your ship sink on its own.

AngryInIllinois said...

Relax Daniel, you don't need to be defended from him. He is harmless physically, his legal threats are as empty as his physical threats, and his reputation is so poor online that him hating you is actually good for your rep. People see he hates someone and figure that person must be good for Nicky to hate them. Sometimes people give his enemies their business just to spite him. Sometimes.

I'm sure if you haven't yet, you'll get threats by him about how you're done in the industry and he'll see to it your blackballed in the industry.

That's laughable. He doesn't have the connections he claims. No one has ever gone against someone he dislikes for him.

No offense, but asking for protection from him is like saying "Help! We pissed off Arnie Grape!" So either ignore him or blast right back, but either way you'll be fine.

Jenny said...

Daniel, don't worry. He's blaming me: http://vampirefreaks.com/Jenny-AKA-Horrorgal. He's incredibly delusional and self-absorbed. He never learns.

Lewis said...

Daniel, that's kind of what we do in a way. Aside from any entertainment value we keep him focused on us instead of innocents or people who just didn't know what he was like. If you ignore him then every now and again you might get a nasty email from him or a mention on his blog or someone's website, but the majority of people who see it will just laugh at or ignore him.

The best rebuttal you can provide is to put out a quality product, display a professional attitude and make sure people get paid on time. Paying on time is very important by the way, as while people may claim they do it for the art there's a reason the starving artist is a popular stereotype. If you drop a coin and a writer/artist doesn't leap for it then you know they've probably got a sugar momma/daddy ;)

Al Kilyu said...

TDFS is asking for our help against Nicky, but I have a question:

What reason exactly did you give Nicky for dropping him from your line up, Daniel and Stephen?

Because right now he's on a warpath against Jenny, blaming her for him not being featured on your site any longer.

Did you guys tell him that Jenny is the reason he was dropped? And was there any mention of the fact that AngryInIllinois admitted to accidentally finding the cached version of the story, and that he linked Jenny to it, not the other way around?

Stephen W. Roberts said...

Hello,

We simply stated that it was due to public outcry and people taking offense to what he has said and done, especially against the GLBT community.

We publish GLBT and must protect all forms of fiction and make all people feel welcome to submit.

In fact, we received letter about him and I don't mean from any of you. We actually heard about it from our own community who happened to stumble upn the sites after HE them for all to see.

I never named names or even discussed the Cached google stuff with anybody but Daniel.

He did his own homework...this is a public forum.

I feel bad that he's attacking Jenny, for she stood up for us.

-Stephen

Jenny said...

Stephen, I'm used to taking Nicky's venom. He's probably close to getting another ban from VampireFreaks, anyway, after today's manic outburst over there. It doesn't matter what you tell him the reason is, he'll still come up with his own I'm-being-persecuted delusions, regardless of the truth, and will lash out at the nearest person.

Stephen W. Roberts said...

That's a shame.


Technically it was our mistakes with using our website that started all of this, but then again none of us had heard of the google photos none a cache, nor are we really all that computer savvy. I speak mostly for myself.

We live and we learn. Now we know and can work to stop it from issue 2 and beyond.

Stephen W. Roberts said...

Known*

Al Kilyu said...

Regarding what you told him, we're used to that. He was kicked off of a metal forum a few months ago and they said we were the reason. Truth was he was annoying the shit out of them and they needed an excuse.

We don't care if he's mad at us, some like myself enjoy it. Plus we're used to distracting him so he won't stalk innocent people. I guess the reason I was asking was to see if you guys really were concerned about how he'd react. He's so harmless it's literally funny.

That being said, the many companies that have rejected him (many because they were stupid enough to buy a story from him he hadn't yet written, then hated the final product...take note that is NOT how to do it) blame us as well. We're not afraid of him, it's just that he's going through life thinking it's not his writing or his personality that is a problem, it's a small group of people that keep him from making it big, and therefore he'll never think to try to improve either.

But then again it's Nicky. Not only does he have a learning disorder, he's stubborn and lazy and were he to learn the truth about why he keeps failing, he'd still pretend it was our fault to protect his pride.

Daniel Fabiani said...

I was just alerted that Pacione is so harmless, that we are wasting our typing skills on him. So with that said. let's not let him get to us!

He's gone from TDFS due to his history, we didn't use any names, but we did use his nasty reputation as the sole reason.

The only reason why he blames Jenny is because he has no one else to BLAME. Ever think of that?

He's just pissed off, so let him rant. It's only text in the end...

Daniel Fabiani

Unknown said...

Much of this reminds me of Dagstine in 07.

Including the melodramatic phrasing of the requests for help and assistance and cooperation.

Jenny said...

I agree that I'm just an easy target for Nicky. Because otherwise he might have to look at his own behavior.

Anonymous said...

Don't worry, Daniel. Jenny's this week's target. Next week, he'll spin his rolodex, land on a name, and go after that person, for some years-old imaginary crime. If you're lucky, you won't make it onto his rolodex, but you never know.

Daniel Fabiani said...

Agreed, Jenny and Rustynail, totally agreed.

I just wish the people over at: http://carcinomangel.wordpress.com/2010/06/21/stephen-w-roberts-is-a-nitwit/

...would be as nice as you guys, but you can't win them all. When people hit a certain age, they tend to forget that they were once young and made mistakes. Maybe they are hitting the Alzheimer's stage...

They act like they were never new to publishing! To think they were born out of the womb at 50-something. The snark never ends!

Thanks for being kind, most of you on this specific blog. I feel refreshed, as should all of you, that this mess is finally over with. Two days of hell for nothing...

Let it be known, that this was a life lesson for me. I will make sure to keep this memory with me forever.

Daniel

Unknown said...

Ah, yes, the Alzheimer's Stage. We all get that when we hit 40, don't we. I so love the fact that you want to belittle me.

How dear and sweet. I guess we are still at war. You do remember my remark about not going after you again without provocation?

So you are deliberately provoking me?

Being from the pre-internet end of writing is beginning to look more and more like my generation had more sense than yours does. At least in your case.

I made my share of mistakes, however, I did not have the pure quill stupid that you are showing here in continuing the war with me by insulting me.

On your head be it.

Daniel Fabiani said...

OH dear, cussedness! There is no war. You are making stuff up as you go along.

Good day


Daniel

Unknown said...

Of course there's no war, Daniel. You simply came here to insult me with the Alzheimer's comment out of your love and adoration for me and my wit.

Your queenie-pie self is overwhelmed by my raw butch dyke masculinity.

Anonymous said...

Daniel, Jenny can take care of herself, but are you really as flippant as you come across? I sense that you're just fine with Nicky harassing people, as long as it's not you who is on the receiving end of his wrath.

It wasn't Jenny who made Nicky's story live on the TDFS website long enough for Google to find and cache it. The fact that she can handle the flak doesn't mean she deserves it.

Don't mistake my politeness for approbation.

Daniel Fabiani said...

I know Jenny can take care of herself. We've been nothing but nice to one another. I never said it was her that made the story public, it's Pacione saying that and spreading it to those gross Vampire forums. My staff and I are on Jenny's side!

As for the dyke-thing. Sheesh. The stereotype remains. I can't argue with people who don't listen. Sorry. What do you need to prove by saying that?

Daniel Fabiani said...

NO, I'm not fine with Pacione harassing anyone! I will receive my wrath, trust me! He knows I'm gay and now that I'm not publishing him he's waiting to get me. I know it!

I hate all Pacione related drama. Believe me. I regret it so much that we even considered him.

Anonymous said...

if you hate it so much why do you go searching for it?

Anonymous said...

I was approached I didn't go looking. I'm so sorry this all happened. This blew up to a level I never expected it to be because we didn't know of his history.

I never knew what a VF was, I never knew who jenny or any of her friends were. Sheesh. You all are so tough over the internet. Pacione must really hurt you guys, but all I'm saying is to ignore him. I'm waiting for my bashing as we speak (oh wait. my inbox has 2 new emails)

Here we go...

Daniel

Anonymous said...

"I was approached I didn't go looking. I'm so sorry this all happened. This blew up to a level I never expected it to be because we didn't know of his history."

His history doesn't matter. His writing is horrid. justify that.

- Hi

Anonymous said...

Agreed. Agreed. Agreed. I can't argue that, his writing is horrible, wretched, boring, nothing happens and he's a freaking classic diatribe.

But I didn't choose the story for TDFS. I work with a team of four and we work in votes :/ ugggh!

Is there anyway we can all squash this drama. I'm really not into it. Please, for real, I want this to be over.


BTW...whoever is posting those fake pics of Nick on the VF with the links in this blog where it's all gay and he's cursing you out, good job. I laughed for 20 minutes. I just hope his comments don't bother you.

you guys are not alone, Pacione is currently on my case now...and his mouth needs to be singed off. uggh!

-Daniel

Unknown said...

Let's see, Daniel.

You keep saying you want it stopped and then you stir the shit again with things like that Alzheimer's accusation and the link to my blog.

Would it have made you happy if all the kind folks here went over there and jumped on me for being such a big bad uber butch?

And since that attempt at continuing the fight with me failed, you want to whine some more?

Back in the Middle Ages, they had an alternate spelling "Quean" and it usually implied the person was a prostitute.

Today, the word generally refers to (in some contexts) a limp-wristed male of the homosexual variety.

Give my regards to Dagstine. I won't post the screenshots of the two of you unless you force me to.

Anonymous said...

"Is there anyway we can all squash this drama. I'm really not into it. Please, for real, I want this to be over."

Yes there is. Stop responding. Go away and stop reading. Tada!

- Hi

Unknown said...

You do realize that first you said a team of 3 repeatedly and now you say a team of 4?

So if we go with 4, then 3 out of four thought Nicky was brilliant?

And you, poor soul, were taken advantage of?

Why is there a trail of rat feces across your comments where the words are?

Hi said...

In all honesty, if all your companions think that is good work you should reassess who you are working with. I wouldn't let anyone drag my name through the mud.

That is precisely why I don't believe you.

Custedness Fan said...

Cussedness...

Seeing as this silly net blog is the only writing I've ever read of yours and it's likely all that exists, I wouldn't be so quick to attack Nickolaus or anybody else.

You go on and on about literature, but what do you do?

Name one press or one magazine, I beg of you.

Until then, don't make comments about being dragged through the mud when pigs like you constantly wollow in filth!


-Cussedness fan!

Unknown said...

Hello, Daniel. Or is it Stephen?

I would say here "Fuck you" but I would not wish to dirty my dildo on you.

You know damn well what I've done. All you have to do is cursor over my handle and click.

Oh, that's right, you're too lazy or ignorant to know about those things.

You are such a bloody little pillock. Very amusing.

Al Kilyu said...

Hey Daniel & Stephen: Did you guys ever notice you both say "e-mail" instead of just email like everyone else? Weird. You both also sign your posts in the same way and when one of you changes the way he does, the other one follows suit, until at the end you both sign off with a hyphen in front, like
-Stephen
-Daniel
-Cussedness fan!

until eventually Stephen stopped posting here but Daniel stuck around.

Funny the little things we do and don't notice...

Lewis said...

Ah Cussedness Fan, how marvellous it is to see that Nitwits continue to exhibit a fatal inability to do even basic research. I could enlighten you regarding Cuss's credentials but then I'd have to stop laughing at you for more than five minutes, and I'm not that nice a fellow.

But still two things: firstly this blog isn't Cuss's, she just likes to comment on it and secondly it's wallow, you numptie. I do hope you have a suitably unpleasant day, involving incontinent pigeons perhaps.

Mike Brendan said...

Nice try with the alting, Daniel. That's yet another sign of Nitwittery.

Letitia Washington said...

Well I feel stupid. After telling two sites to give TDFR a chance, I just now read an email I missed that went into my spam folder from Stephen complaining to me for screwing everything up. Apparently I was supposed to wait until JULY 1st to tell y'all they were nice guys who regretted getting involved with Nicky, and because I said something too early (they didn't ask me to say anything at all) they were complaining I got them in trouble with Nicky.

The part I at the beginning where I said I feel stupid? I feel stupid for trying to help them and their rep.

Stephen and Daniel, the world's best advice: You need to wait two days before each email and post you make goes out. In that time have some female you know read over it to see how whiny and ungrateful it is. If she says you sound like a whiny ungrateful never-happy bitch, then delete it and wait until your PMS ends before trying again.

Unknown said...

Why July 1st? What was supposed to happen between the onset of all this silly shit and this coming Friday?

Was this all just a PR stunt to put their company name before the masses of Eon's?

MikeBrendan said...

Cussedness, I think it's because since being young their attention span is measured in smaller increments than ours would be -- and they think the rest of the world works the same way. They probably figured we'd forget after a few days of silence.

Unknown said...

Good point, Mike. More and more I think I was some kind of freak because I could focus for hours at a time on stuff as a kid and so deeply that my grandmother had to physically shake me to get my attention from the project I was working on. It was not enough to just poke her head in the door and say, "Jan, dinner's ready."

Mistress Rowan said...

Jesus christ people! What the hell are we doing here? You do realise that 1. that shit ass writer nick is sat back watchin everyone argue over him, 2. Jenny's blog is being widely talked about being the bigges load of shit on the web and TDFS are getting shit loads of exposure. Good or bad, exposure is exposure and people will decide for themselves.

For those who are baggig TDFS, WHY??? If you don't want to read or submit to them, then don't, end of. Why waste your time sending hate mail? Don't you all have some writing to do or something better to do with your time?

Seriously guys, come on. Why don't you just mind your own business and get on with your own life. If TDFS fuck up then they fuck, but is that anyones business other than their own?

Hi said...

by you guys who do you mean? I sure as heck haven't contacted you, and you sure as heck did not have to read this stuff.

Anonymous said...

"Don't you all have some writing to do or something better to do with your time?"

Why, no. No I don't. I have a garden and yard full of fruit and vegetables to be picked and prepared for dinner. But here, I'll share -- have a raspberry.

"Jenny's blog is being widely talked about being the bigges load of shit on the web . . ."

A party of three trading IMs or whatever doesn't exactly make for internet fame, but you're welcome to think so, if it makes you happy.

Mistress Rowan said...

3??? oh you have no idea...

Al Kilyu said...

Hey look everyone! It's the W.A.A.A.A.H. Kid's Club!

"Jesus christ people! What the hell are we doing here?"

"we"? What are you doing here? Besides whining more. "We" as in the non-whiners are sick and tired of seeing TDFS whine "Waaaah you're not saying nice words about us?! Whyyy? Pwease help us against the mean man!"

"You do realise that 1. that shit ass writer nick is sat back watchin everyone argue over him, 2. Jenny's blog is being widely talked about being the bigges load of shit on the web and TDFS are getting shit loads of exposure."

Widely talked about amongst Stephen's alts? I've never seen a group of "adults" whine and cry so hard, so often.

"All of you" keep coming in here and talking about how we have too much time on our hands, or waste our time...yet here you are wasting your time crying over here.

Well I'm going to take some time off from laughing at Nicky to make fun of you each and everyime you pop up somewhere Stephen and whine again about us, no matter where you do it, even if it's to reply to this and deny you aren't using multiple alts. I am so sick of you whining I will do it until you shut the fuck up.

Mistress Rowan said...

erm... yeh id check my blog if you think I am Stephen hahahaha! That is the funniest thing I have heard all night considering who I am lol!

Anonymous said...

Poor widdle baby. Quick, call a waahmbulance.

Unknown said...

Who is sending hate mail? Not I.

As to this "2. Jenny's blog is being widely talked about being the bigges load of shit on the web and TDFS are getting shit loads of exposure. Good or bad, exposure is exposure and people will decide for themselves."

I did searches for this supposed occurrence and using four different search engines came up with nothing whatsoever.

hi said...

they could all be in private forums protected from cache-ing by browsers. but that doesn't count.

Unknown said...

Who you are is a pathetic little nobody.

Jenny said...

HHM - or should I call you Sam? - a little tip: if you're going to come to a blog that snarks on bad writing and bitch, it goes over a lot better if your post doesn't come across as only semi-literate. Punctuation and grammar are your friends.

As to the substance of your post, I haven't sent TDFS any hate mail. On the contrary, I've been very polite. Also, since TDFS is soliciting people to submit to them, their fuck ups - and I am still *astounded* at their statement that they didn't understand how/that Google caches web pages; come on, really? - do affect others. I think it's perfectly reasonable to discuss them here.

Mistress Rowan said...

cussedness said...

Who you are is a pathetic little nobody.

hmmm... and you are...?

and Jenny, ight now, I don't reall give a fuck how my post comes across. Like this blog is of any interst to the real world. I'm just takng time off to read all the sad responses. You may not have sent hate mail but don't bullshit me that you have been perfectly polite. You think that what TDFS was unprofessional? How are you any better when you are posting private emails without permission? All of this is bullshit and waa waa waa I'm adding to it yeah yeah yeah, but as if any of this has any weight anyway.

Jenny said...

Since you are posting using the name of your publishing house, I think it should matter to you that you come across as vulgar and illiterate.

And I haven't posted any private e-mails.

Al Kilyu said...

"Like this blog is of any interst to the real world."

"I'm just takng time off to read all the sad responses"

It's no interest to anyone that matters but we seem to attract whiny kids pretending to be publishers and their whiny UK hambeasts who do the same.

It doesn't matter which comments section you pollute, SEX C.O.C.K.S., each time you post here, Janrae's, or Rusty's, we are going to make fun Stephen twice. Each complaint, two tears for ol' Stevey boy. If however, you all go away and stop whining about this, I shall cease.

Mistress Rowan said...

Oh boo hoo. Neither I nor Stephen or anyone else in our writing community care what any of you do. Like you said yourself it means nothing to anyone who matters. And you say we are whiny?? Who chooses to stalk a writer and blog about him constantly and then get loads of people to also whine about him? I think someone must be in love. I can get you the number of a great private investigator

Seems to me like you're a bunch of kids yourself. But I shall leave you to your admiration of what good ole nicky boy's up too.

Anonymous said...

Oh, shit. She's calling out the e-detectives. Next thing you know, it'll be e-Interpol and her e-lawyers that she found on a late night telly advert.

Mistress Rowan said...

hahaha i was talking about Jenny's love for nicky! LOL!

Unknown said...

"cussedness said...

Who you are is a pathetic little nobody.

hmmm... and you are...?"

Try using google.

That's assuming you know how to use it. That's also assuming that you are not too stupid to know how to examine a blog site and too illiterate to handle wikipedia.

Letitia posted the email on Rusty's blog. I copied it from there onto my blog to react to it after thinking for several days. You do know what thinking is, don't you? Since you are clearly ignorant about the internet.

Hi said...

umm jenny hasn't really been posting. all she did was a review. I think you're the one who loves nicky. He needs it. You should go give him a BJ. Also, pics or it didn't happen.

Anonymous said...

What say we talk about your love of showing up uninvited, guns blazing, to barge into a discussion that previously had nothing to do with you? Does your rag need publicity that badly, or . . . does it merely need changing?

Mistress Rowan said...

oh I have seen your blog. I was being sarastic. Sorry do you want to look that word up? And for someone that runs 2 facebook pages, 2 myspace, 2 websites, a blog, a radio show and an ezine, I think I know my way around the internet thanks. And yes I also know how to use google. I also come up there plenty of times too :)

Unknown said...

She's a self published author of a vampire romance novel. She has no professional credits and the only things I could find on her were things she created for her own PR rather like that of Gloria Tesch.

Her skills appear to be on the same level as Tesch.

Jenny said...

I don't think you'd find "sarastic" in a dictionary. Did you mean "sarcastic"?

Mistress Rowan said...

Yep, a self published author that has made a hell of a lot of money doing what I do and helping others. Raised money for two childrens causes and good friends with some big named writers, actors, singers and artists. Nothing wrong with being self published. Nothing at all. Look me up all you want kids. Anyway I gotta get back to work. Ya'll have fun now.

Anonymous said...

Don't let the door smack your arse on the way out.

Jenny said...

Guess what, I'm also self-published. I've got a book up at Lulu. And I once had dinner, drinks, and a lovely conversation at a party with New York Times Bestselling author. Does that make me hot stuff, too?

Al Kilyu said...

"Oh boo hoo. Neither I nor Stephen or anyone else in our writing community care what any of you do. Like you said yourself it means nothing to anyone who matters."

And yet she and they are still here.
And she made three or so posts after that.

Just keeps coming back over and over to tell us just how much we don't mean, and how much they are ignoring us.

P.S.

"And for someone that runs 2 facebook pages, 2 myspace, 2 websites, a blog, a radio show and an ezine, I think I know my way around the internet thanks."

should have read

"And for someone that runs two facebook pages, two myspace pages, two additional websites as well as a blog, a radio show and an ezine, I think I know my way around the internet even if I have no clue about spelling, grammar, or representing my companies like a professional"

For editing your work, I'm gonna need about $350.

Al Kilyu said...

Ok it's been ten minutes since she's posted...do you think they are still ignoring us and not paying attention to what we do because they are too busy being professionals?

Hi said...

lets start our own darn radio show. I bet it gets more listeners than her teenage claptrap.

Mike Brendan said...

Self-published vampire romance? Odds are that translates to "toilet paper", based on how semi-literate HHM has been presenting herself here.

asshole #13 said...

I bet nicky is the vampire.

Unknown said...

All of my books have a higher amazon ranking than hers. She uses her little radio station to advertise herself.

She has two reviews and they look suspicious.

The only places she comes up on a google are at places she herself runs.

This is the new variety of nitwit. I highly suggest googling Gloria Tesch. Tesch is a carefully orchestrated fake. So is Cox.

Mistress Rowan said...

my reviews are suspicious? Really? LOL! And I come up on google on various interviews reviews and other sites not just the places I run myself.Do your research properly love, yeah. And so what if your books come up a higher ranking. Big whoop! And my radio show is not to advertise myself if you had actually listened to it. We interview other authors such as David Dunwoody and Eric S Brown.

Hi said...

never heard of them.

Hi said...

can I find their books on a reputable site or store?

Unknown said...

Are you really this obtuse, Brothel Babe?

You barely register on google.

Warlord Ralts said...

So why are you here again, if this blog doesn't matter?

We get it, you posted it enough times, you're a highly successful author/DJ/Interviewer/whatever, and you're here to defend your fellow editors.

Very commendable.

But still, why all the furor?

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