"I am one of the poor saps who had a story printed in The Ethereal Gazette 10. I sent Nickolaus Pacione my story before I knew his online reputation. I really do live under an internet rock.I know I certainly won’t be sending him any other stories as I want the next thing I have published to have some kind of readership. I’ve been reading through the magazine and I think that there are some very good stories in there and it’s a damned shame that they’re tainted by the association with Nick P.
Having read Nick’s contributions I understand exactly why he gets his reputation but I want to do a fair review of the whole magazine, and each individual story to make sure the talent in there is recognised."
Just like PublishAmerica, even Nicky can pull in a few good writers who didn't check him out beforehand. Our anonymous reviewer also has a keen eye when it comes to the cover:
"And from the LFP logo at the bottom of the cover –
“Original Horror Ann Science Fiction For The Fans, By The Fans”
He has a typo in his f***ing logo!"
Go, Nicky. That must be one of those personal touches he was talking about in a recent blog post. The reviewer talks more about the horrible cover before starting into reviews of each story. He/she doesn't think much of Nicky's first entry in the anthology:
"This is a Nick Pacione story so you know what you’re in for.... A typical quote – “It was about four in the morning when I began to add everything up, and even then it just didn’t add up.”
This is such a badly written story it isn’t even funny. Can I give less than 0/10? It’s my review so yes. -5/10"
He/she doesn't think much more of Nicky's second attempt, "The Suicide Man":
"I’ll try to keep this short and succinct, but when you try to describe what’s wrong with a Pacione story, it’s easy to get carried away. This is the story he bigs up on the back cover, claiming it will be as controversial as Antichrist Superstar. Now we know why he does it. Just another example of his ego, his story must be the one we turn to first. It’s also the only story with illustrations – and they’re functional at best, which is more than can be said for the story."
The reviewer then makes some very salient points and concludes with:
"There are 16 separate references to the fact that Donna will burn in hell for committing suicide. The phrase “black, charred skin/flesh” appears 15 times in the story, despite its first appearance being on the page 4. The word fuck is referred to twice as the F-bomb.
Despite this being by far the worst story in the magazine - it took me two tries before I could lower my standards enough to read it all the way through - I’m going to give it 2/10 for being so damned funny."
I'm sure Nicky will try to deny that he wrote "The Suicide Man", but after recent revelations in an e-mail to AngryinIllinois, he won't have a leg to stand on.
All of the stories in the Issue 10 are reviewed, so I highly recommend that you check it out here. I'll have my own review up soon, as well. I'll post it at Scribd and at Authorsden.
20 comments:
So Nicky hearing a voice in his head in Appt 2w is evidence of ghostly goings on... Surely Nicky hearing voices is par for the course...
Hey Jenny, sorry to hijack this post. Can I have an email to send you a copy of Frigtening Fables anthology? or just email me at horrorhouse.editor@yahoo.com
And considering Rusty will not let me comment on the blog, can you just pass on, that the comment left on Nickys wasn't from me, it was my partner and all it said was LOL! As for her still being snarky, I actually applaud you and her for what you do - especially against Nicky. She might not be a fan of my work and she might think me a "Nitwit" but it doesn't bother me because I know I do good work with the magazine. I pay my writers, on top of that I pay a royalty scheme that has just helped someone get into the HWA and I do a lot of free advertising for others. I am also practically giving books away at the minute with a buy one get one free offer plus free shipping. I certainly don't rip off my writers. And as for harrassing anyone other than Nicky (and I didn't really harrass him, I just made a comment) I haven't. I just wanted to get that across. And as much as she dislikes me, I will keep reading hers and your blog as I find the whole Nicky thing so funny!!
just received this from Nicky boy!
I never lost Lake Fossil Press and never lost The Ethereal Gazette. The fact your attacking me on my blog with Nikkia that's very unprofessional. How is that going to look when people actually see the editor of Horrror House actually attacking the mentally ill. You actually insulted one of your contributors by doing that. K. Fire and I HATE each other. The fucker took my listing for the Gazette and Lake Fossil Press down because he doesn't want me thriving and surviving. I will continue as Lake Fossil Press whether you like it or not. AngryInIllinois has too much time on his hands because he's altering my novella and putting someone elses byline on it. Do you support that? Wait -- I am going to put it out there that your magazine supports e-piracy and plagiarism.
Nicky would not know plagiarism and e-piracy if they crawled up his arse and chewed his balls off.
I just read the review of Ethereal Gazette #10 that you posted a link for, and was surprised to find one of my stories 'A Malignant Shadow' in it. This is the first I've heard about it being published, having received no emails or anything to tell me. Does anyone know what to do in a situation like this, or will I have to chalk it up to experience and avoid this Nick person like the plague in future?
Chris, I assume you did send the story to Nicky as a submission and also that you never heard back/signed even a basic contract/etc?
If that's the case, then you've got two options as I see it:
1. Let it go, and chalk it up to experience. Ask Nicky for a PDF copy of the book or monetary payment or whatever he promised in his call for submissions. Use Google in the future to check out e-zines and publishers before you submit to them.
2. Make a stink. Write to Lulu and tell them that your story has been printed without your permission and identify which publication exactly (and copy Nicky). Warning: Lulu is slower than glaciers when it comes to responding to complaints. Then be prepared for having Nicky bad mouth you on-line whenever his little mental gears spin back around to your name.
Good luck. I'd be curious to know what you decide. If you want to correspond privately, my e-mail is jnny_torgerson (at) yahoo (dot) com.
Oh, wow, Chris, I just realized. You've got a story in the July issue of The Dark Fiction Spotlight as well. I thought your name sounded familiar, but I didn't put two and two together.
I have to ask you something related to the story in TDFS, then. Can you really ship handguns just anywhere in England? I remember reading that and thinking, "huh?". Gun laws are less restrictive in the U.S. , but even here, you can only ship to licensed firearms dealers. Just curious.
I think I'll probably just ask Nicky for a PDF of the mag, I can't remember what the payment promised was anyway. As for shipping handguns in England, you can do it so long as the police or customs don't find it. I was going for the illegal website kind of thing, since we don't really have gun stores over here.
Thanks for the clarification. I appreciate it.
I wonder how many of the other writers were unaware they'd been published.
The payment terms weren't generous in any case - a whole $10 per story. Not even enough to buy a copy of the collection.
I think we ought to contact all the writers in the book to check if they knew they'd been published - then set them on Nick like a pack of dogs if they haven't been paid.
Chris you really shouldn't write it off like that.
My friend Michael discovered Nicky had used a story of his -- without permission, payment, or even a 'thank you', months after Nicky used it. He basically was planning on sneaking it in without telling him.
Couple that with Nicky's habit in the past of conning kids that are barely teenagers in his work (some as young as 14) and the fact that in the last month we saw him try it again, same age, twice on VampireFreaks, and it's obvious he knows what he's doing, he just expects to get away with what he does to people.
Jenny I agree the quality of Ethereal Gazette was sub par before I came to own it and Lake Fossil Press. Myself, I write but I am not going to make the magazine or the company about me. The former editor and chief, Mr. Pacione, wished to appear in print magazines, so he created Ethereal Gazette then placed himself in about 40% of it. I won't do this, because I just want a quality product for the fans of horror, my ego having nothing to do with it.
Horror House Madam: Thank you for your support! Sadly, Nicky told me via email last night, when we were discussing the paperwork that led to him losing his company, that he thinks it's a joke. To me that says he admits he lost Lake Fossil Press and this is all some big game. I know Mr. Pacione can do ignorant naturally and well, but in the case of me taking over his company, he's pretending to be. He knows I have it.
Mr. Stateman: I am so sorry to hear you have become another victim of my predecessor. You are not alone as other authors and readers out there over the years fell victim to his scams, namely people that thought they were donating to Katrina relief.
You all would be doing your peers a great service from here on out if you warn them and everyone else not to get involved in Mr. Pacione's scams and lies. Rampant lying, plagiarizing, threats to dozens of people including teens and women, fraud, it's no wonder Nicky lost his company.
Angry, I just left this over at Rustys blog thought he/she (quite confused there lol) has not been posting any of my messages.
Dunno if you are going to post this or not as you haven’t my others, but AR Braun, just met nicky and nicky aske him for a story for his anthology as AR is a excellent horror writer. AR came across my post about Nicky on Facebook and pulled his story along with contacting all the other contributors personally to pass on my message.
I personally would like to support you taking over, but I must ask, is it a serious thing? I know you guys joke a lot over this and I think its hilarious, but if you are serious about doing it for real, I would back you up 100% all the way. I would even come aboard as a reader if you get any submissions and keep posting updates about it in my various locations on the web. Keep me updated.
Oh one little shameful plug ;) the call for our anthology STITCHED UP! is almost over if you'd like to submit, please check the GLs on the home page of HOH www.houseofhorror.org.uk
The reprinted story - Pebble Toss and Dare - first printed in Read By Dawn II - is credited above the stoey with not only the authors name spelt wrong, but the original publication was apparently in Read by Blood II...
Story, not stoey.
Even the best of us can make typos.
Ar Braun Great, Pacione--the Internet's biggest enemy--wants to publish two of my stories and is leaving me retarded phone messages. I told him NOT to publish any of my work, that they're copyrighted and I have a lawyer. That should scare him off.
7 hours ago · Comment ·LikeUnlike
Ben Eads likes this..Draven Ames I haven't heard about Pacione, I will have to be careful.
7 hours ago · LikeUnlike.Ar Braun He's a notorious homophobe and threatens to kill people on the Internet, a real virtual guts kind of guy. He was dropped by The Dark Fiction Spotlight and is featured at http://encyclopediadramatica.com/Nickolaus
7 hours ago · LikeUnlike · 1 personLoading....Draven Ames I haven't heard of Dramatica. Interesting.
7 hours ago · LikeUnlike.Draven Ames Hahaha. Priceless quotes there. Was he really that wrong in the book he talks about? It sounds like they both think they are right, about whatever it is. Crazy guy. He goes off on gay tirades and all sorts of things. Crazy
7 hours ago · LikeUnlike · 2 peopleLoading....Ar Braun Yes, it's unthinkable.
6 hours ago · LikeUnlike.Geoff Brown Pacione is a miasmic blight on the world of literature...he should be exterminated with EXTREME PREJUDICE!
(Yes, Nikolaus, I'm talking about YOU!)
See if you can find mention of him at briankeene.com...the zombie-meister HATES Pacione with a pacione...er...with a passion!
For your further lols, here's another great literate rant by the train-wreck that is Nicolaus 'Teh Goth' Pacione...
...
See more
“From this that eludes me which I pen this-- as what I say what eludes me is sleep, and from the sleep becomes the etchings where the dreams begin. In them as they are typed, from the tired fingers I would draw from them in the eyes which sagged on with the thoughts that keep me awake. The waking thoughts as they would be there are what caused me to awaken violently a few days ago-- that it would be still in the waning darkness which it would be described.”
— the first three sentences of his story collection, Collectives In A Forsaken Landscape
For more hilarity and criminal neglect/torture of our language, check out here:
http://wiki.fandomwank.com/index.php/Nicky_the_Goth
about an hour ago · UnlikeLike · 2 peopleLoading....Ben Eads Ar, you know how busy and out of touch I have been... and I do apologize a great deal. However, upon seeing you post, I had to add:
The three people in our field that should be avoided at all costs. Not just my personal opinion, the opinion of the entire genre itself.
#1: Steven Marshall and anything relating to him....
See more
#2: David Byron, same reasons.
#3:Nicolaus however you pronounce his last name.
I'm not pointing fingers, I'm posting this because new writers, or writers who haven't felt their scurge can be aware.
9 minutes ago · UnlikeLike · 2 people.Sammi Cox uh-oh. How did he get your phone number??
I have always been in favor of getting the word out on people who cause difficulties for authors. It is the only way for the more experienced amongst us to try and protect the newcomers.
Just had an email today from Bradley Zerbe. he didn't know he'd been printed in EG10 either.
Anon, that's insane. I mean I believe you, but now that's what - three? four? people that Nicky published who didn't know about it.
This is turning into a larger issue than I expected when it first came up. If Sam is looking to write an article about Nicky, I think she just found a pretty good angle.
I really do think we need to contact everyone who's ever been on a ToC of one of Nicky's collections and ask them. Get an accurate figure on how many writers he's ripped off or tried to rip off.
Post a Comment