Plagiarism between the 'Starsky and Hutch' and 'The Sentinel' fandoms
Over the weekend I read pepper-ckua's story 'Heart of Darkness' which was plagiarised from my story 'Right Memory'. Pepper wrote under the pen name micah_loden in TS fandom.
Right Memory by Mab
My original post discussing this under friends lock, and showing comparisons between the two stories. At that time I didn't want to identify the person concerned.
I received an admission and apology from Micah/Pepper, and the story was taken down.
Screencap of Pepper's story, Heart of Darkness
I would have left it at that, but I was worried that she had done this more than once, given that it took nearly two years before her plagiarism of my story was discovered. Regrettably, I found the following:
Tea and Sympathy by Jojo at Bay City Library
As Needed by Micah Loden at 852 Prospect
I've taken a screencap of As Needed if the file disappears.
A comparison of the story contents:
Micah's story
Under Jim's shirt, the pad of bandages felt bunched-up, and the lumpy edge of the couch cushion pressed into his torn and stitched-up flesh.He hadn't even reached the itching stage, a truly bad sign. Already Jim's head was beginning to whirr in unpleasant anticipation of the journey upwards. He tentatively pushed down on his elbows,
Jojo's story
Under his shirt the pad of bandaging felt bunched-up, the lumpy edge of a couch cushion pressing into the torn and stitched-up flesh. Already his head was beginning to whirr in anticipation of the journey upwards. He pushed hopefully down on his elbows but they just gave way on him.
Micah's story
Jim knew he's always been a rotten patient, but he can't help but think the whole recuperation thing would have been just about bearable without Blair's unwanted food, his nerve-jangling chatter and the kind of uncontrollable energy that had made Jim think again, despite the horrors it entailed, of the appeal of being back in the hospital.
At least at Cascade General, Jim would have the luxury of visiting hours as an excuse to eject Blair.
Jojo's story
Perhaps the whole recuperation thing would have been just about bearable, but then there was Starsky arriving after work with unwanted food, nerve-jangling chatter and the kind of uncontrollable energy that had made Hutch want to be back in the hospital with the excuse of visiting hours to eject him.
Micah's story
Jim attempted to move again but was unable to suppress a whimper. The movement sent him spinning off again into a horrid orbit of pain. He was trapped with all his weight pressing down on the stitches, and the whimper became a moan. Unexpectedly a hand and an arm slid under his back. There wasn't any fumbling, no messing about, just a quick, gentle movement under his center. "Roll this way," Blair said. "Roll away from the wound. I've got you, Jim." Jim would have muttered something but his mouth was full of something that felt like an old gym sock. He realized he hadn't uttered a word all day. Blair helped him settle, and the pressure eased at once. He was silent as he adjusted the cushions behind Jim's back, and then tucked one expertly just below the bandaging. Jim felt his hand held up and two pills were placed on his palm. He finally opened his eyes to see Blair gazing at him quietly as he handed him a glass of water. Blair's face was calm, and was lit only by the dim light from the kitchen stove. There was just the right amount of water to get the pills down, and the liquid felt so good going down his throat that Jim wanted to moan.
Blair took the glass from him, and Jim leaned his head back against the couch.
His whole body was grateful for the fresh position. It was going to be ten minutes before the pills would kick in, ten long minutes, but just knowing relief was on its way was enough.
Jojo's story
The movement had sent him spinning off again. He was trapped with all his weight pressing down on the stitches and the whimper became a moan.
Unexpectedly a hand and an arm slid under his back. No messing about, a quick, gentle movement right under his centre.
"Roll this way," said a voice. "Away from the wound. I've got ya."
The pressure came off at once. Hutch muttered but his mouth was full of wool. The voice did not say anything else, but Hutch found himself being levered from the trap by a strongly-planted body. There were cushions behind his back in a second, and one dropped into his side, tucked expertly just below the bandaging. Then his hand was lifted, palm up, and two pills placed on it. Starsky, gazing at him quietly, handed him a glass of water and then moved away.
There was just the right amount of water to get the pills down. Hutch swallowed them and propped the empty glass on the couch by his knee. It was going to be ten minutes before they began to kick in.
Micah's story
An immense fatigue flooded him. "I want to go to bed," Jim said feebly.
Jojo's story
Still Hutch waited for the snap of the TV going on, the sudden launch into a rundown of today, the wild narrative swings of Starsky's scattergun approach to conversation. An immense fatigue flooded him. "Want to go to bed," he said feebly.
There is more, and I can email the full set of comparisons I made to the mods if you suggest an appropriate mail address.
Pepper/Micah is well-known in both the fandoms involved, and I just feel sick about this. However, I can't let it pass either.
Right Memory by Mab
My original post discussing this under friends lock, and showing comparisons between the two stories. At that time I didn't want to identify the person concerned.
I received an admission and apology from Micah/Pepper, and the story was taken down.
Screencap of Pepper's story, Heart of Darkness
I would have left it at that, but I was worried that she had done this more than once, given that it took nearly two years before her plagiarism of my story was discovered. Regrettably, I found the following:
Tea and Sympathy by Jojo at Bay City Library
As Needed by Micah Loden at 852 Prospect
I've taken a screencap of As Needed if the file disappears.
A comparison of the story contents:
Micah's story
Under Jim's shirt, the pad of bandages felt bunched-up, and the lumpy edge of the couch cushion pressed into his torn and stitched-up flesh.He hadn't even reached the itching stage, a truly bad sign. Already Jim's head was beginning to whirr in unpleasant anticipation of the journey upwards. He tentatively pushed down on his elbows,
Jojo's story
Under his shirt the pad of bandaging felt bunched-up, the lumpy edge of a couch cushion pressing into the torn and stitched-up flesh. Already his head was beginning to whirr in anticipation of the journey upwards. He pushed hopefully down on his elbows but they just gave way on him.
Micah's story
Jim knew he's always been a rotten patient, but he can't help but think the whole recuperation thing would have been just about bearable without Blair's unwanted food, his nerve-jangling chatter and the kind of uncontrollable energy that had made Jim think again, despite the horrors it entailed, of the appeal of being back in the hospital.
At least at Cascade General, Jim would have the luxury of visiting hours as an excuse to eject Blair.
Jojo's story
Perhaps the whole recuperation thing would have been just about bearable, but then there was Starsky arriving after work with unwanted food, nerve-jangling chatter and the kind of uncontrollable energy that had made Hutch want to be back in the hospital with the excuse of visiting hours to eject him.
Micah's story
Jim attempted to move again but was unable to suppress a whimper. The movement sent him spinning off again into a horrid orbit of pain. He was trapped with all his weight pressing down on the stitches, and the whimper became a moan. Unexpectedly a hand and an arm slid under his back. There wasn't any fumbling, no messing about, just a quick, gentle movement under his center. "Roll this way," Blair said. "Roll away from the wound. I've got you, Jim." Jim would have muttered something but his mouth was full of something that felt like an old gym sock. He realized he hadn't uttered a word all day. Blair helped him settle, and the pressure eased at once. He was silent as he adjusted the cushions behind Jim's back, and then tucked one expertly just below the bandaging. Jim felt his hand held up and two pills were placed on his palm. He finally opened his eyes to see Blair gazing at him quietly as he handed him a glass of water. Blair's face was calm, and was lit only by the dim light from the kitchen stove. There was just the right amount of water to get the pills down, and the liquid felt so good going down his throat that Jim wanted to moan.
Blair took the glass from him, and Jim leaned his head back against the couch.
His whole body was grateful for the fresh position. It was going to be ten minutes before the pills would kick in, ten long minutes, but just knowing relief was on its way was enough.
Jojo's story
The movement had sent him spinning off again. He was trapped with all his weight pressing down on the stitches and the whimper became a moan.
Unexpectedly a hand and an arm slid under his back. No messing about, a quick, gentle movement right under his centre.
"Roll this way," said a voice. "Away from the wound. I've got ya."
The pressure came off at once. Hutch muttered but his mouth was full of wool. The voice did not say anything else, but Hutch found himself being levered from the trap by a strongly-planted body. There were cushions behind his back in a second, and one dropped into his side, tucked expertly just below the bandaging. Then his hand was lifted, palm up, and two pills placed on it. Starsky, gazing at him quietly, handed him a glass of water and then moved away.
There was just the right amount of water to get the pills down. Hutch swallowed them and propped the empty glass on the couch by his knee. It was going to be ten minutes before they began to kick in.
Micah's story
An immense fatigue flooded him. "I want to go to bed," Jim said feebly.
Jojo's story
Still Hutch waited for the snap of the TV going on, the sudden launch into a rundown of today, the wild narrative swings of Starsky's scattergun approach to conversation. An immense fatigue flooded him. "Want to go to bed," he said feebly.
There is more, and I can email the full set of comparisons I made to the mods if you suggest an appropriate mail address.
Pepper/Micah is well-known in both the fandoms involved, and I just feel sick about this. However, I can't let it pass either.