Plagiarism Rears Its Ugly Head…Again

But this time it didn’t happen to me.

As I’ve heard it said, "If it happens to one of us, it happens to all of us." To any writer, no truer statement can be made about the crime of plagiarism. Fellow writer, Greta Igl blogs about yet another recent incident. A friend of hers was shocked to find one of her poems published under a Facebook pal's name. From where do these monsters crawl out of? Do any of you also worry that one day we won't be able to publish anything online again for fear our words will be stolen?

Get over to Greta's site, For Write or Wrong and show her we writers stick together and won't tolerate such behavior.

Greta Igl’s For Write or Wrong: Stop! Thief!

Let’s give that Facebook bastard a piece of our minds.

-Angel

BTW, if you missed reading about my terrible case of plagiarism, I’ve provided links:

A Rage of Angel: I’ve Been Plagiarized and I’m Not Alone

A Rage of Angel: Plagiarized…Three Days Later

Paula Ray: Writer Spotlight

My recommended writer/poet/musician of the week is the ever-melodious, Paula Ray. Her work is an amalgam of playful rhythm and muted rage. “Sometimes I want to be smothered. I want to feed my screams to someone else…” from Break Me.

I’ve never heard her create magic on a saxophone, but the inflection of her aptly labeled Musical Pencil cries out to be heard:
“Why did I chose the sax?
Because it spoke to me and said,
“press your lips against my grain,
cradle me against your womb,
release the wind within your mind
and I will send your screams, sorrows,
and sighs star-ward
until the sunburned sky
showers you with blues.”
from Horn of the Devil Sounds Sweet.

She can tease our senses with evocative verse:
“I was one of working girls,
taking innocents into my private room,
teaching them fingering and tonguing tricks,
how to blow soft, make it scream loud,
get high, and growl. It was all about diaphragm,
rhythm, flow, and letting go.” from Sax Lessons.

And then, turn our world upside down in thirteen perfect words:
“You shake me up to watch,
my mind fall in flakes,
your amusement.” from Inside the Snowglobe.

It would be an injustice not to mention her outstanding flash fiction, composed with the same stunning, muse-inspired instrument. “She took the pen in her hand, it was still warm and sweaty from his palm, she could feel his pulse thumping beneath the engraved gold plating.” from Abigail’s Song.

Do yourself a favor and become a fan.

Works of interest include:

Shoots and Vines: Inside the Snowglobe

Everyday Weirdness: Abigail’s Song

Word Riot: Break Me

Strange Road: Sax Lessons and Horn of the Devil Sounds Sweet

Visit Paula’s blog “Musical Pencil” and be prepared to sing:

Paula Ray: Musical Pencil

All work cited is Copyright 2009 Paula Ray, all rights reserved

The Clarity of Night: Forgotten Ornithology

Jason Evans, attorney, writer, and twilightkeeper, has been hosting a Silhouette Short Fiction Contest on his bustling blog, The Clarity of Night. The challenge was to scribe a flash of 250 words or less on a provided image. My story, Forgotten Ornithology is entry #142.

The Clarity of Night: Forgotten Ornithology

Writers came out of the woodwork for this one. Many of my favorite writing friends have submitted their stories:

David Barber: Nature Is Cruel

Lee Hughes: The Mending of the Broken

Michael A. Kechula: Terrible News

Jodi MacArthur: Midnight Feathers

Michael J. Solender: Jumper

John Wiswell: No Sam For You

Jeffrey S. Callico: Window Seat

Go to the index link below for a full directory of all writers entered in the contest:

The Clarity of Night

Preditors and Editors: Surrogate Fruit

In case you’re in the voting mood, my story Surrogate Fruit seems to have been nominated in the Horror Short Story category over at the Preditors and Editors site.

Preditors and Editors: Surrogate Fruit

Of course, I’m not alone. Fellow writers Robert C. Eccles, Brian Barnett, Jonathan Pinnock and Graeme Reynolds can be found there as well. So vote for your favorite.

The Poem Factory: Defrost & The Supper Table

I’m finally back to this blogging thing. I hope everyone’s holiday was magical. Yes, the day job is zapping all my energy and leaving very little room for writing. But I’m not gonna let them beat me. Anyway…

Author and editor, Salvatore Buttaci has been kind enough to publish two poems of mine, Defrost and The Supper Table in the Winter 2010 Issue of The Poem Factory.

The Poem Factory: Winter 2010 Issue

He’s featured some great work by some gifted writers. An author that should be familiar to you all, Jeanette Cheezum has a very heart-felt piece, Hope featured as well. Enjoy!

At the Bijou: El Dia de los Reyes

Just in time for the holiday season, my story, El Dia de los Reyes (The Day of the Kings) is featured along side Ian Rochford's very cool tale, A Room at the Star down At the Bijou.

At the Bijou: El Dia de los Reyes, Angel Zapata

At the Bijou: A Room at the Star, Ian Rochford

Creator/editor/wordsmith/Harbinger 33 champion, Absolute Kate Pilarcik continues to inspire and publish writers every Tuesday and Thursday on her virtual theater blog. She’s a truly lovely woman with a remarkably giving heart. Thanks, Kate.

NYC Midnight Tweet me a Story: The Semi-Finals

I registered for the NYC Midnight Tweet me a Story Contest a few hours before the deadline last week. Basically, at 7pm the next evening they provided a key word (my word assignment was Produce) and every writer had until 11:59pm the same night to enter up to three, 140-character stories. They would then narrow down the entries to the Top 25 and put them up for reader vote. Both my stories made it into the Top 25 of my category, which puts me as a contender for the finals.

My request is to stop by, and if you like either or both, please vote for me. My stories begin, “She squeezed the tomato” and “His experimental pesticides had worked.”

The NYC Midnight Tweet me a Story Contest

Thanks in advance, fellow writers and readers.

Every Day Poets: Family Portrait

Got my poem, Family Portrait up on Every Day Poets.

Every Day Poets: Family Portrait

Once again, my sincere thanks to all the good people of this amazing poetry site.

I know I haven’t spent much time blogging in the cyberworld lately. You know us writer-types. I’ll try not to be such a hermit.

Flashshot: Howl

My new micro-horror piece, Howl is up on G.W. Thomas’ Flashshot. As always, if you miss reading it today, it’ll be available on the Last Ten Flashshots page.

Flashshot: Howl

Not From Here Are You? The Ash Blossoms

Michael Solender, blog meister of Not From Here Are You? has included my honorable mention story The Ash Blossoms in his remarkable Feast of Flash series.

Not From Here Are You? The Ash Blossoms

And Daniel Stine’s gratifying flash, Thanks Giving.

Not From Here Are You? Thanks Giving

Go have yourself a gander.

Thank you, Michael!