Mercedes Lackey
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[edit] Introduction
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[edit] The Author
Mercedes Lackey is one of several professional science fiction/fantasy authors to have found popularity among media fans, particuarly among slash fans for her positive portrayal of homosexual characters and homoerotic content, as well as her richly drawn and engaging magical and futuristic universes. In particular her "Herald Mage" series and offshoots was well received by fans.
However, due to several incidents of fans slipping over the edge in identifying with either the characters or worlds or structures of magic and cvilization she had built in her fictional works, including an incident where one of the people travelling with them to conventions was injured, Mercedes Lackey and her husband, Larry Dixon, stopped attending fan conventions in 1998-99.
[edit] The Canon
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[edit] Terminology
Below is a list of terms and their definitions that are used in this fan community.
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[edit] Fan fiction policy and history
According to the Ask Misty, Mercedes Lackey FAQ,[1] there is no fan fiction TOLERATED in fandoms based on her books with out her consent. The author needs to get a release form from Mercedes Lackey that says the author acknowledges that they using characters that belong to Mercedes Lackey and that the author's work estentially becomes Mercedes' Lackey's property. The decision to not allow fan fiction was made at her agents behest.
Mercedes Lackey's views on fan fiction are often mentioned in connection with Marion Zimmer Bradley's experinces with fan fiction. Nillo, in a post to alt.books.poppy-z-brite dated June 25, 2001 with a subject of "Re: PZB Fan Fiction " explains why when she says:
- Lackey, a protoge of Bradley, followed her mentor in *allowing* fanfics and even actively *reading* them at one point in her career.
- http://www.firebirdarts.com/mlackey/1mlask.htm which explains the release form Lackey has sometimes used to allow other authors to use her characters states "The release form was copied wholesale from Marion Zimmer Bradley's fanfiction release form and covers the occasion when she used someone's idea (with their permission and signature) in one of her Darkover novels."
This information is further substantiated in the mailing list FAQ for mercedes-lackey@vanyel.herald.co.uk. The list owner, Melanie Harper, writes in the FAQ:
- 6. I've written this really great story in one of Misty's universes. Should I post it to the list?
- No, please don't. Reliable information (Judith Louvis who runs Queen's Own, the offline Misty fan club), indicates that you MUST get permission from Misty, in writing, before writing fan fiction in Misty's universe(s). Since I, as list owner, have no way to verify that you have received such permission, a decision has been taken not to allow posting of stories on the list. What you do between yourselves is, of course, entirely up to you. The release, however, is not valid for online fiction, only for printed fiction. As far as I am aware (as of 6th July '94) there is no way of getting permission to release fiction in Misty's world(s) online. A copy of the release for printed work is available from the listowner on request (private email; please don't post requests to the list).
This information is substantiated again in the alt.books.david-weber FAQ. In it, David Weber states that he created his own fan fiction policy based off the advice of Mercedes Lackey. He says he has a copy of her legal release to write fan fiction derived from her works on his wall. He states in the FAQ that is Misty comes across those works, she will take legal action against the authors.
This information is substantiated yet again. According to a post by Larry Homer titled "Opinions on current copyright laws regarding online RPGs, fan fiction, etc?" on The Taint's message board, Mercedes Lackey does not tolerate fan fiction. Furthermore, this author or her lawyers aggressively seek to stop that sort of infringement.
This information is substantiated in a post by Margaret Carter to SIMEGEN-L Discussion List dated July 3, 1998. In this post, it states that Mercedes Lackey allows fan fiction but has veto power to not allow it.
This information is substantiated yet again according to a post by Kiri Aradia Morgan to the mailing list, tml@travellercentral.com, dated June 3, 2001, which states that Mercedes Lackey does not allow role playing games derived from her universe.
This information is supported yet again when in January of 1998, Kenneth Allen Hyde or Cennydd (the mailing list digests are confusing as to whom the author of the post actually is) said on mercedes-lackey@herald.co.uk the following:
- This is why a lot of authors have announced that they will prosecute fanfic authors. Misty is one of them. People on this list have gotten mail from her lawyers in the past about "copyright infringements."
This information is again substantiated in a post by "Owlie" to mercedes-lackey@herald.co.uk. The subject of the e-mail is Re: MIST: Copyrights (was Re: Fan Fiction?) and dated January 23, 1998. It says:
- Misty did allow some on-line fan fiction that she was able to monitor herself on a private BBS --- the people involved had to write a copyright waiver request form before they were allowed to participate. Even then, they could not used established characters, but had to create their own. What her policy is now would be found out by writing to her at the Aerie.
This information is again substantiated in a post by Kenneth Allen Hyde to mercedes-lackey@herald.co.uk. The subject of the e-mail is "MIST: Copyrights again (was Re: Fan Fiction?)" and the post is dated January 22, 1998. It says:
- Many fans think it would be a great idea. However, Misty and her lawyers think it is a very bad idea and have the law on their side.
and
- [...]there is of course, a way to write legitimate fiction about Velgarth or any other of Misty's worlds. You can try to contact her through her publisher and ask for permission. If you get it, then you can right your story and bask in the glow of being legal. =) Obviously, under certain circumstances, she allows it or "Swords of Ice" would not exist. (Of course, the obvious catch here is that SoI was edited by Misty, so it is clear that she doesn't surrender control of her creations completely).
It's supported once more by Nora Jemison on October 13, 1998 in a post to rec.arts.anime.fandom with a subject of "Re: Fanfiction & Copyright (was: Fan-Fiction Errors)" which states:
- A case in point is Mercedes Lackey, the (American, I think) author of several fantasy novels, some of which have been called "American yaoi" because of their style and content. She has *very* strict standards for fanfiction based on her novels, and she enforces those standards. Wannabe fanfic writers for her stuff must fill out a form and ask permission, and she grants it only so long as her characters aren't taken too far from her original depictions. If you don't like this, you can write whatever story you want, using her characters---but you'd better not post it anywhere.
According to Queen's Own, The Official Mercedes Lackey Fan Club, [2] if you would like a release or permission to write fan fiction in Mercedes Lackey's universes, you should write to the following snail mail address:
[edit] Timeline
Below is a partial timeline of events that took place in this fan community.
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[edit] Kerfluffles
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[edit] Influential Fanworks
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[edit] Fandom Members
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[edit] Fandom Size
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[edit] Links
[edit] See also
[edit] Sources
Below is a partial list of articles and academic sources to help you continue to learn about this community.
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