just how kosher is fanfic?

Continuing the "literary" discussion series from earlier this week. *SNORT*

OK, SRS BZNS TIEMS. Seriously. If you are a writer ... how would you feel about fanfic** if you were an original author/creator of something being ficced? If you're in that position or have been, how DO you feel about it? Would your opinion be affected by if you knew the fans doing the writing ("knew" them online, that is) and if you liked them personally or not? Would you be flattered or offended by particular storylines or pairings involving your characters? Or would you have a blanket feeling - good or bad - about the phenomenon as a whole? Would you interact with your fans as "one of" them (as it's rumored Rowling does - I have no clue if it's true), or would you holler and protest like Anne Rice? Would you see it as plagiarism or something else?

A few weeks ago, I was on a panel with three published authors of erotica at a small convention - the title was something like "romance, erotica, and porn." At least one of the 2 female authors started out in fanfic. The male author was the only one to say he thought fanfic has helped drive the market for original erotica and porn written for and purchased by women in recent years. Both women were courteous and not dismissive of me as the token fanficcer, but I got the feeling that if I hadn't been on the panel (not me personally, but me as a fanfic writer), there are things either or both might have said that they wouldn't outright say in front of me. One did say she regarded fanfic as basically something you do until you mature enough to write original fiction (which I did counter with polite disagreement, since I know authors who also dabble in fanfic on the side).

**By "fanfic" I'm referring only to FPF, not RPF. RPF doesn't really apply in this case, anyway.

brain pain

Would someone PLEASE tell Americans Against Food Taxes to hire better ad writers? Seriously, I'm betting whoever did these dumbass commercials makes more than I do. These are the ones who say they're against taxing sodas and juice drinks to help finance universal health care. (Personally, as little soda as I drink, it wouldn't bother me a bit. But I digress, since that's not my point.) My favorite boner is the part of the ad that says "Taxes never made anybody healthy - exercise, education, and healthy eating do that."

Quick quiz: What finances:

Public education?
Public parks and trails?
Sidewalks (for walking)?
The USDA?
The FDA?
The CDC?
Head Start?
School lunches?

Nope. Not taxes. Nosiree!

This reminds me so much of the anti-socialists who nevertheless snatch up their monthly Social Security check and happily accept Medicare like it's going out of style - not to mention, drive on public highways, use rest stops, check books out at the library, go swimming at the city pool, etc. etc. etc. SOCIALISM IS NOTHING MORE THAN POOLING RESOURCES TO PARTICIPATE IN SHARED BENEFITS.

Yes, it allows those who don't have very much to benefit from those who have more on occasion. What evil lurks! God forbid a poor or lower-middle class person be made to FORGET for even a moment how hard life is supposed to be when you have less money, a worse job, or dimmer prospects than someone else.

ETA: And, apropos of absolutely nothing, I never say this ... but Joe Jackson needs to be Terminated. Like, yesterday. Before he can get his greedy, grubby hands anywhere near a grandchild with even a smidge of talent and fuck them up as badly as he has his own children. I have no great love of Michael, but every time this old bastard's face pops up on the news, he's working some sort of angle to put more cash in his pocket.