Disappointment
6/21/01

Resigned


The Beginning

A long time ago, I wrote to Ellen Hayes with a fan letter about her Tucker story. We corresponded for a while, and she offered me a chance to collaborate on a story. I leaped at the chance, of course, and "Lady of the Rings" was started.

It is the tale of a quest for four magic rings. This was never the sole project for either of us, but we discussed it, worked on it when the Muse provided inspiration, and eventually got it about half done (two of the four rings obtained). I decided to post what we had, thinking that the rest, while developing slowly, would eventually be completed. In fact, we had a variably-detailed outline of the rest of the story, and several draft chapters beyond the conclusion of the second ring segment.

We also discussed in our private correspondence those other projects we were working on, and Ellen took offense at my private comments (and those of Tigger) on one of her stories. She chose to take her offended sensibilities public by posting attacks on Tigger and I at her website. That effectively ended any potential for further collaboration.



The Middle

I have always considered (and told those who would listen) that the primary spark and energy for "Lady of the Rings" came from Ellen. It is clear from reading it that there is more intensity and a sharper edge to that story than any that I have written by myself. I like to think that readers will feel I have made a contribution as well, but it seemed to me that Ellen was (much) better qualified than me to finish the story. I wrote to her with that suggestion. Once again, she felt it appropriate to make a public statement about our private correspondence. Since then, after first telling Ellen what I would say, I have been responding to private questions about "Lady of the Rings" with this:

***********************

In response to many requests for a continuation on Lady of the Rings, and considering Ellen's public statements making it impossible for us to work together any further, I wrote to her with the following information:

As I had said before, I still considered any continuation of Lady of the Rings hers if she wanted to work on it.

If she did indeed want to work on it, I made sure she knew where to obtain online anything we had worked on together. I would not claim any creative rights to work that had not been published at my site. In fact, if it were a requirement in order for her to work on it herself, I would give up any rights to the previously-published parts of "Lady of the Rings", taking it down from my site.

If she truly did not want to work on it, and would make that clear, then I thought it would be a shame for the story to die and I might consider working on it someday, but I would not do any sort of competing version.

I did not want to be referenced in anything she published.

Subsequent to my note to her she posted to her proofreaders page a modified version of several chapters we had worked on together. I wrote to her recognizing that action as a statement of intent, informing her that I would continue to leave online anything else she might want available, and reminding her that she had not removed my name from the drafts she had copied to her site.

She informed me that she intended to leave my name, without my consent, on whatever additional parts of "Lady of the Rings" she felt were appropriate. I wrote back insisting that my name not be used on what she published. Apparently this is 'kvetching', as she publicly declared at her site, and so unreasonable that she can no longer stand the idea of working on the story.

She has now poisoned the well on Lady of the Rings. To continue it in light of her statements would imply that I was actively and selfishly competing with her for the right to work on it. This was never the case. I will not, however, consent to her using my name on work that she publishes. As a result, it is unlikely that "Lady of the Rings" will ever be completed.



The Sad End

Ellen recently wrote to me (and posted to her website) a formal renunciation of any further interest in "Lady of the Rings". However, this is after she had tainted both any interest I might have in it, and the story itself (saying it made her feel "gross and slimy"). I wrote a short response to her which she published at her site and I have included here.

****************

Too bad, too late. Once upon a time you could have made a simple, "I'm not interested in working on "Lady of the Rings" anymore. Brandy can if she wants" announcement and I would have had a choice to make.

But that particular Humpty Dumpty has cracked, and all the large font shouting in the world won't put it back together again.

I recognize and accept your decision not to work on it any more. I won't either. To me (apparently to you also), that well is poisoned.

Too bad. It could have been a good story.

In the event people write to me about it, you know what I've been saying. I see no reason to change that.

****************

Her publication of my private note has provided a 'reason to change that' [policy of replying only in private with the situation on "Lady of the Rings"]. This message is that change. From now on, any questions about "Lady of the Rings" will be referred to this page.

No one is more sad than I am at what has happened on this story - and MUCH more importantly to the friendship I once shared with Ellen. In addition, as an author I feel a strong sense of responsibility to finish a story once I have drawn in the interest of readers. I seriously considered taking the story down from my site (as Ellen has taken it down from hers) so that no future readers would mistakenly make the very-reasonable assumption that this story would someday be finished. Instead, I have decided to offer this warning. Some readers have indicated that - even incomplete - this story is worth reading. I know that it is better than anything else I have ever been a part of as a writer (aside from being incomplete which is a very serious flaw, of course). So, I'll let the readers decide whether to invest a portion of their imagination in this portion of a story.





brandy_dew@hotmail.com