Plagiarism report

[destina]

I'm reporting a case of fully documented plagiarism involving one of my stories.

On 3/13/11, I was notified anonymously that my SPN RPS story White Knight, Talking Backwards (posted 11/13/2009) had been plagiarized in its entirety by xheart-of-lifex and reposted as a Whose Line Is It Anyway story titled by your side, posted 2/15/11. The story is also listed on

Comments

[notapoet47]

Hi! I actually am having the same issue with this author! I was notified today by lesssaid on Fanfiction.net that a (very bad) fic I wrote almost five years ago may have been plagiarized by a user on Livejournal. My username on FF.Net is masb1987, which I frequently go by. My story is Food of Love, and is a Rent fic. It was also posted to several LJ communities at that time. xheart-of-lifex called their story "Feast of Love." I didn't manage to get screenshots before they deleted their "version" of my story, however I do have excerpts saved. I PMed them on livejournal asking them about the similarities between our two stories, and within five minutes, the story was gone.

My fic:
So he'd gotten two jobs, working twenty hours a day for several months. Days were spent washing dishes in a sleazy diner, while nights were in a even more sleazy bar. Both jobs paid shit, but it paid for Roger's AZT and food, while Mark could swipe scraps from the diner to tide him over. When he came home for a few hours rest, he would usually be too exhausted to do more than lay on the couch and listen to Roger attempting to write a new song, then slipped into a deep sleep until he had to go to work again. Then, things changed.

Theirs:
So he'd gotten two jobs, working twenty hours a day for several months. Days were spent washing dishes in a sleazy diner, while nights were spent bar tending in an even sleazier bar. Both jobs paid shit, but it paid for Jeff's antidepressants and the rent, When he came home for a few hours rest, he would usually be too exhausted to do more than lay on the couch and listen to Jeff attempting to write up some new stuff in case he got a gig, then slipped into a deep sleep until he had to go to work again. Then, things changed.

My fic:

"I'm not hungry, you eat it," he whispered, laying back on the couch. He'd barely closed his eyes when Roger pulled him up, sliding behind him so Mark's head rested on Roger's shoulder, Roger's legs on either side of him. He couldn't help but stiffen at the contact. Taking slow, calming breaths, he opened his eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Feeding you," Roger's voice said in his ear. A damp metal spoon was pressed to Mark's lips, and he shook his head. "Eat the fucking soup," the pressure of the spoon increased, and Mark's sore lips reluctantly parted.

Theirs:

"I'm not hungry, you eat it," he whispered, laying back on the couch. He'd barely closed his eyes when Jeff grabbed onto his forearms and pulled him up, sliding right next to him so Chip's head rested on Jeff's shoulder, Jeff's body supporting his own. He couldn't help but stiffen at the contact. Taking slow, calming breaths, he opened his eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Feeding you," Jeff's voice said calmly in his ear, as if it was nothing. A damp metal spoon was pressed to Chip's lips, and he shook his head. "Eat the fucking soup." The tone was enough of a blend of humor and seriousness and Chip's sore lips reluctantly parted.

[notapoet47]

I do have more exerpts from the story, and will post some below. I have not received any response to my PM to xheart_of_lifex, apart from the story being deleted.

My fic:
Crash. The fourth glass Mark had broken at the bar that night. He went for a broom, shuddering slightly as he passed a table of leering men, friends of the manager. They came to the bar most nights, grabbing Mark's ass when he passed, calling him "cutie pie" and "baby." He bent over to sweep up the shattered glass, and just before he straightened up, a pair of hands came to Mark's hips. He stood, turning to tell whoever it was to fuck off, then saw that the man was his manager.

"Hey, boy," the man slurred slightly. Gary smirked at Mark's wide eyes as he pulled the filmmaker closer. "Come with me," he whispered, pulling Mark towards the back of the bar.

"But, I have to-" Mark protested weakly, as they entered Gary's office.

"Scotty can take of everything for tonight," Gary said, sitting at his desk. "Now, you need money for your pretty boyfriend, don't you?"

"He's not my-" Mark stopped at Gary's raised eyebrow and sighed. "Yes, I do." The grin on the manager's face widened.

"Then I've got an offer that will be very beneficial to both of us," Gary rose, coming to stand inches from Mark. "Some clients would be willing to pay good money for the pleasure of your… company." Mark's eyes closed as a pair of hands slid around him to grip his ass. "I'm willing to let you keep tips and 40 of what they pay you, to please them. On top of your regular salary, of course." Mark couldn't help the sharp intake of breath. He knew it'd be a lot of money, money that could buy his best friend years. He found himself nodding.

"I'll do it," he whispered and Gary pulled away, opening the door to call out to someone. Mark didn't know what he said, though, as a wave numbness and nausea overcame him. He heard one of the men's voices instructing him to get on his knees. For Roger, he reminded himself, as a hand threaded through his hair and yanked him forward.

Gary counted bills, smirking as Mark struggled to pull on his pants again, wincing as the rough fabric of his jeans pulled at scrapes. A large wad of bills were shoved into Mark's hands, and his eyes widened. There had to be enough money for Roger's medicine, and more.

"How'd ya like to do this more often?" Gary asked, leaning against his desk before Mark. A few months of this, and he'd probably be able to quit for good. Then he thought of Roger, of his dislike for Mimi's old job. This was a million times worse, but…

"How often?" he found himself asking as he pocketed the cash.

"Every night," Mark fought the bile that was rising in him.

"C-can I pick up another shift too?" Gary smirked, and they settled on hours. Mark barely managed to make it to the back alley before emptying the meager contents of his stomach.

Roger was sitting on the table fiddling with his guitar when Mark slid the door open. He looked up, smiling, then frowning when he saw Mark's pale and shaky form. He quickly rose to meet Mark and help him to the couch.

"I'm fine," Mark protested weakly, wincing as he sat.

"What's wrong?" Roger asked, running a concerned hand over Mark's sweaty face.

"Just a cold, I think," Mark whispered, laying on his side on the couch. "You should stay away, you cou-" Roger's callused hands left Mark shivering on the couch.

"I'll get you some soup," Roger called from the kitchen, and Mark's protests were cut off by another surge of nausea. He squatted before the toilet, dry heaving shakily. Finally, he felt it stop, and Roger pulled the small man into his arms, carrying him to the couch where Mark was deposited. A bowl of soup was shoved into his hands.

"Eat," Roger instructed, holding out a few crackers as well. "You look like shit," Mark glanced shakily at the vegetable soup. Two dollars a can, enough for a couple of pills for Roger, a voice taunted in his head, Selfish pig. Mark shoved the bowl into Roger's hands.

[notapoet47]

Theirs:

Crash. The fourth glass Chip had broken at the bar that night. He went for the broom that laid under the counter, trying to ignore but failing miserably as he passed a group of leering men who couldn’t have been that much older than him. He recognized them though, friends of the manager.

They came to the bar most nights, grabbing Chip's ass when he passed, calling him "sweetcheeks" and "baby." Bending over to sweep up the shattered glass, a pair of hands came to his hips. Standing up sharply, he turned with a jump, ready to tell whoever it was to fuck off; only to see that the man was his manager.

"Hey, hon," the man slurred slightly. Ray smirked at Chip's wide eyes as he pulled him closer.

"Come with me," he whispered, all but yanking Chip towards the back of the bar.

"But, I have to-" Chip protested weakly, as they entered Ray's office.

"Todd can take of everything for tonight," Ray said, sitting at his desk, clasping his hands together with a smirk. "Now, to business. I hear you need money for your pretty boyfriend, don't you?"

"He's not my-" As soon as he started, Chip stopped at Ray's raised eyebrow. Understanding the magnitude of what was happening, he sighed. "Yes, I do." The grin on the manager's face widened.

"Then I've got an offer that will be very beneficial to both of us," Ray rose, coming to stand inches from Chip. "Some of our regulars are willing to pay good money for the pleasure of your… company." Chip's eyes closed, feeling a pair of hands slide around him to grip his ass. "I'm willing to let you keep tips and 40% of what they pay you to please them. On top of your regular salary, of course." Chip couldn't help the sharp intake of breath, and it wasn’t from the hands that were all over him at this point. He knew it'd be a lot of money, money that could help his friend. Get him his life back.

He found himself nodding.

"I'll do it," he whispered and Ray pulled away, opening the door to call out to someone. Chip didn't know what he said, though, for a wave numbness and nausea overcame him as what’s actually happening finally sinks in. He heard one of the men from before instruct him to get on his knees. For Jeff, he reminded himself, as a hand threaded through his hair and yanked him forward.
___

Ray counted bills, smirking as Chip struggled to pull on his pants again, wincing as the rough fabric of his jeans pulled at scrapes. A large wad of bills was shoved into Chip's hands, causing his eyes to widen. There had to be enough money for Jeff's meds, and more.

"How'd ya like to do this more often?" Ray asked, leaning against his desk before Chip with grin on his face. A few months of this, and he'd probably be able to quit for good. He thought of Jeff and how often he had said getting paid for sex was deplorable... how it demoralized the act. How ashamed he’d be.

Chip then thought of Jeff, depressed and having to resort to drugs again.

"How often?" he found himself asking as he pocketed the cash.

"Every night," Ray laughed. Chip fought the bile that was rising in him.

"C-can I pick up another shift too?" Ray smirked, and they settled on hours. Chip barely managed to make it to the back alley before emptying the meager contents of his stomach.

Jeff was sitting on the table, doodling in a notebook when Chip pushed through the door, practically dead on his feet. Looking up, Jeff smiled, then frowned when he saw Chip's pale and shaky form. He quickly rose to meet Chip and help him to the couch.

"I'm fine," Chip protested weakly, wincing as he sat down.

"What's the matter? You look like death warmed over" Jeff asked, running a concerned hand over Chip's sweaty face.

"Just a cold, I think," Chip whispered, laying on his side on the couch. "You should stay away, don’t want you to catch it..." Jeff's callused hands left Chip shivering on the couch.

[notapoet47]

"I'll get you some soup," Jeff called from the kitchen, and Chip's protests were cut off by another surge of nausea. He squatted before the toilet, dry heaving shakily. Finally, he felt it stop, dropping his head weakly against the cool porcelain of the tub. Just a few seconds more, he told himself, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. The next thing he realized was Jeff pulling him into his arms, half-carrying him to the couch where Chip was deposited. A bowl of soup was shoved into his hands.

"Eat," Jeff instructed, holding out a few crackers as well. "You look like shit," Chip glanced shakily at the vegetable soup. Two dollars a can, enough for a couple of pills for Jeff, a voice taunted in his head. Selfish pig. Chip shoved the bowl into Jeff's hands, suddenly feeling sick.

[notapoet47]

I actually did make my own post originally, and was told by a mod to reply to this post with my case, so they wouldn't have multiple cases open about the same author. I didn't get screencaps because xheart_of_lifex deleted the story within minutes of my PMing them, however it could still be found on LJSeek as of last night, by searching for "feast of love." I understand that it doesn't mean as much without screencaps, however it doesn't hurt to share my experience, as well. Thanks for your input, though.

[clayangel]

Hi, I'm a moderator from a community where "Feast of Love" is archived if you need caps. We're going to remove it, and she's no longer a member of our community, but if any of her other stories are plagiarized, we'd like to know.

http://community.livejournal.com/wl_fanfiction/839048.html

[notapoet47]

Oh! Awesome, thanks a million, I've now screencapped that and will uploaded them when I get home.

[clayangel]

Glad to help. :)

[irishrose1]

Thank you for your assistance in this case. If you have a few caps, it will help with the documentation of this case. I got screen caps from the authors journal before the post was deleted, but a cap from the community helps to document the various places it was posted to.

Again, thanks!

[irishrose1]

At this time, we've only been able to verify two plagiarized stories. Others were removed before we could research them. We have capped as many as we can and will continue to research their authenticity. Please feel free to process the stories already posted to your community as you see fit.

Thank you for assisting us in this case!

[notapoet47]

Haha, yeah, I had the window open to screencap it, but when I went to do that, I accidentally hit "Home" instead. At which point it had already been deleted. Which was stupid on my part, but I'm sick and not thinking too clearly at the moment XD

[irishrose1]

Actually, I asked her to tag hers on to this so that we don't have multiple open posts regarding the same author. This way we keep it all together in the same thread.

Thank you though.

[irishrose1]

Hello, I am Irishrose and I am the mod in this case. The mod assisting in this case is mab_browne. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

I did manage to get screen caps of your story before it was removed from her LJ. Are you also still using your masb1987 lj?