It seems she was an investigator who looked into the
mutilation of some
race horses. Her anger seems to stem from the fact one
publisher wouldn't
accept her autobiography because it resembled Francis' book.
She claims she
had been corresponding with Francis, and that he had worked
details of
their private correspondence into his book. The case had also
been covered
in the press, evidently.
Unfortunately, it's all tied in with her daughter's death
from cancer,
which she claims Francis also appropriated for his own novel
"without
warning." As well, she's upset at the parts of the book that
don't match
her life story (yeah, first it's too close to her life, then
it's not close
enough) and also that he seems to have included facts in the
book that she
never revealed to him, facts that "only myself, and the
person doing the
vandalism of my horses, could have known." She then wonders
if " persons
unknown have followed me on many occasions?" and notes that
"there are also
wheels within wheels that I cannot go into right now."
Despite what seems like a galloping case of paranoia, the
question does
remain: when someone bases a story on a real-life incident,
is it theft? (I
think Patrica Cornwell was also sued for this, but that had
to do more with
the fact that she used confidential coroner's reports which
she had access
to during her day job).
Personally, I'd have to question how someone could be sued
for distorting
the truth in fiction. Seems like a real "Duh!" to me, but
then, people have
successfully sued McDonald's because nobody told them that
hot coffee was
hot, and that it might hurt if you spill it on
yourself.
As for fiction based on other fiction, there's a huge gap
between theft and
homage, of rip-off and tribute. If GOD IS A BULLET really is
based on THE
SEARCHERS, my appreciation of the book just took a giant leap
forward (I'm
working my way through it now). So far, I've been very aware
of Teran
trying to push buttons and overwriting every single sentence,
but there is
a good story in there. But it's his impressionist writing
style that seems
to be getting most of the comments. If he keeps it up, he may
become the
Robert Leslie Bellem of his age (and I'm not meaning this as
a slam,
necessarily). I just read a another sentence that may be
regarded in the
future as a Teranism, where a "John Lee's Caddy tires into
the driveway."
But rather than detracting from my enjoyment of the story,
the Searchers
connection actually adds to it. Good eye, Mark.
Kevin Smith
The Thrilling Detective Web Site
http://www.colba.net/~kvnsmith/thrillingdetective/
In the April issue: True Confessions in our P.I. Poll
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