Toxic

[keiramarcos]

Anyone that pays attention probably knows that my real name is not Keira Marcos. In fact, "Keira" is just one of four nom de plumes I use on the Internet. Why on Earth would a person need four identities on the Internet? It comes down to privacy and with Keira the legality of fan fiction. It's a gray area and it's just not a risk I'm willing to take at this juncture. Two of the four names are professional author pen names which just leaves the fourth. The fourth one was the name I started out with when I first got on the Internet. It's tragic and romantic. I was 19. I was entitled to be tragic, emo, and romantic at 19.


Ever once in a while I get a little ranty comment on my site or comment form or if they are feeling very brave--they email directly from a throw-away email account they opened for the sole purpose of poking at me about my so-called BNF status (which you know I think is utter bullshit). Often these accounts are closed before I have a chance to respond. But, sometimes one of these people will keep the account open and a conversation will take place... when that happens I'm in for a rare bit of entertainment. Because frankly nothing is more entertaining than a "put upon entitled princess fan" who thinks I'm responsible for the greatest wrong ever done her. I was just going to sum up the conversation but I don't want to deprive any of my minions their due. Her emails are in blue and my responses are in red. In fact, anything in red is from me. LOL.

Keira,

First, I want to thank you for all the work you post. I really enjoy most of your work though I wish sometimes you'd focus just on the Stargate fandom. So many great writers are leaving the fandom for others and every time you post something that isn't Stargate it makes me sad. (oh, sad face)

Second, I wanted to talk to you about your LiveJournal and how you made excerpts from your WIPs "friends only". I don't actually belong to LJ so I can't "friend" you and therefore can't read the excerpts. This is really unfair of those of us who don't want or need an journal account with that service. My friend is on your "friends list" so she copied and pasted the excerpts into an email for me but it was a hassle for us both. Also? She said that when she unfriended you after wards (because she got tired of all the other stuff you post and your twitter feed, especially) that you immediately unfriended her in return. That's just a horrible way to treat one of your fans. It really hurt her feelings. (Hear that sound? That's the sound of the smallest violin on Earth playing the saddest song ever)

I just don't think you understand how and what fandom is. Your personality is abrasive and the one time I went into your chat room while you were there -- it was more like being in a bar getting drunk with a few friends. You weren't a very gracious host to be honest. You spent most of the time I was in the chat talking about some video on Youtube. I guess I thought when you did visit the chat room you would be there to talk about your writing and what was going to happen next on that front. As a reader and a fan, I was disappointed by your foul language, your casual demeanor, the unmoderated atmosphere, and the lack of information regarding your future works. (Unmoderated atmosphere? I bet she means your porn pics Azure)

I do hope that eventually you realize that your work is public property and that you learn to behave in a more professional manner in public forums like your LJ and the chat room on your site.

Sincerely,
Entitled Princess  (aside-- that's not really how she signed her name)

- - - -

Hi,

First, I'm really glad you enjoy my Stargate work. But I'm not at all sorry to say that my next fairly large project will be set in the Criminal Minds fandom. I hope your sad face isn't all pouty and weird since you could be wearing it for a year or more.

Second, I don't give a shit if it was a hassle for your friend to steal my work and pass it to you without my permission. Or that it hurt her feeling when I unfriended her. The only rule I have for being on my friend list is that you have to friend me back. 

Lastly, I'm in my chatroom a lot but I can't say I remember you being in there but you gotta have a pretty hardy personality AND be entertaining to stand out in that "online bar". It is what it is. If you don't like it-- don't go back. 

And fuck you. (Not professional at all but it IS totally sincere).

K

- - - -

Keira,

That is exactly what I'm talking about! I don't see how anyone who writes as well as you do has to be so badly behaved. You're obviously educated and have a good, supportive family. Don't you see how toxic you are?

Sincerely,
Entitled Princess Fan

- - - -

Here, have a YouTube Video and chill out. You sound like a 7th grade English teacher. Wait? Are you a bitter old maid teacher who never got laid and nursed a crush the high school prom king for like 40 years? Sorry. That sucks.

In the hopes you'll get therapy or at least get someone to pull that stick out of your ass,
Keira
- - - -

Keira,

Interacting with you is really putting me off reading your work. It's hard to reconcile how much I love some of your work with how much I sincerely don't like you.

Sigh,
Entitled Princess Fan

- - - -

Oh hey,

I'd never want you to damage yourself that way. You should totally stop emailing me AND reading my site. Spare yourself the grief at least until you've had five or six years of therapy, weirdo.

Keira

PS -- I'm going to block your email address so you can't email me anymore. It's for your own good and also your hate-on for my bitchosity is putting me off my game. Go get laid -- it'll improve your disposition. And if you can't find someone to fuck you, buy a toy for the love of Thor.

- - - -

Now, I didn't post this exchange to make you anyone mad. In fact, I never got mad at her while I was engaged in this conversation. Maybe I should have but mostly I just laughed at her. Maybe I am toxic. Maybe I do find horrible situations funny. Maybe I do act "unprofessionally" on my LJ and my chatroom and at Wal-Mart. I'm actually totally okay with that.

Happy fucking Tuesday!

Comments

[batspit.livejournal.com]

"Maybe I do act "unprofessionally" on my LJ and my chatroom and at Wal-Mart. I'm actually totally okay with that."

And that is why you have a rabid fanbase of devoted minions.

Why does anyone who has read anything you've ever written as Keira even bother with these pissant 'you're such a disappointment' emails. Where do they get the idea that you care what they think? Because I think you are always very clear on that point.

[keiramarcos]

MANY people labor under the delusion that their opinions are important to other people.

[vasaris.livejournal.com]

You're only toxic to people allergic to wit, good sense, and tolerance. As people like that need a good rash (and as such should pray to Dean Wichester, Angel of crabs, lice, and rashes in embarrassing places (http://nekomitsu.livejournal.com/54424.html)), getting tangled up with you just does them good. Criminal Minds, yay! Or yet more fandoms where I've never seen the show! I don't care, I'll read it. Hell, you make pairings I don't like awesome. So, entitle!princess needs to get over herself.

[vasaris.livejournal.com]

(and by tolerant, I mean being a decent human who doesn't GAF what other people are doing in their spare time/bedroom/WTF-ever. Your intolerance of stupid and its subset, bigotry, is infamous and often wildly hilarious).

[michele0013.livejournal.com]

I think its funny that she would say your writing is "public property"... Ummm what? Your writing (and mine, and anyone else who writes) are your own and you can chose to share it or not and with whom you share it. What a ridiculous statement.

[plot-h0les.livejournal.com]

Wow, I am way more amused by this exchange than I should be. Haha you are totally a role model of mine for speaking your mind :p

Public property ?!

[zeragregorie.livejournal.com]

Out of all the things to comment on from your 'fan's' mail and she did have a lot of issues. I just couldn't contain myself when she mentioned: I do hope that eventually you realize that your work is public property .

These are your works and that you choose to share them with us - I personally take as a gift. If you don't feel like sharing with everybody or Loki forbid remove them entirely from the internet, that is your right.

[djaddict.livejournal.com]

It's your lj and your chatroom, I think you can behave any way you want!

And btw, your WalMart story made my husband laugh so hard I thought he was going to choke!! lol

[keiramarcos]

My husband said I went too far calling the mananger a "little man". Then he stared me and said, "Did you let your eyes drop to his crotch insulting when you called him that?"

And I said. "MAYBE."

[reddeathherself.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the best laugh i've had all day! Some people just don't seem to understand their insignificance at all. She can't really have read anything you've written or it would be pretty obvious that you don't give a shit what anyone thinks (and why should you?). Even if you did - why does she think that her opinion is the right one? A lot of fandom is on lj - why doesn't she just spend the 30 seconds it takes and make an lj to read your friends only stuff? *sigh*

[joidianne4eva.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry I read all that and cackled. Does this make me a bad person? Maybe. Do I care? Not so much, but it is Tuesday and Tuesday is my official 'Couldn't give less of a fuck about people's opinion unless it amuses me' day

Also let Chris play you the world's smallest violin as background music while re-reading that first email.

[iadorespike]

Chris is so obviously happy to help out, here, it warms my heart. <333

[kelly-girl.livejournal.com]

I can't wait for that Criminal Minds fic.

I'm confused as to what she was trying to achieve with that email. Did she really think her EOD (email of disappointment) was going to somehow make you see the 'light' and change to only writing Stargate and whatever else she was going on about?

[lynalar.livejournal.com]

I'm going to have to go watch Criminal Minds now!

[lynalar.livejournal.com]

Many of my favorite authors/bloggers are receiving this crap lately, and it blows my mind. The sheer sense of entitlement those kind of "fans" seem to feel is boggling.

As readers, we owe a debt of gratitude to writers and creators. You spend time and effort to create stories that entertain us and engage us. At no point should a fan decide to tell you what to write (or not to write).

Frankly, anybody who follows you on LJ, Twitter, or FB for any real amount of time will get a feel for your personality. If they don't like it: don't read it!

You have a ton of minions who will happily read all your snark and attitude and personally? I love it! Your personal stories are fantastic. I think you express the "inner bitch" that so many of us wish we were brave enough to let loose!

For what it's worth: here's one more minion who hopes that you always remain just who you are; funny, witty, cutting, snarky, and brilliant!

[lady-usako.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for sharing. I really needed something to brighten my day and this made the laugh. I'm still laughing actually. Some people, OMG!

[kraymond24.livejournal.com]

Does she think you always need to be "on", like J.K. Rowling giving a HP press conference? Considering that she is not offering you any monetary compensation for reading your fanfiction, I don't see how in the world she thinks she is entitled to "professional" conduct. She obviously worked hard on those emails to find just the right balance of know-it-all and put-upon.

More importantly, I love reading all of your works (and your bitchy asides). You have already brought me into fandoms that I never thought of reading, either by your recs (Arthur/Eames) or your works (Mclane/Farrell). I have no idea how you did it, but you actually made me enjoy Die Hard fanfiction. I don't even think I have seen all of the movies!

this right here:

[druidchick.livejournal.com]

Does she think you always need to be "on", like J.K. Rowling giving a HP press conference? Considering that she is not offering you any monetary compensation for reading your fanfiction, I don't see how in the world she thinks she is entitled to "professional" conduct. She obviously worked hard on those emails to find just the right balance of know-it-all and put-upon.

[fashi0n-mistake.livejournal.com]

A big Criminal Minds project? Oh hell yeah!

And I'm just going to sit here and lol forever that she thought she could shame you into behaving 'properly' on the Internet. Somebody is clearly new to these parts.

[iadorespike]

*dies laughing*

Wow...Entitled Princess really thinks she's entitled. *stares* You know, the *toxic* attitude is one of the things that I love most about you. I'm eternally grateful that you're not the type to really give a shit what others say or think, because it would really piss me off if assholes like this stopped you from sharing with us.

Thanks for being you, Keira! (And the Keira persona works for me just fine! Hee!)

*hugs*

Anna

*runs off still laughing*

[rivkaesque.livejournal.com]

Well, of COURSE you act "unprofessionally" in your Keira personality. This may have something to do with the fact that unless someone is an utter prig, they usually only act professional in relation to their JOB. You know, their profession, that thing that they actually get paid for? Which she is very much not offering to do.

Maybe it would help if you pointed out that for those of us who sometimes have a hard time saying boo to a goose, you are a constant reminder and inspiration to develop our inner Amanda/Vala/pick a kick-ass woman.

Then again, why should you bother? She's what a friend of mine calls a special snowflake. And snowflakes can't hear.

Too Fuckin' Funny!

[rtdconvert.livejournal.com]

Public property my ass. So does that mean her emails are now public property as well?

What a sad pitiful person she must be to write like that.

Props to you for taking it all in stride.

[reilael.livejournal.com]

Bwahaha! That was all kinds of hilarious. What an entitled little twit - the header of your LJ wasn't clue enough for her? Thanks for the laughs. XD

[halftime1030.livejournal.com]

it was more like being in a bar getting drunk with a few friends
She says this like it's a bad thing...

Well I'm sure I speak for my fellow minions when I say I am truly grateful not only for your fantastic Website of All Things Awesome (free of charge for readers but which you pay for yourself) but for sharing your incredible writing with us! I'm very much looking forward to the CM fic :)

I'm also glad you share these lovely slices of life with us as well so we can gleefully mock all those who will be left behind when the zombie apocalypse comes.

[rabidfan.livejournal.com]

Since when is a Friends Only LJ public property??

And since when is it kosher to admit to getting someone to steal the contents of that Friends Only LJ for them and then get mad when it isn't the content they want.

I really don't understand people.

Happy Tuesday to you as well. It is...even with your questionable fans input...the best day of the week!

(And I confess to squeeing a little of the CM fanfic. JS)

[myjadedhavok.livejournal.com]

Don't hate on Azure's porn pics, damnit. I enjoy those. ;)



So honestly, the only part of that I don't find just sad and whiny is this part:

"I do hope that eventually you realize that your work is public property and that you learn to behave in a more professional manner in public forums like your LJ and the chat room on your site."

Because, no. Your work is YOUR WORK. It is YOUR PROPERTY. I love your work, I creepily stalk your livejournal, facebook, and website and check the WIP page more often than I should considering I know its not updated all that often (not a complaint on you. Just a sad reflection on myself) but I am more than aware that in the end, it belongs to YOU. Not me, not the "public".



Also, I don't get why everyone seems to find the chat room "intimidating". We're not mean, cruel, or unwelcoming to anyone. Hop in the conversation. It's usually about dicks, but that should not come as a surprise as we ARE self-labelled as "Keira's cock worshiping minions". I've never seen anyone be ignored, insulted, bullied, or anything else on the chat. There are some inside jokes, but you get that with any fandom, on an forum, and on any site. We're not mean and we don't bite (unless you ask for it nicely).

[otrame.livejournal.com]

I only visit occasionally, but I don't find it intimidating. Did she think everyone was supposed to stop talking to each other and pay attention to HER?

I bet she did.

[merrygal.livejournal.com]

Does she write to John Grisham and tells him what to write about - NO! You are the writer and it's your story, you only have to make yourself satisfied with what you write. We are lucky to be able to read and comment. She must be a Republican trying to tell you how to live, act and write. I've noticed many people leaving the fan sites because of people like her and it's really sad that they get away with this bullying - and that's what it is!

[kiananic.livejournal.com]

You are rude and abrasive. Can you teach me how to be so awesome?


Entitled Princess - kindly fuck off before you infect us with your stupidity.



Sincerely


Rabid Kiera Minion

[kerry-louise.livejournal.com]

Wow, Entitled Princess Fan is clearly a moron, are we sure she's even read your site? It's made pretty clear on there what you're opinion on emails like this are!

"I do hope that eventually you realize that your work is public property and that you learn to behave in a more professional manner in public forums like your LJ and the chat room on your site."
Also, she clearly doesn't understand fanfiction... because it's not public property and it isn't 'professional' - fanfiction writers are not actually, 'professionals' writing fanfic isn't anyone's job, even for the fanficers who do also write professionally!

[bookworm-2005.livejournal.com]

So funny. I really can't believe that people talk to you that way. I and my mom think you are The BOMB! Honestly, we look forward to every post here as well as your story updates. My mom, who barely understands social media or LJ, is always sending me links to your new posts with comments on how awesome and funny they are.
Seriously, some people.
You're an awesome role model for any aspiring fanfiction writer.

[serpentlady69.livejournal.com]

Thank you for sharing - this was completely hilarious.
And on a side note - *squee* Criminal Minds!! YES!!!