An Echo of Strings by L. J. Geoffrion

Tell us what you thought about the March 2008 issue!

Moderator: Editors

Post Reply
Megawatts
Master Critic
Posts: 951
Joined: December 31, 1969, 08:00:00 PM
Location: Johnstown, Pa.

Re: An Echo of Strings by L. J. Geoffrion

Post by Megawatts »

The Edmund Fitzgerald. I remember when it sank, and the stories of space aliens abducting the crew. The song that became mixed with folklore and the legend of it that seems to grow as time passes. But remember one thing: Family members of its crew are still alive!

I think it’s too soon to write fiction about the Edmund Fitzgerald.

I can understand writing fiction about the Titanic, or even ships that perished during the second war, but the Edmund Fitzgerald is still too recent a tragedy.
Tesla Lives!!!
User avatar
kailhofer
Editor Emeritus
Posts: 3245
Joined: December 31, 1969, 08:00:00 PM
Location: Kaukauna, Wisconsin (USA)
Contact:

Re: An Echo of Strings by L. J. Geoffrion

Post by kailhofer »

I am absolutely in favor of using real places and events. I think the world should be much more magical if such things happened around us. Real people, however, I feel don't belong in a story.

I think you have to consider your libel risk. Obviously, these people have some small measure of fame from the tragedy, and famous people have different privacy rights. Also, to prove libel they'd have to prove intent to harm or malign, and I just don't see that here. I doubt, however, if their estates would be quite so generous about it. The event seems to still be an open wound for them, at least when you see stories about closing the Fitzgerald to divers.


Nate

PS. Are you Yooper or Cheesehead?
Hardcover, paperback, pdf, eBook, iBook, Nook, and now Kindle & Kobo!
Image
A cooperative effort between 17 Aphelion authors. No part of any sales go to Aphelion.
User avatar
Robert_Moriyama
Editor Emeritus
Posts: 2379
Joined: December 31, 1969, 08:00:00 PM
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Contact:

Re: An Echo of Strings by L. J. Geoffrion

Post by Robert_Moriyama »

At first I thought that L. J. had used fictitious names, but the characters' names seem to match those on the crew list (http://www.ssefo.com/crew/index.html)... However, aside from some "adult" language (which one suspects would be mild compared to what a real laker crew might use), none of the characters does anything wrong (i.e., there is no suggestion of negligence or illegal acts; at worst, the captain misjudged the severity of the storm, during an era with rudimentary weather forecasting technology). I suppose the families could find something objectionable if they really tried, but it is clear that the author did not intend to malign any of the men lost. They might even take some comfort in the thought that there was magic at work that day...*

(*assuming there are no fundamentalist Christians among them who would think that the Lady and Hekka Lunta would have to be considered to be demons at best, seducing the men of the Fitz and leading them to their doom. Of course, in that case, the disaster would be even less the fault of the crew, as they would be victims of evil forces.)

RM
You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.

Jack London (1876-1916)
Post Reply

Return to “March 2008”