I’m curious. How is it that you first came across Dagstine, and what is your history with him? I personally had never heard of him until a few months ago, when he started making a fool of himself in broad daylight, so to speak.
Just askin’ . . .
February 8, 2008
February 9, 2008 at 1:45 pm
I met him in person only a few times in the 1990s. I never really knew him that well, but I did catch on that he was a bit strange and self-obsessed. Never saw him much for a long time.
Then into the 21st century I started seeing his name popping up on these horror and scifi websites I would be visiting (although I never, ever posted anything to their forums).
He would cause all sorts of trouble and spout crap at everyone.
I only recently began to respond to his outrageous posts.
February 9, 2008 at 2:22 pm
He’s been making an ass of himself far longer than I suspected. Alright, then. I can’t feel too bad about calling him on his phony credits, and e-lawyer threats.
I used to think he was some misguided newbie. He’s really getting to be annoying. Spew crap, pick fights, apologize, go away for a month or two, then rinse and repeat.
Somehow, I think all the negative publicity he’s been gaining is only serving to shoot his credibility to pieces.
February 9, 2008 at 2:54 pm
I’m not at all surprised that he’s always been this way. people tend to establish patterns of behavior, both good and bad.
Dagstine’s actions are very self-destructive, although I doubt he realizes it.
He doesn’t have enough talent to get away with this kind of behavior. He just thinks he does.
February 9, 2008 at 3:05 pm
You’re right. He doesn’t have the talent. I only recently got around to reading his fiction. To put it mildly, it sucks. Oh, he has the occassional good idea, but no real writing skill.
He likes to boast about his small press credits. It seems these credits tend to boost his feeling that he is talented.
The one thing he doesn’t realize is that there is the small press, and then there is the small press—if you get my meaning.
The small press category he falls into is the one with the bad editorial screening who take any story some fool emails them. (Look at his credits list to see a list and get an idea of this category of amateur tripe)
The real small press still have high standards.
February 9, 2008 at 3:07 pm
To add to that, I think he got lucky with Escape Velocity, issue one. But then again, I don’t know much about them to determine if they are a genuine small press or a bunch of wannabies.
February 9, 2008 at 11:36 pm
From what I heard, Johaha is originally a science fiction writer from Silverthought who is jealous of Lawrence.
Once again, Lawrence only knew one writer in the 90’s. And he’s dead now — Kurt Vonnegut — a young aspiring Lawrence delivered prescriptions to this man in Manhattan, this set the stage for him pursuing the craft further.
Lawrence only knew a small circle of people back in the day, and he barely submitted in the 90’s, mostly partied in Manhattan, but would you clarify how you know about Lawrence and how you know so much about the science fiction field, such as Ellen Datlow and Asimov’s? And then claim to know about graffiti? What is your tag, dear sir?
Also, Mr. Johaha, what do you know about the 90’s?
Please explain more specifically? Folks would like to know, as I am sure “Lawrence” and “The Rusty Nail” would.
After all, the the truth MUST come out…
February 9, 2008 at 11:53 pm
Does Johaha have a story in Escape Velocity 1?
February 10, 2008 at 3:12 am
How many times do I have to tell you, GraffitiArtist Larry? Cut it out, already!
This is a blog, not Shocklines. You’re way out of line.
Your problem is a lot bigger than your inability to let something drop. Every time you get pissed off about being called on something, you drop nastygrams directed at another commenter, and/or threaten to call out your e-lawyers on me. Whoop-de-do.
It’s high time you tuck your tail between your legs, and slink off into the sunset like a good little boy.
Picking e-fights with established writers is the perfect way to become King of the Dungpile, but it does nothing to make you a better writer, nor improve your sales figures.
I would suggest that you abandon your strategy of using a bazillion alts to spread your special brand of manure. It’s getting to be extremely tiresome.
February 10, 2008 at 4:19 am
Once again, Sir Shit-A-Lot is way off base with his paranoia. I am not a writer of any sort. I knew some friends of Dagstine’s, that’s how I met you, you idiot. (M friend took a journalism class with you, stupid.)
Graffiti artist? You showed me your stuff once in the 90s. It was good, I must admit. But when I first read your fiction a few months ago, well, not so good.
How do I know so much about the field? I am a horror fan. Sometimes a scifi fan. It is not unusual for a fan to know something about Asimov’s. Even some non-fans know of Asimov’s.
And I find it hard to believe that anyone would be jealous of you. You have no talent as a writer.
“The small press category he falls into is the one with the bad editorial screening who take any story some fool emails them. (Look at his credits list to see a list and get an idea of this category of amateur tripe)
The real small press still have high standards.”
February 10, 2008 at 4:26 am
I’ve looked through the contents of EV issue one. Let’s break it down. Who is this writer that I am supposed to be?
I’ll do an internet search for him or her. If you won’t do it yourself, I may even contact the person for you. How’s that?
Time to settle this once and for all.
February 10, 2008 at 4:28 am
“Lawrence only knew a small circle of people back in the day, and he barely submitted in the 90’s, mostly partied in Manhattan..”
Yeah. I did not know you from your writing, fool. As I said, I met you through someone else.
God are you stupid or what.
February 10, 2008 at 5:09 am
Too late, you FAILED Johaha:
Here:
-(My friend took a journalism class with you, stupid.)-
Wrong! My journalism was all textbook take home. And don’t even pull the Creative Writing class card, I knew everyone else in there closely. As well as my other two classes.
-(Graffiti artist? You showed me your stuff once in the 90s. It was good, I must admit. But when I first read your fiction a few months ago, well, not so good.)-
Wrong! You’ve been reading my fiction for between 2 and 3 years, not just recently. Silverthought, remember? You never saw my graffiti art beyond a super old website of mine called Vorpal Sword. And everybody’s grandmother knows about that old site.
-(How do I know so much about the field? I am a horror fan. Sometimes a scifi fan.)-
Which is it, Johaha, a scifi fan or a horror fan? You keep mixing stuff up. You were a scifi fan first and foremost??? What happened??
-(And I find it hard to believe that anyone would be jealous of you. You have no talent as a writer.)-
Once again, after two-three years you have no talent as a troll, Johaha. You lost ALL validity a few sentences back.
Bye Johaha…
,…Oh yeah, remember that mirror I told you about a while back… go back to staring at yourself in it, but this time put on a mask of me and grin.
L
February 10, 2008 at 7:37 am
i find that the desperation that causes Dagstine to try and pretend to be his own fan amusing.
Hey, Dagstine, you can’t get anyone else to fight your battles for you, little boy, so you must use alts?
February 10, 2008 at 10:51 am
Once again, the Shit head blows crap. You met people on that course, asshole. I know you did. Otherwise I would never have met you face to face.
Dude, I have always been horror. I used to hang at TODP.
So come on, fuckface, give me a name. I will go internet searching for this person I am supposed to be and I will personally contact him or her. Then we shall see who’s grinning.
(Why haven’t you contact this person yourself, I wonder?)
February 10, 2008 at 10:52 am
Popcorn! Get your popcorn here!
February 10, 2008 at 11:09 am
i read his Black Swan story. it was piss poor. For one thing, no one would act the way his character did under those circumstances.
As a “space jockey” experienced or not, she would have had lots of training to handle a crisis
Secondly, terror is not a violent physical force.
third, have you researched the way that adrenaline works in the real world? Have you realized there are not two, but four possible responses in the human psyche to that kind of situation?
Do you understand that an experience like that would create an entirely different set of biological responses in someone who was trained as a space jockey?
I suggest that you go back and do your research better.
and you took a correspondence course in journalism? That is just pure fail.
your character came across as a stereotypical female wuss.
February 10, 2008 at 11:12 am
I want enough popcorn to fill his house with it and then make it pop using a laser.
February 10, 2008 at 11:16 am
Can we make it blue corn? He’s really having a blue day.
February 10, 2008 at 11:20 am
I want butter.
And salt.
February 10, 2008 at 11:26 am
*provides butter and salt*
I like putting garlic salt on mine, but i will resist that impulse.
The situation is spicy enough already.
February 10, 2008 at 11:33 am
Terror, complete and undiluted, is a violent physical force. Unless it can be channeled into action, it feeds on itself. After that, it feeds on the person owning it. And in a universe as infinite as ours, it will eventually feed on everything.
First paragraph of Black Swan.
it is offensive to mine eyes.
Terror is always complete, it is an extreme state of fear.
Violent physical force? No. Totally the opposite. Physical = not at all. Violent? No! Terror is numbing. You freeze or flee in terror. You never take proactive action when terrified.
‘Unless it can be channeled into action’ – it can’t. Just said that.
‘It feeds on itself and then on the person owning it.’
Hold on. If you own it, you control it. That isn’t terror. Also, if it feeds on itself, how can it do anything afterward. Surely it is gone. After it has fed on itself, it is gone, and the person who ‘owns’ the terror is fine. Yay!
‘A universe as infinite as ours’ – says who? Is the universe infinite, or are there boundaries so far out we may never know? ‘As ours’ – as opposed to who’s?
So the terror, once having fed on itself, and then the person who ‘owns’ it, it will then feed on something infinite.
It will feed on everything in an infinite universe.
Ok, I’m going back to watching Lewis Black on Youtube. Only seeing him get so mad can calm me down!
And stop eating that popcorn! bloody noisy, and I’m trying to focus! grrrrr
February 10, 2008 at 11:34 am
More popcorn anyone?
February 10, 2008 at 11:40 am
That’s it. I’m setting up a nachos concession.
February 10, 2008 at 11:48 am
cheddar cheese dip.
February 10, 2008 at 11:57 am
I love nachos. My favorite dip, however, is bacon and horseradish.
February 10, 2008 at 12:26 pm
In honor of Dagstine, since he is living in Brooklyn, we must have a hot dog stand. Mustard is not optional. Ketchup and sauerkraut are optional. In case some Chicagoans show up, there’s a salad bar, so you can have a little hot dog with your salad-on-a-bun.
February 10, 2008 at 12:43 pm
What? No chili cheese dogs?
February 10, 2008 at 12:48 pm
The chili, cheese, and onions are over with the regular condiments, not at the salad bar. There’s even some pickle relish for those who want it.
February 10, 2008 at 12:55 pm
I love a good chili cheese dog.
Still waiting for that name…
February 10, 2008 at 12:58 pm
I love them too, Johaha. *makes herself two chili cheese dogs*
February 10, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Well, now I’m just hungry.
How I am supposed to finish this paper for grad school?
Oh, yeah…stop coming over here all the time…
February 10, 2008 at 1:19 pm
hi, kevin! Welcome to the chaos zone.
February 10, 2008 at 1:20 pm
I think we just found a recruit to run the funnel cake stand.
February 10, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Are you kidding? Watching the posts the last two days has made me hungry enough to EAT the funnel cake stand.
Oops, sorry. Where was I…oh yeah, my “Writing Process and Product” paper for Comp Theory…
…mmm…Funnel Cake…..
February 10, 2008 at 1:34 pm
mmm Funnel Cake. I haven’t had it in years. Must have funnel cake soon.
February 10, 2008 at 1:37 pm
We know better than to eat hot dogs in New York. Actually, we know better than to eat anything off a kiosk in New York. But no one tells the tourists that.
February 10, 2008 at 1:42 pm
All this food is making me so hungry I could eat my arm off.
And I’ still waiting for that name…..
Hell, I’ll probably eat that, too.
February 10, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Eat the tourists.
February 10, 2008 at 1:43 pm
I once gave a British couple directions to Park Avenue from Astor Place. Didn’t tell them the walk was about a mile and a half.
February 10, 2008 at 1:44 pm
mmmm…..tourists….
February 10, 2008 at 1:50 pm
I don’t think he’s going to give you the name, my child.
Eat Dagstine.
February 10, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Lawrence Dagstine 2008-2009
« on: September 20, 2007, 08:39:46 AM »
Dear Fellow ST’ers
I have become VERY tired of writing fiction. Actually, I’m beginning to hate it! Yes, I HATE WRITING… And I’ve fresh run out of ideas. Though I’ve been doing very well in the short fiction department as of late, clocking in checks and publication credits at an amazing rate, I need a break. I can’t focus anymore (I wouldn’t be surprised if this post has a misspelling or two). I’m up 20 hours out of a 24 hour day working on baby or writing related stuff. It’s impossible to do both; I do not possess such convenience(s).
Since the birth of my little boy, I have become drained. I’ve prepared for his arrival, mind you, knowing well how time would be lost and by creating at least one new short story per week (in 2007) and editing a magazine (when it still existed), gathering a decent backlog of fresh manuscripts, and having completed the purchasing of baby supplies and household sterilizing and all that house husband/fatherly kind of stuff.
I’m exhausted.
I haven’t read enough books in 2007. I want to return to reading longer works. And reviewing now, since I’ve been appointed to the Whispers of Wickedness genre magazine review team in the UK. But most of all watching my kid grow over the next year, taking him in his stroller to the park with a good book. I know this is a tired rant and all, but I just wanted to say I will be writing 5 more short stories and 2 novellas — then I’m taking 2008 off from fiction.
I need a year off.
I will still submit my newer stuff, got mags with my fiction coming out all next year to boot. I will also make a return to writing novels in 2010, when my kid enters preschool, with a slipstream title about a man with meniere’s disease who gets surgery and goes 100% deaf, yet he goes and finds himself, finds out who he is spiritually in a futuristic London. And I will finish the Sam’s Dot Publishing short story collection, as promised.
I will STILL update my blog when I have time, roughly 10 times a month. You can find all the new stuff and good stuff there. But I need some time off, to watch my kid grow, to gather some new ideas… I need to read more… I need to rest and live life beyond these four walls and this LCD screen. It’s unhealthy.
Sorry for this rant. But in case people don’t see me for extended periods and such, well, you know where I am.
If anything amazing or new happens, I’ll throw it in here.
Lawrence Dagstine
http://www.lawrencedagstine.com
February 10, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I think this little clip is apropos.
February 10, 2008 at 2:26 pm
“WOW! Where can I get funnel cake to eat with that?”
“Quiet, you.”
February 10, 2008 at 2:29 pm
there he goes using his child as an excuse again. those of us who pursued writing careers and raising children know that it is bullshit.
February 10, 2008 at 2:36 pm
That thread on Silverthought was started last fall, but Dag’s most recent comment on it was added today. Apparently, his enthusiasm these days is limited to starting flame wars.
February 10, 2008 at 2:45 pm
To quote Dirty Harry Callahan, “Nobody, but nobody, eats ketchup on a hot dog.” I’ll take mine with mustard and sauerkraut, please.
February 10, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Well, anytime he feels ready to give me a name, I’ll get on google, perform a search and if I find the person I’ll contact them personally.
February 10, 2008 at 3:22 pm
maybe that’s the part he doesn’t like.
*passes popcorn to cuss. grabs chili cheese dog from rusty*
February 10, 2008 at 3:25 pm
*steals funnel cake from Kevin*
February 10, 2008 at 3:34 pm
*gasps in horror* that was mine! thief!
February 10, 2008 at 3:42 pm
*dons a Wavy Gravy wig and ducks into the Fun House*
February 10, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Dagstine hates clothes.
You know what I’m saying?
You know what I’m saying?
You know what I’m saying?
February 10, 2008 at 7:18 pm
**belated yelp of fury**
Hey! That’s my funnel cake!
February 10, 2008 at 11:10 pm
*after snatching everybody’s food, belches loudly*
February 11, 2008 at 1:26 am
THE CAKE IS A LIE (if any of you get th at quote you’re awesome)
February 11, 2008 at 2:14 am
random fox girl, Val Kilmer called and wants his popcorn space laser back now if you’re done with it …
February 11, 2008 at 6:39 am
Did someone say… Chaos Zone?
February 11, 2008 at 6:41 am
I think I said “welcome to the Chaos Zone” in the other thread. What’s life without a little chaos to brighten up the day?
February 11, 2008 at 8:34 am
*opens an orange portal under Random Fox Girl*
I go away for a couple of days and Daffystine plays the alt card? Wow…
I’d go for a hot dog, but I’m trying to lose weight.
February 11, 2008 at 8:50 am
*shares her grapefruit with Mike*
February 11, 2008 at 8:54 am
Daftstine was hilarious. He’s got more alts than a horde of trolls.
February 11, 2008 at 9:01 am
NOMs onna grapefruit.
You know if we can get them to bunch up together a well-placed Fireball should take care of them.
February 11, 2008 at 10:05 am
Dagstine does love to adopt alts to come to his defense, referring to himself in the third person, pretending to be a fan of his.
In case you missed it, Mike, he’s also the infamous Valentinevegen. He got caught at that, as well the phony credits. I believe that’s what set off his weekend spree.
February 11, 2008 at 10:13 am
sabledrake you win for getting the reference!
February 11, 2008 at 10:29 am
Sideline re: “THE CAKE IS A LIE”: At the Scientology protests on Sunday, there were a group of people who started up a chant of “THE CAKE IS A LIE!” Until someone actually went out, bought cake, and passed it around, whereupon everyone began chanting “THE CAKE IS REAL!”
February 11, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Still waiting for that name…
*yawn*
February 11, 2008 at 10:17 pm
I think we scared him away. He didn’t show up in the log.