The Feeding Ground

The following excerpt is taken from my explosive new book about serial plagiarist David B. Boyer.  It comes from the chapter titled "The Feeding Ground."    I'm in negotiations for its release.  

*****

Writing groups are one of serial plagiarist David B. Boyer's most fruitful feeding grounds.  After reading what follows, I have no doubt that you will re-think how you view your own writing groups.

Boyer is a remarkably forgettable individual.  However, like most smarmy con men, he is expert at ingratiating himself into groups where the membership is built on trust.

In 2007, Boyer joined as a trial member in a writing group to which I belonged called the Michigan Horror Writers Association.  One purpose of this group was to share stories for mutual critique.  "Electrocuting the Clowns" was a story I'd written earlier and published in an anthology titled Beyond the Porch Light,  copyrighted in 2002.  Subsequently it was sold as a reprint to Dark Wisdom Magazine.

The Michigan Horror Writers Association had several out of state members, one of whom was David B. Boyer and he, along with others gave feedback on my story.  Boyer liked it a lot.  He wanted to post it on his website.  I refused.

Almost immediately, he began publishing my story under his own name.  Like a true creep, he had one of his cronies recommend it for a Stoker.  He began publishing it in book after book under his name or one of his many aliases.  He sent it out internationally, and it was accepted in a South African magazine.  He gave my story away for free on websites.

My story.

But let's go back to the correspondence we had when he was an out-of-state trial member of the Michigan Horror Writers Association, before I or any of the other members knew what a smarmy creep he was:

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From: David Boyer [mailto:doc5948@yahoo.com]
Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2007 12:11 PM
To: Rick Moore
Subject: RE: story

That's okay, I will go ahead and delete it from my email files now. I only asked because it was such a good story, {and it would make my site look good!} I will send you another story some time soon, I am working on a new one called LIITLE BLACK BOOK, it is a just a small piece of flash fiction, but I thought it was kinda cute.

See ya later

                ME (David Boyer)


Rick Moore <vwriter@wowway.com> wrote:

Thanks for asking.  This one can’t be posted because I just sold the rights to a magazine and it hasn’t been published yet (most likely spring issue 2008).  I’m sorry I haven’t been back to you earlier, but I was on the road again today and have to head out tonight because a group of local university students are making a movie of one of my stories for their film class.

Tomorrow I’m going to catch up on my email (including you), and I apologize for taking so long.  Just been a killer month and this last week has been the worst.  How go things with you?  You seem like you’re writing a lot!  That’s a good sign.

Rick  Moore

Energy Lake, Inc.

-----Original Message-----
From: David Boyer [mailto:doc5948@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, September 07, 2007 9:46 AM
To: vwriter@wowway.com
Subject: story

Would you mind if I posted ELECTROCUTING THE CLOWNS on my website? If not, I will understand. Just wanted to ask you before I deleted it from my email files.

                                 ME (David Boyer)

*****

Or this damning exchange where the sleazy plagiarist actually (this is really creepy) warns me about the dangers of plagiarists!

*****

From: David Boyer [mailto:doc5948@yahoo.com]

Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2007 12:31 PM
To: Rick Moore
Subject: RE: story

Thanks for the story, I will log it into my flash disc so nobody else can see it but ME. Whenever someone is nice enough to send me something like this, I quickly put it on my disc and then delete the whole message. You have to be careful these days about plagarists.

Thanks again

Doc (David Boyer)


Rick Moore <vwriter@wowway.com> wrote:

Hey David:

I was up all night training with my instructor in Toronto (I’ve been his student for 25 years and if I don’t train with him when I’m in Toronto, he’d kick my ass even though he’s 80 years old).  I’m nearly blind with sleep deprivation right now, but after I snooze, I’ll crank through this new stuff, and then I’ll send you feedback.  One of the best things about a group is people to get feedback from.  By the way, I’m attaching one of my shorts to give you something to read as well.  This is being published in Dark Wisdom magazine early next year.

Rick  Moore

-----Original Message-----
From: David Boyer [mailto:doc5948@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2007 11:32 AM
To: vwriter@wowway.com
Subject: story

Well, here it is; THE SANDMAN, part 1. I know it isn't all that and a bag of chips, but it only the first draft, OKAY?!!

  I have had publishers tell me bfore that they leaned more toward my longer works, said they contained more ''structure'', and were more ''polished.'' After looking through some of my material lately, I'd tend to agree with them. Well, I hope you enjoy the story, and I will send you part 2 when It's finshed. Oh; I sent you another ''longer'' story as well, couldn't remember if i'd sent it yet or not.

                                                                          Sincerely,

                                                                             ME (David Boyer)

*****

Knowing now that he is a serial plagiarist, the Creep-O-Meter turns bright red.

The Michigan Horror Writers Association was not his only feeding ground.  There were others.  He also tried to ingratiate himself writing workshops for school-aged science fiction writers.  Storymania was one of his public feeding grounds, where he stole story after story.

Has he ever been a member of one of your writing groups?  He has so many aliases, how would you know? Do you accept out-of-state members?  If you do, you or one of your friends might be one of his victims.