Can I Steal Your Story Idea?

Lori Ann writes:

I'm a big fan of your older book Dream Voyagers, and my favorite part in the whole thing…well, not my favorite part, because I love the whole thing—but one of my favorite parts is the bit where Rick does the race on the mining moon. I absolutely adore that whole sequence and wanted to create something similar. So…I did. I wrote it just as a fun story for some friends, but it turned out well enough that some of them have been urging me to seek publication for it from a magazine that's published me before.

Anyway, before I even thought about that, I wanted to send it to you and make sure you didn't think it was too similar to your chapter (because, honestly, I think it is) or counted as outright plagiarism, because I certainly have no desire to be sued.

So, if you wouldn't mind, can I ask you to glance over this, tell me how horrible a person I am for stealing your idea, and then I can tell all my friends that I can't possibly send this story in because a real author would have my head if I did?

Thanks for your time, Davis, and—if it's not too much to say—I would love to see another story like Dream Voyagers.

My Response:

It is not often that a reader's comment catches me completely by surprise these days. But yours is absolutely a first. To begin with, let me say you are most welcome to make the pitch, and the only thing I ask for is an autographed copy of the article when it is published.

One thing more. It is very common for rising stars in the next generation of artists to find someone who so ignites their own creative talent that they use this older work as a springboard for their own. I am honored to play such a role in your creative life, and wish you every possible success.

*Note: You will not find Dream Voyagers on the Books page of my website because the book is out of print. However, you may be able to find it at your local library or from an online or used bookseller.