The Saint-Germain Cycle
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| Fandom | |
|---|---|
| Name: | The Saint-Germain Cycle |
| Abbreviation(s): | Saint-Germain series |
| Creator: | Chelsea Quinn Yarbro |
| Date(s): | 1978–2014 |
| Medium: | Novel series |
| Country of Origin: | USA |
| External Links: | Saint-Germain at Yarbro's official site |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
The Saint-Germain Cycle is a series of historical vampire novels by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro.
The Count of St. Germain was a real historical figure and also appears as a character in Outlander, Code: Realize, Warehouse 13, and many other works.
Yarbro is vociferously anti-fanfic and has perused legal action against fans who have used her characters. As a result, Saint-Germain fanworks are scarce.
The Saint-Germain series was a requested fandom at Yuletide 2004 and eligible for Yuletide 2005 until the moderators received a cease and desist notice from Yarbro's publicist.[1]
Fanfic and "Fictional Historical Figures"
In 2013, two fans on The Official Chelsea Quinn Yarbro Group had a discussion about the count and fanfic:
[Veerle]: If we collect all the pieces we find in the books and put them together, that would not be fanfic, I think. We just cannot write our own stories about the count, or suggest any storylines to Quinn. I remember in one of the books it is mentioned the count was buried in the sand on the road to Bagdad!
- [Paul J. Chiasson]: If you publish it (post it), yes. There are legal rights involved. But Veerle, you're limiting the author's own ability and possibilities for their characters. I wouldn't want a reader to assume things about a character I had created, especially if those small, enigmatic allusions are kept track of and filed for possible later use. Apart from that, there are any number of things that might infringe on copyright. While Sanc't-Germain is a historical figure--and CQY is limited by that--she does hold the right and practical knowledge of fictional characters that interact with Sanc't-Germain, such as Rogerian, Olivia, and even Niklos. I think it best if one were to develop fictional historical characters of their own; the ideal puts imagination on the table, a three dimensional development of particular periods as you delve into them.
- [Veerle]: Isn't that what we all do, assume things about the count? For me he is a living character in my head, and what he does, and what I make him do, you don't want to know, nor will I ever tell anyone! That's my secret! Why should Quinn be limited by the fact there was a real count? Many writers have used this count in their books. There is no copyright on real persons, I believe. Quinn's count is based on the real man, but he is not the real count. CQY does own the copyright on the count as her character! You know, Paul, I am not a writer, I am a reader, and I read everything, but sofar I haven't found anything better than Quinn's Saint-Germain novels! But still I think it would be a good idea to collect all the counts memories of the road to Bagdad!
- [Paul J. Chiasson]: I think you misunderstand what I'm saying. She's limited by the fact that there are certain things about him known to history, that's all. She has to work within that to a degree if the character is to be authentic. The rest is the ability of the imagination to fly and push limits, which she has done brilliantly. My second point is simply about copyright. If you keep your own understanding of the Count to yourself, it may be fine. I often talk to Sanc't-Germain and many other characters to pull things together into sense. But, I'm also a writer, and I would never set down my own thoughts on Sanc't-Germain, or even James Bond--which I'm reading at the moment--because of the understanding of copyright infringement. A lot of characters are in the public domain, so it wouldn't be over the top to make Ishmael of Moby Dick into a homocide detective for the Bedford, Mass. Or so many other characters. Television has tried it with vampires, remember. Fortunately, I'm not a particularly good writer, so be grateful my work isn't published. [2]
Example Fanworks
- Bride of St Germain, a filksong by Jordin Kare (early 80s)
- "The Adventure of the Gentleman in Black", a Sherlock Holmes crossover published in The Holmesian Federation #8 (1991). This story was the subject of a C&D and ensuing controversy: see Yarbro's article A Matter Of Willful Copyright Infringement.
External Links
References
- ^ See 2004 Unfilled Requests for New Year Resolutions 2005 and 2005 Fandom List at yuletidetreasure.org, archived by the Wayback Machine. The C&D was announced at the LiveJournal community: Attention Yuletiders!, posted by elynross on 29 November 2005.
- ^ from The Official Chelsea Quinn Yarbro Group (July 2013)