Ephesus14 vanished

[hbroder]

Popular, accomplished LW author Ephesus14 and all of his posts have vanished from Lit overnight.
Wife Goes on a Date is perhaps his best -- and best-loved -- story.
Does anyone know where, if anywhere, I can go to continue to read his work?

 

[lovecraft68]

I'll say what I say every time this comes up. They remove their work because for whatever reason they don't want it read here-or perhaps anywhere-anymore.

Maybe try respecting their wish. There's countless other authors and stories on this site to read.

 

[DCO_65]

Every time a catalog disappears, it isn't necessarily by the author's choice, just sayin'.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Every time a catalog disappears, it isn't necessarily by the author's choice, just sayin'.

Generally speaking, when a whole catalogue comes down, it's done so by the author.

The site only responds if a story is reported, and even then, gives the author a chance to do something about it, but that's for individual stories, not a whole catalogue.

My guess is the author wants to go to the marketplace, or has had a change in personal circumstances and is clearing their decks.

 

[DCO_65]

Generally speaking, when a whole catalogue comes down, it's done so by the author.

Perhaps.

The site only responds if a story is reported,

Perhaps.

and even then, gives the author a chance to do something about it, but that's for individual stories, not a whole catalogue.

Categorically untrue.

Now, the stories were very similar. So a single asshole may have complained about all seven. But none violated a published rule here. A certain segment of the readership here-- people who cannot distinguish first person fiction from non-fiction-- simply found them "uncomfortable."

My guess is the author wants to go to the marketplace, or has had a change in personal circumstances and is clearing their decks.

Perhaps.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Perhaps.



Perhaps.



Categorically untrue.

Now, the stories were very similar. So a single asshole may have complained about all seven. But none violated a published rule here. A certain segment of the readership here-- people who cannot distinguish first person fiction from non-fiction-- simply found them "uncomfortable."



Perhaps.

When I was here, several years ago, I left because I got a publisher and they requested, I remove my free stories. Maybe requested is to soft a term.

Anyway, I'm still with them, but they don't care if I publish here and there at the same time anymore. They handle (under a different imprint) the people I ghostwrite for and they are far more successful than me. But I doubt the other authors ever wrote more than an outline for any of the stories they have published.

I'd bet he got an agent or publisher and it was just part of the deal he remove his free stuff.

 

[hbroder]

Thanks MillieDynamite. Your post gives me some insight into the process.
I hope that Ephesus14 is on his way to fame and fortune as a writer... he deserves it.
I only wish I knew how to follow him into his next platform, because I doubt that he would publish for profit under the same handle that he uses on Lit.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Perhaps.

Perhaps.

Categorically untrue.

Now, the stories were very similar. So a single asshole may have complained about all seven. But none violated a published rule here. A certain segment of the readership here-- people who cannot distinguish first person fiction from non-fiction-- simply found them "uncomfortable."

Perhaps.

Your "perhaps" may apply to multiple reported stories, sure; my point is the site only responds to reports. If someone has reported every story, the site pulls every story and passes it back to the author. Where's your evidence something else is going on (which is what you appear to imply)?

My guess remains the author has taken them all down.

 

[Rustyoznail]

I think the big tell is when I searched for “Ephesus14”, the answer is “no search result found”.

They’ve shut up shop and left.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Thanks MillieDynamite. Your post gives me some insight into the process.
I hope that Ephesus14 is on his way to fame and fortune as a writer... he deserves it.
I only wish I knew how to follow him into his next platform, because I doubt that he would publish for profit under the same handle that he uses on Lit.

If he has, he may well republish the stories under another name. You could try googling titles or any unusual phrasing in his writing and perhaps find him that way.

 

[MsNatalie99]

I'm pretty sure it just means they deleted the account. Authors may give up writing or they may try to put their stuff in the works to sell elsewhere. I know of one author MColton84, who's account was taken down by his family after his passing. I also know some authors will take their stuff down and post them again under another account oh, so that might be something to look for also.

 

[hbroder]

If he has, he may well republish the stories under another name. You could try googling titles or any unusual phrasing in his writing and perhaps find him that way.

Thanks for the excellent suggestion, MelissaBaby.
I have tried some google searches with zero success.
But I still have hope that Ephesus14 or someone who knows him may reach out to me with links to his new platform, which may not be active yet.
In a way, posting in this forum is my way of sending a message in a bottle. Who knows, some day it may float back to me with a reply.

 

[AngelRider]

Thanks for the excellent suggestion, MelissaBaby.
I have tried some google searches with zero success.
But I still have hope that Ephesus14 or someone who knows him may reach out to me with links to his new platform, which may not be active yet.
In a way, posting in this forum is my way of sending a message in a bottle. Who knows, some day it may float back to me with a reply.

It seems Ephesus removed all trace of his stories and disabled his personal email. I don't know what happened to him but we emailed a lot and I care for him very much. He is a lovely man with a very kind heart. He has had a rough time this year and that's all I will say about that. His last email to me was his usual and he seemed happy and told me to stay in touch. We have mutual friends from here and I reached out to one I know is close as well. She hasn't heard from him either and experienced the same issues with the email. He may be forging a new chapter and wanted to move past the old. I don't know but I hope he is well, happy and safe. That's all I really care about. I love that old man and I will miss him a ton.

Ephesus, if you happen to see this comment, know that this "young lady" will remember you very very fondly.

-Andrea "Andi"

 

[SimonDoom]

I'll say what I say every time this comes up. They remove their work because for whatever reason they don't want it read here-or perhaps anywhere-anymore.

Maybe try respecting their wish. There's countless other authors and stories on this site to read.

This is good advice, but some people haven't heard it before or fully thought about it.

I haven't been around to see many authors disappear, but I've seen some. It's natural to wonder.

 

[SandyWho]

I Miiss You Ephesus14

All-

I used to have a semi-regular email exchange with Ephesus14. He was kind enough to share some insights in his life and let me read drafts of a couple of his stories. The last time we corresponded was mid-August.

He was very encouraging of my getting back into writing and I kept promising him I would. So just as I finished editing a story, he disappears! Come back, please!

I have to say I am a bit worried. Where he lived was a major COVID hotspot and very low vaccination rate. He had been doubly vaccinated but breakouts this summer took a toll.

I will reach out to BLACKRANDL1958 to see if she has heard anything. She edited his stories so maybe she knows what happened.

 

[Djmac1031]

Every time a catalog disappears, it isn't necessarily by the author's choice, just sayin'.

Every time an authors catalog disappears, a fapper loses their calluses.

(Sorry. I'll see myself out.)

 

[hbroder]

He's back!

Ephesus14 posted a new LW story today titled "I was an Arrogant Son of a Bitch."
In its preface, he comments on his disappearance as follows:
"I don't know why, but all of my stories, and even my name disappeared. My name is back, but the stories are still gone. Foolishly, I never saw a need to keep copies so I thought they were gone forever until a good friend told me she had copies of them. I am considering re-posting selected ones, and leaving on the heap of bad literature, others. I deeply and sincerely appreciate those who, out of concern, sought to find out what happened to me. To those who thought they were lucky and I was gone forever, too bad; I'm back."

 

[sirhugs]

gotta love a happy ending.

 

[Rustyoznail]

It’s a bit of a worry that he was wiped off the site completely.

Odd…

 

[LexxRuthless]

A cautionary tale here.

A hacker could worm their way into your computer or your Literotica account. If they are signed in as you, Laurel would have to respect the request to delete your account and all your stories if they made such a request. Make sure you back up everything, just to be on the safe side.

This seems like the most likely reason Ephesus14 lost his account here and his personal e-mail. What is most concerning is that someone has bothered to do so. If they were successful once, they're likely to try again.

 

[lovecraft68]

Ephesus14 posted a new LW story today titled "I was an Arrogant Son of a Bitch."
In its preface, he comments on his disappearance as follows:
"I don't know why, but all of my stories, and even my name disappeared. My name is back, but the stories are still gone. Foolishly, I never saw a need to keep copies so I thought they were gone forever until a good friend told me she had copies of them. I am considering re-posting selected ones, and leaving on the heap of bad literature, others. I deeply and sincerely appreciate those who, out of concern, sought to find out what happened to me. To those who thought they were lucky and I was gone forever, too bad; I'm back."

This is interesting in lieu of a lot of people having issues after lits latest 'upgrades' or whatever they did. People are leaving because they're getting locked out, or just generally fed up.

Now this person is saying his account was wiped for no reason-and I'm sure not deliberately, but its still on the site- just makes it seem like the duct tape is finally coming apart here.

 

[Agiel]

I’ve just tried searching for Ephesus14 and nothing has come up. If they’ve begun publishing again should I not have got a result? Spooky? Or just weird? Posting on Edeberotik maybe?

 

[James G 5]

I realize this is an older conversation, but I do see the Epheus14's page is back https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=6289403&page=submissions albeit with much of his writing gone. This DOES happen, an ex of mine who's still a friend had quite a bit of writing here and one day POOF her account was gone along with all her writing, no warnings from the site, nothing. Happened around the same time Epheus14's account vanished. So some sort of glitch maybe?

 

[Smuttyandfun]

I think the big tell is when I searched for “Ephesus14”, the answer is “no search result found”.

They’ve shut up shop and left.

I just Googled him and his stories still show up.