Stockton Holiday The Stockton Papers

On the Nature of the Work

The novels, blog posts, dispatches, and other written materials published by Stockton Holiday and appearing on this website or in associated publications are works of fiction. The characters are invented. Their names, histories, occupations, criminal records, political affiliations, drinking habits, and personal shortcomings are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living, dead, or presently under investigation, is coincidental and should not be interpreted as confirmation of anything.

On Satire

The works of Stockton Holiday are satire. This is not a marketing position or a stylistic preference. It is a legal classification with a long and well-established history in American jurisprudence. Satire is protected expression under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, and that protection does not require the audience to find it funny. The absence of a sense of humor on the part of the reader does not diminish the legal standing of the work, alter its classification, or create a cause of action. It simply means the reader did not laugh, which is a personal matter and not a legal one.

On Real Places

The fiction references real geographic locations, including but not limited to cities, counties, states, highways, restaurants, bars, distilleries, universities, and various establishments whose floors have seen better days. These places are real. They exist. The author has, in most cases, been to them. Their appearance in the work is intended to establish setting and atmosphere with the specificity that the prose requires.

The events depicted as occurring in or near these locations are fictional. The businesses, institutions, and municipalities referenced are not responsible for what the characters did there, what the narrator claims happened there, or what the reader concludes about any of it. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement, association, or awareness on the part of the referenced establishments or their operators.

On Real People and Public Figures

Where public figures, historical events, or matters of public record appear in the work, they are used in a fictional context. Statements, actions, and motivations attributed to public figures within the fiction are invented and should not be understood as factual claims. The author draws a clear line between the public record and what the characters do with it, and the reader is expected to observe that line as well.

On Trademarks and Brand Names

Product names, brand names, and trademarks referenced in the fiction and on this website are the property of their respective owners. They appear for purposes of atmospheric accuracy and characterization. Their use does not imply endorsement, sponsorship, or any commercial relationship between the trademark holders and the author, the publisher, or the specific activities described in the text. No trademark holder has reviewed, approved, or been consulted regarding the contexts in which their products appear, and the author assumes they would prefer it that way.

On the Blog and Dispatches

The blog posts and dispatches published on this website are written in the same narrative voice as the fiction and should be read accordingly. They may describe events, locations, and individuals in a manner that combines observation, reconstruction, and invention. The author does not draw a bright line between these categories in the prose, and the reader should not assume that one exists. Where something reads as too specific to be made up, it may still be made up. Where something reads as too absurd to have happened, it may have happened exactly as described.

On Liability

The content on this website and in associated publications is provided for entertainment purposes. Nothing in the fiction, the dispatches, or any other material published under the Stockton Holiday name should be construed as legal, financial, medical, or professional advice. Nothing described in the work should be construed as operational guidance. The author is not responsible for decisions made by readers on the basis of what they have read here.

On Accuracy

The author has made reasonable efforts to represent real places and institutions with accuracy and respect. If a factual error regarding a real location, institution, or matter of public record has been made, the author welcomes correction through the contact form and will address it as circumstances permit.

Governing Law

This disclaimer and all matters arising from the use of this website are governed by the laws of the State of Arizona, where Cactus Equity Group, LLC — the entity responsible for the publisher nonsense and paperwork — is organized and located. Arizona law applies without regard to its conflict of law provisions. The fiction is set in Georgia. The legal infrastructure is in the desert. This is one of the less complicated arrangements involved in getting a book published.

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