Having read Exquisite Corpse, I can't help but notice many identical components of both pieces' introductions and both pieces' main characters. In the words of a random internet-goer, "'Inspired by' does not mean flagrant rip-off." For those who haven't read anything by Poppy Z Brite, there is a Google Preview here for Exquisite Corpse that should give you an idea of what I'm talking about: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15320.Exquisite_Corpse