So, Rosemary Laurey alerted me to this story about a guy in Afghanistan, who was sentenced to death because he downloaded a report which suggested that Muslim fundamentalists who preached that the Koran justified the oppression of women, were acting in direct contravention to the teachings of their Prophet Mohamed.

The fate of Sayed Pervez Kambaksh has led to domestic and international protests, and deepening concern about erosion of civil liberties in Afghanistan. He was accused of blasphemy after he downloaded a report from a Farsi website which stated that Muslim fundamentalists who claimed the Koran justified the oppression of women had misrepresented the views of the prophet Mohamed.

Mr Kambaksh, 23, distributed the tract to fellow students and teachers at Balkh University with the aim, he said, of provoking a debate on the matter. But a complaint was made against him and he was arrested, tried by religious judges without – say his friends and family – being allowed legal representation and sentenced to death.

What the fuck?

Anyway, the Independent are trying to get his conviction quashed:

The Independent is launching a campaign today to secure justice for Mr Kambaksh. The UN, human rights groups, journalists’ organisations and Western diplomats have urged Mr Karzai’s government to intervene and free him. But the Afghan Senate passed a motion yesterday confirming the death sentence.

Anybody who feels that this is grossly unjust, (and really, why shouldn’t you?) please, please, please go and sign this petition, to help save this man’s life.

No way should a man be sentenced to death because he was forward thinking enough to want to read about women’s rights. What kind of religious freakishness is that?

“The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but to reveal to him, his own.”
-Benjamin Disraeli

I got a card this morning from one of my best friends, who I don’t see all that often, but when we meet up, it’s always like we were never apart.

She asked me to be Godmother to her unborn child.

I was so moved I cried for about an hour.

Friends are great aren’t they?

What’s the nicest thing a friend ever did for you? What’s the nicest thing you ever did for a friend?

I see that Rene Rocco, AKA Dishing Diva, AKA Rene Lyons has decided to change the name of her publishing company:

Hello everyone

After discussing things with our accountant, Frank and I decided to do away with Dragon Spell Publishing and operate solely under our corporation name of Lyrical Press Inc. We’re the same old owners doing the same old business, just under our corporation name and at a new location:

Lyrical Press.Com

Along with preventing any future problems doing business as Dragon Spell (we’re 99% positive it wouldn’t cause any problems but that 1% was too much for Frank and I), we also realized that being Lyrical Press, Inc. but operating as DSP might cause some confusion with readers and authors. Especially since Lyrical Press, Inc. is on everything except for the website. We learned this only by facing that particular situation and finding that to some, it might seem confusing. We want only good for our authors and staff and so, after agonizing over this decision for weeks, we decided it was best to make the change now, before it’s too late.

Frank and I had the hope of using Dragon Spell Publishing as the place to sell or romance/erotica titles, while expanding our catalog to include other genres (Young Adult) under our company name of Lyrical Press, Inc. Trial by error taught us this might confuse some, look a bit sloppy, and that was simply unacceptable to us as I am fanatical when it comes to organization.

It’s difficult finding our footing, learning what works and what doesn’t, under the watchful eye of the public, so I hope you bear with us as we welcome in Lyrical Press, Inc.

Thank you for your understanding and support as Lyrical Press, Inc. grows and thrives.

http://www.lyricalpress.com

publisher@lyricalpress.com

As a an astute cyber pal of mine pointed out, they’ve probably made the change because the Dragon Spell name might be tainted Google-wise, now. Oh well, we’ll see what happens with them I’m sure.

How long are we giving Lyrical Press before they close down “due to hormonal women and bitching”? *g*

Thanks to you-know-who for the tip-off.

I found this review of Dorothy Koomson’s My Best Friend’s Girl, on Youtube, and I quite liked it, so I thought I’d post a link to it on here.

Danke Smith, one of my serial lurkers (the Youtube video is hers by the way) posted a comment about the book, which I thought I’d highlight on here:

I wasn’t sure where to leave this comment about The American Version of Dorothy Koomson’s My Best Friend’s Girl so I thought I’d leave it here.

I noticed it is about to be released in America with an awful cover that doesn’t do the story justice. What is most interesting, I think, is that the cover blurb from the publisher makes a race issue when there isn’t really one.

Also, it has been paired with books about interracial romances on Amazon.com. It’s as if because the main character is black, there is nothing else to the story.

Thought I’d bring it up because I know this is a subject quite close to your heart. Mine, too! ; )What do you think?

Danke x

What do I think?

Firstly, the American cover sucks great big fucking hairy donkey balls, and secondly, this book wasn’t about effing race. It was about betrayal, death, adoption, and friendship. Why oh why do these publishers have to mess with stuff that aint broken? If Ms Koomson had wanted to make this book about race, then I daresay, she would have done so in a more obvious manner.

Richard Madeley even states in the video, that he wasn’t aware that Kamryn was black until the incident with Tiegan at the supermarket. This should be a flashing neon sign to the publishers, even though it’s obvious to anyone who’s read MBFG, that this book isn’t about race. Sheesh.

I really heart C’um Hither Global. The guys who write the fake news pieces are just so damn funny.

Their latest news story is funny as hell:

Former E-book publisher, Claire Yancy, blames disgruntled authors in her recent arrest for DUI, assault of a law enforcement officer, manufacturing Methamphetamine, prostitution and internet mail fraud.

Husband of Claire Yancy, publisher of the non-operational Lion Tease Press, had reported his wife missing late last week after their landlord attempted to serve an eviction notice and a group of girl scouts attempted to obtain payment for 44 boxes of cookies his wife had ordered.

Aren’t they naughty? Heheh.

The Blurb from Samhain:

Sometimes getting to heaven requires a trip through hell.

Twelve years ago, it looked like Del Prescott had it all. The wealthy family, the car, the looks and charm, and the perfect boyfriend. Then, mysteriously, she disappeared to “study abroad.” Now she’s back, and it’s not merely to attend a high school reunion. She’s here to face her demons—and Blake, the man she has never stopped loving.

Blake Mitchell is a changed man, thanks to surviving twelve long years of difficulties that began after Del dropped out of his life. Now she’s back, and she’s nothing like the polished, stylish world traveler he imagined she’d be. There’s a darkness about her, and a grim expression in her eyes that says she’s prepared for fight or flight.

Blake’s concern for her breaks down the walls Del has built around her heart and she finally begins to heal from the abuse she suffered at the hands of her own family. But the betrayal goes deeper than either of them ever imagined—and it’s about to come back to haunt them.

I read this book on Saturday, and I have to say, it was the most disturbing, moving, beautifully written book that I’ve read in a while.  Although, it’s not a book for the squeamish, because it deals with what for some will be a hot-button topic.

I loved Shi’s characterisations. I was totally emotionally invested in the h/h from the get-go. The heroine’s story was really heart-breaking, and I was moved to both anger and tears at times, over the stuff that she’d had to live through. The hero was just the most beautiful man, even though he’d also had his own issues to deal with.

What I loved about Beautiful Girl, was that although Blake had assumed that Del had left him without so much as a goodbye, all those years ago, when they meet up again, he’s not an arsehole with her. Neither is she with him. From the moment they meet again, I bought that they were two people who’d never moved on from each other in twelve years, and were still in love. I really did.

These next couple of scenes from the book totally epitomised the nature of their relationship, and just what a gorgeous man, Blake was:

“So if we hadn’t had a few roadblocks tossed at us, you think we’d be married and trying to con a friend into babysitting for us just so we can sneak a meal in peace?”

“Hey, no reason we can’t still do that.” He kept his voice casual as he came to a stop in front of the law office.

Her grin faded, replaced by a wistful expression. “Blake…”
Shaking his head, he said, “I’m not going to try to rush something on you, but I already told you that I never got over you. I don’t see it happening either, not after twelve years of loving you.”

She looked down and when her gaze came back up, her green eyes gleamed with tears. “Blake…” Her voice was thick and husky.
“Shhhh.” He dipped his head and kissed her softly. “Don’t go thinking about it too much if you’re not ready for it. But I did figure I should probably let you know that I still love you.”

Scene2:

kissed her lips, her cheek, nuzzled her neck. “You are beautiful. You’re soft, you’re sexy…you’re the woman I’ve loved my entire life. “
“Blake…” Her voice was thick with tears and he eased back, staring into her eyes.
“Shhh…” he whispered. “Close your eyes…listen to me, to my voice…feel my hands. You’re beautiful, Del. You make my heart hurt just to look at you…”

Just beautiful.

And can I say Shi, I loved the way the love scenes were handled. Lesser authors would have totally messed up those scenes, and left me feeling beyond icky.

This book was tremendous, and I definitely recommend that you guys go and Buy, buy, buy!

I went for my cervical smear test today, and I have to say, no matter how often I have that speculum shoved up where the sun doesn’t shine, I still always feel like I’ve been ten rounds with Mike Tyson. I already had the obligatory hot bath, so now I’m off to find some non-fat cheesecake to make me feel better.

What do you guys do to get over the dreaded gyno check-up?

OK, don’t die of shock, but I really loved this book. Not only did I really enjoy it, I didn’t have the normal issues, that I have with Mckenna’s books.

1. The hero wasn’t a total asshole
2. Apart from going skinny dipping in a pool that didn’t belong to her, the female didn’t do anything that would classify her as Too Stupid To Live… Oh shit, yes she did. *whistles*
3. The heroine was more intelligent than the average Shannon Mckenna Heroine, AKA, she wasn’t a total walk-over.
4. The Villain didn’t reduce me to incredulous laughter at his antics.
5. The actual plot wasn’t paper thin

High praise indeed. I will deffo be buying her next book. (I say that as if there was the slightest chance I wouldn’t buy her next offering, regardless of whether this book had sucked or not. There wasn’t.)

I got this e-mail this morning:

Apparently, Teresa Wayne has transfered all the old Mardi Gras Publishing books to LA MEDIA. Yes all the ones that went to print now say LA Media on them, all except Kenna Fallon’s book Untamed.

Is this true? Can any former Mardi Gras authors out there, search for their print books at Barnes and Noble to double check?

The e-mail went onto say that apparently a lot of these authors didn’t sign an agreement for their books to be sold at LA Media.

Once a ISBN is used once for a company, the # is listed world wide… under the company. to change it is a criminal act because the authors didn’t sign on to be part of the new company.

Also allegedly, Teresa Jacobs didn’t pay some of the authors for their print books:

She never paid anyone for their print, and gave us a bogus print fee of about $400 when the fee is about $100. So she still cheating and stealing off many authors who got their rights back and moved on.

Can anybody verify this, because surely if the above is true, then Teresa Jacobs is being a very very naughty girl?

I came across this great post by CindyS, and it brought home to me, how much Romanceland is missing out by not having the likes of Maili, CrankyReader, and other absentee bloggers around.

Maili’s last blog post was in June 2006 as far as I can recall. I believe her and Will were moving to Germany or something?

Also, although JaynieR and I had a slightly acrimonious parting of ways over the Tina Engler AKA Jaid Black-married-a-convict-and-thinks-murderers-are-misunderstood, lovefest, I still think it’s a shame she’s dropped off from Blogland.

I also really miss, and worry about the girl from the blog, Baghdad Burning. Her and her family were forced to leave Iraq in April, and she’s only written two posts since then. The last post was dated October, when she was in Syria:

The first evening we arrived, exhausted, dragging suitcases behind us, morale a little bit bruised, the Kurdish family sent over their representative – a 9 year old boy missing two front teeth, holding a lopsided cake, “We’re Abu Mohammed’s house- across from you- mama says if you need anything, just ask- this is our number. Abu Dalia’s family live upstairs, this is their number. We’re all Iraqi too… Welcome to the building.”

I cried that night because for the first time in a long time, so far away from home, I felt the unity that had been stolen from us in 2003.

I really hope she’s ok.

Anyway, Cindy also mentioned Jay from Yapaway Jay, another blogger I used to frequent.

And lastly, I miss Monica (shut up Sybil!), I really do. She doesn’t post with any kind of regularity these days, and although many people (including me, may I add) didn’t always like her views, she was one of the few authors who’s blog didn’t bore me senseless, and one of the few on-line authors that I found very difficult to dislike.

Have I missed anybody out?