Thursday, October 31, 2013

PETITION: "Amazon, Barnes and Noble, KOBO: Leave our self-published and/or Indie authors alone."

PETITION.

http://www.change.org/petitions/amazon-barnes-and-noble-kobo-leave-our-self-published-and-or-indie-authors-alone#share
There is a LARGE amount of people who read this genre as a way to escape their reality. We are all consenting adults, you need to own a credit card to be able to purchase said books, so why all of a sudden start "cracking down" on contolling such.

Why is okay to sell "adult products" on said websites but not FICTIONAL reads.

What happened to freedom of speech?! LEAVE OUR EROTICA ALONE!!

**This petition is NOT condoning non-fictional beastiality, incest, pediphilia or other things of such 'extreme' nature**
To:
Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon
Michael Serbinis, CEO of KOBO
Leonard Riggio, Founder and executive chairman of Barnes and Noble
Leave our erotica and self-published Indie authors alone.

Sincerely,
[Your name]

To Erotic Authors Groups at GoodReads on Amazon Kindle KDP requesting censoring of our publishing and just out and out banning.

To Erotic Authors Groups at GoodReads.

In LinkedIn Groups we've been dealing with Amazon Kindle KDP requesting censoring of our publishing and just out and out banning. They call that "blocking." My gay novella and my compiled short stories were the first.

There are more now.

Now, Amazon and Kindle is in hysterics [see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24491723] and blocking stuff they've contractually sold for over five years; but, now say they are too naughty and break their rules.

Like they didn't notice the words [slut, whore, or school] on the covers before, years ago.

High schoolers, who are of age and willing and enjoying themselves, and exploring their fears and joys, are not abuse victims, incense victims. http://north.neale-sourna.com/index.html

Why is sex always on the hysterics and cutting block but not violence? Maybe if characters bloody skinned each other for epidermis suits, instead of enjoyed the fuck that would be fine.

Guess, it's just Amazon Kindle KDP trying to be all things but not "the biggest bookstore in the world."

The Cleveland Public Library [www.cpl.org] is never this reactive or squeamish. Some of my best research has come from their shelves.

Who else has been spanked, without the fun?

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Passion, purpose, and power: a pep-talk for writers by BookBaby on October 22, 2013 in Writing Tips

Writing: Passion and purpose[This article was written by  guest contributor and award-winning author Beth Barany.]

I just got back from a writer’s conference. I love going to them. I love speaking there and helping other authors. But I’m tired. I’m an introvert. As I wade through all the post-conference activities of following up with all the cool folks I met and getting back to the business of running my business, I also want to get back to my writing.

But I feel depleted. What’s a girl to do?

I have to get in touch with my true purpose for my own fiction, connect with the passion for my story, and there I will find the power to get writing.

 

What is your true purpose for your writing?


When all is said and done, regardless of what the world thinks of your work, would you keep writing? I would. Some writers I’ve worked with say that if their story only touches one person they have done their work, they have left their mark upon the world. I know that if I can inspire one writer and empower one girl or woman to take charge of her life because she read my fiction, I have done what I came here for.

Good writing is full of heart and connects from one heart and mind to another. What are you passionate about? Does it come across in your writing?

One of my clients is passionate about the underdog in boxing and writes compelling tales set in gritty 1950s LA. Her love of the sport and the times comes through in her fiction.

I’m passionate about exploring the responsibilities and choices of a strong young woman. How can she be a true hero in the face of her inner demons?

So, are you writing about the things that fire you up?

 

Lastly, what are you focused on?


You may have heard, “What you focus on grows.” You can choose to be focused on what’s difficult, or you can be focused on solutions. Even the smallest step pays off.

Are you stuck in your writing? Acknowledge where you are and what you’re feeling; feel it, then focus on spending a minimum of twenty minutes writing. Just get moving and allow yourself to write whatever, however. Progress not perfection.

Are you confused about all your publishing and book marketing options? Then get clear about your main purpose, your passion, and also your goal. Write it down. What is the smallest step you can take today, now, in the next twenty minutes that will move you toward that goal?

We writers have the power to change the world! Let’s start today.

Bio: Beth Barany is an author coach, keynote speaker, and the award-winning author of Henrietta The Dragon Slayer, a YA epic fantasy. She’s passionate about helping novelists create successful careers. More at www.BethBarany.com.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

CHARACTER and Human Drama: Women in Saudi Arabia stand up to authorities by breaking driving ban By: Mori Rothman

Women in Saudi Arabia stand up to authorities by breaking driving ban

 

WORLD -- October 26, 2013 at 4:30 PM ET



Women in Saudi Arabia took to the streets today in an act of defiance against the country's ban on driving. 

The ban on driving stems from conservative religious customs and isn't actually written in law -- but that hasn't stopped police from arresting women who get behind the wheel.

Despite public warnings from the Interior Ministry and conservative religious leaders, many women posted videos of themselves driving in different parts of Saudi Arabia, including Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al Hasa. The authenticity of these videos could not be independently verified by PBS NewsHour.

Saudi support site

Activists have been urging Saudi women to film themselves while driving on Oct. 26 and post it online as part of a web-based campaign that collected more than 16,000 signatures on a petition before the site was hacked.

Dr. Madeha Al-Ajroush, who spoke to the NewsHour earlier this afternoon via Skype, said that she went driving in Riyadh and noticed several cars closely following her.

She said that although some women reported receiving calls telling them not to drive, many women drove anyway -- and vowed to continue to drive until the rule is changed.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Surprising Ways to Use Olive Oil in Your Home

I think there is character background or plots enhancements in this list.

Okay. But, the wick one sounds dangerous for those of us who'll just mistakenly make Molotovs.


http://www.ivillage.com/surprising-home-uses-olive-oil/7-a-550468?nlcid=P1|10-26-2013|&_mid=2852433&_rid=2852433.35500.483662


Olive oil is a pantry must-have, but did you know the cooking staple has tons of other uses too? Check out 20 other ways to use olive oil at home and in the garden.

1. Clean grease off your hands. Rub a little bit of olive oil and salt in your hands to remove stubborn grease.

2. Remove gum from shoes. Soak a facecloth in olive oil sit, then rest it on the bottom of your shoe for several minutes. It should break down the sticky stuff enough for you to easily remove it.

3. Season cast iron or wooden pieces. Rub olive oil into kitchen go-tos like cutting boards, salad bowls and skillets to season them.

4. Peel off kids’ stickers. Forget Goof Off -- just pour a little olive oil on the sticker and let it sit for several minutes before you start pulling.

5. Make an emergency lamp. For in-a-pinch lighting, fill a bowl with olive oil and add a lamp wick, leaving one end exposed.

6. Prevent sticking. Coat measuring cups and spoons with a little olive oil before pouring in sticky stuff, like honey.

7. Unstick a zipper. Work a tiny bit of olive oil into a metal zipper so it slides much more easily.

8. Fake a healthy houseplant. Rub a little into plants’ leaves to keep them shiny and looking great.

9. Polish furniture. Pour some oil onto a dry paper towel and rub it into your wooden pieces.

10. Keep moles out of your garden. Saturate a rag with olive oil, then stuff it into a mole hole. It should keep the animals away -- they can’t stand the smell of the stuff.

11. Improve aging leather. Work a bit of olive oil into leather items like jackets or baseball mitts to add moisture and smooth out cracks.

12. Prevent tarnishing. Rub olive oil into stainless steel and brass pieces, then buff it off with a dry cloth.

13. Clean garden tools. Rub some oil into your tools after using them -- it keeps the dust and dirt away and imparts some shine.

14. Help cats with hairballs. Some folks say that adding a few drops of olive oil into cats’ food can help manage the issue -- plus, it’ll make their coats look extra glossy.

15. Soothe dogs’ paws. Dogs can also benefit from a bit of olive oil: It helps to lubricate cracked or painful paws, a common side effect of walking on a hot sidewalk.

16. Shine shoes. Pour a little olive oil onto a soft clean cloth and rub vigorously into your shoes. Polish with a soft dry cloth.

17. Polish floors. Rub olive oil into hardwood floors with a soft, dry cloth. Follow up with another wipedown, or until the surface is dry and safe to walk on.

18. Make soap. If you’re a DIY-er, olive oil is a gentle, soothing, natural soap ingredient.

19. Eliminate squeaks. Put a few drops of olive oil into a squeaky door hinge and work it around for a while -- no need for WD-40!
 
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20. Polish stainless steel. Banish fingerprints by pouring a little olive oil onto a rag, then work into appliances or silverware.
Alesandra Dubin is a Los Angeles-based writer and the founder of home and travel blog Homebody in Motion. Follow her on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Oh, so this is the new fire under Amazon's frenzied new censorship emails to we authors. And what is legally "offensive"?

Unfortunately, they're not "walling off our titles" but trying to get us to redress or censor what they've already accepted and sold, often, for years; at Kindle and at the former Mobipocket site, and the old Amazon setups of Amazon Shorts and when it used to sell other ebook types.

As if they've stopped selling Jenna Jameson or all the visual "porn". Erotica and writing "porn" are shocking, but you can stop reading, people, after all. Or firewall or set up disclaimer entries to the materials like most hardcore erotic sites do anyway. 
 


Not twist authors arms to "redress," literally, repackage titles, descriptions, and covers from materials they've accepted under contract and from which they take about 50% of income. _NS
 

Amazon removes abuse-themed [as they assume through the titles alone_NS] e-books from store


Amazon logo 
 
Retailer Amazon has removed several abuse-themed e-books from its Kindle Store after a report highlighted titles depicting rape, incest and bestiality.

Titles such as Taking My Drunk Daughter had been on sale.

Amazon and Barnes & Noble both say they are removing books found by technology news site The Kernel, but many others still remain, the BBC has found.

WHSmith and Kobo, which feature titles with similar themes, are yet to respond to requests for comment.

The BBC found that on Amazon's store, the search function automatically suggested explicit topics to users typing seemingly innocuous keywords - without age verification taking place.

Amazon has not responded to the BBC's request for comment on the issue, except to confirm that the specific books listed by The Kernel had been removed.

Barnes & Noble said in a statement the titles were "in violation" of its policy on content offered in the NOOK Bookstore and were in the process of being removed.

"When there are violations to the content policy that are brought to our attention, either through our internal process or from a customer or external source, we have a rapid response team in place to appropriately categorize or remove the content in accordance with our policy," it said.

Justice Minister Damian Green told the BBC "the government shares the public's concerns about the availability of harmful material."

Self-published

The titles can be found in the self-published section of the retailers' sites - an area where authors can offer their own work. The companies take a percentage of the sales made through their stores.

One lawyer told the BBC that the retailers could find themselves guilty of a criminal offence for allowing such content to be found without protection mechanisms.

"The directors of Amazon have a very difficult question to answer: why are they making profits from pornography which, on the face of it, seems to be criminal?" said Mark Stephens, former chairman of the Internet Watch Foundation, a body responsible for monitoring criminal content online.

However, many of the authors have taken measures to stay within the law, adding disclaimers to their descriptions, such as saying characters were "over 18" or "step-daughters".

On Amazon, guidelines for self-publishing state: "We don't accept pornography or offensive depictions of graphic sexual acts."

It adds: "What we deem offensive is probably about what you would expect."

The other retailers give similar guidance.

In July, Prime Minister David Cameron said the government intended to make it illegal in England and Wales to possess online pornography depicting rape.

But it is unclear whether the written word - currently governed by the Obscene Publications Act (OPA) - will come under the proposed legislation.

Under the OPA, publishers have a duty to protect the public from accidentally encountering material that could outrage public decency, said Mr Stephens.

A spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers told the BBC: "Rape is a serious criminal offence which has a physical, emotional and psychological impact on victims. It's very unpleasant and distasteful to use such a harrowing experience as the basis for entertainment and enjoyment.

"Investigating offences of rape is a particularly complex process because it often rests on the issue of consent."

'Censorship'

John Carr, secretary to the Children's Charities' Coalition on Internet Safety, said parents would be "shocked" at what content was discoverable.

"At the very least there should be a certain class of material that is adult, which ought not to be universally accessible," he told the BBC.

However, others felt that Amazon's removal of some titles amounted to censorship.

"We outlaw snuff films, child porn and, increasingly, revenge porn, because actual people are harmed during their production," wrote PJ Vogt on OnTheMedia.org.

"Erotic fiction concerns fake characters who don't exist in real life."

Mr Carr stressed that he did not condone censorship, but that the content needed to be walled off.

"If this was a Soho sex shop, I wouldn't take the same view. I am concerned that this is next to things kids could search for."