Since I have been a bad, bad absent fan/forum-admin lately...

Get Parrish. Seriously. I'm not kidding. Get Mira too. And soon, you have to get Tara - there is no excuse. Well, unless you don't like post-apocalyptic spec-fic, space operas or chick-crime-lit. And even then, I'm gonna sulk until you try it. XD

It's not something I've blogged about for ages, but I run the official forum for Marianne de Pierres a.k.a Marianne Delacourt, speculative-fiction author extraordinaire... Well, to tell the truth, I created a LJ community (now dead), which then became a forum, which then became the official forum. Okay, it's a very quiet forum, but that's cause she's underappreciated, damnit!

We also have guest authors from time to time (in the past, we've had Kelley Armstrong, Rachel Caine, Anne Bishop, Richard Morgan, Justina Robson... and who knows who's coming next?), and it's always cool to be able to pick a published writer's brain. Getting to talk to Kelley Armstrong was the second-most-squeeworthy book-fangirl event of my life, after being contacted by Marianne... :D

Anyway, yeah. Leaving this as a public entry so all random journal-clickers can see the site-widget. NOW GO BUY THE BOOKS! *cracks whip*

My gorgeous, wonderful, best friend in the whole world has died today. My cat, Bimbo, had to be put to sleep at the vet's this morning - he was 18 years old and had liver cancer.

I'm so gutted... so is everyone at home. I feel bad that I wasn't there to say goodbye. But at least now he isn't suffering and is getting all the tuna, salmon, turkey and cream he wants wherever he is now. We knew this was coming, and it's way better that he's not in pain.

Some people might be thinking 'he's just a cat - why is she so upset?' He was NOT just a cat. We got him when I was four years old and I don't remember a time when he hasn't been there yowling for food or curled up in his basket, or playing Pat-A-Cake on the floor with my mum. It feels like I've lost a brother. He was always there for me and he always seemed to know when I was happy or upset. So you'll have to bear with me for a while.

RIP Bimbo
1989-2007
We all loved you so much.

( Pictures under cut. )

Hi... I'm Amy... *wavies*



But my journal is. ;) Comment to be added. ^_^

Self Injury Awareness Day - March 1st
1st March is Self Injury Awareness Day.

SIAD is a global awareness day, and yet it is not supported by any nations' governments, because it is a grass-roots idea. Somehow, in the mists of time, the date was set as the 1st of March, and organisations around the world make extra efforts to raise awareness ready for SIAD.

The colour for some reason is orange. Some people wear an orange ribbon, but in the past SIAD bracelets have been worn:

- Orange beads if you self harm;
- Orange and white if you used to;
- White if you have never self harmed but understand.

If you agree that people should be made aware of this issue and this day, re-post this in your journal.

THE ULTIMATE SILENCE
October 12, 1998



Listen to the mustn'ts, child.
Listen to the don'ts.
Listen to the shouldn'ts,
The impossibles, the won'ts.
Listen to the never haves,
Then listen close to me ...
Anything can happen, child.
Anything can be.

~ Shel Silverstein

Six years ago today, Matthew Shepard was murdered for being homosexual.

What will you do to end the silence?

Click here to post this on your own page or weblog

Prejudice sucks. Making this a public entry.