I'm the first non-Amazonian to post his bookshelf!

Omnivoracious, Amazon's blog is doing a weekly banner feature of readers' books and I'm the first non-Amazonian to have his bookshelf up there! I've also been asked to write a few words about my selection, however, being a writer (of a kind) I've got a tad carried away and sent them a short story (almost) so it remains to be seen if it all gets posted. Anyway, should you want a peep at my ramshackle shelf and what I tend to read then click here before the bookshelf falls down (I'm useless at D.I.Y.) The banner shows a small part of the bookshelf if you click on my name on the right it takes you to more blurb.

Japanese to butcher Humpbacks

Against Western protests the Japanese are setting sail for the Antartica to hunt for Humpback whales which up to now they have refrained from slaughtering. However, as they have decided that the whale population has recovered enough to warrant a managed catch they are going to include Humpbacks so that they can 'study' and therefore help 'preserve' them... yeah right, in their stomachs?

The Japanese kill more than 1,000 whales a year in the Antarctic and also the Pacific Ocean utilising a loophole in the 1986 international moratorium that allows catching whales for 'research'. Only Norway and Iceland defy the moratorium outright.
But this year, Japan is expanding the catch to harpoon 50 humpback whales.

They also plan to kill 50 fin whales -- the world's second largest animal after blue whales -- as well as 850 smaller minke whales.

It will be the first time that Japan has hunted humpback whales since an international moratorium on the species took effect in 1966 due to overhunting. The former Soviet Union also defied the moratorium through the 1980s.

I drive a Mazda 6 and will probably change my car next spring for a new one, I will definately NOT be buying another Japanese one, I know this is a small token of protest but if more people spoke out perhaps Japan would wake up and smell the reek of disapproval that only they seem oblivious of.

If you want to lodge a complaint then this is a link to the London Embassy for Japan :- Link

Hot off the press! Joe Abercrombie's answers and secret identity!

Having the feeling that Joe is the sort of guy not to turn down a challenge I wasn't surprised to receive his answers to my five questions (some of which were a little risqué) and find that they were answered with poise and assurance. Here are the questions and Joe's answers:

1/ Joe, if you had the power to ban one single type of garment worn by humans on the earth today, which would you choose?

Why do I do this? Why?

1. Caps worn with the bill in any direction other than forwards.

2/ Joe, have you ever tried lighting one of your farts? If yes, why? If no, why not?

2. No. I once saw someone else burn himself quite badly attempting it. Not on the fart, incidentally, but on the lighter.

3/ Joe, if Megatron had a fight with Godzilla who do you think would win?

3. I think these two are both misunderstood, and would resolve their differences peacefully.

4/ Joe, if you were chosen to be the first human to meet an alien that had landed on Earth would you prefer to take a Desert Eagle Automatic with you are a Welcome to Earth sign?

4. I'd say the desert eagle, except I know I could never handle a .50 magnum. So gimme the sign. At least I could hide behind it.

5/ Joe, have you ever had a back, sack and crack wax? If yes, was it all you imagined it to be? If no would you consider having it done?

5. No need. I am entirely hairless, like an albino slug.

Thanks Joe

footnote:

Now the more observant reader out there will have noticed Joe's last answer where he compares himself to an albino slug, strange you might think considering his photos show him with a head of hair and a stubble-covered chin, could they be images of a stand-in?

Below is an artist's impression of what Joe could really look like...

Five Questions For Joe Abercrombie

After seeing the five questions that Joe Abercrombie (he of The Blade Itself and Before They Are Hanged) was asked by Ken on Neth Space and his answers I wondered if he'd be up for me asking him five questions as I reckoned I could field five off-the-wall questions which would challenge him more. However, I made the mistake of asking him on his blog if I could ask him five questions... he said 'of course you may put questions on your blog. I don't promise to answer them, though.ha ha.'
Bah! that'll teach me to be more accurate with what I'm writing. However, I'm going to post the five questions anyway and see if he responds, they are all profound, thought-provoking and are here:

1/ Joe, if you had the power to ban one single type of garment worn by humans on the earth today, which would you choose?

2/ Joe, have you ever tried lighting one of your farts? If yes, why? If no, why not?

3/ Joe, if Megatron had a fight with Godzilla who do you think would win?

4/ Joe, if you were chosen to be the first human to meet an alien that had landed on Earth would you prefer to take a Desert Eagle Automatic with you are a Welcome to Earth sign?

5/ Joe, have you ever had a back, sack and crack wax? If yes, was it all you imagined it to be? If no would you consider having it done?

There, as I said, all profound and in perfectly good taste...

Halloween Street Festival Bridgend

Paid Bridgend a visit over the week-end where they were holding a Halloween Festival and I'd been invited to read one of my creepy stories at the evening get together. However, public speaking isn't one of my strengths so I declined but I did wander around the various stalls in the city centre and stumbled across this weird tent with some strange people selling books in it. They dragged me in a forced me to smile for a photograph.

From the left: Chris of Pendragon Press - Me (Bob Lock) - Steve of Screamingdreams - Frederick another author.