Monday, July 12, 2010The King with Two Faces
In all honesty no one who has experienced it firsthand has any knowledge of what Fonseka is going through at the hands of his captors. Quite possibly the retired general's nerves just gave out. .................................
by Stewart Sloan
(The views expressed are the author's own)
(July 12, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka Guardian) As an international observer I was fascinated by the Sri Lankan Presidential Elections which were held on the 26th January, 2010. While there were several contenders the main characters in the field were the incumbent president, Mahinda Rajapakse and the man who would be king, retired general, Sarath Fonseka.
Much has already been written about the election and it is not my intention to go into great detail about it here. However, I must say that I believe the results to have been rigged in favour of Rajapakse in the most blatant manner. So sure of the government's victory, and so arrogant as to believe that no one would challenge the results, ballot boxes containing votes in favour of Sarath Fonseka were discarded in a field adjoining a voting station at Ratnapura. This degree of arrogance is truly mind boggling.
It probably came as no surprise to anyone when the news broke that Fonseka had been arrested. But the manner of this arrest was surprising, even for Sri Lanka. The arrest was carried out with no form of due process and in the most horrendous fashion so as to cause maximum humiliation to Fonseka himself and the obvious intimidation to his family and followers. He was literarily dragged out of his election offices by the ankles.
For the next few months I, and the rest of the world watched as Sarath Fonseka was treated with the utmost contempt. A group on Facebook was created, Free the GENERAL has, to-date, 2,463 members. Every day I logged into the Sri Lankan news papers expecting to read the news that he had been killed while attempting to escape; that his wife had managed to smuggle in an AK47 and twenty hand grenades in his lunch box with which the general had tried to kill his guards.
Numerous articles have been written demanding his release, protests held in Colombo and elsewhere and the clergy both Christian and Buddhist have agitated for his release. And yet his court martial goes on. Then the general's courage shone through; he would testify, he said, before the UN on the issue of war crimes committed by the Sri Lankan Army at the close of the war between Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam, the LTTE.
This, I thought was a true test of the man's mettle. Incarcerated by the Rajapakse regime, completely at their mercy and suffering from the effects of his injuries he received in a terrorist bombing some years before, here was a man that was not going to allow the Rajapakses to intimidate him. He would testify before the UN and the world would have first hand evidence of the war crimes which included the slaughter of surrendering LTTE soldiers and that the orders to kill them had come from no less a person than Gotabhaya Rajapakse, the Secretary of the Ministry of Defense and Mahinda Rajapakse's brother. European journalists jostled for the 'honour' of interviewing Gotabhaya who made no bones about the fact that he would have Fonseka hung if he had the temerity to do such a thing.
All was quiet for a few weeks and I am sure that many of the other observers would dearly love to know what went on behind closed doors. Where there threats, or promises of leniency; perhaps even the promise a reward for changing his story? Whatever happened, last week Sarath Fonseka announced that, yes, he would testify before a UN inquiry, but it would not be to denounce the Sri Lankan army or Gotabhaya Rajapakse but rather to clear the 'good name' of the Sri Lankan army.
This was something of an about face and no one can help but wonder what brought it on. Suffice to say, Fonseka's stock fell badly in the minds of many of his followers and supporters.
In all honesty no one who has experienced it firsthand has any knowledge of what Fonseka is going through at the hands of his captors. Quite possibly the retired general's nerves just gave out. Whatever the case there can be no doubt that he has been effectively silenced. The man who would be king has two faces.
Stewart Sloan is the author of three novels and a collection of anecdotes about the Royal Hong Kong Police Force whom he served as a civilian from 1987 to 1997. He works as an editorial assistant for a regional human rights NGO in Hong Kong.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Kidney Kids--Providing dialysis machines and treatment for children--Don't belittle the humble ring pull Stewart Sloan*
There are branches of Kidney Kids in many countries of the world.
The concept behind this not for profit organisation is to provide vitally needed medical support for children suffering renal failure; they also, perhaps equally importantly, arrange for emotional support and information for their parents by parents who have been through it themselves. This is done through counseling, educational materials and social events.
No one can understand the commitment in both time and money involved in seeking treatment and the accompanying exhaustion if they have not experienced the grief of having a close relative, whether a child or an adult, suffer renal failure.
Caregiver burnout is a real threat. Dialysis is required up to three times a week and must, under no circumstances, be missed. This places tremendous pressure on the parents and relatives of patients. A helping hand to take the patient for treatment on just one of these days each week is more of a blessing than many of us would realise.
In Hong Kong a locally based businessman has taken an active role in providing assistance to one of the Kidney Kids branches, Kidney Kids of New Zealand.
Colin Barlow, a New Zealander himself, is a dental technician by trade and several years ago on a visit to his home country came into contact with Paul Norfolk, the Chief Executive of Kidney Kids of NZ Inc. Colin learned that one way to take an active part in assisting was to collect ring pulls from soft drink (and beer) cans (Kan Tabs). These are sent to New Zealand where they are sold for scrap and melted down and the money received goes to the purchase of dialysis machines and the cost of treatment. (In a local event in New Zealand a load of aluminium ring pulls and screw caps weighing 1,369 kgs brought in NZ$ 2,464). Colin put the word out to his friends and the ring pulls started pouring in from individuals and restaurants and bars. Now Colin, with the assistance of Air New Zealand sends packets of up to 20 kgs back to New Zealand on a regular bas is.
Lots of little bags of ring pulls add up to a big box when donated regularly. To donate ring pulls in Hong Kong please contact Stewart at sloanbooks@gmail.com or Colin at chevlab@gmail.com. Elsewhere please refer to the websites below:
http://www.kidneykids.org.nz/
http://www.kidneykids.org.uk/
http://www.kidneykids.org/
http://www.kidney.org.au/ForPatients/KIDneyKids/tabid/613/Default.aspx
*Stewart's wife Quirina died in December last year after a five year battle with renal failure.
** To see the latest issue of this News Letter please see: http://newsletters.ahrchk.net/hrc/docs/AHRC-ART-053-2010.pdf
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Vitriolage--The horror and injustice of acid attacks
Dear Readers,
This article was uploaded by the Asian Human Rights Commission.
[AHRC Article] ASIA: Vitriolage -- the horror and injustice of acid attacks
FOR PUBLICATION
AHRC-ART-049-2010
May 13, 2010
An Article by the Asian Human Rights Commission
ASIA: Vitriolage -- the horror and injustice of acid attacks
Baseer Naveed and Stewart Sloan
"Acid will be thrown on the faces of women and girls who step out of their houses without covering their faces… People who fail to comply with these orders will themselves be responsible for the consequences."
This was the announcement made by the Baloch Ghaeratmand Group; until recently a little known fundamentalist group in Pakistan that has carried out their threat on several occasions. Their attacks have resulted in the victims suffering inhuman pain and unimaginable mental anguish. Despite strikes by the citizens and demands that action is taken, the government has done nothing to bring the perpetrators to justice, nor have they done anything to prevent future attacks.
A recent press release by Women without Borders left no doubt as to the effects, both immediate and following an attack:
If the victim survives, the effects of acid attacks are life-changing. Acid burns through eyes, skin tissue, and bone. Usually, the victims are left blind and with permanent scar tissue. Their bones are often fused together—jawbones sealed tight, chins locked to chests, hands left permanently contorted in the position they held as they tried to deflect the splash. The psychological scars are even worse. Depression, anxiety, shame—these would be part of the emotional aftermath of any scarring injury, but victims of acid attacks are also often ostracized by their communities and even held responsible for incurring the attack they suffered.
http://www.women-without-borders.org/news/193
Acid attacks, of which the victims are invariably women, happen in several countries of Asia. Sadly, very little is done to prevent them and even less to bring the perpetrators to justice. They are done for religious reasons and as acts of revenge and sometimes as acts of mischief. There were several recent incidents in Hong Kong when bottles of acid were thrown into crowded shopping areas from buildings overhead. The police reacted quickly and have arrested at least one man but it is feared that not all of the attacks were carried out by the same person.
In Thailand acid attacks are frequently the result of revenge attacks by housewives who are convinced that a certain lady is having an affair with her husband. In June 2007 a mother and daughter were charged with throwing acid in the face of a 23-year-old woman because they believed she was having an affair with the mother's husband. Until legislation was introduced to control its sale, acids and other corrosive liquids could be purchased on the street. It is still available on the black market.
Asia and South East Asia however, are not alone in suffering these attacks. While the majority of attacks in Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are carried out for religious reasons, in the west it is usually for revenge. Regardless of where they happen, the attacks come without warning and there is little or no defence against them. The acids used, either hydrochloric or sulphuric, eat through clothes, flesh and bone almost instantly. The only course of action, which must be taken immediately, is to wash the affected areas with water. As most attacks happen in the street this is unlikely to happen, allowing the effects of the acid to run their course.
There are several organisations, international and local offering assistance to victims of acid attacks and these are listed below. The following poem by Airyn R. Lentija highlights the feelings of desolation known by the victim.
VITRIOLAGE
Airyn R. Lentija
Just as my scarred hands hold these rails
so the tiny drops
of my faith make me live, too.
I, who never asked for this blindness,
The scarring of my face and body that
erased my existence to the real world...
embarassed...
in fear of the stigma and of prejudice
that bubbles from the mouth
of the community I once belonged to.
I am a mother turned into a baby,
desperately dependent...
I am a teenager who forgets how it was to be a teenager...
I am a lively lady that used to enjoy the company of my peers...
A victim of vitriolage,
I am shunned now...
and relive the vivid memories that lift me
to another level of distress, of such agony,
that my mind almost shut down,
they called...
a psychologist for in-depth intervention,
counselors...
A brilliant mind may give a hand
to restore my damaged skin tissue;
surgical treatment...
Yet I will never be free
from the memory of such pain,
such punishment
nor will I be Me again...
Note: This poem will also be published under the title: Testimony of Acid Attack Woman Victim.
The three pictures below show a victim before the attack, during treatment and more recently, tying hard to get on with her life.
Relevant organisations:
The Acid Survivors Foundation--Bangladesh-- http://www.acidsurvivors.org/
The Acid Survivors Foundation—Pakistan-- http://acidsurvivorspakistan.org/
The Acid Survivors Trust—Canada-- http://www.acidviolence.org/index.php/news/acid-survivors-trust-canada/
The Cambodian Acid Survivors Charity (CASC)-- http://cambodianacidsurvivorscharity.org/
# # #
About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.
This Article was also posted in the E-Publication Sri Lanka Guardian
Posted on 2010-05-13
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Lakbay Dangal—Jose Rizal and Filipino history in Hong Kong today
Stewart Sloan
On Sunday the 14th March a unique organisation met in Chater Gardens in Hong Kong. The brainchild of Fr. Roberto Reyes, the Running Priest, a group of Filipino domestic helpers, journalists and friends met to inaugurate Lakbay Dangal—an association determined to bring out the historians and tour guides among the Filipino community in the territory.
After introducing the concept, about which more later, Fr. Roberto led the group in a tour of historical areas of the Central District, the business hub of Hong Kong. Many of us, myself included, had no idea that the antiquities board, dedicated but not the most audible of Hong Kong government departments, had raised several plaques dedicated to the memory of Jose Rizal.
Jose Rizal is perhaps best known for his activism against the Spanish colonial government in the Philippines and his subsequent execution. However, perhaps not many people are aware that he was a man of wide ranging talents and skills. Rizal's multifacetedness was described by his German friend, Dr. Adolf Meyer, as nothing short of stupendous. He was a polymath with the ability to master various skills and subjects. He was an ophthalmologist, sculptor, painter, educator, farmer, historian, playwright and journalist. Besides poetry and creative writing, he was interested in architecture, cartography, economics, ethnology, anthropology, sociology, dramatics, martial arts, fencing and pistol shooting. He was also a Freemason, joining Acacia Lodge No. 9 during his time in Spain and becoming a Master Mason in 1884. Jose Rizal was executed by firing squad in December 1896 at the age of 35.
At least one of these plaques had been in place for several years and I could not help but wonder how many times I had passed underneath it without the slightest knowledge of its existence. The one in D' Aguilar Street identifies the location where Rizal opened one of his eye clinics.
Lakbay Dangal—a 12 month 'histourism' training programme
Fr. Roberto's plan in creating Lakbay Dangal has many aims. The first is to reveal to the Filipino community itself that there is a link between Hong Kong and the Philippines in Rizal's history in the territory. By bringing this to the fore he also hopes that the Filipino ladies who work here as domestic helpers will see themselves, and be seen by others, as much more than cleaners and babysitters. A good knowledge of the various historical sites in and around Central and other areas of Hong Kong will give these ladies the opportunity to show off these sites and reveal their historical and cultural significance to others.
In order to accomplish this trips are planned to sites such as Stanley where you can see both history in the form of the War Cemetery where many of the soldiers and civilians killed during the Japanese invasion were laid to rest and also one of the most favourite tourist sites in the territory, Stanley Market. Stanley used to be famous for its 'seconds' shops; shops that sold items of clothing that had been rejected by the buyers and were picked up by the Stanley vendors. Sadly, as with all things, progress stepped in and many of the shops are now up market and costly. However, that does not seem to deter many of the western tourists that visit the place.
Speakers will be tasked with the job of finding out as much as they can about the various sites and take turns at giving lectures to their fellow trainees. One such gathering was held on Sunday the 4th April and another is planned for the 25th. The ladies have shown great enthusiasm for this project and are to be congratulated for their zeal. Thanks must also go to Fr. Roberto who will visit the territory as often as his schedule permits to encourage and assist in the training.
Domestic Helper Tour Guides; Ladies with the knowledge, willingness and ability to show others, not only Filipinos, but anyone interested, that there is more to Hong Kong than tall buildings.
On Sunday the 14th March a unique organisation met in Chater Gardens in Hong Kong. The brainchild of Fr. Roberto Reyes, the Running Priest, a group of Filipino domestic helpers, journalists and friends met to inaugurate Lakbay Dangal—an association determined to bring out the historians and tour guides among the Filipino community in the territory.
After introducing the concept, about which more later, Fr. Roberto led the group in a tour of historical areas of the Central District, the business hub of Hong Kong. Many of us, myself included, had no idea that the antiquities board, dedicated but not the most audible of Hong Kong government departments, had raised several plaques dedicated to the memory of Jose Rizal.
Jose Rizal is perhaps best known for his activism against the Spanish colonial government in the Philippines and his subsequent execution. However, perhaps not many people are aware that he was a man of wide ranging talents and skills. Rizal's multifacetedness was described by his German friend, Dr. Adolf Meyer, as nothing short of stupendous. He was a polymath with the ability to master various skills and subjects. He was an ophthalmologist, sculptor, painter, educator, farmer, historian, playwright and journalist. Besides poetry and creative writing, he was interested in architecture, cartography, economics, ethnology, anthropology, sociology, dramatics, martial arts, fencing and pistol shooting. He was also a Freemason, joining Acacia Lodge No. 9 during his time in Spain and becoming a Master Mason in 1884. Jose Rizal was executed by firing squad in December 1896 at the age of 35.
At least one of these plaques had been in place for several years and I could not help but wonder how many times I had passed underneath it without the slightest knowledge of its existence. The one in D' Aguilar Street identifies the location where Rizal opened one of his eye clinics.
Lakbay Dangal—a 12 month 'histourism' training programme
Fr. Roberto's plan in creating Lakbay Dangal has many aims. The first is to reveal to the Filipino community itself that there is a link between Hong Kong and the Philippines in Rizal's history in the territory. By bringing this to the fore he also hopes that the Filipino ladies who work here as domestic helpers will see themselves, and be seen by others, as much more than cleaners and babysitters. A good knowledge of the various historical sites in and around Central and other areas of Hong Kong will give these ladies the opportunity to show off these sites and reveal their historical and cultural significance to others.
In order to accomplish this trips are planned to sites such as Stanley where you can see both history in the form of the War Cemetery where many of the soldiers and civilians killed during the Japanese invasion were laid to rest and also one of the most favourite tourist sites in the territory, Stanley Market. Stanley used to be famous for its 'seconds' shops; shops that sold items of clothing that had been rejected by the buyers and were picked up by the Stanley vendors. Sadly, as with all things, progress stepped in and many of the shops are now up market and costly. However, that does not seem to deter many of the western tourists that visit the place.
Speakers will be tasked with the job of finding out as much as they can about the various sites and take turns at giving lectures to their fellow trainees. One such gathering was held on Sunday the 4th April and another is planned for the 25th. The ladies have shown great enthusiasm for this project and are to be congratulated for their zeal. Thanks must also go to Fr. Roberto who will visit the territory as often as his schedule permits to encourage and assist in the training.
Domestic Helper Tour Guides; Ladies with the knowledge, willingness and ability to show others, not only Filipinos, but anyone interested, that there is more to Hong Kong than tall buildings.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Anger Management – pros and cons
I am sure that the people who know and work with me will be surprised to know that I used to have an anger management problem.
The following incident will clarify any questions as to this matter.
When there is horse racing on a Wednesday evening or Saturday at the Shatin Jockey Club some of the Lo Wu trains are diverted from Fotan to the Race Course Station. Under normal circumstances announcements are made at the earlier stations where I might board the train so that I know to wait for another train. Occasionally the staff forget to make the announcement and many is the time I have watched in dismay as Fotan flashes past and I arrive, reluctantly, at the Race Course. Here I have two options, get off the train, cross the platform, get back on the train, return to Shatin and wait for the next train which is going to Fotan. The second option is to stay on the train and go to the Chinese University Station and do the same thing.
A few weeks ago I got on the train at Kowloon Tong and forgot to double check as to whether the train was going to Fotan. This was my fault. However, I was annoyed; quite rightly so on this occasion because there were no announcements, and I ended up at the Race Course. I got off the train and made a point of telling the platform supervisor that there had been no announcements on the train. Much to my surprise this gentleman could not have cared less and my respect for the management of the MTRC fell a few notches. I wasn't going to get any sense out of this fellow so I just waited for the next train and returned to Shatin.
On arrival at Shatin I went up to the concourse which I crossed and descended to the correct platform for the Fotan train. It arrived shortly and I boarded and moments later arrived back at the Race Course Station. Once again there had been no announcements.
Three months ago I would have had a long conversation with the Station Master in which I would have seriously questioned his pedigree. However, on this occasion I meekly crossed the platform, boarded the train and returned to Shatin where I left the station and walked back to Fotan, a distance of just over a mile. It seemed to be the less complicated and safer option and it made the beer taste better.
Now what were you saying about my anger management?
The following incident will clarify any questions as to this matter.
When there is horse racing on a Wednesday evening or Saturday at the Shatin Jockey Club some of the Lo Wu trains are diverted from Fotan to the Race Course Station. Under normal circumstances announcements are made at the earlier stations where I might board the train so that I know to wait for another train. Occasionally the staff forget to make the announcement and many is the time I have watched in dismay as Fotan flashes past and I arrive, reluctantly, at the Race Course. Here I have two options, get off the train, cross the platform, get back on the train, return to Shatin and wait for the next train which is going to Fotan. The second option is to stay on the train and go to the Chinese University Station and do the same thing.
A few weeks ago I got on the train at Kowloon Tong and forgot to double check as to whether the train was going to Fotan. This was my fault. However, I was annoyed; quite rightly so on this occasion because there were no announcements, and I ended up at the Race Course. I got off the train and made a point of telling the platform supervisor that there had been no announcements on the train. Much to my surprise this gentleman could not have cared less and my respect for the management of the MTRC fell a few notches. I wasn't going to get any sense out of this fellow so I just waited for the next train and returned to Shatin.
On arrival at Shatin I went up to the concourse which I crossed and descended to the correct platform for the Fotan train. It arrived shortly and I boarded and moments later arrived back at the Race Course Station. Once again there had been no announcements.
Three months ago I would have had a long conversation with the Station Master in which I would have seriously questioned his pedigree. However, on this occasion I meekly crossed the platform, boarded the train and returned to Shatin where I left the station and walked back to Fotan, a distance of just over a mile. It seemed to be the less complicated and safer option and it made the beer taste better.
Now what were you saying about my anger management?
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Update
I confess, I'm blowing my own horn here but I recently came across two very flattering bits of news on the internet. The first entails a review of Temutma, the book I wrote in partnership with Rebecca Bradley. Temutma was published by Asia 2000 who was remiss in informing us that they had sold the publishing rights to a German company, Union Verslag, who are now producing audio copies of the book. Neither Rebecca nor I have ever seen a penny in royalties from the sale of these audio books. However, the review, which is copied here, soothes my wounded pride somewhat.
Possibly the BEST vampire novel since Dracula. March 9, 2005
By Devlin Tay (Adelaide, Australia)
"Temutma" is a little gem of a horror novel from Hong Kong that most readers would unfortunately never have heard of. It is quite possibly the BEST vampire novel I've ever read since Dracula (take that, Anne Rice) - and I say this not because of Temutma's literary merits, but because of its frenetic pacing and the atmosphere of sheer terror that it evokes. Set in Hong Kong in the early 1990s, an ancient horror awakens deep within the catacombs of Kowloon's famed Walled City. A series of grotesque murders are committed on one single night, leaving the Hong Kong police completely baffled. The murders are seemingly unrelated; but for the fact that the crime scenes all fall on a direct line of sight beginning from the Kowloon Walled City, across the narrow strait separating Kowloon from Hong Kong island, to the Bank of China building, and finally ending at a luxury home at the Peak. All victims had been drained completely dry of blood. Even more strangely, one of the first victims had been seen following a subsequent victim hours after he supposedly died, according to forensics. As the chief investigating officer, Superintendent Michael Scott of the Royal Hong Kong Police, delves deeper into the mystery, little does he know that he will soon come face to face with a being more ancient and powerful than he could ever imagine - an amoral being whose only instinct is to satisfy his own bloodlust. Rebecca Bradley and Stewart Sloan successfully weave Chinese superstition with vampiric lore into a melange of fear and action so thick one could almost imagine watching the story unfold in a Cineplex with full DTS surround sound. The characters are believable, the action is evenly paced, and the horror is conveyed though a finely-balanced mixture of suspense and gore. Temutma, the eponymous vampire, is a creature so believably alien, repulsive and evil - and yet strangely compelling. There is none of that vampiric angst, the likes of which authors like Anne Rice are so fond of, to be found anywhere in this book. Here, at last, is a creature that stalks, tortures, kills and inflicts pain simply because it is what it does - much like the way a cat hunts for, and plays with, its prey purely out of instinct, the way all cats do. Five stars and two thumbs up!
The other bit of news that cheered me up was the news that my first book, 'The Sorceress' which was published in 1994 and sold for the grand sum of HK$ 70.00 is available on a second hand book website for the price of HK$ 168.20!
The question that now begs to be asked is, if I'm that good, why aren't I sitting on a beach somewhere sipping champagne?
Possibly the BEST vampire novel since Dracula. March 9, 2005
By Devlin Tay (Adelaide, Australia)
"Temutma" is a little gem of a horror novel from Hong Kong that most readers would unfortunately never have heard of. It is quite possibly the BEST vampire novel I've ever read since Dracula (take that, Anne Rice) - and I say this not because of Temutma's literary merits, but because of its frenetic pacing and the atmosphere of sheer terror that it evokes. Set in Hong Kong in the early 1990s, an ancient horror awakens deep within the catacombs of Kowloon's famed Walled City. A series of grotesque murders are committed on one single night, leaving the Hong Kong police completely baffled. The murders are seemingly unrelated; but for the fact that the crime scenes all fall on a direct line of sight beginning from the Kowloon Walled City, across the narrow strait separating Kowloon from Hong Kong island, to the Bank of China building, and finally ending at a luxury home at the Peak. All victims had been drained completely dry of blood. Even more strangely, one of the first victims had been seen following a subsequent victim hours after he supposedly died, according to forensics. As the chief investigating officer, Superintendent Michael Scott of the Royal Hong Kong Police, delves deeper into the mystery, little does he know that he will soon come face to face with a being more ancient and powerful than he could ever imagine - an amoral being whose only instinct is to satisfy his own bloodlust. Rebecca Bradley and Stewart Sloan successfully weave Chinese superstition with vampiric lore into a melange of fear and action so thick one could almost imagine watching the story unfold in a Cineplex with full DTS surround sound. The characters are believable, the action is evenly paced, and the horror is conveyed though a finely-balanced mixture of suspense and gore. Temutma, the eponymous vampire, is a creature so believably alien, repulsive and evil - and yet strangely compelling. There is none of that vampiric angst, the likes of which authors like Anne Rice are so fond of, to be found anywhere in this book. Here, at last, is a creature that stalks, tortures, kills and inflicts pain simply because it is what it does - much like the way a cat hunts for, and plays with, its prey purely out of instinct, the way all cats do. Five stars and two thumbs up!
The other bit of news that cheered me up was the news that my first book, 'The Sorceress' which was published in 1994 and sold for the grand sum of HK$ 70.00 is available on a second hand book website for the price of HK$ 168.20!
The question that now begs to be asked is, if I'm that good, why aren't I sitting on a beach somewhere sipping champagne?
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