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thenewwei · 8 months

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11 years ago today, my first novel The Brotherhood was published. 5 years ago today, the second edition of The Brotherhood was published.

The Brotherhood remains my most popular book. I've been talking with some people in TV about making it into a limited TV series. If so, it would be as groundbreaking, if not more so, than the book: the first mystery/drama TV series with mostly Indian-American characters set in the USA, that I can think of.

Because of that, the project still remains an up-hill battle. Almost all American TV series with People of Color are comedies, and despite what they claim, very few industry insiders are interested in financing and screening content that's genuinely original and challenging. I'm looking to connect with more people in the TV/film industry, particularly of South Asian descent, who can make this happen: content acquirers, writers, directors, producers, actors, actresses, agents etc. If you know anyone who can help, please send them my way.

It's been 4 years since the publication of The Run and Hide, the second volume of The Brotherhood Chronicle. Despite getting the least acclaim and having won no awards, this remains my personal favorite book, and a darling for Desai diehards.

The Dance Towards Death was published 3 years ago, and it's won 13 literary honors in that time, my most acclaimed book so far.

In about a month, it will be the 10th anniversary of Good Americans, my most provocative book and a subject of divided opinion. Its anthology sequel, Bad Americans, is my longest and most ambitious book to date, a novel and short story collection in one. I'm working hard on it, and the polished manuscript should be ready to send out to agents etc. around January 2024.

I've stayed the course and maintained my literary independence for more than a decade. Let's see if I can do that and still convince a major publisher to bring Bad Americans out into the literary sphere and get it the wide acclamation and readership I believe it deserves.

The New Wei Literary Movement and its associated Salons are gaining traction. I've met many writers, artists, musicians, actors and filmmakers over the last six months and I hope we've inspired them to produce new dynamic projects.

I'm also working to interview provocative artists of many mediums and produce articles on them. Ultimately I plan to write a book on the wider literary/artistic scene, our tumultuous decade and The New Wei.

Then there are my travels: recently to Germany/Austria/Italy, across the USA and soon to Greece and Turkey too. I know a lot of people have been screaming for me to write a non-fiction book about all these crazy adventures, and that might finally happen.

In addition, there's plenty afoot at the library too: our annual Southeast Queens Author Festival at Cambria Heights Library on 9/30 at 1:30pm, dynamic planned panels for ALA in Baltimore and San Diego, a renovated Teen Center, new art installations, and plenty more.

Things have been busy in the best possible way, and I'm grateful for it.

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starlight-bread-blog · 2 months

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Me: I shouldn't disturb Neil Gaiman. I shouldn't send an ask unless I really have no way of getting the information otherwise. I'll check old interviews and all the articles that vaguely mention the subject. Of course it goes without saying that I'll read though the FAQ in its entirety. Only then, will I send an ask. However, I'd be very polite and praise his work, as anyone would. I'd also keep it short, because I don't want to waste his time. But I'd keep it very very respectful. I'd be sending a message to a very talented, amazing author that deals with god knows how many like me. Or I'd just stay in the dark and not send him an ask. Yeah, I'll do that.

My Dash:

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browsethestacks · 5 months

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Arthouse Muppets

Art by Bruce McCorkindale

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reasonsforhope · 2 months

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"A century of gradual reforestation across the American East and Southeast has kept the region cooler than it otherwise would have become, a new study shows.

The pioneering study of progress shows how the last 25 years of accelerated reforestation around the world might significantly pay off in the second half of the 21st century.

Using a variety of calculative methods and estimations based on satellite and temperature data from weather stations, the authors determined that forests in the eastern United States cool the land surface by 1.8 – 3.6°F annually compared to nearby grasslands and croplands, with the strongest effect seen in summer, when cooling amounts to 3.6 – 9°F.

The younger the forest, the more this cooling effect was detected, with forest trees between 20 and 40 years old offering the coolest temperatures underneath.

“The reforestation has been remarkable and we have shown this has translated into the surrounding air temperature,” Mallory Barnes, an environmental scientist at Indiana University who led the research, told The Guardian.

“Moving forward, we need to think about tree planting not just as a way to absorb carbon dioxide but also the cooling effects in adapting for climate change, to help cities be resilient against these very hot temperatures.”

The cooling of the land surface affected the air near ground level as well, with a stepwise reduction in heat linked to reductions in near-surface air temps.

“Analyses of historical land cover and air temperature trends showed that the cooling benefits of reforestation extend across the landscape,” the authors write. “Locations surrounded by reforestation were up to 1.8°F cooler than neighboring locations that did not undergo land cover change, and areas dominated by regrowing forests were associated with cooling temperature trends in much of the Eastern United States.”

By the 1930s, forest cover loss in the eastern states like the Carolinas and Mississippi had stopped, as the descendants of European settlers moved in greater and greater numbers into cities and marginal agricultural land was abandoned.

The Civilian Conservation Corps undertook large replanting efforts of forests that had been cleared, and this is believed to be what is causing the lower average temperatures observed in the study data.

However, the authors note that other causes, like more sophisticated crop irrigation and increases in airborne pollutants that block incoming sunlight, may have also contributed to the lowering of temperatures over time. They also note that tree planting might not always produce this effect, such as in the boreal zone where increases in trees are linked with increases in humidity that way raise average temperatures."

-via Good News Network, February 20, 2024

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brotherhoodnovel · 4 months

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The Brotherhood finally reached 100 ratings on Amazon.

#books #bookstagram #thriller #book #author #authors #the brotherhood #crime #good americans #travel

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parlapina · 7 months

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I love middle age gays

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fyanimaldiversity · 1 year

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A beautiful grey American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) [x]

#source says leucistic so we’ll go with that #leucistic #leucism #american crow #crow #bird #Corvus brachyrhynchos #looks diluted such a nice color #I can’t remember seeing one such a nice solid grey #have seen brownish and white and maaaaybe a very light grey?#good job nature #keep up the good work

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goodstuffhappenedtoday · 1 month

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‘Bigger than the Oscars’: Blackfeet Nation honors Lily Gladstone with stand-up headdress

BROWNING — Wearing a white sequin shawl and matching ribbon skirt, esteemed actress Lily Gladstone kneeled on the floor of the new arbor on the Blackfeet Reservation as tribal elders placed a stand-up headdress atop her head.

Thousands of people who traveled across the country — and from Canada — to honor Gladstone watched in silence.

Gladstone stood and embraced tribal leaders. Then, with one hand over her heart and the other holding onto Charlene Plume, the elder who made her headdress, Gladstone danced in a circle around the arbor. Members of the Women’s Stand-Up Headdress Society, tribal leaders, dignitaries, students, teachers and children followed behind.

The sound of drums boomed, and the crowd erupted.

Gladstone, who grew up in Browning and East Glacier, recently rose to worldwide fame after starring in Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” alongside Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio.

She made history, becoming the first Indigenous person to win a Golden Globe award for best actress and the first to be nominated for best actress at the Oscars.

At Tuesday’s event — which included a grand entry, flag song, prayer, speeches from dignitaries, honor song and round dance — leaders thanked Gladstone for representing the Blackfeet Nation on the world stage and for being a role model for young people.

“Because of you, rez kids on every reservation here and in Canada can chase their dreams,” Councilman Everett Armstrong said at the event. “Students, take a look at this accomplishment — it’s possible.”

Councilman Robert DesRosier delighted in the fact that Gladstone “is just like us.”

“She’s us,” he told the crowd before turning to Gladstone. “Lily, welcome home.”

More than 50 members of the Women’s Stand-Up Headdress Society — a group of contemporary Blackfoot women in the U.S. and Canada who own such headdresses — traveled to Browning to celebrate Gladstone. Theda New Breast, a member of the society, said Tuesday marked the largest gathering of stand-up headdress members to date. (BEN ALLAN SMITH, Missoulian)

more at the link

#lily gladstone #blackfeet #native american #indigenous #good stuff

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madamepestilence · 2 months

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Just as a reminder as I've just noticed myself - arab.org has more pages to support on

In case you're unfamiliar with how this site works, it confirms ad revenue via your clicks, which allows them to donate money to various funds

These go to:

Children -> UNICEF (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund)

Fight Poverty -> UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)

Environment -> Greenpeace MENA (Middle East and North Africa)

Palestine -> UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency [for Palestine Refugees in the Near East])

Refugees -> UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)

Women -> UN Women

Do more with your daily clicks! You can help each one once per individual (perhaps per IP address?) per day, letting you help out with six things at once?

US-specific advice for helping Palestine below cut.

Side note I'm keeping beneath the cut since it's relevant to US folks only: if you're really determined to help Palestine, vote for Dr. Cornel West, Ph.D. for President of the United States.

He's the most openly vocal about a free Palestine and is the only candidate who has demonstrably shown he is the most committed and prepared to immediately cease US support to Israel.

Joe Biden isn't going to cave if he gets re-elected. We all know that. Voting third party is a lot less risky than you've been taught - the two party system can replace one or both parties with new parties if they lose public favour.

We have both the people and the ability to unseat the Democratic party and install Socialism, and between Socialism and Republicans, Socialism is going to lock in place immediately and become the dominant political force in America.

Cornel West's Platform

Cornel West's Volunteer Events

Cornel West's Ballot Access Tracker and Ballot Access Plans

Tumblr thread I have of Primary/Caucus polling dates in the US (includes US territories)

Not on your Primary/Caucus ballot? Write-in, "Cornel West," on your ballot, or urge your Caucus representatives to do the same.

In a state where it's difficult for Independent candidates to get ballot access? Dr. Cornel West, Ph.D. thought ahead and has created a new party for those states called the Justice for All Party.

(Addendum: Claudia de la Cruz is not a viable alternative. The Party for Socialism and Liberation has a Conservative 5th Column and has frequent issues with discrimination.)

Free Palestine. Vote for Cornel West.

#palestine #gaza #free palestine #free gaza #good news #arab.org #world news #world politics #global news #global politics #us news #us politics #american news #american politics #cornel west #un #united nations

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olowan-waphiya · 9 months

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Biden creates a new national monument near the Grand Canyon - https://www.npr.org/2023/08/08/1192622716/biden-national-monument-grand-canyon-arizona

The move protects lands that are sacred to indigenous peoples and permanently bans new uranium mining claims in the area. It covers nearly 1 million acres.

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"It will help protect lands that many tribes referred to as their eternal home, a place of healing and a source of spiritual sustenance," she said. "It will help ensure that indigenous peoples can continue to use these areas for religious ceremonies, hunting and gathering of plants, medicines and other materials, including some found nowhere else on earth. It will protect objects of historic and scientific importance for the benefit of tribes, the public and for future generations."

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The new national monument will be called Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument. According to the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition that drafted a proposal for the monument, "Baaj Nwaavjo" means "where tribes roam" in Havasupai, and "I'tah Kukveni" translates to "our ancestral footprints" in Hopi.

all land is sacred (and should be returned) but this is good news.

#indigenous #native american #ndn #arizona #grand canyon #climate change #nature #good news #land conservation and preservation #hopi #havasupai

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good-americans · 1 year

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This year is the 10th anniversary of the publication of my second book Good Americans. Hard to believe it’s been that long, esp since the book seems as timely as ever.

To celebrate, the Kindle edition is free for the entire day, so take advantage if you’ve never read it!

https://www.amazon.com/Good-Americans-Human-Tragedy-Book-ebook/dp/B00FV8LVWC/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=NfCet&content-id=amzn1.sym.a6902a35-db15-41bc-b73e-8acb54939e9e&pf_rd_p=a6902a35-db15-41bc-b73e-8acb54939e9e&pf_rd_r=139-3792083-4075113&pd_rd_wg=Grifr&pd_rd_r=7613e965-df36-40a6-9b7b-1cfbe5904484&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk

#good americans #books #authors #book #bookstagram #the human tragedy #author #american society #tejas desai #the new wei #kindle

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thenewwei · 6 months

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My next event, at Bryant Library in Long Island!

#the brotherhood #books #the new wei #authors #bookstagram #thriller #author #book #queens #good americans

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raggedy-spaceman · 2 years

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Neil Gaiman when you tag him:

Neil Gaiman when you write the most unhinged shitpost while drunk at 4am:

#neil gaiman #the sandman #good omens #american gods #coraline #etc etc #sorry but i noticed he rarely interacts with @ but he pops up for the most random stuff #this is just a shitpost #sorry again #mine

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fuckyeahgoodomens · 4 months

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Neil Gaiman and Roz Kaveney at the British Library event Why We Need Fantasy 20.11.2023 :) ❤

Neil: I don't remember if it was you or John M. Ford, the late Mike Ford, who pointed out to me first that there is a thing that I do that I was not aware of doing. And it was.. and I remember this being pointed out to me at the time of the publication of American Gods. Or possibly even before it was published, when I sent it out a manuscript. Because it was pointed out to me that one way that you can tell that you're entering the third act of a Neil Gaiman story is there is always a kiss that sort of ends the second act. And it's never a sort of romantic kiss. It's always a kiss that is unexpected and a little bit wrong, but it symbolizes where we're going to go next.

Roz: Yeah, that was Mike, it's too smart for me.

Neil: That was Mike. And I remember arguing with him and then him pointing out that all the places I'd done it. And then I did it again in the Anansi Boys and didn't realize that I'd done it. And then I forget about this thing. And I saw somebody on Tumblr had found an interview with me from 2002 where I'm talking about this and the kiss, and they're like, 'Still doing it then'.

:)) Yep, Neil is still doing it :D <3 (this is the tumblr post)

You can watch the whole event here :).

#good omens #neil gaiman #roz kaveney #why we need fantasy #why we need fantasy british library 2023 event #events #interview #neil interview #videos #fun fact #gos2 #season 2 #2ep6 #2i6i15 #ac kiss #american gods #anansi boys #yep :) :D <3 #s2 interview

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reasonsforhope · 1 month

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"The Yurok will be the first Tribal nation to co-manage land with the National Park Service under a historic memorandum of understanding signed on Tuesday [March 19, 2024] by the tribe, Redwood national and state parks, and the non-profit Save the Redwoods League, according to news reports.

The Yurok tribe has seen a wave of successes in recent years, successfully campaigning for the removal of a series of dams on the Klamath River, where salmon once ran up to their territory, and with the signing of a new memorandum of understanding, the Yurok are set to reclaim more of what was theirs.

Save the Redwoods League bought a property containing these remarkable trees in 2013, and began working with the tribe to restore it, planting 50,000 native plants in the process. The location was within lands the Yurok once owned but were taken during the Gold Rush period.

Centuries passed, and by the time it was purchased it had been used as a lumber operation for 50 years, and the nearby Prairie Creek where the Yurok once harvested salmon had been buried.

Currently located on the fringe of Redwoods National and State Parks which receive over 1 million visitors every year and is a UNESCO Natural Heritage Site, the property has been renamed ‘O Rew, a Yurok word for the area.

“Today we acknowledge and celebrate the opportunity to return Indigenous guardianship to ‘O Rew and reimagine how millions of visitors from around the world experience the redwoods,” said Sam Hodder, president and CEO of Save the Redwoods League.

Having restored Prarie Creek and filled it with chinook and coho salmon, red-legged frogs, northwestern salamanders, waterfowl, and other species, the tribe has said they will build a traditional village site to showcase their culture, including redwood-plank huts, a sweat house, and a museum to contain many of the tribal artifacts they’ve recovered from museum collections.

Believing the giant trees sacred, they only use fallen trees to build their lodges.

“As the original stewards of this land, we look forward to working together with the Redwood national and state parks to manage it,” said Rosie Clayburn, the tribe’s cultural resources director.

It will add an additional mile of trails to the park system, and connect them with popular redwood groves as well as new interactive exhibits.

“This is a first-of-its-kind arrangement, where Tribal land is co-stewarded with a national park as its gateway to millions of visitors. This action will deepen the relationship between Tribes and the National Park Service,” said Redwoods National Park Superintendent Steve Mietz, adding that it would “heal the land while healing the relationships among all the people who inhabit this magnificent forest.”"

-via Good News Network, March 25, 2024

#indigenous #land back #indigenous issues #first nations #native american #indigenous peoples #yurok #yurok tribe #national parks service #national park #redwoods #california #trees #trees and forests #united states #good news #hope #indigenous land

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likapad · 1 year

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Here is my sad beige character alignment chart

Let me know of any alterations it needs!

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