Refugee Update

More than 180 Syrian and Iraqi refugees resettled in Australia (ABC, 6 April 2016). So less than 11,800 to go, then!

But what could be slowing the process down so much, I wonder? Refugee Council accuses Australia of 'cherry picking' Syrian refugees for resettlement (ABC, 31 March 2016) UNHCR: "We are aware that some countries would prefer to take Christians or other minorities but that does not necessarily mean that they are the most vulnerable. We don't choose submissions based on religion or ethnicity — we choose it on whether people can survive or not."

Reza Barati killing: Man accused of murdering Manus Island detainee escapes jail (ABC, 4 April 2016)

Manus Island witness 'terrified' after Reza Barati's accused killer escapes (SMH, 5 April 2016)

Tensions high at Manus Island detention centre over plan to forcibly separate asylum seekers (SMH, 31 March 2016): "A plan to separate asylum seekers according to their refugee status has inflamed tensions at the Manus Island detention centre... The PNG government has confirmed it intends to 'accommodate the cohorts separately' to prepare them to leave the centre after June 30." These poor devils - first danger in the camps, then either danger in PNG or danger in the countries they fled.

Catching up on links:

Witness in Reza Barati murder trial says he is dogged by death threats (GA, 23 October 2015) "Asylum seeker Benham Satah says he is under constant threat in the Manus Island detention centre and he has been told he will be killed unless he withdraws his testimony."

Reza Barati murder: Australia has questions to answer over failure to protect witness, UN official says (GA, 20 October 2015)

Trial of PNG men accused of Reza Barati murder to reopen with more evidence [an "extraordinary step"] (GA, 2 October 2015)

Reza Barati: Pair accused of asylum seeker's murder claim 'false' witness statement written by 'Australian guards' at Manus centre (ABC, 28 September 2016)

Reza Barati: Trial of pair accused of killing asylum seeker adjourned, main witness fears for life (ABC, 25 September 2015)

Expats allegedly involved in Reza Barati murder not returned to PNG, court told (GA, 25 September 2015)

Men accused of Reza Barati's death in Manus detention centre stand trial (GA, 21 September 2015)

Witness to Manus Island death 'too scared' to testify (SMH, 18 September 2015)

Writing Links

To celebrate Draft Zero of Chapter 7, which has been giving me fuckings but is defeated at last, have some links.

In which I Critique Your Story (That I Haven't Read) has proved invaluable in redrafting Strange Flesh.

Whether or not you relate to the experiences of the women in this blog entry, everyone can benefit from its advice: Write Like A Motherfucker. Nothing else will do.

We Asked 8 Famous Authors For The Most Important Advice They’d Give To Young Writers. (See if you can guess what Zadie Smith is talking about.)

Why your self-published book looks like a pile of ass and won’t ever make you any money

Engagement and Popularity in Fiction — Sad Puppies Are Sad - a series of tweets by Nick Mamatas about the different level of effort required to read different books, and how that plays into books' popularity and reputation. More than just sticking it to the Pups, I found it insightful in and of itself (and relevant to my eschewing fanfic while others embrace it, although that also has a hell of a lot to do with lack of time).

Really great review of The Left-Handed Hummingbird by Grafty at the Gallifey Base forum.

ESTIMATE WIDTH OF WORLD by MixolydianGrey is a Colossal Cave Adventure fanfic based on the poetry of Edna St Vincent Millay. I merely mention the fact.

From Pyongyang to Mars: Sci-fi, Genre, and Literary Value in North Korea
Russell T Davies interviewed by the Guardian last January.

Clive James TV reviews from the 70s: March of the androids (The Six Million Dollar Man) and Negative, Captain (Star Trek). Old favourites.

Finally (if you haven't already seen it) eat shit and die #233 on uplifting stories.

And now into the gaping cosmic maw of Chapter Eight.