Have you read some of those bitter book reviews that Publisher's Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, etc., publish? Some of them seem like the reviewer didn't read the novel or else they completely missed the point.

Here's your chance to review a review. Write a review (under 1000 words) in the style of a literary review, but make it a review of a review, and post it in the comments of the blog below. Sign your name or make up your own mocking pseudonym.

Enter at:  http://tkkenyon.blogspot.com/2008/08/book-review-review-contest.html  

Here's an example:

"In this snarky review of *Great American Novel* by Random A. Kunati, the anonymous reviewer makes both factual and grammatical errors.The review appears to be written based on a misreading of the jacket material and myopic observance of the cover art, leading the reviewer to the impression that *GAN* is a memoir about growing up a gay Goth in Texas. *GAN* is, in fact, a satiric fantasy about vampire unicorns in Iraq. While minimal scanning of the novel would have rectified this egregious error, the reviewer appears unable to see beyond their own hairy butt. More illiterate than illustrative."

Best Review Review wins bragging rights, and I'll publish it in the blog!

Have you read some of those bitter book reviews that Publisher's Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, etc., publish? Some of them seem like the reviewer didn't read the novel or else they completely missed the point.

Here's your chance to review a review. Write a review (under 1000 words) in the style of a literary review, but make it a review of a review, and post it in the comments of the blog below. Sign your name or make up your own mocking pseudonym.

Enter at:  http://tkkenyon.blogspot.com/2008/08/book-review-review-contest.html  

Here's an example:

"In this snarky review of *Great American Novel* by Random A. Kunati, the anonymous reviewer makes both factual and grammatical errors.The review appears to be written based on a misreading of the jacket material and myopic observance of the cover art, leading the reviewer to the impression that *GAN* is a memoir about growing up a gay Goth in Texas. *GAN* is, in fact, a satiric fantasy about vampire unicorns in Iraq. While minimal scanning of the novel would have rectified this egregious error, the reviewer appears unable to see beyond their own hairy butt. More illiterate than illustrative."

Best Review Review wins bragging rights, and I'll publish it in the blog!

Have you read some of those bitter book reviews that Publisher's Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, etc., publish? Some of them seem like the reviewer didn't read the novel or else they completely missed the point.

Here's your chance to review a review. Write a review (under 1000 words) in the style of a literary review, but make it a review of a review, and post it in the comments of the blog below. Sign your name or make up your own mocking pseudonym.

Enter at:  http://tkkenyon.blogspot.com/2008/08/book-review-review-contest.html  

Here's an example:

"In this snarky review of *Great American Novel* by Random A. Kunati, the anonymous reviewer makes both factual and grammatical errors.The review appears to be written based on a misreading of the jacket material and myopic observance of the cover art, leading the reviewer to the impression that *GAN* is a memoir about growing up a gay Goth in Texas. *GAN* is, in fact, a satiric fantasy about vampire unicorns in Iraq. While minimal scanning of the novel would have rectified this egregious error, the reviewer appears unable to see beyond their own hairy butt. More illiterate than illustrative."

Best Review Review wins bragging rights, and I'll publish it in the blog!

Kunati, the controversial indie book publisher that published my two novels, RABID and CALLOUS, has won one of the most prestigious awards for indie publishers.

Kunati Book Publishers  was named as the winner of the the INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR AWARD at BookExpo by FOREWORD MAGAZINE, one of the five dominant trade magazines in the book publishing field.

The new honor was created to celebrate ForeWord's tenth anniversary and to recognize Kunati's "innovation and fearlessness."  

Kunati, a year-old publisher, leads the industry in innovative marketing techniques for their books. Kunati produces book trailers for every new release, maintains a blog, and encourages its authors to actively participate in marketing their books. The publisher currently has several movie deals in the works for its novels, and its roster of authors includes Pulitzer Prize winner John E. Mack, Joshua Corin, and Derek Armstrong.

Amazon jumped the gun and is offering my new novel, CALLOUS, for sale ahead of its May publication date ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1601640226 ) . When RABID was released last year, Amazon sold out and even sucked dry its wholesaler, so they had to backorder the book from the distributer and it took a couple weeks to get the fresh meat.

If you want to read CALLOUS any time soon, muscle your way to the head of the line and snatch a copy from some milquetoast's virtual shopping cart now!

TK Kenyon
http://www.tkkenyon.com

1. Cardinal Francis George of Chicago
2. Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles
3. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Houston
4. Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston
5. Cardinal Edward Egan of New York

-- In August 2005, Fr. Daniel McCormack was questioned by the police because of abuse allegations. Two months later, the Chicago lay review board recommended that George suspend McCormack. George refused, kept silent and let his chancellor promote McCormack. Three months later, police arrested McCormack again. During those last few months of his active parish ministry in Chicago's inner city, McCormack molested at least three boys, the district attorney said. (One of the children, prosecutors say, had been assaulted "on an almost daily" basis.)

http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001A3QMX8BTwdGjiHTEkr0mGB0f-_vl4G4bh78-PbGgVFqJ64rES7bPcPpe3uqBkIbBU8fb7wOqXy3R5atbYmfkRjUe-p5qA8eLiww6yYW8Ve1cUJIeA7kHE9fYXPnhcstmlOolmEMgwoiMhEC6m0fPBqffDPu0oRhgWpLtDj8O-LhoR0W1b-As_KJlspQ37XdTMl0i3p4bR7c=

McCormack has pled guilty to child molestation.

Later, records obtained by victims' attorneys showed that in 1999, a school principal reported accusations against McCormack to archdiocesan officials. Nothing was done.

Adding insult to injury, five high ranking church officials closely involved in this fiasco have since been promoted. http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2008/01_02/2008_01_24_Hogan_TheCardinal.htm

The female veteran school principal (who was the only archdiocesan staffer to call the police) has, however, been fired. Church authorities refuse to say why. http://reform-network.net/?p=606

-- While the McCormack case has received some attention, George has displayed shocking callousness, recklessness and secrecy in other, post-2002 cases. Perhaps most notably, within months of the adoption of the so-called 'reforms' in Dallas,
George knowingly and secretly let a convicted predator priest (Fr. Kenneth
Martin) work in the archdiocese and live, part-time, with George in George's
mansion. http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news5/2003_03_02_Falsani_PriestsCase.htm

In 2005 or 2006, LA church and school officials were questioned by police about current child sex abuse allegations against John Malburg. Malburg was a Catholic high school principal from a politically prominent family. The archdiocese didn't suspend him. They told no one about the investigation. Six months later, Malburg was arrested and criminally charged. Parents asked church officials "Why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you suspend him?" Cardinal Mahony's PR man told the LA Times "Law enforcement told us to keep quiet." The next day, in the LA Times, prosecutors said they never made any such request. http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2006/11_12/2006_11_19_NBC4_ArchdioceseChurch.htm , http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news5/2006_11_17_Hong_CorruptionTarget.htm

In just nine months, police say, Fr. Nicholas Aguilar Rivera, sexually assaulted at least 26 boys in Los Angeles.

In August 2007, long-secret church records about Aguilar were publicly disclosed. According to the New York Times, the documents showed that then-Msgr. Thomas Curry "tipped off" the accused pedophile priest who then fled to Mexico to avoid criminal prosecution.(An LA district attorney said Curry "facilitated" Aguilar's flight.) Aguilar went on to molest kids in Mexico later. http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2006/09_10/2006_10_21_McKinley_AccusedPriests.htm

Curry is now one of Mahony's auxiliary bishops. Despite public pleas to discipline Curry, or at least speak out about Curry's irresponsible secrecy, Mahony said and did nothing.

· For years, Mahony stayed secretly let an admitted child-molesting cleric live in his archdiocese (in a picturesque religious complex overlooking the ocean), despite the cleric's being wanted on criminal charges in Canada. In 2005, when SNAP and others demanded that Mahony and his colleagues turn Franciscan friar Gerald Chumik to law enforcement, he let Chumik move from Santa Barbara Mission Church in Santa Barbara to Missouri.

For 14 years, Chumik has been a fugitive from his native Canada.

SNAP leaders believe this needlessly put children at risk and is a clear violation of the much-touted Dallas Charter which all American bishops adopted in June of 2002.

Elected district attorneys rarely feud in public with powerful religious figures. But in October 2005, (more than three years after Mahony pledged "openness" about child sex abuse and cover ups), Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley said "Three years ago, I urged Cardinal Mahony to provide the fullest possible disclosure of evidence of sexual abuse by clergy. Despite two court rulings ordering full disclosure, Cardinal Mahony continues to claim 'confidentiality privileges' that no court has recognized." http://da.co.la.ca.us/mr/archive/2005/101205a.htm?zoom_highlight=clergy

In November 2007, a victim reported having been sexually abused by Fr. Stephen Horn between 1989 and 1993. DiNardo found him credible and suspended Horn. The Cardinal, however, kept the allegation and his determination secret from parishioners, police and the public for two months, despite US bishops' repeated pledges to act quickly and openly with credibly sex abuse allegations. Finally, in mid-January, DiNardo disclosed his action. (The delay gave Horn, a credibly accused molester, ample opportunity to fabricate alibis, destroy evidence, intimidate victims, threaten witnesses, or even flee the country, as some pedophile priests have done.)

Part of DiNardo's secrecy and delay occurred in the weeks between when the Pope announced that DiNardo would be named a Cardinal (October 2007) and when DiNardo was promoted amid much pageantry (November 24). Some Houston Catholics have speculated that DiNardo didn't want the news of Horn's crimes to 'rain on (DiNardo's) parade.'

Weeks ago, SNAP wrote DiNardo, urging him to explain and apologize for his secrecy. SNAP has urged the cardinal to visit parishes where Horn worked and emphatically beg victims and witnesses to come forward, get help and call the police. He has not responded to either the letter or the request.

When he was a bishop in Sioux City Iowa, DiNardo similarly mishandled the Fr. George McFadden case in Iowa, only disclosing the allegations against this predator priest long afterwards.)

Beginning in the 1990s (and likely longer), Sioux City church officials knew of repeated charges of child molestation against McFadden, an admitted abuser, dating back into the 1960s. (DiNardo was Sioux City bishop starting in 1997.) For at least five years (and even later), DiNardo had the chance to disclose McFadden's hurtful actions to police, prosecutors, parishioners, and the public, and to keep McFadden from other vulnerable children. He stayed silent.

According to the Des Moines Register, "The confessed child molester continued to hear confession and say Mass daily over the past decade at the Cathedral of the Epiphany, Sioux City's largest Catholic church.) http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news/2002_06_23_Rood_ChurchSecrecy.htm

McFadden is accused of abusing more than 25 girls and boys in dozens of civil lawsuits. Despite his alleged 'treatment' and 'retirement' in the 1990s, he continued to function as priest until 2002. http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news5/2008_01_14_Kever_PriestRemoved.htm , http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2008/01_02/2008_01_14_Quinn_ChurchOfficials.htm

Last month church officials disclosed that, for the second year in a row, O'Malley is in violation of the US bishops' child sex abuse prevention policy. Much in the policy is meaningless public relations, SNAP is convinced. But O'Malley's breaking one of the proven, practical requirements that help prevent abuse: training kids how to avoid or stop being victimized.

Roughly one in five Boston Catholic children is not receiving this training. Every child is supposed to receive it. Worse, O'Malley tries to dodge responsibility for this clear, egregious refusal by blaming pastors and parishioners.

But O'Malley's had six years to persuade colleagues to weaken the national abuse policy, devise alternative programs, or get on board (and get his employees on board). He's done none of these three steps.

Nor has he disciplined a single individual for flaunting this national requirement. http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2008/03_04/2008_04_11_Hamm_AbuseVictims.htm
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2006/03_04/2006_03_10_Levenson_88Victims.htm

In a 2006 case with disturbing parallels to many of the hundreds of Boston pedophile priest cases, O'Malley moved very slowly and gingerly against a prominent Catholic hospital official who faces multiple allegations of sexually harassing employees.

A high ranking human resources official at the hospital "accused O'Malley of improperly interceding in the investigation to help (the accused), giving him advance notice of the probe, providing him with an adviser, and telling of the reprimand before consulting with the board," according to the Boston Globe.

The cardinal's actions ''have made a mockery of the investigation. It is nothing short of shameful," she wrote. "Perhaps most troubling" was what she called the ''near absence" of concern for the women complainants that she said was shown by the church hierarchy. http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/05/21/omalley_reprimands_caritas_chief/

Less than two months ago, the New York Post reported "The former principal of a prestigious Catholic high school who resigned amid allegations of inappropriate images on his work computer was allowed to stay on the job for nearly five months after a priest wrote the New York Archdiocese accusing him of serious misconduct."
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001A3QMX8BTwdFVL7g9LLBPS4JofD4Xq5raTNEHc52QfsmiOshfaKEz246QHKV4fvYVHW-aPyPA7v6N4BqnGa5cI19mG86myJLXKfsHy3Pd5veAdIz0nqvKKYgIjMnB33KXzWFju2va8kRyaLXrDLZ-jLUOMSOQz3GjyhhuP0FGiXu67igUxsemJlfHhIsYFQntQYAEQybe1CxfFtToHTJ3_A==
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001A3QMX8BTwdHWBrREREHWiSGBtEhR8DGkdJhidP4oN4zcvovoOi4NQrs1-uc6VWcMtqR6N5c39kJHUw9YQOQeyQ7sONg2jqkL_um3aIKrP7pG9_quTYw5SFdiBcDJpFu3Hav7OuOU766JLWIW1iHZ5SYU32WyKAWGVDxli8qIh1Q=

In 2003, Egan became the first US prelate to refuse to say mass for the devoutly Catholic, hand-picked, distinguished lay panel chosen by bishops to look at the church's child sex abuse crisis. According to the New York Times, Egan also "interfered with" and prevented the US bishops' 'watchdog' on clergy sex cases from speaking in his archdiocese.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the nation's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We've been around for 17 years and have more than 8,000 members across the country. Despite the word "priest" in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

The Wages of Witchcraft and a Confession

The court in Quraiyat, on April 2, 2006, sentenced Fawza Falih to death by beheading for the alleged crimes of “witchcraft, recourse to jinn [supernatural beings], and slaughter” of animals. Court Verdict number 125/2 (October 10, 2006) states that Ms. Fawza Falih confessed “I take 1,500 Riyal,” about $400 USD, “for each act, of which I send half to the magician Abu Tal’a [who allegedly taught her “witchcraft”] according to the agreement, for Abu Tal’a said to me, ‘If you do not bring the money, by God, you will become possessed by jinn like dogs.’”

She was convicted on the testimony of several witnesses, none of whom she or her representatives were allowed to cross-examine. One man accused her of causing his impotence. Another man said that she accurately predicted the month that his divorced, ex-wife would return to him.

Imprisonment at the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice

After her arrest on May 4, 2005, Fawza Falih was imprisoned for 35 days at the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (CPVPV.) The CPVPV is forbidden by royal decree to hold prisoners at their center, though they do, nevertheless. Her jailors, including one official of the governorate, beat her during her interrogation. Her appeal states that she was beaten unconscious during one interrogation and was treated at the hospital. Fellow female prisoners bandaged her wounds. A relative who was allowed to visit her, after she had been held by the CPVPV for about 20 days and following her hospitalization, saw marks from beatings on her back.

Ms. Filah has since recanted her confession of witchcraft, saying that she was beaten until she confessed and thumbprint-signed a confession, which she could not read because she is illiterate.

“To Preserve the Creed and Souls and Property”

According to Islamic law, Fawza Filah should not be sentenced to death for witchcraft because she recanted her confession, thereby throwing some doubt on her commission of “crimes against God.” However, the judges in Quraiyat, in a new verdict of June 6, 2007, sentenced Fawza Falih to death on a “discretionary” basis, because it was in the “public interest” and to “preserve the creed and the souls and property of this country.”

Human Rights Watch has sent a letter to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, asking for clemency or pardon.

It is astonishing that people are so superstitious that they believe in witchcraft, would condemn a woman to death for it, and are able to do so by the power of a theocratic state. Religion in general fosters this hysterical, irrational attitude, and the fanatical religious indoctrination rampant in Saudi Arabia that passes for education at all levels is the cause.

TK Kenyon

www.tkkenyon.com

On CNN's "Late Edition," Republican Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said, "The United States has been far too involved in sort of looking the other way, not only at the atrocities of human rights and violation of women."

He further said, "Every time we put our credit card in the gas pump, we're paying so that the Saudis get rich — filthy, obscenely rich, and that money then ends up going to funding madrassas," Islamic schools, "that train the terrorists. America has allowed itself to become enslaved to Saudi oil. It's absurd. It's embarrassing."

Huckabee said, "I would make the United States energy independent within 10 years and tell the Saudis they can keep their oil just like they can keep their sand, that we won't need either one of them."

Huckabee should know. He's the former chairman of the Interstate Oil & Gas Compact Commission, a 37-state coalition to develop energy policy and lobby Congress on energy matters, such as the regulation of oil and gas production. He actually understands what he's talking about, while other folks spout untenable ideas.

While the U.S. does import more oil from Canada than it does from Saudi Arabia (seriously, we do,) the Canadians aren't funding terrorists. Saudi oil and our purchase of it fuels terrorism.

I'm not sure who I'm voting for in the primary, but I'll be keeping a closer eye on Huckabee. He's making sense, which is rare for a politician.

TK Kenyon, author of RABID: A Novel and CALLOUS: A Novel
"Kenyon is an author to watch." --Booklist Starred Review