Outlet For Afghan Women Online

Article on the Afghan Women's Writing Project from the New York Times:

For the first year or so after its inception, the project was “flying under the radar,” its founder, Masha Hamilton, an American journalist and novelist, said by phone. The initial contributors were recruited through friends in Kabul; these women in turn referred others from farther afield, in Herat, Fargana, Kandahar and elsewhere.

As the women began offering anecdotes about their lives, political commentary and even poems to this online magazine, Ms. Hamilton brought together a loose coalition of activists and fellow writers to act as mentors. To remain part of the workshop, the women must reside in Afghanistan and file at least once a month. In August, the project went a little more public with a campaign called Freedom to Tell Your Story.

Still, the project maintains a certain level of secrecy to protect its writers, women who may fear reprisals from family or the local authorities when they discuss arranged marriages or the disappearance of relatives. The Internet center in Kabul that serves as a hub for many of the women is at an undisclosed location. Most of the women are identified only by first name, or by pseudonyms. Two of the 75 have insisted on complete anonymity.

Visit the Afghan Women's Writing Project

Christine Cole Catley

From the New Zealand Herald:

I was told she was a publisher and writer, but it would have been more accurate to say she was a general force in New Zealand letters and society over 60-odd years. She was a down-to-earth doyenne, and most recently, a North Shore nexus. She knew everybody over three or four generations - and approved enthusiastically of most - from Douglas Lilburn to Rena Owen ("a most determined woman, very funny. I like Rena a great deal"); Janet Frame to "lovely, lovely" Ranginui Walker; Denis Glover to Kevin Milne to James K. Baxter (and his mother).

She's done too much to even start listing here but, after her death at age 88 last Sunday (writing and publishing to the last), many of her achievements have been listed elsewhere. For Cole Catley belongs to a certain category of people whom I admire enormously, and facetiously canonise into a "Renaissance Pantheon": people who have the talent, but more importantly, the curiosity and the energy to be Of-All-Trades.

Women of Mystery

Another interesting blog that I would like to share: Women of Mystery.

A message from the gals:

The Women of Mystery share the trek, travail and tangles of writing and publishing, along with the magic of language and story. Don't just peek around the jamb, come on in and join the conversation.

Housekeeping @ WOH

For the first time, in quite a while, I actually have a four-day weekend over Easter!

So, I have decided to do a little housekeeping - sort of. I've decided to clean up some dead links, delete blogs that I no longer read, remove links to forums I never visit - you know the type of thing.

On another front, I have also used the time, albeit not too wisely at times, to go through the stack of notes and notebooks, with bits of information and data jotted down willy-nilly, and to type it out and organise it somewhat - thus eliminating huge piles of scrap notes. Create an orderly mess. Stuff I have rarely referred to - but just can't seem to throw out in case I need it later - I have filed away - I have more lever-arch folders than the local newsagent!

I have also added a couple of articles to the Women of History website - unfortunately, I am working on a number of things at once and yet don't seem to be progressing much at all.

I've been blogging elsewhere at the moment - over at "Executed Today" - and I had a request from someone else to write an article for their blog - Algo de Historia - still haven't decided what I am going to write about.

The book I am writing is progressing at snail's pace - I have this habit of going off on a tangent when a topic or subject crops up that takes my fancy (now you know why I have huge amounts of notes lying about the place!). But as one famous Kiwi said .... "it won't happen overnight, but it will happen ..."

I am always on the look-out for a good blog or forum with a history related theme - so if you know of any - feel free to drop me a line.

Take care on life's great journey!