I did say I wanted to share!
I get to visit a lot of amazing sites in the course of my research, and even just in passing. Here are a few:
Borderland Beat. They supply a constant source of daily news articles about the cartels in Mexico and the surrounding border regions, which is not something I readily can find here in Toronto. More importantly, the freedom of speech and of the press we take for granted no longer exists in Mexico. Journalists and their families are hunted down and murdered for reporting on the cartels. In addition to making the news available to all, the website does a fantastic job of explaining the cartels, their structures, their regions. The staff at Borderland Beat provide do an amazing job at providing an important service to many people. I cannot imagine trying to write my books now without them.
Mexico's Drug War. "An ongoing analysis of southwest border violence issues by an experienced intelligence professional." That says it all. Sylvia Longmire is an extraordinary individual, and her site provides a wealth of well-researched information in a concise and very readable format, adding her own insight and opinions to flavour it. She has written the book, "Cartel", which is an excellent introduction and explanation to the very complex and dynamic Cartel structure. This is a go-to site for me when I need solid technical and political analysis for my research.
Nanowrimo. This is what really got me started. I cannot say enough good things about it or its founder, Chris Baty. It's a fabulous chance for anyone who has ever wanted to write to do so without any misgivings or pressure. Just write 50,000 words in 30 days, the dreary month of November, no less. Really - what else were you going to do? And do so with a couple hundred thousand like-minded folks from all over the world while egging each other on, trading jokes and playing online games. Go for it! Click the icon.
Scriptfrenzy. A successful spinoff from Nanowrimo for people who like the printed word translated to the big screen. That's right - you get to write your very own movie, or tv show pilot, or broadway play. Dream big! So what's holding you back - it's way faster than 50,000 words! Lights, camera, action! Click the icon.
