About This Website

Any communications I receive through this website may be posted for public consumption and commentary.

As I am not anonymous, I am not enthusiastic about anonymous posters, but I will tolerate them in most circumstances.  I do, however, insist on real, verifiable names in the following circumstances:

1. If you are going to diss another writer or artist I won’t post it unless you have the guts to sign your name; nobody gets to throw stones here while wearing a mask. If you have some reason to think that damaging somebody’s reputation will also damage yours and you would therefore prefer to hide behind anonymity, then I assume you don’t feel strongly enough about throwing those stones to risk damage to yourself.  You should therefore do the decent thing and shut up.

2. If you are going to praise or recommend another writer or artist I prefer that you include a real, verifiable name so people know that you are not that writer’s sock puppet or paid flack.  I might allow anonymous posts along these lines and I might not.  If you are a writer, feel free to post about your work here if you honestly identify yourself.  There’s no shame in telling people why you think they might enjoy your stuff; there’s no reason to post under fake names so it looks like you have more readers than you really do.  However, some fake endorsements just might get through, if they’re amusing and clever enough.  My call.  Spam hit and runs that just include a link and a plea to “read my book” will not get posted.  Recommendations that augment the discussion will.

3. If you wish to use my website to throw rocks at me, I might post your opinion if it’s funny, but only if you have the courage to sign your real name and verify who you are.  If you wish to post something kind, I prefer to know who you are but I don’t require it.  Unlike Blanche Dubois, I’m neutral on the kindness of strangers, although I’m embarrassingly enchanted with the theory.