Links

Here are a few useful links, related to my personal interests, which you may find handy when you're ready to abandon me and surf off around the web. I don't randomly link to anything that's sent to me, so please don't take it personally if your site is not mentioned here - I'm aiming, instead, to provide a small collection of links to sites which I've found particularly useful. Everything here has been carefully vetted, but of course it's an ongoing job - if you should experience problems, please let me know.

Gothic

• The Whitby Gothic Weekend - the official website with all you need to know to get involved, and links to many other attendees' photos.
• Netgoth.org.uk - a really handy database of UK netgoths plus events listings and guides to pubs, clubs, shops and goth tourist attractions.
• Dark Side of the Net - Carrie Carolin's encyclopaedic database of hand-picked links to lots of different gothic things and people.
• Gothic Portal - a new site which still requires some polishing but which is still of interest. There's much more original content here than in most such places and it's reassuring to see a new generation making that effort.
• SpookySites.com - another good starting point.
• Tamagothi - the original(ish) and still the best!

Queer

• Queerseek - an easy-to-use search engine accessing a huge database of hand-picked queer-interest sites.
• GLBTQ Encyclopaedia - lots of useful information on a whole range of issues, well-written and intelligently arranged.
• The Safra Project - pretty much the only reliable online source of information about GLBT (primarily lesbian) issues and Islam.
• Families Like Mine - practical advice and support for the offspring of queer families.

Science Fiction

• Double Dragon - a public forum where you can find out about Double Dragon book releases and interrogate me and my fellow authors.
• SpecFic World - an excellent place to keep up to date with what's happening in the world of speculative fiction books.

Intersex

• Organisation Intersex International - the multi-language portal of a diverse campaigning organisation bringing together intersexed and intergendered people from around the world to combt those problems which face us all. There's plenty to read for those not directly affected by such conditions, too.
• The Intersex Society of North America - the world's leading source of information and advice for intersexed people and those who want to understand more about us.
• Intersex Initiative - news updates and campaigning information from people taking on the social, legal and political challenges which face many intersexed people in day-to-day life.
• Am I Intersex? - a simple quiz to give you an idea of how sex is determined.
• Amnesty International - an intersex and transsexual section which explores the circumstances faced by such people around the world.

Linguistics

• Ancient Scripts - an excellent quick-reference guide to assorted ancient writing systems from around the world.
• Ethnologue - an encyclopaedia of world languages. Information is sometimes rather sparse, but this is a great place for referencing the basics.
• Omniglot - a huge repository of information on writing systems and languages, plus a collection of multi-translated useful phrases like 'my hovercraft is full of eels'.
• New Words in English isn't quite up to date, but represents a fascinating collection of neologisms catalogued over the latter half of the twentieth century, a good example of how to approach sensibly the expansion of the English language.
• Playground Law - formerly The Online Dictionary of Playground Slang, this is a great place to find insights into language change in action, albeit at its meanest.

Literary and Artistic

• Project Gutenberg - still surprisingly little-known, this is a project dedicated to preserving online books whose copyright has expired. It's your source of thousands of free e-books, including many of the classics. Download and read at your leisure.
• Published.com - a valuable directory of work by independent writers and artists.

Polyamory

• What Psychology Professionals Should Know about Polyamory - a paper full of useful information for professionals and statistics which demonstrate that polyamory is not indicative of mental imbalance.

Making a Difference

• Kiva - contribute to businesses in the developing world and change lives and communities for as little as twenty five dollars.

Misc

• PostSecret - strangers confess their secrets on home-made postcards. Quality may vary, but some of this is amazing. It's that rare thing, a modern art project with value.
• Beedogs.com - some pictures of dogs dressed up as bees.
• Extortr - the easy way to blackmail people online.
• A Nice Cup of Tea and a Sit Down - just what you need after too many hours spent staring at a computer screen.

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