Cambodia Computer Raid
Oct 28th, 2004 by Jinja
Cambodia Computer Raid
Science Fiction writer Bruce Sterling notes that a romance fiction writer’s house was raided – for writing about Cambodia.
http://blog.wired.com/sterling/
If you think that as women’s fiction writers, we’re immune from scrutiny under the Patriot Act, think again. Last fall, the home of a multi-published author for an RWA-recognized publisher was raided and her writing in materials confiscated. The writer, an RWA and PAN member who asked to be referred to as Dilyn, agreed to he interviewed for this column to alert RWA members of potential risks when conducting research.
SB: What type of story were you researching?
Dilyn: Mainstream women’s fiction adventure. It was set in Cambodia, all about the theft of antiquities. In my research I learned, about the atrocities that still go on there even today, much of it coming from one of the Al Qaeda-linked groups. I actually went back though my book and deleted those specific terrorist references after 9/11 and changed the terrorists to a rogue band of thieves because of 9/11 and terrorist sensitivity.
SB: What types of books did you buy/check out of the library?
Dilyn: I bought and checked out books on Cambodia– its history, its present struggles, its antiquities and anything I could get my hands on concerning the terrorism going on there…landmines, in particular. And those were the kinds of Web sites I surfed too.
SB: Did you share your reasons for checking out the books with your librarian?
http://wiredblogs.tripod.com/sterling/index.blog?entry_id=496093
