I’m very excited to say that the first copies of Dragon Bones have been shipped. This is a good time to announce that 50% of the royalties for all editions of Dragon Bones will go to Bhutanese organisations.
Two years living in Bhutan convinced me that local people are best placed to identify and address the issues that the country faces. International organisations may like to think that they know what’s best for a developing nation, but they’re really just pushing Western values onto another culture. Following are some of the organisations I believe can help.
VAST was created to provide vocational skills to Bhutanese youth. This seemed important at a time when the number of graduates was surpassing the government’s capacity for employment. I wanted to help directly, but I didn’t feel confident enough to try teaching a writing class at the time.
I only discovered the Tarayana Foundation towards the end of my stay. Candles on sale at a market had been produced by a Tarayana community. The foundation tries to bring remote communities into the new economy by promoting artisan skills.
RENEW‘s mission is to better the lives of victims of domestic violence, but I found it worked to resolve any kind of victimisation of minority groups.
I intend to divide the donations among these and any other worthy organisations I discover. To make my donations worthwhile, I aim to sell 5000 copies of Dragon Bones. This isn’t easy for a new author, so I need all your help to get the word out. Please do any of the following in your power:
- Share my blog using the addthis buttons below each post
- Like my author profile and book page on facebook
- Tell your friends and colleagues
- Ask your friends and colleagues to post a review on Amazon, Goodreads, LibraryThing or any book-related website you use
- Post this flyer in your workplace or community centre
- Ask your library or local bookshop to order a copy
When the first numbers come in, I’ll display a progress meter on the site. Look out for it.
Plastic bags vs. the trees is very nice, but how does political repression fit into the GNH concept. Do they have that quantified too? Email me.
I believe that the Bhutanese government has only recently recognised the issue so they are unlikely to have a measure for repression or freedom of speech. For an interesting take on the topic from a Bhutanese national, see Sonam Ongmo’s post.
I infer from your comment that you have a strong opinion in this, and have probably been directly impacted. Would you care to expand your point of view and experiences?