Here at Smart Bitches, we’ve examined a slew of material since last Monday, from novels to anthropology texts to poems, and we’ve discussed authors, editors, publishers, writers, scientists, ethnographers, Native Americans, and of course, Bitches.
But as Paul Tolmé pointed out in his article in Newsweek, there’s one party that hasn’t gotten enough attention.
The ferrets.
Tolmé‘s article about the black footed ferret focuses on the loss of their habitat, the prairie, and the programs working to bring them back from near extinction.
The black footed ferret is officially classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as extinct in the wild, though breeding and repopulation programs have been successful. Defenders of Wildlife classifies the ferrets as an imperiled species.
And then came this morning’s email: Nora Roberts has volunteered to match up to $5,000.00 USD any donations made by Smart Bitches readers to Defenders of Wildlife, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to preserve not just ferrets but endangered wildlife across the US, most particularly that species much loved by paranormal romance writers: the wolf.
Are you outside the US, but want to increase Nora’s gift? Please feel free to make a donation to the local wildlife charity of your choice.
To qualify your donation for Nora’s matching gift, please email me at sarah@smartbitchestrashybooks.com with a screen cap or PDF of your donation receipt. You can block out your personal deets if like. I’ll total up the collective donations and keep y’all appraised of the totals.
Smart Bitches, Trashy Books LLC, will kick off the donations with a $100 pledge. Nora’s offer to match expires 31 January 2008, so please get your donations in by then.
Updated to add: We have cleared
$1000 $1500 $2200 $4900
in total Smart Bitch Reader donations. Way to go!
Updated 18 January 2008, 6:00 pm EST: WE have REACHED $5,000.00 – and then some. Way to go Bitches!
This rocks. Nora rocks. Smart Bitches rock. I love this place.
Whee, we’ve got a C note already!
Did into those wallets. Save the ferrets!
Let’s take an ugly situation and counter it with something positive.
Think of their little black feet, and give!
Just another reason why Nora rocks so hard. A very appropriate gesture. Now I’m off to read about the ferrets and the wolves and help contribute.
Dig, DIG into those wallets.
Jeez, I’ve got to go back to work, with more caffeine.
I’m off to give my donation! Thank you, Nora!
I want to adopt a Jaguar :o) That is a wonderful site, and this is a great gesture.
What an awesome plan!
What a great idea. I’ve done my part.
To (mis)quote one of my favorite t-shirts: Nora rocks my tiny self-centered universe. I’m off to adopt a ferret!
Perfect plan. Let someone (the ferrets) benefit from it who deserves it.
Donated to the cause.
What a delight to know that SOMETHING good is coming out of this whole sorry mess.
I gotta wait til payday, but count me in.
Oooh – not only will Nora match your donation, if you give at least $15 I see you get a free subscription to their magazine (useful for research :-/ ), a calendar, and address labels.
You got my $ come payday. Totally worthy comeback to such a rotten affair.
You are the best Nora!
Spaminator: serious45——Now is that 45 seconds? Because seriousness just isn’t my forte’ y’all.
Sandy, you are a wicked woman.
I’ve now donated to Defenders and adopted a ferret directly though the other site. *grin* And I’ve passed on the info to my RWA loops.
If there was ever any doubt that Nora and the Smart Bitches rock… *off to see what critter I’d like to adopt*
Just got paid today. I’ll get on it posthaste.
I gave a general donation but now I’m thinking of adopting an animal for each of my kids for a Valentine’s Gift. One loves owls and one won’t stay off Club Penguin, so it’s perfect!
Tomorrow, when my paycheck lands!
Nora, what a wonderful idea, and how wonderful of you to get the ball rolling!
You do, indeed ROCK!
OMG, this rocks. Smart Bitches rock. Nora rocks. Ferrets rock. Not sure why this made my day, but it did! 🙂
I’m glad something good (other than, y’know, truth and justice) is coming out of this. I’m off to donate.
Also, there’s a take action page on the Defenders website where you can find out whom to write and call to help save the ferrets’ habitat.
Thanks, Nora. Just sent in my donation.
YAY NORA! And yay Bitches! And YAY FERRETS!
I totally haven’t even hit the DayQuil yet and this just made my week. I can’t wait to donate money (this comes at a perfect time because my husband just brought up the idea of a monthly charitable donation yesterday—I’m saving ferrets, he’s fighting hunger).
I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m sending a mass email to all of my friends and family about this wonderful new development and urge them to Help Save The Ferrets.
Dude! With a $25 donation, you get a free windbreaker.
In case anyone needed another incentive.
I just made my donation. Thank you, Nora and SB!
Plus a shout out to Paul and the ferrets!
Adorable ferrets, hot wildlife writer, Nora Roberts, an excellent cause to give to… it’s like the perfect storm for a donation drive. Count me in!
Nora rocks, and ferrets rule! I get paid tomorrow.
(I used to have a pet ferret, the unendangered kind. It liked to bite my mother on the toes. I loved that ferret.)
BTW, I’ve seen several mentions of adopting a ferret, but I can’t find a link to adopt a ferret. Lots of links to adopt other animals, but today is all about the ferret! If someone found an “adopt a ferret” link, can you post it? 🙂
Thank you SB’s! Thank you Nora! Have to wait until payday but I’m in.
This is too cool; Nora, what a classy move. I’m going to go look into it. Where do I get my “ferrets against plagiarism” t-shirt?
Okay, I’m a little slow on the uptake today. Almost immediately after I posted my “where’s the adopt-a-ferret” question, I found the link. Figures.
In case there’s anyone else who wants it, here ya go:
http://www.blackfootedferret.org/adoption.html
I’ll stop commenting now. 😉
I think I missed something. We know Edwards copied from Paul Tolme’s piece on the endangered black footed ferret. And I read his romance genre insulting letter in response. So why are we contributing to the ferrets? It looks like an apology from romance writers/readers for what happened. It’s a shame he’s been victimized by Edwards, but the apology he’s due shouldn’t come from us or Nora Roberts.
There are plenty of other endangered animals out there. So I ask again, why are we contributing to the ferrets?
Oh-oh-OH!!!
Remember other matches that you may get from employers, too! I’m getting three-for-one out of my Ulysses S. Grant.
And my kids (we unschool) and I have had several *great* talks about plagiarism and its ramifications.
Now, I get to show them that something good came of this ugly circumstance. Nora Roberts helping to save endangered species – my children won’t ever complain about me reading one of her books again! 🙂
Laura—
Why not?
Sure, there are plenty of other endangered animals, but why not this one? At least it’s concrete action.
Besides, it’s relevant to the discussion at hand. It’s not an apology, exactly, but it is using this unfortunate scandal to do some good.
Laura, as others much more eloquent than I have said in other threads here, poor Mr Tolmé not only was the victim of the prevalent stereotyping of romances as trash, but then he read a full CE novel in which his own creative writing was plagiarized for her profit.
Frankly, I think he’s entitled to be feeling a bit testy. And the ferrets can use whatever help they can get, regardless of his opinion of romance.
Plus, isn’t this a wonderful opportunity to educate both Mr Tolmé, his associates and his readers as to who romance readers actually are, and how good romance can be.
Absolutely. I hope that message comes across. I can’t help feeling this is an apologetic gesture though. And that should come from Edwards.
I’ve been reading the Smart Bitches for a while now – love your sense of snarky humor in your reviews & other posts, but this inspired me to actually write a comment.
I’ve made my donation (went for the windbreaker) and just want to say that you rock and Nora Roberts is a real class act.
I think I missed something. We know Edwards copied from Paul Tolme’s piece on the endangered black footed ferret. And I read his romance genre insulting letter in response. So why are we contributing to the ferrets?
I’ll contribute to the ferrets for three reasons.
1) I didn’t find his attitude toward the romance genre to be any worse than most coming from somebody who knows little or nothing about it. If I let it bother me everytime somebody made remarks like that, my head would explode and I wouldn’t be able to write anymore.
2) Perhaps the next time he’s out on ferret watch and thinks of this incident, instead of only thinking of the one author who stole his words, he’ll think of romance authors contributing to the ferrets.
3) The Beastmaster (This might be the only time I’ll admit to mad fangirl love for that movie in public.)
~And that should come from Edwards.~
I don’t disagree, but I’m not holding my breath there.
Paul T is a victim—and his research, work and writing on the ferret was lifted without his permission. I can’t fault his opinion on the genre when I consider the circumstances. Just can’t.
It’s not like we’re sending him the money.
I feel this is a positive action, a way for the community to make a statement.
And to help out the cute little ferrets, or your wildlife of choice.
What an excellent idea.
It’s a shame he’s been victimized by Edwards, but the apology he’s due shouldn’t come from us or Nora Roberts.
It’s not an apology… it’s a positive action, the way I see it and a lovely one at that.
I just adopted a wolf.
I have to agree with snarkhunter – yes, Tolme’s clueless about romance novels (I guess Paul missed that point that it was a couple of readers of romance who broke the story, eh?) Unfortunately it’s a pretty widespread prejudice. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t help Defenders of Wildlife out – they’re doing Good Stuff, and and it’s always good to support Good Stuff.
… But you know, the “What about the ferrets” bit in his Newsweek piece was pretty funny. Not because they’re endangered but because they’re ferrets. What is it about ferrets that’s so freakin’ hilarious anyway?