This news has just come in

by Suzan Abrams

Catherine Neilan in The Bookseller UK reports today that independent book publisher John Blake of John Blake Publishing Ltd. has delayed publication of On Her Majesty's Service, a book written by former Special Branch Officer Ron Evans, detailing his role, guarding the award-winning novelist Salman Rushdie at the height of the fatwa. An assassination plot had then been targetted by Iran on the novelist's life after publication of the then The Satanic Verses, for its alleged blasphemous references.

The publication of Evan's book has been delayed by a week, allowing Rushdie time to read the book since it has been reported that there have been overly-critical remarks and made about him.

In my previous entry written over HERE, it had been reported that Evans had referred to Rushdie as ""mean, nasty, tight-fisted, arrogant and extremely unpleasant" and this was just the tip of the iceberg, if you get the picture. Rushdie had also been nicknamed Scruffy for his untidy experience.

Rushdie has in turn described Evans as nothing more than a driver who exaggerated his role.
According to The Bookseller, Blake has received a letter from Rushdie's lawyers "inviting" the publisher to halt publication. Blake has since suggested that Rushdie take a week to read the book and is now in all probability, keeping his fingers crossed.

Rushdie told the Guardian that there was a big difference between free speech and libel.
This writer agrees. A victim will always know when a heckler has got his/her imaginary facts/assumptions wrong and crossed the line. Even writers of poison-pen notes and anonymous remarks on the web don't stand much of a chance these days especially as server and location details can be easily traced and lost mail dug up by service providers; if requested by the police.

On Her Majesty's Service is already being heavily advertised on online bookstores worldwide.

Here is Ron Evans website.