Saturday, May 9, 2009

12 Small Steps for Mankind

My lovely friend Murray is travelling throughout North America right now. He spotted this sign in Las Vegas:

Saturday, May 2, 2009

All For a Good Cause

NYT bestselling author Brenda Novak is hosting her annual Online Auction to Benefit Diabetes Research. My late stepmother suffered diabetes, so Brenda's legendary auction is close to my heart.

How does it work? Well, it's a bit like any other online auction. You pick out a tantalising item, place a bid, and if you're the highest bidder by the closing date, the item's yours. Categories are geared toward both readers and writers.

My agent, Robin Rue of Writers House, is giving away an evaluation of a book proposal - with a one-week response time - to the highest bidder. Read all the details here.

Robin's uber assistant, Beth Miller, also has a crit on offer. I owe Beth so much. She plucked my query from the inbox of an agent who'd left the agency, and passed my work on to Robin. Now she reads draft after draft of my manuscripts and always has sage advice. Love her to bits, I do.

From Historical author Anna Campbell, one of my fabulous CPs and a double-RITA finalist, you could win a detailed critique of a partial ms. Now, Anna has really helped me come a loooong way as a writer since we met in 2002. I know she'll modestly deny this, but she's responsible for taking me from first-round contest flunkee to Golden Heart finalist. Place your bid now!

Author Mari Mancusi (of BOYS THAT BITE fame) is offering a 30-page YA manuscript critique. Check her out her auction page here.

You can also bid for appraisals from senior editors at major publishers, autographed books, a one-night stay at Nora Roberts's new Maryland inn (which her publicist told me about at last year's San Fran conference!) - items on offer are mind-boggling.

Happy bidding!