Write Hope

Hey guys!

Well, the final tally is in! It took me a little while to add up all the numbers, doublecheck payments (because we had some awesome people whose awesome companies matched their donation so they donated the traditional way), add up more numbers, but we have it.

The result of the Write Hope auction is...

$10,351

And that's the net result you guys! All monies have either already been donated or will go to Save the Children as soon as possible!
It's humbling, awe-inspiring and absolutely AMAZING. There's really only one thing we can say to that.Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. To all who donated, bid, supported, promoted, cheered us on. You are truly amazing people. Thank you.

Now before I set the spotlight on Nozomi (cause that's where she likes to be!), one last announcement from my part: HELENE, winning bidder of Suzanne Kamata's bilingual picture book, and FLUR, second highest bidder of the signed copy of Across the Universe and a query critique by Beth Revis, one last call :-) Can you contact us within the next three days? If you don't we'll the next bidder will be able to claim the prize.

Now... t-shirt details!!

Nozomi's back!!!

I wanted to tell you a bit more about the Write Hope pack. Because it's pretty and I want one!

Luna is happy to make them up but we need a minimum order of 20, otherwise the manufacturing costs are too high. There will two version of the Write Hope pack, depending on the final quantities.

Version 1 (for orders between 20-49) = $35
1 Write Hope t-shirt
2 Write Hope Bookmarks (one sided design)

Version 2 (order 50 and above) = $35
1 Write Hope t-shirt
2 write Hope Bookmarks (one sided design)
1 Write Hope key-ring

I've attached the full list of sizes and colors for you to choose from, please note that the t-shirt colors aren't an exact match, but the closest I could find.

If you'd like one please let us know here by filling in this form.

Hey guys!

I'm reporting to you live from beneath a huge stack of paperwork with a few points of order.



We're busy wrapping everything up and fair is fair, you've all been amazing. All but a few bids have been confirmed and paid. Most details have been forwarded to the donors. We only have to coordinate :-)

Still, a few auctions are left open. Where possible I've emailed the winning bidders directly. Some of you I haven't been able to contact.

BOOK MAWSTER, winning bidder of the critique by A Writer Gone Mad,
HELENE, winning bidder of Suzanne Kamata's bilingual picture book, and
FLUR, second highest bidder of the signed copy of Across the Universe and a query critique by Beth Revis, can you contact us as soon as possible? (That is, before Friday! :-) )

Everyone who bid on our Write Hope prize pack, have a look at the comments. Joan offered to make all of you a wonderful handmade bookmark.

What is it you say? Do you want to know our amazing total? Have a look at our final project first. Cause the auction may have ended, we're not completely done yet.

Luna is offering to make Write Hope Packs, with a unique professionally embroidered WRITE HOPE t-shirt, bookmarks and a keychain. Come let us know if you want one! :-)

And then to answer that question... Well... We're still adding up numbers and will announce it shortly... But we're well past $10,000 *SQUEE*

Nozomi reporting here, I’m coming to you from the frontlines of Luna’s creativeness. If you’ve ever wondered what creativeness looks like, in Luna’s case it's like she picked up all her art supplies and threw them in the air… it’s an obstacle course of paper, scrap sketches, fabrics, ribbon and glitter. I love the glitter!

About a month ago Marieke asked her if she’d make a t-shirt for Write Hope, a few designs later and we have:

It’s pretty right? *loves*

Instead of printed t-shirts these are embroidered. Long lasting, eye-popping and gorgeous! Not just that, but you yourself can decide how you want yours to look…

See I love pink (much to Luna’s irritation) so I’d pick a pink t-shirt with hot pink embroidery… or maybe sparkling silver? We have a long list of different t-shirt colors and embroidery thread to choose from.

Luna is willing to design and manufacture a Write Hope Pack, which would consist of a t-shirt, 2 bookmarks (one-sided design) and a keyring. The cost of these packs would be around $30 (unfortunately postage & packing eats up almost a third of that).

In order for us to proceed, we would need sufficient interest. So, would you want one?

As our way of saying thanks to you all, we're donating the following items to form a package for one lucky bidder (though the second and third highest bidders will also receive a prize should bidding go high enough!):

From Luna:

1. Write Hope t-shirt, black with “space” embroidery butterfly and logo (W:40" L:28" = size S)

2. Write Hope bookmarks (two-sided designs)

3. and for one time only, Write Hope coaster (two-sided design) with stars :)

Luna says: If bidding exceeds $100 I will include the original pencil sketch of (adult) Nozomi, personalised to you: http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc256/lunalee_photo/nozomigrownup.jpg

From Marieke:

4. 50-page critique of a MG/YA manuscript (plus follow-up discussion on revisions with Marieke)

5. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

From Amanda:

6. Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

7. Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

8. $50 Amazon gift card

From Rach:

9. query critique (plus one resubmit after you've revised so we can discuss your revisions)

10. synopsis critique (plus one resubmit after you've revised so we can discuss your revisions)

11. your choice of a paperback copy of: The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff, Paranormalcy by Kiersten White, or Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Rach says: And, if bidding goes over $200, I'll be donating a free query critique to the second and third highest bidders!

International

Bidding is open until April 6th, 3PM EDT

From YA author Margie Gelbwasser: a critique of your query and first 20 pages (MG/YA).

In Margie's own words: "I always wanted to be a writer, and when I was seven I got my shot. My second grade teacher held a writing contest. I wrote this ten page story about a girl who was kidnapped, taken to an island, and tied to a coconut tree. She found a way to use the coconuts as weapons and escaped, against all odds! I didn’t win. The girl who won wrote about a talking strawberry, and her story was only 3 pages long. Talk about being robbed!

I recovered, continued to write, edited my high school and college literary magazines, wrote an adult multi-generational novel about a Russian-Jewish family, scrapped the novel but realized the part about the teens really came alive. So I started writing a YA book about a Russian-Jewish girl with an alcoholic mom that is now called INCONVENIENT. I then found an agent, and in a little less than two years landed a two-book deal with Flux. During all this, I got married and had an amazing son who I consider my good luck charm.

These days, I’m home with my son and between our music, library, Mommy and Me classes, and truck and lawn mower spottings, I’m working on my second novel. Like with the first book, there’s some Russian stuff and some Jersey stuff (Jersey makes for great settings—take that all of you who think Jersey is a smelly state and nothing more) but it’s really dark, edgy, and the culture is more background/setting than center stage."

International

Bidding is open until April 6th, 8PM EDT

From YA author Jennifer L. Armentrout: a signed ARC of Half-Blood.

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi pure-bloods have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.

Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:

Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.

Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

International (to be shipped late April/early May)

Bidding is open until April 6th, 7PM EDT

From author Suzanne Kamata: a signed copy of Playing for Papa.

International

Bidding is open until April 6th, 6PM EDT

From author Christine Lee: a hand-stamped silver key chain, with text of your choice to the two highest bidders

From Christine's website: "I make personalized, hand-stamped, sterling silver and gold-filled tags, in various shapes and sizes.

You select the tag style, and then customize it, by choosing the chain length, the stone color, the inscription, and whether or not you want the tag hammered (to create an antiqued/edgy look)."


For inspiration, have a look on Christine's website and the two examples she made (and then imagine the title of your debut novel or favorite WIP stamped on it!)

US

Bidding is open until April 6th, 5PM EDT

From author Tahereh Mafi: an ARC of Shatter Me.

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old-girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

US

Bidding is open until April 6th, 4PM EDT

From YA author Kristi Cook: a critique of your first 3 chapters (YA).

As a child, Kristi Cook took her nose out of a book only long enough to take a ballet class (or five) each week. Not much has changed since then, except she’s added motherhood to the mix and enjoys penning her own novels as much as reading everybody else’s. A transplanted southern gal, Kristi lives in New York City with her husband and two daughters.

International

Bidding is open until April 6th, 3PM EDT

From artist Jeff Fielder: swag designs.

In his own words: "I'd like to offer up design services for swag. Here's what I propose, each $50 increment gets another item.
>$50 gets a bookmark, button, or sticker design.
>$100 gets 2 items,
>$150 gets 3, and so on and so on.
Vendor costs are still on the purchaser, but I'll make the files print ready in any format the vendor needs."

Left and right you can find bookmarks by Jeff's making, used with permission from the authors. For more information, take a look on his website.

International

Bidding is open until April 6th, 2PM EDT

From authors Natalie Zaman and Charlotte Bennardo: a critique of your synopsis and first three chapters (YA fantasy or paranormal) send within 6 months, 12 pt font, double spaced.

To go with that an awesome collection of SIRENZ swag: a set of Sirenz buttons, a music CD from the band that is doing the music for our book trailer, and phone charms (a tie-in to the book) with Japanese symbols of love, luck and protection!

Sirenz (Flux, June 2011): Bickering frenemies Meg and Shar are doing some serious damage at a midnight sample sale when they find themselves arguing over a pair of shoes—with fatal consequences. One innocent bystander later, the girls are suddenly at the mercy of Hades—the god of the underworld—himself. To make them atone for what they’ve done, Hades forces the teens to become special-assignment Sirens, luring to the Underworld any individual whose unholy contract is up.

But just because they have an otherworldly part-time job now doesn’t mean Meg and Shar can ignore life’s drudgeries (work) or pleasures (fashion!). Finding that delicate balance between their old and new responsibilities turns out to be harder than they expected, especially when an entire pantheon of Greek deities decides to get involved. Then there’s the matter of the fine print in their contracts...

International

Bidding is open until April 6th, 1PM EDT

From author Stephanie Burgis: an original short story set in the Kat, Incorrigible timeline.

Here's Stephanie's description:
"I'll write it for you and send you a personal copy (either electronic or on paper, whichever you prefer). After it's finished, it'll be yours alone for at least a full month, and afterwards, when I do put it up on my website, I'll include a notice that the story is dedicated to you."

In Kat Stephenson's Regency England, magic is the greatest scandal of all...

Twelve-year-old Kat Stephenson is in trouble again. Her father may be a respectable vicar, but her mother was a notorious witch, and now Kat herself is the target of an ancient and secretive magical order.

Any proper young lady would swoon at the very idea of it.

Luckily, Kat Stephenson is no ordinary young lady.

Stephanie Burgis grew up in America but fell in love with Regency England when she was seven. Now she lives in Wales, and her trilogy of Regency fantasy adventures for kids starts with KAT, INCORRIGIBLE, published by Atheneum Books on April 5. To find out more, please visit her website.

International

Bidding is open until April 6th, 12PM EDT

From the awesome people at Harlequin TEEN: a signed set of Julie Kagawa's NYT Bestselling series The Iron Fey - so a signed copy each of The Iron King, The Iron Daughter, and The Iron Queen, as well as an Iron Fey poster. And also, a query critique by Harlequin TEEN intern Amanda Sun.

MEGHAN CHASE HAS A SECRET DESTINY – ONE SHE COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school... or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

HALF SUMMER FAERY PRINCESS, HALF HUMAN. MEGHAN HAS NEVER FIT IN ANYWHERE.

Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help.

Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

My name is Meghan Chase.

I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back.

US/Canada

Bidding is open until April 6th, 11AM EDT

From author J.A. Sounders: a 50-page critique of anything YA, or adult romance (any genre minus erotica).

We've had some exciting additions from Jessica! She says: if bidding gets to $100, I'll add a query crit. If it gets to $150, I'll crit 75 pages. For $200, I'll do 100 pages. And if we reach $300 I'll do a full crit!

J.A. Souders was born in the heartland with an overactive imagination and an over abundance of curiosity that was always getting her into trouble. She first began writing at the age of 13, when she moved to Florida and not only befriended the monsters under the bed, but created worlds for them to play together.

Because she never grew up, she decided she’d put her imaginary friends to work and started writing. She still lives in the land of sunshine and palm trees with her husband and their two children and is an active member of the RWA, CFRW, and the SCBWI. She is represented by Natalie Fischer.

International

Bidding is open until April 6th, 10AM EDT

From YA author Arlaina Tibensky: a copy of Gemini Bites signed by Patrick Ryan.

US

Bidding is open until April 5th, 9AM EDT

None of the items posted today are April Fool's jokes.

Our executive decision still stands, so we tinkered a little with the end dates of today and tomorrow's posts.

We have posts tomorrow.

Or in other words: we have another nine auction items tomorrow. (Ha, see what I did there?)

One of which may or may not be an ARC of Tahereh Mafi's Shatter Me.

The above fact may or may not be an April Fool's joke.

Finally we have one special auction item on Sunday, to conclude this auction. *sniff* So keep watching. This should be spectacular.

Over and out.

(And virtual cupcakes if you got that reverence ;-) )

From author Alma Alexander: a tiered critique. $30 and under for the winning bid, she'll do a 5 page crit; $99 and under, one chapter (3000 words); $200 and under, three chapter critique (9,000 words).

Alma A. Hromic (who now writes as Alma Alexander) was born in 1963 in Novi Sad, Yugoslavia, on the shores of the river Danube. Her father's employment with international aid agencies meant that the family spent twenty years living in various countries in Africa, including Zambia, Swaziland, and South Africa.

Her fantasy duology The Hidden Queen and Changer of Days (originally published as Changer of Days vol. 1 and 2 in New Zealand in 2001 and 2002), was released in the United States in 2005. The Secrets of Jin-shei was published in the U.S. in 2004 in hardcover and 2005 in paperback and is currently available in twelve languages worldwide (including Turkish, Lituanian, and Hebrew) and is a bestseller in Spain. The follow-up, Embers of Heaven, published in the UK in September 2006, is available in five languages. Alma's latest project is the Worldweavers young adult trilogy, which debuted with Gift of the Unmage in 2007 and was followed by Spellspam in 2008 and Cybermage in 2009. A Polish edition of the first book has already been published.

(For Alma's full biography, have a look on her website.)

International

Bidding is open until April 5th, 5PM EDT

From YA author Arlaina Tibensky: A handmade, one of a kind, ceramic AND THEN THINGS FALL APART "signed" soap dish and collection of Sylvia Plath buttons.

In her own words: I am the world's oldest teenager. I owe Columbia University a lot of $$. I have 2 children-boys with solid man-names. I am a writer with a young adult novel coming JULY 26, 2011 called AND THEN THINGS FALL APART. My husband is not American. I am not blond. I believe in the power of fiction and curate the Pen Parentis Literary Salon at the Libertine Library in NYC.

And Then Things Fall Apart: Keek has an adulterous dad, an unstable mom, and the chicken pox. She’s stuck in bed with no TV or Internet—just a typewriter and, mercifully, plenty of paper.

US

Bidding is open until April 5th, 4PM EDT.

From author Kiera Stewart: a signed ARC of Fetching, and you also get to name the family pet in Kiera's current WIP!

A crew of middle school nobodies secretly use dog training techniques on their classmates to go from eighth-grade underdogs to leaders of the pack, only to discover being top dog isn’t all they expected it to be.

International

Bidding is open until April 5th, 3PM EDT

From YA author Pat Schmatz: a full YA fiction manuscript critique plus editorial letter (double-space, 12 pt font, inch margins, up to 250 pages)

Pat Schmatz is the author of three novels for teens: Mrs. Estronsky and the UFO (Windstorm Creative, 2001); Circle the Truth (Carolrhoda Books, 2007), and Mousetraps (Carolrhoda Books, 2008). Circle the Truth was chosen by Wisconsin Library Association as one of the outstanding books for children by a Wisconsin Author in 2008. Mousetraps was awarded the Council for Wisconsin Writers Award for children’s fiction, and was a 2009 Lambda Literary Award nominee for best children’s/young adult fiction. Pat’s fourth novel, Bluefish, was awarded the 2010 PEN/Phyllis Naylor Working Writer Fellowship. Bluefish is scheduled for release by Candlewick Press in fall of 2011. Pat also teaches workshops on "Fictive Dream" and "Fierce Revision" and provides editing services for young adult fiction.

International

Bidding is open until April 5th, 2PM EDT

From A Writer Gone Mad: a query, synopsis, and first five pages critique.

In her own words: AWriterGoneMad is a seventeen year old adult thriller writer who hopes to have an agent by the end of this year. She maintains a blog as well as a Twitter, and is the assistant to Authoress on her new writing blog for teens, Write On! When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, karate, and shooting.

International

Bidding is open until April 5th, 1PM EDT.

From NYT bestselling author Andrea Cremer: a signed ARC of Wolfsbane, sequel to Nightshade.

Betrayal, loss, pain, fear. How many trials can love endure and still survive?

International

Bidding is open until April 5th, 12PM EDT

From Debra Driza: an ARC of Imaginary Girls signed and personalized by Nova Ren Suma, plus bookmarks.

Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby. But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.

International

Bidding is open until April 5th, 11AM EDT.

From author Cathryn Lindsay: a signed and personalized copy of Who Ate All The Pies?

Cuthbert is hooked on his granny's custard pies. But his world turns topsy turvy when Granny starts feeding him turnip stew instead. With the help of his friend Arnold, Cuthbert embarks on a mission to discover who is eating all of Granny's pies... Will Cuthbert get his just desserts? Find out in this addictively funny adventure story filled with mad inventions, an out-of-control robot, barmy bakers, and lots and lots of custard!

Who ate all the pies is for 6-10 year olds.

International

Bidding is open until April 5th, 10AM EDT

From Ishta Mercurio: a picture book and query critique.

In Ishta's own words: Ishta Mercurio-Wentworth spent her college years at Simon's Rock College studying Literature, Theatre, and Dance, and working in the Writing Centre helping other students whip their essays and creative writing assignments into shape. Since joining SCBWI, CANSCAIP, and the Canadian Children's Book Centre, she has continued to develop her own writing and critiquing skills through classes, her critique groups, and WriteOnCon. She writes - and critiques - picture books, poetry, MG, and YA.

International

Bidding is open until April 5th, 9AM EDT.