Brenda Novak's Auction for the Cure of Diabetes

Even though I promised DH I wouldn't bid on anything this year, I still want to plug a terrific cause.  ( To understand why I'm not allowed to bid, go read my guest post on Killer Fiction.)

Author Brenda Novak sponsors a massive auction every year to raise money to fight diabetes.  Lots of folks donate lots of cool prizes--from tropical vacations to manuscript reads by agents or editors.  And the money goes to a worthy cause.

So go visit Brenda Novak's auction and bid on an item or two.  Just don't bid on 300 like I did last year.  The auction ends on May 31st.

The Past and Other Secrets

Currently reading - Old crap I had the temerity to write thinking it was great

Seriously. I've been cleaning out the room that's supposed to be my office, trying to make it usuable again. When I was practicing law from home after GK was born, I had set up my desk and equipment in the loft.

A few years later, several things happened at the same time. I was hired by a law firm, DH got permission to work from home, and GK outgrew his toddler bed. So we played musical rooms. GK moved into the guest bedroom, DH got the loft office, and I set up shop in what was the nursery.

(Can I say, "Thank Djehuti, I decorated GK's room in an Egyptian theme?" I wanted something different than the ususal bears and bunnies. The lady I hired, Mona, took my inital design and ran with it. She made the walls look like a museum piece, not a kid's bedroom.)

Unfortunately, my "office" also ended up becoming the junk room. No, we don't have a junk drawer. We have a junk room. Including the dozen or so boxes I never unpacked when DH and I moved to Texas FOURTEEN FREAKIN' YEARS AGO.

Enough was enough. This was my weekend off, and I wanted my office back. So far, two bags of trash are waiting for the garbage truck on Monday. And that's just what I've thrown out yesterday. I've got two more days.

But while I was working on the second box of crap, I found them. Yes, my first attempts at writing. Bad poetry, angsty journal entries and incredibly poor attempts at novels. Egads!

DH asked to look at them. Yeah, right. I frankly do not need the mocking. I'm doing quite enough myself. (Not that DH would mock me, but this is up there with that sex ed. film the public schools show the fifth graders in embarrassment level.)

But I've come a hell of a long way. I've got fulls sitting on the desks of agents and editors. I'll make it eventually and redeem that poor, misguided teenager.

Now, for the secrets. . .

For my regular readers who actually check in on Saturdays, I'll let you in on something. Something good. Remember Brenda Novak's auction for diabetes research? I've never won anything on that auction.

Until this year.

61 books.

That's right. Here I am trying to clean out extraneous stuff from my house, and I've got 61 autographed books on their way.

What I'm going to do is set up Reading Wednesdays. That means every Wednesday I'll hold a drawing for U.S. and Canadian commenters for special prizes. The prize may be one book. Or it may be a special theme package! It all depends on the mood I'm in.

The fun will start Wednesday, June 16th. Put it on your calendars!

Reminder. . .

Currently reading - Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Just a little reminder that Brenda Novak's auction to benefit diabetes research is on its last three days, and some auction items will close tomorrow. Now's the time to get your bids in. There's still a lot of relatively inexpensive items on the block.

Out of the 83 items I'm currently the top bidder on, 75 of them are under $20.

So go bid before the end of the weekend. The money goes to a great cause!

Acheron Coat Auction!!

If you're a Kenyon Meynon like me, here's a once-in-a-lifetime opportun-ity!

As Sherrilyn promised during her 2008 book tour for Acheron, the leather coat with Ash's symbol embroidered on the back is now up for auction on Brenda Novak's Auction for Juvenile Diabetes!

The picture here (credit to the marvelous Marianne Mancusi) does not do the coat justice. This coat is beautiful, the stitching unbelievable. And trust me, I was close enough to check the embroidery when the tour was in Houston. *grin*

So go check out the auction!

P.S. Even if you can't afford the coat there's lots of cheaper items available. I still have nearly one hundred of my original bids still active. And the money goes to a great cause.

Diabetes Research Auction

Currently reading - Amazon Queen by Lori Devoti

Here's a plug for a great cause. The Benevolent Brenda Novak hosts an online auction every year for the entire month of May that benefits the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami. Her son was diagnosed with Type I diabetes when he was five.

Hundreds in the publishing industry band together and donate all kinds of cool stuff ranging from signed ARCs to fabulous vacations. If you're a writer, check out the critiques offered by some top name agents.

So please, check out the merchandise and place a bid. There's still plenty of time, and you're doing it for a great cause!