Over 40 authors, agents, editors and others have donated manuscript critiques, personalized books, and other goodies to an online auction that anyone – reader, writer, booklover – can bid on and buy. The auction will run throughout the month of October, and all proceeds go to the Family Violence Prevention Fund.
I have donated several miniatures to the auction, including handpainted miniature toys, a 7-volume set of the Chronicles of Narnia, a full-text miniature of the Victorian children's book Jolly Animals ABC, and a hardbound miniature version of Swati's own novel, Split!
In addition to the auction, Avasthi is making a 26-stop, month-long blog tour, coordinated by Kari Olson at Teen Book Scene. Visit Teen Book Scene to see the list of blogs she'll be visiting. For each comment left on these blog posts during the tour, Swati will donate $1 to the Family Violence Prevention Fund. If we reach the goal and cap of $250, she will double the donation!
The CDC estimates that one in four women will experience intimate partner abuse during her life and UC Davis estimates that a child who grew up witnessing abuse is four times as likely to perpetrate abuse, 25 times more likely to commit rape and 6 times more likely to commit suicide. Family Violence Prevention Fund has some great initiatives, including 'Coaching Boys Into Men' and 'Start Strong,' that are about breaking the intergenerational cycle and preventing abuse.
So, follow the tour, get stuff you want, and make a difference!
