Have you, too, been wondering what on earth any of us can do about the dreadful situation in the Philippines? YA author Keris Stainton has set up Authors for the Philippines, an online auction of all things readerly and writerly, to raise money for the Red Cross’s Typhoon Haiyan Appeal. Authors, agents, editors and illustrators have donated some fabulous things, and the list is growing all the time; it opens tomorrow, Wednesday 13th November, and closes on Wednesday 20th November.
Typhoon Haiyan slammed into the Philippines on Friday (8 November), causing catastrophic damage. It is the strongest storm ever to make landfall, hitting an area where thousands of people are already homeless after an earthquake in mid-October.
The 300-mile wide typhoon – locally known as Yolanda – has left a trail of destruction with thousands feared dead. The full extent of the damage will become clearer in the next few days as rescue teams reach the more remote areas.
Philippine Red Cross volunteers have been on the ground since before the storm hit, helping with evacuation plans and warning communities. Now, they are getting aid to the people who are most in need and preparing to help thousands more.
You can bid for manuscript critiques from authors, agents and editors at major publishing houses; school visits; signed books galore; mentoring; courses; original illustrations; more books and more books. New items are going up all the time, so do keep checking back.
Among all the others, you can bid for an email critique of your historical fiction from me, and later in the week there will be a couple of personally dedicated, signed first-edition hardbacks of my novels.
Once the auction goes live (Wednesday morning, 13th November) you will be able to bid on the items via the comments on the individual posts.
Once the auction has ended (Wednesday 20th November), Authors for the Philippines will contact the winning bidder and ask them to donate the funds directly to the Red Cross and send the confirmation of payment to Authors for the Philippines.
When they've received the confirmation, they will ask the relevant author to contact the winning bidder. (In other words, they're are not dealing directly with any donations. All donations are to be made directly to the Red Cross appeal.)
Keris set up Authors for Japan in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami there, and raised over £13,000; she's determined to match or even exceed the total this time. I've donated signed, personalised hardbacks of my novels. Can you help by bidding or donating? Click here to go to the Authors for the Philippines site.
