Kids Need to Read is a great charity started by Nathan Fillion. Tonight, at Phoenix Comicon, I’m participating in a fundraiser for them. Other authors are raffling off ARCs and things like that. Me? I’ll write a story for you, on demand.
Here’s how it works. You donate $40 to the charity, and then you get to pick three cards: Object, Character, Genre. I take those cards and on a vintage 1920s Royal typewriter, I will write a story for you in about fifteen minutes. I keep a carbon copy for myself — yes, using actual carbon paper — and you get to take the signed original, and the cards. The story even comes with a Creative Commons License.
If you really want to be generous, you can also add cards to your story. So, if you want a Science-Fiction/Mystery, you can buy an additional card for $5.
Even more generous? Throw down another $10 for a blank card, so you can write your own to seriously challenge me.
FAQ:
Are the cards unique?
The character and object cards are unique. The genre cards have some unique cards, like “erotica” but cards like “science-fiction” are duplicated. What this means is that once you chose a card, no one else can pick one.
Ever?
Well… not until I reorder the cards, but that doesn’t happen often.
What if I want to publish your story?
Totally fair game. The Creative Commons License is a share-alike, so publish away.
Can I sell it?
You can’t publish it for money, but you could sell it to a collector. I’d like to suggest that, since this is for charity, if you’re paid more for it than you donated, it would be a classy move to donate at least part of that to the charity.
How long is the story?
One page. Every now and then, I’ll go over onto another page. That likelihood increases when cards get added.
What kind of typewriter are you using?
It’s an oxblood red 1920s Royal with the rare Royal Deco type.
What if I can’t make it to the event, but want a story?
You can ask a friend to pick for you, but this is something that I only do in person.
Will you do other events?
Yes. If you have a charity event, and I’m going to be nearby, feel free to ask if I’ll do this. I won’t promise I’ll say yes, because it has to be a charity I believe in, but yes.
