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Writers for the Red Cross Wrap Up

Thanks to you, we raised over $30,000 for the Red Cross last month.

Two months ago, Holly Tucker and I joined forces to present Writers for the Red Cross.

Holly had already done most of the work in conceiving the project and mustering the bulk of the contributors and participants, and I was delighted to have the opportunity to help out in whatever way I could.

I tend to do webby things and writerly things, so that's what I focused on.

I also mustered the courage to invite a few of my own favorite authors to donate books and other prizes to the project.

Susan Holloway Scott, Julia Quinn, Erin Blakemore, and MaryJanice Davidson all generously agreed to participate, and several even invited friends of theirs, other authors, to participate as well.

That's how this sort of thing works, really. It's got to be a group effort, if it's going to work at all.

So now it's over. It's been a heck of a ride. And it's time to say thank you.

Writers for the Red Cross was a tremendous success, and it's all thanks to donors and participants like you. Thank you!

Our goal was to raise funds for and awareness of the Red Cross during the month of March, which is National Red Cross Month.

Shortly after the project got underway, tragic events in Japan would raise awareness of the Red Cross on their own, as the world watched the north of Japan suffer blow after blow from a massive earthquake, devastating tsunami, and a continuing threat of nuclear contamination.

Thanks to your donations and the generous response of the community, Writers for the Red Cross raised over $30,583.07 from more than 258 unique donors during the month of March.

Every penny of those donations is already in the hands of the Red Cross, and will support the organization's local, national, and international disaster relief services.

The numbers tell the story:

  • 120 authors, agents, and publishing professionals donated goods and services
  • 30 authors contributed heart-felt testimonies about "What the Red Cross Means to Me"
  • 20 independent bookstores contributed promotional support and logistics
  • 390+ books were donated by authors and publishers as donation incentives
  • 148 donors contributed gifts $25--and often much more than that--and received a free promotional book
  • 47,419 visitors to the site over the course of one month, raising awareness of the Red Cross
  • 14 posts on the national Red Cross blog
  • Coverage by Publishers' Weekly, Bookselling This Week, and Galley Cat

To everyone who played a role in Writers for the Red Cross, thank you. Thank you for your support, for your donation, and for everything you do in your daily life to help those in need. The world needs more of you, and we are tremendously proud to have worked with you.

Thank you.