Going, going, gone! Round One of the auction for the KidLit Cares Superstorm Sandy Relief Effort, headed up by author Kate Messner and bolstered by the children’s book community, has ended – and has raised a total of $36,756 for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
Messner notes that the impressive dollar amount was boosted in large part by some of the auction donors, who offered extra prize packages when enthusiastic bidders offered to match a high bid after the auction ended. As one example, editor Melissa Manlove’s manuscript critique and free pass to an editorial meeting with the Chronicle Books team was such a popular auction item that it raised $15,600 on its own. Manlove ended up providing three more of her critique packages when three additional people offered to match the high bid.
Other big-ticket items from Round One, according to Messner, included a Skype visit with Mo Willems, a portfolio critique with Penguin art director Giuseppe Castellano, and a manuscript critique with author Laurie Halse Anderson. “Everyone who participated – donors and bidders alike – made this a great success for a great cause,” Messner says.
And now it’s on to Round Two, which is already underway and includes 80 auctions for such items as Skype visits with Gary Schmidt and R.J. Palacio, a manuscript critique with editor Wendy Lamb, and original art from Tad Hills. Round Two auctions run through the end of November and are being coordinated by author Joanne Levy.
