Prominent Authors, Television Writers Offer Character Names, Book Group Packages To Raise Money For First Amendment Project In eBay Charity Auction
Character Name in the Showtime Hit Series “WEEDS” Among Items Up For Bid
Auction Starts November 26; Runs Through December 20
Thirty prominent authors, representing a variety of literary genres, are offering the winning bidders the chance to have their names included in works of fiction in a charity auction launching on eBay on November 26, 2010. Participating authors include Jenji Kohan, the creator of the Showtime series “Weeds”, Andrew Sean Greer, Ayelet Waldman, Ben Katchor, Chris Ware, Dan Chaon, Dan Gutman, Dave Eggers, Derek Haas, Elinor Lipman, Francine Prose, Jane Smiley, Janet Burroway, Joshua Ferris, Kevin J. Anderson & Rebecca Moesta, Lorrie Moore, Margot Livesey, Mona Simpson, Nami Mun, Patrick DeWitt, Phillip Margolin, Rick Moody, Robert Mailer Anderson, Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum, Stacey D’Erasmo, Stuart Woods, Suzanne Brockmann, T Campbell, Thomas Perry, Vendela Vida and Walter Kirn. In addition, authors Laura Benedict and Lisa See are offering “book club packages,” in which they supply multiple copies of one of their books and make a telep! hone call to the group.
The auction is a benefit for First Amendment Project, the Oakland, CA-based nonprofit organization that provides free legal services on public interest free speech and free press issues.
In addition to the character name, the winning bidder in the “Weeds” auction will receive a signed copy of the pilot script, the box set of DVDs of the first five seasons of the series and a “Weeds” baseball cap.
Among the other opportunities available at the auction, which can be found at http://3.ly/fapauction include the chance to be an FBI agent or a stripper with a heart of gold in the next entry in Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooters series; a villain or a victim in Thomas Perry’s next entry in the Jane Whitefield series, a wounded World War I soldier or drunken Bohemian in Andrew Sean Greer’s next novel, as a character in a new musical by Janet Burroway, or a character in a cartoon series by Ben Katchor, Chris Ware or T Campbell. Young adult authors Dan Gutman and Kevin J. Anderson are offering character names in the next entries in their Baseball Card Adventures and Star Challengers series, respectively.
This is the third character name auction for First Amendment Project. The first two auctions, held in 2005 and 2006, earned over $170,000 for the organization.
The authors speak:
“First Amendment issues are centrally important to anyone who writes for a living! I have struggled a little bit with censorship issues as regards my own work, and I have seen it with others. The First Amendment Project is one of the premier organizations for combating this censorship, and the auctions are a clever and funny way to drum up support for the work.” —Rick Moody
“There’s nothing more dangerous to freedom than silence — whether it’s enforced by law or fear or poverty — or crushing legal expenses. The First Amendment Project helps give voice to those who otherwise might be silenced, and I’m proud to stand beside them. As a writer, I know the true strength and importance of words. Words are more powerful than any weapon because as long as we can write and speak freely, ideas like freedom and justice will never die.” —Suzanne Brockmann
“As a science fiction writer, I like to push ideas, stretch my imagination, provoke people to think along new paths. That frightens others who like to believe they have the [only] way. Unfortunately, some of those people are in positions of power and try to enforce their opinions as law. We need staunch groups to stand up against those agendas and let people have their say. It’s the only way the truth can keep getting out.” —Kevin J. Anderson
“Everything I do — everything this country is about — depends on the First Amendment.” —Francine Prose
“All I can really say is: I would not exist as a writer without the First Amendment. Period.” —Stacey D’Erasmo
“The First Amendment protects the most basic and important of our freedoms, the right to think freely and express our thoughts and beliefs to others by speech, press, petition, or assembly. Deserving the First Amendment requires that we use it and defend it.” —Thomas Perry
“I feel lucky to live in a country that allows me to read, talk and write freely. The First Amendment is what makes that possible. Almost every week an event somewhere in the world reminds me not to take this precious right for granted” —Margot Livesey
“It’s not hyperbole to say that it’s the best amendment in the history of civilization.” —Elinor Lipman
Conducting the charity auction is Auction Cause, a premier online auction management agency specializing in high impact and high value eBay charity auctions for nonprofits and their corporate partners. Auction Cause also conducted the 2005 and 2006 auction