Giving Season

For our local readers who are government employees (we know you're out there, cruising litblogs on the Fed's dime), here's a chance to give a little something back. Wordfest, the nonprofit operation from Chapters Bookstore, is part of the 2006 Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area. Your tax deductible donation to # 7656 will support Wordfest's operation of Chapters, the 21 year-old independent DC bookshop, the DC International Poetry Festival and other literary programming in and offsite of Chapters. Isn't time to give your favorite local bookstore a little love?

Another good reason to reach into your wallet this holiday season: Author Julianna Baggott writes to tell us about Kids in Need—Books in Deed:

Kids in Need - Books in Deed has donated fifty new books for the holiday season as well as books donated by young adult novelists Emily Franklin and Megan McCafferty. And that's just the beginning.

They continue to ask authors to donate new copies of their own titles and to hit up publishing houses for free books and discounts, and they are also in need of financial donations.

If you would like to buy a book for a child this holiday season you can send your donation to:

    Kids in Need – Books in Deed
    Attn: Nancy Smilowitz
    Senior Director of Development
    Office of the Dean College of Arts & Sciences
    Tallahassee, FL 32306-1280

They do not accept donations of used books. If you have used books that you'd like to find a good home for, please contact them and they will get you connected to donation opportunities.

If you are an author who would like to donate your own books, please contact Julianna Baggott for specific mailing instructions. Please also consider signing your books, maybe even add a funny, smart, inspiring inscription.

Finally, GalleyCat points out this interesting bit of good will. AbeBooks will soon be hosting its first charity book auction. On the block are some very special Penguin Classics. The imprint celebrated its 60th anniversary by asking top designers to create new editions of five novels. The results: Shoe designer Manolo Blahnik, trendsetting fashion designer Paul Smith (check out Sir Paul's design of Lady Chatterley's Lover), photographer and video artist Sam Taylor-Wood, designer and architect Ron Arad, and graphic design partnership Fuel produced some remarkable covers.

One thousand numbered copies of each book were printed - the retail price for each one is $197.24 (£100). The No.1 from each series will be signed by the designer and available to the highest bidder.

All proceeds will go to English PEN - a charity devoted to author's rights and freedom in literature. The auction begins on Dec 11th and close Dec 13th.