Story Auction: Close to Home
Reading and writing are intrinsic to my life, and have been since I was three years old.
People who can’t read or write, or haven’t had the opportunity to develop those skills beyond a grade-school level, are at a serious disadvantage in society today. Not being able to read street signs, contracts, web sites, bank statements or practically anything else-imagine, you reading this right now, what that would feel like.
Or maybe you can read and write, very well, in Chinese or Farsi or Russian or Tagalog, but not in English. You’ve immigrated to this country and have no assistance preparing for your citizenship test, and very little ability to navigate the same obstacles outlined above.
The Literacy Network of South Berkshire County exists to assist adults, either ESL students or English-speaking adults who wish to improve their literacy. They are wholly nonprofit and donation-funded, and receive no federal funding so that they do not have to verify the immigration status of their students. All are welcome, to learn to read, learn to write, learn to communicate effectively in English and become citizens, or more educated citizens. They’re doing good in my home county, and they also happen to employ my mom and my roommate. I have seen firsthand the difference they’ve made in people’s lives.
The world is full of disasters and inequalities. But when you can see them with your own eyes in your hometown and the wider community, it hits hard. Literacy is a basic need, and a basic right, and this little program (which only has four employees, a tiny office and is barely afloat, yet keeps right on fighting for the underprivileged) is making a huge and concrete difference close to home.
To that effect, I’m holding a charity auction of an original short story with all proceeds going to benefit LitNetSB. Books don’t cost much. Outreach to the community doesn’t cost much. Soliciting volunteer tutors doesn’t cost much. A little can go a long way, and make a huge difference for the program.
Here’s the details from the eBay auction:
You are bidding on an original short story of approximately 3,000-5,000 words written by bestselling urban fantasy author Caitlin Kittredge. All proceeds will benefit local literacy efforts in Berkshire County, Massachusetts.
The short story winner will receive a hardcopy printed on high quality paper, bound and signed by Ms. Kittredge as well as a digital PDF compatible with e-readers. The winner will have exclusive access to the story for three (3) calendar months from the delivery date to the winner, and then Ms. Kittredge reserves the rights to reprint it.
The winner of the auction can chose one of three prompts for Ms. Kittredge to base the story on:
- “He takes pleasure from it. Strange pleasure.”
- Every day on the way to work, there is a young girl in a bloody dress sitting on the bus stop bench.
- They steal a suitcase from baggage claim and find a photo of themselves inside.
Since Literacy Network of SB does not participate in the eBay Giving Works program, proof of donation will be furnished to the winner after the auction is closed.
You can bid on the story here.
You can donate directly to the Literacy Network here.
Thanks, everyone. Normal blogging will resume tomorrow.
Originally published at Caitlin Kittredge.com