Help me keep my Dream Job?
The short version is that, due to roughly two years of health problems and associated financial expenses, I am going to run out of money before the end of the year. At this point, I don't even think I can afford groceries for more than a couple of months.
I have one huge debt hanging over my head, being my mortgage. I bought months before anyone knew the housing bubble would burst, and I live in an admittedly expensive corner of the country...but if I didn't live here, I wouldn't have had the support of family and friends during my various medical troubles.
I've tried Patreon, I've tried appealing to my readers to try to widen the number of people who buy my books, but it's all moving too slowly to stem the hemorrhage of funds flowing out of my bank accounts. Oh, and taxes. I owe 6.5k in taxes, on top of what I've already paid. That's over four months' worth of house payments, which I have to cough up by April 15th.
So, since I'm not so proud I cannot beg, I have started a GoFundMe campaign:
http://www.gofundme.com/JeanJAuthor
...I haven't been on LJ much over the last two years because of my health issues. I've lost touch with a lot of people, and I know some of you will go, "Really? You're asking for money NOW?" I know I don't mean jack to a lot of people. But for those who might be willing to help out a little, there it is.
If I didn't have this huge albatross of a mortgage dragging me under, I might survive. As things stand...unless I get help, I will lose my house, I will have to declare bankruptcy, and I may have to stop writing to "get a real job"...except I haven't had a "real job" since 1994. That makes me essentially unemployable for anything other than minimum wage, and minimum wage is not going to pay my bills. (It doesn't pay ANYONE's bills.)
So, there it is. I'm nearly out of money. I'm nearly out of time. I will complete the 5 manuscripts that are still piled up ahead of me. I will honor my obligations as best I can. But I am so fucking stressed right now, I'm having to double up (yes, with doctor's permission) on my heart medication right now, because yes, I am so stressed from the last two years of my life, I have to take heart meds.
I want to make a living as a writer. It is my dream job. But medical and other expenses beyond my control (bathroom ventilation fans, zone wall heaters, the hot water tank, and the fridge) have destroyed my safety cushion of finances. One more unexpected bill will wipe me out. Hell, just the one last medical bill I have pending, to the tune of almost $2,000 (it's being contested at the moment, so who knows when or how soon or if I'll have to pay), will pretty much force me into bankruptcy.
So...yeah. Go have a look. Contribute or not, as you wish.
I just want to have the freedom to make the best stories I can, stories that entertain thousands of people. I don't know how to magically make my books go viral so that they'd entertain hundreds of thousands, even millions. I don't know how to do that. I've tried direct appeal, I've tried Patreon, I've tried issuing challenges... They're good books; they're well-written and entertaining and funny and powerful and...it's not enough.
I need direct help, and I need it fast.
I don't want my lifelong dream to die.
~Lotm
I have one huge debt hanging over my head, being my mortgage. I bought months before anyone knew the housing bubble would burst, and I live in an admittedly expensive corner of the country...but if I didn't live here, I wouldn't have had the support of family and friends during my various medical troubles.
I've tried Patreon, I've tried appealing to my readers to try to widen the number of people who buy my books, but it's all moving too slowly to stem the hemorrhage of funds flowing out of my bank accounts. Oh, and taxes. I owe 6.5k in taxes, on top of what I've already paid. That's over four months' worth of house payments, which I have to cough up by April 15th.
So, since I'm not so proud I cannot beg, I have started a GoFundMe campaign:
http://www.gofundme.com/JeanJAuthor
...I haven't been on LJ much over the last two years because of my health issues. I've lost touch with a lot of people, and I know some of you will go, "Really? You're asking for money NOW?" I know I don't mean jack to a lot of people. But for those who might be willing to help out a little, there it is.
If I didn't have this huge albatross of a mortgage dragging me under, I might survive. As things stand...unless I get help, I will lose my house, I will have to declare bankruptcy, and I may have to stop writing to "get a real job"...except I haven't had a "real job" since 1994. That makes me essentially unemployable for anything other than minimum wage, and minimum wage is not going to pay my bills. (It doesn't pay ANYONE's bills.)
So, there it is. I'm nearly out of money. I'm nearly out of time. I will complete the 5 manuscripts that are still piled up ahead of me. I will honor my obligations as best I can. But I am so fucking stressed right now, I'm having to double up (yes, with doctor's permission) on my heart medication right now, because yes, I am so stressed from the last two years of my life, I have to take heart meds.
I want to make a living as a writer. It is my dream job. But medical and other expenses beyond my control (bathroom ventilation fans, zone wall heaters, the hot water tank, and the fridge) have destroyed my safety cushion of finances. One more unexpected bill will wipe me out. Hell, just the one last medical bill I have pending, to the tune of almost $2,000 (it's being contested at the moment, so who knows when or how soon or if I'll have to pay), will pretty much force me into bankruptcy.
So...yeah. Go have a look. Contribute or not, as you wish.
I just want to have the freedom to make the best stories I can, stories that entertain thousands of people. I don't know how to magically make my books go viral so that they'd entertain hundreds of thousands, even millions. I don't know how to do that. I've tried direct appeal, I've tried Patreon, I've tried issuing challenges... They're good books; they're well-written and entertaining and funny and powerful and...it's not enough.
I need direct help, and I need it fast.
I don't want my lifelong dream to die.
~Lotm