Let's Build a New Public Library!

Happy Birthday, America!

To celebrate, how about we build a new library? Last week I posted about libraries being closed and librarians cut--what do you say to reversing the trend and opening at least one new one? Here's how you can help:

Hillsboro, the seat of Jefferson County, Missouri, lacks a public library. I first became aware of this problem when Deborah Johnson Horn from Barnes & Noble and Karen Creech Huskey welcomed me to Hillsboro High School last November for a fun and exhausting presentation about my debut novel, ASHFALL.  Now Karen is spearheading the next step—her committee has succeeded in placing an initiative to build a public library on the ballot this fall. But ballot initiatives take money to pass (to buy yard signs, posters, newspaper advertising, mailings, etc.), and this is where you and I come in.

I’d like to support this effort in a bigger way than my personal finances allow. And I happen to have a bunch of ASHEN WINTER advanced reading copies (it won’t be out until October!), rare first editions of ASHFALL, and extremely rare ASHFALL  posters (only nine are left). And I'm in the middle of writing the third book of the ASHFALL trilogy, and I think your name should appear in that book, don't you? So I’m holding an impromptu auction. Simply click on the item you want to win, which will take you to the item page on my personal blog, and place a bid in the comments. Top bidder when the auction closes on Sunday, July 8 at 9:00 p.m. EST wins.

1) A rare signed FIRST edition of ASHFALL. The first editions are no longer available in stores.  Includes shipping anywhere in the world at my expense. Bid here.

2) A rare signed, ASHFALL poster. There are only 9 of the ASHFALL posters left.  I'll ship the poster anywhere in the world at my expense. Bid here.

3) An Advance Reading Copy (ARC) of the forthcoming ASHEN WINTER. The book won't be out until October, so you'll get to read it 4 months early! I'll ship the ARC anywhere in the world at my expense. Bid here.

4) Tuckerization in the third and final ASHFALL book (title and release date TBD). I'll include any reasonable name of your choice as a minor character in the third and final ASHFALL book. Bid here.

Rules:

1) All three auctions will be open until 9 pm EST on Sunday, July 8th.

2) Bid by commenting on the item page with an amount and email address. High bid wins. Minimum bid is $10. Bid in increments of $1 or more, please. All bids should be in U.S. dollars.

3) If bids go high enough, I may award multiple copies of any of these prizes.

4) Winning bidders will be informed by email. The campaign to pass the ballot initiative is decidedly local and low tech, so we don’t have a PayPal account to donate to. Instead, if you win, you have to mail a check to:

Campaign Committee for Hillsboro District Branch

of the Jefferson County Library Committee

P.O. Box 176

Hillsboro, MO 63050

Make your check payable to the same--yes, the name is ridiculously long--write small. When they receive your check, they’ll email me, and I’ll mail your prize.

Everything make sense? If not, email me at mike.mullin.writer at gmail dot com, or ask your questions in the comments on this post. Good luck and bid high—it’s for a good cause!