Congrats to Phyllis Miller, winner of last week’s giveaway contest!
This week, we’d like to take a moment to express our thoughts and prayers for a quick recovery to all those impacted by Hurricane Sandy. We encourage all of our readers – those living in hurricane-impacted regions as well as those outside them – to help with recovery in any way you can. Contact a shelter and find out what supplies or funds they need. Donate to a charity helping with hurricane relief (in the U.S. or abroad – remember, the hurricane hit other countries too). If you’re a praying person, please consider prayer. With Thanksgiving upon us, and family foremost in everyone’s mind, it’s important to remember those in need.
From the 2013 Debs…
Deb Kerry has galleys. Which apparently are really ARCs in a plain (but very lovely) wrapper.
Deb Dana lost power on Monday night due to Sandy but was lucky to get it back on Wednesday morning. Her heart goes out to all of those in NY, NJ, and elsewhere who still do not have power — and to those around the globe who live without power every day.
Deb Susan finished writing the first draft of FLASK OF THE DRUNKEN MASTER (Shinobi Mysteries, Book 3).
Deb Amy is a finalist for an Inspiring Mom award. The winner will have $1000 donated to the children’s charity of her choice. Deb Amy’s choice will be The Trevor Project, if she wins. You can read and vote by clicking here.
Past Deb News
Deb Joanne Levy is hosting Round 2 of Kid Lit Cares, an an online talent auction to benefit the Red Cross relief effort for Sandy. Author Kate Messner launched Round 1 of Kid Lit cares, and you can find the full list of current (Round 1) Auctions here. Round 2 (with more items for bids – and all profits going directly to Red Cross Sandy relief efforts) launches at Joanne Levy’s website on November 12. Auction items include critiques, Skype author visits, virtual writing workshops, and much more.
Deb Mia King has a new website, two new novels in the works, and a great contest for a signed copy of her second novel, Sweet Life – find out more at Mia’s website!
Deb Erika Marks received a fantastic review for THE MERMAID COLLECTOR at Charming Chelsey’s – congratulations Erika!
Deb Dish – November means Thanksgiving – do you have a favorite Thanksgiving tradition (current or remembered)?
Deb Amy: My favorite traditions are all wrapped up in favorite foods. I like to have sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on top, because my grandmother always made that — so even if I don’t host Thanksgiving, it’s what I ask to bring along to the feast. This year I’m making Thanksgiving dinner and the only tradition I’ll try to break is not too eat too fast — or eat too much. I’m thinking I may not have too much luck.
Deb Dana: My mom usually hosts Thanksgiving, and it’s quite the affair (this year she’s having 34 people — whew!). When I was young, I remember It’s a Wonderful Life would always air the night before Thanksgiving, and after I helped my mom make the banana cream pie and pumpkin pie, I’d curl up in the family room and watch George Bailey and Clarence and decide my life was pretty wonderful, too.
Deb Kerry: For me, Thanksgiving is really in October, being Canadian and all. Sometimes we have two Thanksgivings, which is great because I love turkey, especially the crispy, crunchy, salty skin… Oh, right. Rituals. Feast and family pretty much sums it up for me.
Deb Susan: Every Thanksgiving, my mother made homemade rolls. And every Thanksgiving she burned them. Some years she remembered when they were merely “extra-crispy” and other years the oven actually burst into flames. For my mother, this was mortifying (she’s otherwise an amazing cook) but for us it was always uproariously funny. (More so as we got older, because we’d remind her all day not to burn the rolls and still they’d come out charred.) Many years later (and with more than one set of charcoal biscuits to my own credit) it’s those rolls – and the laughter they always inspired – that stand out in my memory. An odd but happy Thanksgiving “tradition.”
Your Turn!! Tell us about YOUR favorite Thanksgiving or family tradition! We’d love to know what makes family special for you.
Thanks so much for featuring the #KidLit Cares auctions. Although I’m in Canada, I think as authors, we have a very special connection with New York and the surrounding areas where our friends/editors/agents live and work and am honored to be involved in this important project.
Thanks again, Debs!
p.s. I love Thanksgiving – we had our Canadian one last month. It’s all about the food. And giving thanks. You know, for food.
Thank you so much for the review hug this morning, my sweet Deb sisters!
And thank you too for expressing the love and concern we are all carrying for those who are struggling with loss from the storm. Dana, so glad to hear you are getting some relief. It is so true that there is so much to be done–any for those of us like myself who feel so removed and helpless to make a contribution, donations from afar to the relief efforts are a wonderful way to help.
Congratulations on everyone’s tremendous news, ladies!
Glad to mention you both! Joanne, thank YOU for helping to put together such a fantastic auction. And Erika – congratulations, it really was a great review. It’s sometimes hard to celebrate good news in the wake of something big like Sandy, but I think it’s really important for us to celebrate the successes even as we join in helping those in need. Those joys help remind us that there is victory even in the midst of defeat.
For a bad week – Debs have some great news. And that makes me smile! 🙂