Passing Along Two Requests And Stating One Thank You

I received emails yesterday that I'm using my blog to pass along.

The first came from a business associate whose brother is in need of a bone marrow transplant. Here's what she says about it:

We urgently need to increase the size of the bone marrow registries. To be a donor, you need to be between the ages of 18 and 60 (and not have had chemotherapy).

If you can’t be a donor yourself, please urge others to register; we need big numbers to make an appreciable difference. Though the odds are long to help my brother now, you could potentially save someone’s life now or in the future.

Two ways to do so: 1. The best (fastest) is to get tested in person. It just involves an oral swab and some paperwork, not even blood. If you live in the NY area, see attached for area donor drives in Manhattan, on Long Island and in Westchester. All are at no cost. And if you go the Gift of Life web site (see below) you can find list of drives elsewhere around the country.

2. Arrange to get tested on line, by asking for a kit to be mailed to you. Do so through Gift of Life, a U.S. based Jewish registry, who’ll take everyone—but my brother is more likely to find a match with someone who’s Jewish. If you use this method, please hurry—to allow time for mailing and for analyzing your sample. To register with them, go to: giftoflife.org, click on “Register NOW as a Donor” and use the code SAVEALAN when prompted. Instructions for collecting the sample and mailing it back will be included with the kit. They will contact you now or in the future if you are a match for my brother -- or one of the many people needing transplants whose lives you could potentially save.

The second email has to do with an online literary magazine for yuong adult readers that is looking for submissions:

Kerri Majors, along with Shannon Marshall and Colleen Oakley, have founded YARN or the Young Adult Review Network. This online based literary magazine's goal is to publish the highest quality creative writing for young adult readers, ages 14-18, and those in other age groups who enjoy young adult lit. Published quarterly, YARN will feature short fiction and creative essays, poetry, and an author interview. Our interactive sections will allow for discussions about published work, as well as reviews of recent YA books. We seek to discover new teen writers, and publish them alongside established writers of the YA genre.

YARN, a new online literary magazine for Young Adult readers, is seeking fiction, poetry, and essays for its debut issue. Writing should be of special interest to 14-18 year old readers, but can be written by writers of any age or background. Submissions by teens are especially encouraged. YARN’s mission is to publish the highest quality creative writing for everyone who enjoys young adult lit. Published quarterly, YARN will feature short fiction and creative essays, poetry, and an author interview. Our interactive sections will allow for comments on stories, as well as reviews of recent YA books. We distinguish ourselves from other teen lit mags by seeking to discover new teen writers, and publish them alongside established writers of the YA genre. Issue 1 will go live in Winter 2010, but a little taste of our site is currently available at www.yareview.net (where you can also find our submission guidelines).

On a personal note, while the ARCS have not yet arrived, my royalty check did (and will go in the bank before I go to Lake Placid later this morning). I'm delighted to announce that Life As We Knew It has passed the 100,000 paperback sales number (and thus its royalty rate has gone from 6 to 7%). My thanks to all of you who have helped make LAWKI and the dead and the gone successes beyond my wildest dreams.