March 1, 2011 When floods devastated Middle Tennessee last May, three Nashville YA novelists launched “Do the Write Thing for Nashville,” an online auction to benefit flood victims. The concept was simple. Writers, agents, editors, and bookstore owners donated items of literary interest for book lovers to bid on by leaving a comment. The last comment placed before the auction closed was the winner, and money was collected by PayPal.
In ten days, “Do the Write Thing for Nashville” raised more than $74,000.
Now another Nashville-based writer, Holly Tucker, has joined a group of writers and industry professionals to launch “Writers for the Red Cross,” an online auction pattered on “Do the Write Thing.” The auction will benefit the national Red Cross organization, as well as the Nashville chapter, where Tucker has been a longtime volunteer. The actual writers for the Red Cross include a massive cross-section of the national literary scene, including thriller author Dan Brown, literary novelist Ann Patchett, literary nonfiction author Rebecca Skloot, and children’s author Rosemary Wells, among many, many others.
In an interview today at Chapter 16 Holly Tucker—whose new book, Blood Work: A Tale of Medicine and Murder in the Scientific Revolution hits stores on March 21—explains why this project means so much to her:
“I’m a regular volunteer at the Nashville Area Red Cross … which provides comfort to communities across the nation and beyond. We have over 170 writers, agents, and editors participating—as well as nearly twenty bookstores. Liza Donnelly of The New Yorker did the logo art. We have people like Sara Gruen, Mary Roach, and Rosanne Cash on board. And to my delight, we just learned that Craig Ferguson of The Late, Late Show is donating a “swag bag” for the auction. It’s a huge undertaking, especially because it comes just as the book releases. But it’s truly a labor of love for a cause that I care deeply about.”
To read the full interview, click here.
To read Chapter 16‘s review of Blood Work: A Tale of Medicine and Murder in the Scientific Revolution here.
For more updates on Tennessee authors, please visit Chapter 16‘s News & Notes page, here.
