Orion/Gollancz Charity Auction for the Samaritans

This year the Orion Publishing Group – of which Gollancz is a part – has chosen the Samaritans as our Charity of the Year. Most people in the UK will know of their work, but for those that don’t (or are overseas), this is how they describe themselves:

Samaritans is a confidential emotional support service for anyone in the UK and Ireland.

The service is available 24 hours a day for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide.

They’re a fantastic and important service, run by volunteers, and a worthy recipient of your donations. Orion is proud to be able to support their work, and now we need your help!

I’ve put together a list of auctions which are going live between midday and 12.30 on Wednesday the 7th of December. They all last a week, so please bid and spread the word before the 14th! All proceeds (minus the small processing fee eBay charges for charity donations) will go directly to the Samaritans. There are some real ‘money can’t buy’ items in there, including:

Your name in a Brandon Sanderson work
Lunch with bestselling kids author Kate O’Meara
10,000 words of your writing edited and reviewed by Gillian Redfearn, Gollancz editor extraordinaire
15,000 words of your writing edited and reviewed by me, Gollancz editor less extraordinaire
Lots of Gollancz books
12 signed Elmore Leonard books
Every Gollancz proof/ARC for 2012
Two fantastic bundles of signed Brandon Sanderson things – books, posters, exclusive t-shirts and so on
A conversation on how to market your book with Jen McMenemy, Senior Marketing Executive at Orion
Lunch with the Gollancz team in London (we pay! We talk about SF stuff!)
A very limited edition of HOUSE OF SILK, the new Sherlock Holmes novel by Anthony Horowitz – leatherbound, number 221b

All of these would make great Xmas gifts for the budding author, bibliophile or reader in your life, or for yourself! We’ll happily send out a ‘gift voucher’ so you have something to give on the 25th, if that’s what you want.

All of the auctions can be found here, once they go live.

Please bid, spread the word and enjoy!

Marcus