Win a Manuscript Edit, an Original Song, and Help Someone Along the Way

Some of you probably remember a couple of months ago when I posted about one of my readers, Paul (London) Nieves. London’s mother is very, very ill and in desperate need of a new liver. She’s been on the transplant list, but her status was changed to “inactive” after car trouble sidelined their vehicle to the tune of $2500 they couldn’t afford to pay (transplant recipients must have transportation to get to and from doctor’s appointments and to the hospital in a hurry if an organ becomes available).

I put the word out about London and his family for two reasons; 1) It’s a matter of life or death, and when you have an opportunity to help in a matter of life or death, you do it, and 2) I’ve never met a son who does more for his mother than London does for his mom. He often works more than one job to help pay the bills and spends every second of his free time trying to get his mother to doctor’s appointments, and recently, trying to raise money to get her back on the “active” transplant list.

Unfortunately, no one was able to help when I put out the call a couple of months ago, but then a local news station did a story on London and his mom and some wonderful Good Samaritan came forward to pay the remainder of the repair bill. Now, London is only $420 away from being able to renew the car’s registration and insurance so he can get it back on the road. Once the Nieves’ can prove the car is operable and his mom can get to her doctor’s appointments, she’ll be placed back on the active transplant list.

You can view the original news story here; http://www2.tbo.com/news/2011/dec/08/unpaid-car-repair-bill-got-in-way-of-liv-81323-vi-25308/

The Zink’s really want to help London and his mom, so here’s what we’re going to do;

Kenneth and I are ponying up two pretty awesome prizes in an auction format. Many of you probably don’t know that I do freelance editing on the side. If you don’t know, it’s because I usually work on referral only and can only take editing projects when I’m between writing deadlines of my own. But I’m putting it out here now because it’s the only thing I can think of to help London in a hurry (you can read more about my editing services here).

So I’m offering a full manuscript line and content edit – up to 350 pages – to the highest bidder. This includes a read-through with basic line edits a and summary of the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses, flagging things like phrase repetition, awkward or unrealistic dialog, choppy transitions, and areas of confusion or unnecessary detail as well as providing basic impressions. Correction of typos and grammatical errors are included though this should not be considered a copy edit. I will also provide the winner with a detailed overview of pacing, characterization, point of view, setting, world building (if applicable), extraneous content, and plot holes and anything else that is of particular concern as well as possible work-arounds and ideas where possible as well as suggestions to increase marketability for potential representation and sale.

At my normal rates, this level edit would cost around $1750.00, but I’m offering it up to the highest bidder between now and midnight EST on December 30th.

In addition, Kenneth is offering an original composition (song) for a book trailer or just for you or a loved one. As many of you know, Kenneth composed the trailer music for all three Prophecy trailers. He’s also worked on a trailer for author Lisa Mantchev, a public service announcement for the New York Public Library, and has completed the trailer music for A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS. That trailer will be unveiled soon, but just for stopping by this post, you get a link to the unlisted sneak preview (just a snippet!) of the TEMPTATION theme. You can find other examples of his work on the Projects page of his website here or see the Prophecy trailers on the Books page (Prophecy of the Sisters) of this website. Kenneth will donate a 60-second song to the high bidder of his auction. If you’d like the song for your book trailer and you’re the winner, you will send him a brief summary of your book and a description of the atmosphere you’re looking for in your trailer. You may also include a list of trailers that have a similar look/feel to the one you’d like for your book. If you’d like the song to be for you or a loved one, you can send Kenneth a little backstory, either on yourself or the person for whom you’d like the song composed. Kenneth’s is an amazing composer, and I can think of few things that would be more meaningful to anyone than a song composed just for you/them.

So let’s break it down;

There are TWO auctions here. One for the manuscript edit and one for the original song. To enter, all you have to do is use the COMMENTS form on this post, state which prize you’re bidding on, and then state your bid.

For example; Manuscript Edit $50.00 or Original Song $50.00.

You’re bid must be at least $5 higher than the last bid. Whomever has the winning bid on each prize at Midnight EST on December 30th, wins. Payment must be rendered within three days via Paypal. I will deliver your editorial letter and manuscript notes within two weeks of the date I take delivery. Kenneth will deliver your song within two weeks of the date you provide him with all the applicable information.

Should we raise more than $420, the additional money will be donated to one of three charitable organizations; FEED, Water.org, or 826nyc. I’ll post a poll, you guys can vote, and whichever organizations get the most votes gets the extra money. I chose these three organizations because they’re awesome, and because for me, food, water, and reading/writing are pretty much the stuff of life.

Easy! And wonderful, because it’s a chance to make a life-saving operation available to someone who might not otherwise get it and to lighten the load on a wonderful young man just a little.

Opening bid for both prizes is $25. Ready… go!