My husband, Chris, is a really good artist. For the last 15 years, he’s been working as an office manager for various small businesses, a career which became far less viable with the economy as it is–affecting all businesses great and small (but definitely having a direct, profound effect on smaller companies). To make himself a more attractive candidate for large companies, he returned to school–Seattle Central Community College–in fall 2009, studying database administration and programming. He’s attending under the Washington State Worker Retraining Program. He applied for and was promised a Pell Grant to continue his studies past this quarter.

Today, December 10, he was informed by financial aid that although we do indeed qualify for a Pell Grant based on need, there is absolutely no money left to offer him. Nice news, especially since payment for Winter Quarter is due on December 21.

He can get a loan, for fall 2010 (Seattle Central doesn’t offer Stafford Loans, and the community college locations that do offer it don’t offer his coursework). He’s currently madly searching for scholarships. But we’ve got to find the money to pay for his tuition. We can split it into monthly payments, which we can totally plan for and swing, however, in this case, for this quarter, we have to come up with 600 dollars before December 21. Which we don’t have. At all. Not even close. If we knew a month ago, maybe…but now? Not so much.

So, for the first time ever, I am asking the interwebs for help. But not for nothing. I’m offering a few things to maybe help tempt you to part with some of your own precious cash:

1. A tuckerization in my novel-in-progress. The novel isn’t done, isn’t sold (see the progress meter to the right), but if it means anything, it’s earned me both the Gulliver Travel Grant and a Hedgebrook Residency for 2010, based on its potential. So, apparently, other people that aren’t related to me think this novel could actually go somewhere. I also have published before (see about me if you have no idea what I have ever done).
This tuckerization can be anything really. I’ll name a character after you, make them look or act like you, or add into my novel any thing, concept or idea that you would like to see.
I’m asking for a $50 donation for a tuckerization. There is no limit to this. I will tuckerize as many people are interested.

2. A crit, much like we offer over at Brain Harvest. I will do either a line edit style or a developmental edit for you. I’m a good editor, too. Pinky swear.
I’m asking for $25 to crit a short story fewer than 10,000 words or $50 to crit a story/ies between 10,000 and 25,000 words. This can be any genre (my first two books were literary fiction).
Story shorter than 10,000 words

Story longer than 10,000 words

3. The story package. I will offer people who donate this way a copy of an as-yet unpublished story, which will, forever and ever, remain unpublished and only in the hands of the people who choose to donate this way. I will never send it out. I will never post it anywhere. It is your story, should you decide to donate (BTW, if you’re curious, it’s the short story upon which the novel in progress is being based).
This is for any amount of donation.

Many, many thanks for reading this and spreading the word. I’ll post progress if and when we make some–towards the $600 goal.UPDATE: Thank you everyone who has donated or posted about this! So far, we’ve raised $250 of the 600.

UPDATE 12/12, 10:30PM: We’re at $350. You all are amazing!

UPDATE12/14, 1PM: Thank you! We did it!

xo
Caren