It started with my parents…
When I was younger, my parents instilled in me the importance of helping those in need. We donated clothing to local shelters, we collected toys for Toys for Tots, donated money to local charities, volunteered at soup kitchens. It made me appreciate what I had, it made me realise that I was not the centre of the universe and that being a good person didn’t simply mean smiling and being friendly or respectful. It also meant showing generosity whenever I could.
Back when I first started my book review site, I decided I would incorporate my desire to help local charities while I was spreading the word about books I enjoyed. I later continued the tradition once I started self-publishing.
So what does any of this mean to you?
Well, for the entire month of December, my Month of Giving, I will be trying to raise money for three charities: Stockholms Stadsmission, which helps the homeless and at-risk women and children; Covenant House, an organisation that helps homeless youth across North America; and Girls Write Now, a US-based organisation that helps empower inner-city girls via the written word.
For every book I sell during the month of December, I will donate 50% of the proceeds to these charities.If you’ve already read my books and liked them, consider giving a copy of one of my titles to friends and family members who share your taste in books as Christmas or Hanukkah presents. Or support the charities directly if you prefer. All that matters is we help those in need.
And since they say it’s better to give than to receive and that Christmas is the time for giving, let’s do what we can to help in any way that we can.