Write On's Holiday Book Drive is Underway!

Toys are broken and clothes are outgrown ... 
but the impact of books lasts a lifetime.

“Write On! For Literacy” is holding its Ninth Annual Holiday Book Drive to benefit underprivileged children! Last year we collected nearly 1,000 books (bringing our grand total to more than 11,000 books!) that were distributed to various schools and charities including the Boys & Girls Club, Casa Pacifica, and Project Understanding. Please do your part to help children have a better holiday season. Help beat illiteracy and give the gift that lasts forever: the gift of reading!

Want to get involved?

• Mail book donations to the Write On! chapter headquarters: 400 Roosevelt Court, Ventura, CA, 93003

• You can also mail monetary donations that will be used to purchase books to the above address. (Checks made out to Dallas Woodburn.)

• Start a chapter in your area! Donate books to a local charity -- Boys & Girls Clubs are usually very grateful for donations -- and then e-mail me the total number of books donated which will be added to our grand-total. 

Many thanks to our recent generous contributors!

* Barry Kibrick, host of the Emmy-award-winning PBS television show "Between the Lines," annually donates 400-500 books to charity.

* Raeanne Alliapoulos donated 30 books to the Boys & Girls Club in Pomona, California.

* A. William Benitez and his company Positive Imaging, LLC, shipped out 20 copies of Lottie's Adventure, a marvelous and imaginative book for kids and middle-graders: http://lottiesadventure.com

About Write On!

“Write On! For Literacy” is a volunteer-run organization founded by author Dallas Woodburn in 2001. The goal is to encourage kids to discover confidence, happiness, a means of self-expression, and connection to others through reading and writing. The Write On! website features writing contests, book reviews, author interviews, writing tips and ideas, and ways for everyone to get involved. http://www.writeonbooks.org 

The past eight years, Write On's Holiday Book Drive has donated 11,206 books to disadvantaged children across the nation.

Books Make Great Gifts!

Looking to get a gift for a child this holiday season?

Why not give the gift that lasts a lifetime -- the gift of reading!

A book is something you can read again and again. A book can raise your spirits on a rainy day. A book can take you to another world. A book can inspire to you pursue big dreams!

Here is Amazon's "Top Picks" for Picture Books of 2009:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=pe_31480_13828680_pk_exp_1/?plgroup=1&docId=1000446401

Here is Amazon.com's "Top Picks" for Middle Grade Books of 2009:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=pe_31480_13828590_pk_exp_1/?plgroup=1&docId=1000446391

And here is Amazon's "Top Picks" for Young Adult Books of 2009:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=pe_31480_13853640_pk_exp_1/?plgroup=1&docId=1000446581

A Year in the Life of a "Working" Writer

One of my favorite things about being involved in the Santa Barbara Writers Conference is getting to meet so many wonderful writers! Ernie Witham is not only one of the best humor writers around, he is also a great teacher of the craft and an all-around amazing person. His Humor Writing Workshop at the Conference was always filled to capacity. I am so grateful for the friendship and support he has shown me since we met three years ago.

Ernie has a new humor book out titled A Year in the Life of a "Working" Writer. As Ernie self-deprecatingly says: "It's the perfect gift for somebody who already has a fruitcake." I think it's perfect for anyone in your life! Books make great gifts that can be shared and read again and again. And, especially in these trying economic times, what better gift can you give than laughter?

You can order autographed copies of Ernie's books, in addition to signing up to receive his columns via email, at his website http://www.erniesworld.com/working_writer.html.