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As discovered on Trish Ryan’s blog…who stumbled over it on JA Konrath’s blog…
Evidently America’s troops over in Iraq are in dire need of entertainment. Konrath has a friend over there and would like to inundate his base with books. To encourage participation, he’s offering a prize for the person who sends the most books over.
I got to thinking…I’m a self-published author, with plenty of books on hand. I’ll send a bunch. But then I thought, How many copies of the same book could they need over there? and then, How many romance readers are stationed over there? Of course there are some, but well, who knows?
I’m definitely planning on sending some copies. Just have to decide how many. I’m going to try to pick through my keepers and add a few others in too, but wouldn’t you know it…they’re romances too!
Here’s the address of Kornrath’s buddy:
SFC Douglas Hansen
C Co / 163 MI Bn
COB Speicher
APO AE 09393
Checked with the post office: if you’re only sending books, you can ship them ‘Media Mail’ and it will be much cheaper. Also, according to Konrath, postage is charged at the domestic shipping rate, and the military takes care of the rest.
So no excuses! Ship some books over there!
I always remember important dates several days ahead of time and then forget the significance completely on the actual day. Unless there are reminders. On September 8, I heard something or read something that reminded me of the upcoming anniversary of 9/11. I thought about the tragedy for a while, remembering, always thinking of the families, wondering how they’re doing now. Then it slipped from my mind. Yesterday at church, the musical selections were all tributes to that horrific time in our history. I only remember two: America the Beautiful and Let There Be Peace On Earth, still so poignant in today’s terrorist-fraught times. Also the homily (sermon) touched on it, and I was glad to remember. I’m one of those people who doesn’t want to hear about all the hate, evil, violence and ickiness in the world. I want to be aware, but I don’t want to hear about it. Somehow, this is different.
And it will always be different.
I get goosebumps thinking about all the heros surrounding the tragedy. How many people overcame their own shock, fear, and grief to help others. In such uncertain times, it’s unbelievably comforting to know that people can still come to together to help strangers in terrifyingly unexpected circumstances. Certainly police men and firemen are used to emergency situations (they are heroes everyday), but this was unlike any other emergency. Hopefully we will never have to deal with anything like it ever again.
It amazes me that people can have such hate for an entire country of people they don’t even know. Innocent victims. It scares me that these terrorists are still planning to hit us again, and it comforts me tremendously to know that we have people who are doing everything they possibly can to prevent another attack. They are heroes too.
