No Pens for Paws Auction in 2018

Hi all,

I've been noticing a few hits on the auction so I thought I'd better pop in and let you all know that there won't be a Pens for Paws Auction this year. With two books coming out, I just won't have the time to manage it.

In the meantime, if you'd like to donate to Fat Kitty City and their programs, you can still hit that donate button in the sidebar. And if you're local to El Dorado Hills, the sanctuary has a great need for people to feed the kitties! They are extremely grateful kitties and pay you back with cuddles and purring.


I hope to see you all right back here in 2019!

2014 Pens for Paws Auction

It's 2014 already, yikes! And I've had a look at my schedule, with Spring pretty well full up, so this year I've decided to do the Pens for Paws Auction July 14-19.

Let's make this the best year ever for the kitties at Fat Kitty City! Over 2013, we helped even more kitties find homes, medical care, or a permanent home at our no-kill, cage-free sanctuary. Monies raised through the Pens for Paws Auction help restock the pantry and hospital.

Stay tuned for sneak peeks at items as I get commitments for them (I'll be starting to send out requests soon, to make sure the agents and authors save us a slot in their schedules), and I've created a Facebook page for the auction as well if you wish to "like" it.

Thanks so much to all the folks who have participated in the last two auctions! My wrapup post from 2013 seems to have disappeared into the aether, but the kitties are forever grateful.

If you'd like to add the button in your sidebar, copy and paste this code into the widget:
<a href="http://pensforpaws.blogspot.com/" title=""><img src=" http://www.angelicarjackson.com/photos/i-z2BQ77g/0/Th/i-z2BQ77g-Th.jpg" title="" alt="" /></a>

Giving Tuesday and Some News

Today is Giving Tuesday and I wanted to highlight an opportunity to support Fat Kitty City by featuring a few selected photos from the 2013 calendar:

Please go here for the complete calendar and ordering information.

And now for some important news!

March 12, 2013 is the tentative start date for the next Pens for Paws Auction! I've already got a few commitments for books and critiques, but I won't be contacting prospective donors until January. In the meantime, if you have any questions email me at pensforpawsauction (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Thank you and I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season!

Thanks So Much to All the Bidders and Donors!

We surpassed all our humble aspirations, thank you! For a fundraising auction that was started on somewhat of a whim, we did darn good. Here are the numbers:

Monday's items earned: $290
Tuesday's items earned: $250
Wednesday's items earned: $265
Thursday's items earned: $346
Friday's items earned: $355
Saturday's items earned: $556
Sunday's items earned: $600

For a grand total of $2,662 dollars! And that's not including the donations that came in as cash rather than as payment for a bid.

That will go a long way for our kitties, so we can't thank you enough. We're already talking about whether we will try this again next year, since a lot of the grants we have depended upon in the past have dried up.

We're still waiting on a few payments for auction items, so remember you need to get your item paid for within 7 days of its closing. Otherwise, someone else may get the happy news that the item they thought they missed out on is now theirs due to a default! The PayPal button in the sidebar will remain active, for your payments and any late donations.

So thank you again, to all the bidders and the donors--we couldn't have done it without you!


P.S. Just wanted to add that running this auction was a personal triumph for me. For those of you who don't know, I was diagnosed and treated for thyroid cancer last year. I'm now cancer-free, but it's been a battle to maintain a reliable level of energy while they find my correct dosage of thyroid replacement.
This auction took way more time and energy than I anticipated, but I'm proud to say that I not only met the challenge, I continued to work on my writing projects as well. Although, the housecleaning and homecooking did suffer!
It's nice to feel like my old, capable self again. And I was able to repay the kitties for all the love and affection they gave me on the days where if all I was able to do that day was drive to the sanctuary and sit with the cats, that was enough.

Query Critique #5 from Suzie Townsend of Nancy Coffey Literary

Win a query critique from Suzie Townsend!

 

If you're not familiar with uber-agent Suzie Townsend, here's a little bit about her and her book tastes:

". . . she represents adult and children's fiction. She is actively looking to build her list.

Black/White Cat Necklace by John Groth Glass

 Dichroic glass necklace by John Groth Glass (donated by Michele and Robert Groth)

Black/White cat pendant measures approximately 1-1/2 tall and 1-1/4 inches wide, on black cord

Click on the picture for a larger view

This item will close on May 14, 2012, at 11:00 PM EST. Any bids placed after that time stamp will not be honored. Once the auction closes and payment from the highest bidder is confirmed, the jewelry will be mailed to the address you provide. This item is open to U.S. addresses only, unless an international bidder wants to pay the shipping on top of their bid.

Query Critique #3 from Agent Suzie Townsend of Nancy Coffey Literary

Win a query critique from Suzie Townsend!

If you're not familiar with uber-agent Suzie Townsend, here's a little bit about her and her book tastes:

". . . she represents adult and children's fiction. She is actively looking to build her list.

Query Critique #1 from Agent Suzie Townsend of Nancy Coffey Literary

Win a query critique from Suzie Townsend!

If you're not familiar with uber-agent Suzie Townsend, here's a little bit about her and her book tastes:

". . . she represents adult and children's fiction. She is actively looking to build her list.

Pink/Multi Necklace and Earring Set by John Groth Glass

Jewelry by John Groth Glass (donated by Michele and Robert Groth)

Stunning necklace and earring set of dichroic glass, pink with multicolors

Pendant measures 1-1/4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide on black cord.
Earrings each measure 7/8 inch long and 1/4 inch wide on fish-hook type wires for pierced ears.

Click on picture for larger view. 

This item will close on May 9, 2012, at 11:00 PM EST. Any bids placed after that time stamp will not be honored. Once the auction closes and payment from the highest bidder is confirmed, the jewelry will be mailed to the address you provide. This item is open to U.S. addresses only.

What to Expect When the Auction Starts

 
Exciting things in store for the auction tomorrow!

The first items will start posting at 3 AM PST, but remember that they will be open for a while so you don't need to set an alarm if you're on the west coast of the U.S. like me! In fact, I'm praying everything goes smoothly, since I have some appointment commitments tomorrow that were made long before I even thought of the auction.

I will be able to check in occasionally, but please be patient if there's an issue and I can't get to it right away. This is my first auction rodeo, and it's all run by yours truly, so I'm learning as I go along. Thanks in advance for your understanding!

So now to the important bit--if you see an item you want to bid on, how do you do it?

1. Simply click on the post title (like "The Apocalypsies Megapack") and that will open the full post, with a comments field at the bottom.

2. Leave your bid as a comment, and make sure to include an email contact (it's okay to disguise it from web bots by formatting it like this: pensforpawsauction (at) yahoo (dot) com ). Want to see an example of bidding? Go here and see one from last year's Help Write Now Auction.

(I have anonymous commenting enabled to allow folks without online profiles to bid, but if that becomes an issue, I'll turn it off. Same goes for word verification; it's turned off now, but if some spam starts sneaking through then I'll have to switch it on.)

3. DO NOT pay your bid amount at this time. Highest bid/last commenter wins at the close for that item. If you're the winner, you will receive an email from PensforPawsAuction @ yahoo dot com confirming your bid.

4. You MUST reply to this email within 24 hours to claim your prize, or it will be considered a default and awarded to the next highest bidder.

5. Payment is due within one week of the close of your auction. Money will be paid directly through Fat Kitty City's PayPal button in the sidebar. Your PayPal receipt should serve as your proof for tax deduction needs (Fat Kitty City is a non-profit), and you may also get a thank you letter from the kitties!

6. Receive and enjoy your item, along with the warm feeling that you've helped some needy animals! Or if you bid on a critique, start the nail-biting (I wish I could say I was kidding, but as a writer I know that heady mixture of excitement and dread when you send your pages off).

Even more info on the auction and bidding is available at the How It Works page. And feel free to tweet about the auction and your bids (our handle is @pensforpaws ) and share the excitement!

(image source)

Final Teaser Tuesday Reveal Before the Auction Start!

In writing blog circles, we do a little thing called Teaser Tuesday, where we offer up short teasers from our work. I'm carrying that over to Pens for Paws by giving you a sneak peek on what kind of items are in the auction queue so far. The current inventory includes:

A Pet-Lover Pack from Stacy Mantle of PetsWeekly.com

A feral cat house from Feline Furniture

The Lucky 13s donated a hefty critique and swag bundle

Set of three handmade glycerin soaps for face, hands and body from Wild Sarsaparilla Soap Co

A 20-page critique from ALL 7 of the brilliant minds behind Operation Awesome, plus a bookmark and bracelet to celebrate Angela Townsend's forthcoming book, Amarok

Mike Mullin Swag pack, incl: signed 1st ed. of Ashfall, signed ARC of Ashen Winter, & signed Ashfall poster

 Manuscript critique (length determined by bid, w/details in auction posting) by teen writer/blogger Riv Re

Unraveling and signed bookmark by Elizabeth Norris

A Sirenz gift bag with fabulous swag and books from authors Natalie Zaman and Charlotte Bennardo

A book tie-in T-shirt from Kimberly Pauley, author of Cat Girl's Day Off

A signed ARC of Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

And an Apocolypsies bonanza (the books and critique will be posted separately) that includes signed hardcovers of:

The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker

Shadows Cast by Stars by Cat Knutsson

Seeing Cinderella by Jenny Lundquist

Little Dog Lost by Monica Carnesi

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Starters by Lissa Price
and a critique from E.C. Myers

The Sister Queens by Sophie Perinot

Five (!) query critiques from agent Suzie Townsend of Nancy Coffey Literary

A 35-page critique from YA author, Cristin Terrill

A 30-page critique from Pam van Hylckama Vlieg,  associate agent at the Larsen-Pomada Literary Agency

Two handmade necklaces from Robyn Chausse

A signed ARC of Hushed by Kelley York (UPDATE: Kelley has also added a critique: the first 25 pages and a query. She would be great for a YA contemporary crit!)

A signed hardcover copy of Tankborn by Karen Sandler

Dichroic glass jewelry (several items spread out over the auction) by John Groth Glass

A first-chapter critique by author Linda Joy Singleton, plus a signed copy of her latest book, Buried: A Goth Girl Mystery

A 12 by 16 print on canvas of one of Angelica R. Jackson's photos or digital paintings (maybe you want one of the paintings featured in the Fat Kitty City calendars? or a print from the haunted Preston Castle?)

A 100-page critique by agent Natalie Lakosil of Bradford Literary Agency

Books by Adam Rex, including a bonus swag item

Signed books by Julia Karr

A 3-pack of First Second books

Signed set of early reader books by Lori Mortensen

A pair of signed cozy mysteries by Gayle Trent and Amanda Lee

A critique by Janice Hardy of The Other Side (I'm always learning new things from her blog)

A signed book and swag set from Rachel Allen Dillon

And we've had offers of additional signed books and ARCs, so there may be more surprises in store for the auction days! Special note: The items will not necessarily be posted in this order, so the best way to keep an eye out for an item you want is to follow this blog, or @PensforPaws over on Twitter.

Of course, we still need more items, so keep them coming! The donation form now has a box for a photo link.

(image source)

Teaser Tuesday for April 24, 2012

In writing blog circles, we do a little thing called Teaser Tuesday, where we offer up short teasers from our work. I'm carrying that over to Pens for Paws by giving you a sneak peek on what kind of items are in the auction queue so far. We got a few donations over the weekend, so the current inventory includes:

Two handmade necklaces from Robyn Chausse

A signed ARC of Hushed by Kelley York (UPDATE: Kelley has also added a critique: the first 25 pages and a query. She would be great for a YA contemporary crit!)

A signed hardcover copy of Tankborn by Karen Sandler

Dichroic glass jewelry (several items spread out over the auction) by John Groth Glass

A first-chapter critique by author Linda Joy Singleton, plus a signed copy of her latest book, Buried: A Goth Girl Mystery

A 12 by 16 print on canvas of one of Angelica R. Jackson's photos or digital paintings (maybe you want one of the paintings featured in the Fat Kitty City calendars? or a print from the haunted Preston Castle?)

A 100-page critique by agent Natalie Lakosil of Bradford Literary Agency

Books by Adam Rex, including a bonus swag item

Signed books by Julia Karr

A 3-pack of First Second books

Signed set of early reader books by Lori Mortensen

A pair of signed cozy mysteries by Gayle Trent and Amanda Lee

A critique by Janice Hardy of The Other Side (I'm always learning new things from her blog)

A signed book and swag set from Rachel Allen Dillon

And we've had offers of handmade necklaces and more signed books, so stay tuned!

Of course, we still need more items, so keep them coming! The donation form now has a box for a photo link.

(image source)

Teaser Tuesday: Auction Items as of 4/16/2012

In writing blog circles, we do a little thing called Teaser Tuesday, where we offer up short teasers from our work. I'm carrying that over to Pens for Paws by giving you a sneak peek on what kind of items are in the auction queue so far. We got a few donations over the weekend, so the current inventory includes:

A first-chapter critique by author Linda Joy Singleton, plus a signed copy of her latest book, Buried: A Goth Girl Mystery

A 12 by 16 print on canvas of one of Angelica R. Jackson's photos or digital paintings (maybe you want one of the paintings featured in the Fat Kitty City calendars? or a print from the haunted Preston Castle?)

A signed ARC of Hushed by Kelley York

A 100-page critique by agent Natalie Lakosil of Bradford Literary Agency

Books by Adam Rex, including a bonus swag item

Signed books by Julia Karr

A 3-pack of First Second books

Signed set of early reader books by Lori Mortensen

A pair of signed cozy mysteries by Gayle Trent and Amanda Lee

A critique by Janice Hardy of The Other Side (I'm always learning new things from her blog)

A signed book and swag set from Rachel Allen Dillon

And we've had offers of handmade necklaces and more signed books, so stay tuned!

Of course, we still need more items, so keep them coming! The donation form now has a box for a photo link.

(image source)

Auction Items Teaser Tuesday

In writing blog circles, we do a little thing called Teaser Tuesday, where we offer up short teasers from our work. I'm carrying that over to Pens for Paws by giving you a sneak peek on what kind of items are in the auction queue so far. We got a few donations over the weekend, so the current inventory includes:

Books by Adam Rex, including a bonus swag item

Signed books by Julia Karr

A 3-pack of First Second books

Signed set of early reader books by Lori Mortensen

A pair of signed cozy mysteries by Gayle Trent and Amanda Lee

A critique by Janice Hardy of The Other Side (I'm always learning new things from her blog)

A signed book and swag set from Rachel Allen Dillon

And we've had offers of handmade necklaces and more signed books, so stay tuned!

Of course, we still need more items, so keep them coming! The donation form now has a box for a photo link.

(image source)

Welcome to Pens for Paws!

Pens for Paws is an online auction with writers, artists, and others from the publishing community to raise funds for Fat Kitty City, a no-kill, cage-free cat sanctuary in El Dorado Hills that also rescues dogs (as foster homes allow). See the About Fat Kitty City page above for more information.

The auction will go live on May 7 and items will go up through the 13th. Bidding on each item will be in the comments and will be open for 3 days. Winning bidder's payment should be made within one week of notification of winning bid, through the Fat Kitty City PayPal button in our sidebar. If you'd like to donate funds rather than an item, our PayPal button in the sidebar works for that too.

In the meantime, we need your auction items! If you'd like to donate an item for auction but are not sure what's a good fit, consider these items:

*Books and swag: signed editions, advanced reader's copies, collections of print or ebooks, and swag like bookmarks, tote bags, etc.

*Artwork: prints or custom artwork, or a custom avatar or portrait for use on a website or blog, jewelry, crochet and knitwork

*Critiques for artists or writers, or editorial services

*Your item doesn't need to be cat- or pet-oriented; it's all good!

These are just some ideas from items that have appeared in other fundraising auctions--maybe you have your own ideas! Contact us through the form on the Donate Items for the Auction page above, or email us at PensforPawsAuction at yahoo dot com.

While we're waiting for the donations to come in, we'll be posting profiles of some of our Fat Kitty City residents, so you can get to know the kitties that the auction will benefit. Thank you!

Make sure to follow @PensforPaws for updates!