Authors for Autism Research - Character auction ended 2 April 2008
Seventeen top-selling authors from around the world who took part in Autism Speaks’ first ‘Authors for Autism Research’ eBay event, which offered literary lovers everywhere the opportunity to have their favourite author name a character after them in an upcoming novel.
Lee Child’s auction raised a fabulous £1,176.00 while Darren Shan’s character came in a close second at £1020.
Jodi Picoult’s auction was the next highest bid at £424. Jodi’s winner, Kathy Yannis, is giving the character name to her son, who is on the Autism Spectrum. Kathy says:
My name is Katherine Yanis. I'm 32 years old and have been married to my husband, Jared, for nine years and we live in Douglas, Massachusetts. Jared is a full time Police Officer here in town and I'm a stay-at-home mom for my two children, Jacob (7) and Samantha (2). Jacob was diagnosed two years ago with Asperger’s Syndrome and ADHD while in Kindergarten, although is pre-school teacher did see some Autism "like" tendencies in him the two previous years. He is your normal, everyday VERY ACTIVE young man with a HUGE heart. He loves everything to do with the Armed Forces (ARMY, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard) and is a bit obsessed with building toys (Lego's, Bionicles and Lincoln Logs). He has a GREAT imagination and loves to draw blueprints for different ideas that he would like to see come to life.
I was on Jodi's website (I frequent it about 4-5 times a week) and I saw the information about the Autism Speaks auction on eBay - how the winner would have naming rights to a character in her upcoming 2010 book about someone with Asperger’s Syndrome. It just seemed that the auction was "made" for me to win it! I checked on the status every day to see what the amount was up to and how many hours were left before it ended. On the last day, I decided to just do it and place my bid. I had to take Jacob to Karate class that night and the whole time I was there wondering if I had been outbid. By the time I got home that night, the auction had just ended and I was the WINNER!!! I was SO excited!!!! It just so happened that Jodi was going to be at a book reading/signing later that week in Providence, Rhode Island, which is about a 35 minute drive from me. She got in contact with me a couple days after the auction ended, congratulating me on being the winner of the auction and I told her that I would be at the signing later that evening. She said that she was excited to meet me and she would see me later. When I did meet her at the signing, she was EXTREMELY nice and gave me a HUGE hug and congratulated me once again on winning the auction. We talked for a couple of minutes (there was a LONG line behind me) and she said that she would be in touch as she progressed with the book.
I wanted to THANK YOU for holding this auction to help raise money for Autism research . . . I think that it's just now getting some of the recognition it deserves and by having this auction, you and Jodi have helped it TREMENDOUSLY!!! Autism is a part of my families' daily life -- it has enveloped us and we struggle with it every day.
Lee Child’s character has a surprise in store – it is a birthday present from a wonderful son for his mum, who is a huge Lee Child fan!
Similarly, Darren’s Shan’s winning character is a 16th birthday present from what must be the best mum in the world!
Marti Leimbach also took part and raised , Marti wrote ‘Daneil Isn’t Talking’ - about a woman who discovers her young son is autistic. Marti says:
‘I wrote it five years after my own son was diagnosed with autism, so it is also a very personal story, mixing my real life with an invented fictional narrative.’
The winning bidder, Aide Twining, from Hampshire says ‘I was actually bidding on behalf of my wife. It is her birthday this Wednesday and I'm constantly being criticised for my lack of imagination, hence the change of approach!! I've asked Marti to incorporate her maiden name of Tracy Flower in to one of her books.’
Autism Speaks would like to give a huge Thank You to all the authors who participated - Lee Child, Louis de Bernieres, R.J.Ellory, Christine Feehan, Ken Follett, Esther Freud, John Hemry, Melissa Hill, Marti Leimbach, Susan Lewis, Toby Litt, Elizabeth Moon, Jodi Picoult, James Sallis, Darren Shan, Fiona Walker, Patricia Wood.
And, of course, our thanks and appreciation to everyone who bid and who won the auctions, which will help to fund biomedical research into the causes of autism.