RAINN Donations for MZB’s The Mists of Avalon

Good morning, everyone. Welcome to August.

Here’s a recap for those of you just tuning in. You might remember that I wrote a post about finding out that Marion Zimmer Bradley and her husband had sexually abused their children and others back in June. There was a lot of response and discussion, and one of the things that came up was that The Mists of Avalon had been very influential in my college years, I had an autographed copy, and now I couldn’t stomach owning it. A couple of readers suggested that they would donate to RAINN and allow me to get rid of the book anyway I wished. I thought that might be a great way to strike a blow against the kind of things that MZB did. So, here’s what I’m going to do.

This month, August, through September 4th, I encourage you to donate any amount you feel comfortable with to RAINN. All gifts to RAINN are tax deductible. If you then post here about the amount you have donated, I’ll keep a running tally. The person who donates the most to RAINN will “win” this book. In the case of several of the same amount, I’ll hold a drawing for the book.

The person who donates the most will need to substantiate their donation via an email or scanned receipt, and then I will send the book to the winner. Hopefully the postal system in your country will help me out, but if your postal system is unreliable and the book doesn’t reach you, the donation will still stand.

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So, Catherine, tell me about the merchandise. This is a hardback copy of the book with a sleeve. The sleeve is a bit worn at the corners, but the book is in good shape. It is autographed to me personally, so you get MZB’s signature. And that’s about all there is to tell.

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I want to get rid of this book. I don’t care what you do with it. You may keep it for yourself as a collector. You may engage in the biggest crime of all to English teachers and burn it. Or bury it. Or shoot arrows into it. Whatever you do, I don’t want to know. I just want it out of my life, and I want the money to go to the cause that helps stamp out sexual abuse. Please consider a donation. Remember, you don’t have to escalate the bid. If someone starts with $100, and you want to donate $20, you can. It’s not only about getting the book. It’s about taking a stand.

I’ll keep a running tally right here through September 4th.

Highest bid: $50
Total bids: $120

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Thank you for caring enough about sexual abuse to let your money do the talking.

Author: Catherine Schaff-Stump

Catherine Schaff-Stump writes fiction for children and young adults. Her most recent book, The Vessel of Ra, is the first book in the Klaereon Scroll series. She is currently working on its sequel, as well as penning the middle grade adventures of Abigail Rath, monster hunter. View all posts by Catherine Schaff-Stump