Dear Friends, Family, and Righteous Supporters,

This November, I'm writing a novel. An entire novel, started from scratch, and completed in just one month, as part of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).

And you thought nothing interesting ever happened in November.

NaNoWriMo is free. I'm raising money to help the nonprofit that runs it build communities in classrooms, coffee shops, libraries, and living rooms all over the world and help the inspiration flow for me and thousands of my fellow novelists.

Every dollar I raise will keep my spirits high as I write my way towards the realization of my creative goals. More importantly, your contribution will help The Office of Letters and Light build a more engaged and inspiring world.

Thank you so much for your support of my writing! I'll be posting updates on my novel and fundraising on my sponsorship page throughout the month. 

All of the above is totally true... and written by someone else. It's a great template, and it says better than what I can share about NANO. And... there's more.

Stories, full of imagination, vowels, and consonants, remain the thing in my childhood that made it possible for me to thrive and succeed against multiple odds. Some of you know that as I grew up, part of how i made sense of the world, of my world, was because of books, and beause of writing. Books led to multiple escape routes, places to ponder philosophy and ask questions. Writing released stored emotions, packing tape hearts, and unfathomable silent prayers that took flight on the light of the moon. Even now, writing requites both stubborn resolve and hope. It is between the vowels and consonants of the written word that courage is born. It is in the telling of our stories, of my stories, of queer stories, of not queer stories, that the world is made and made again in our image. And, in our sharing, community happens.

Literacy, imagination, and the encouragement of those around me saved my life multiple times when I was a kid. I turn 40 in December, and would ultimately like to raise at least $140. I can think of few better ways to celebrate four decades.  Please give what you can. Even if it's a dollar. It is a dollar more than existed a few minutes ago. Without imagination, and ways to express it, hope has a little less fuel. Our world desperately needs hope... it is the fuel of change. 

Thank you for your support over the years, and for your support this year. 

foula