As writers, one of the ways we can support causes we believe in is donating words. When a generous editor puts together an anthology to benefit a charity organization, donating a story gives us a chance to help.
I’ve been fortunate enough to join in several charity anthologies, from Another Place in Time where I was thrilled to find myself alongside authors I deeply admire— Tamara Allen, Joanna Chambers, K.J. Charles, Jordan L. Hawk, and Aleksandr Voinov— to the most recent, Seeds of Love: A Romance Charity Anthology to Benefit Ukraine
Seeds of Love features 45 stories, mostly M/F, but with at least 5 M/M (including mine – a 10,600 word single-father second-chances story.) They’re short pieces, 3K to 16K words (and for once I wasn’t the person farthest over the 10K limit.) 100% of the royalties will be donated to United Help Ukraine, a charitable organization dedicated to helping the Ukrainian people affected by Russia’s invasion.
Writing for one of these anthology is always a gesture of hope— that the anthology will succeed in earning money for the cause, and also that readers will enjoy the stories enough to feel like they got their money’s worth out of the purchase. No one short story can do that alone, so we throw ours into the mix, and cross our fingers that our characters will add a bit of love to the days of readers old and perhaps new.
I’m someone who reads every chance I get, and sometimes a short story fits into the ten minute down-time I have for consuming fiction. I’ve been reading these stories myself, enjoying some more than others, as always. It’s a big collection. It’ll probably take a while to get through it. But as I watch the devastation being wrought by Russia on Ukraine, it helps to know that I did something, however small, to be of aid to those who need it.
Do you read charity anthologies? Do you have a favorite I should check out?
If you enjoy M/F as well as M/M stories, you can find links to Seeds of Love in all formats HERE.
Authors: Dakota Willink (Editor), Persephone Autumn, Lane Bellemore, Gabbi Black, Hannah Blake, M.L. Broome, Tiffany Carby, Tara Conrad, D.M. Davis, Liz Durano, L.J. Evans, Cyndi Faria, Willow Fox, Amber Garr, K.A. Graham, Miranda Grant, Gabbi Grey, Raisa Greywood, M.L. Guida, Kaje Harper, Heather G. Harris, Sophia Henry, Erica Himy, Shelly Hixson, Kelly Kelsey, Emery LeeAnn, Cassidy London, D.D. Lorenzo, Jenna Lynn, E.H. Lyon, J.S. Mercier, Lux Miller, Katherine Moore, Stella Moore, Vivian Murdoch, Yolanda Olson, Fei Marie Perez, Remy Reigns, Syd Ryan, Ramsey Savage, Barb Shuler, Pandora Snow, Brooke Summers, Vi Summer, L.C. Taylor, Amy Thorn, Mel Walker, Denise Wells.
– Kaje Harper
May 2022