There are two auctions for readers and writers going on now, both raising money for good causes.

Brenda Novak Auction for Diabetes Research

Advanced readers copies (ARCs), autographed books, critiques, lunches with editors and agents, gift baskets, one of a kind trips around the world…there is something for everyone in Brenda Novak’s annual auction. In past auctions I’ve purchased critiques of my first (sadly abandoned under the bed) novel from authors Candice Hern and Lori Handeland, and lunch in San Francisco at the RWA National Conference with author Jenna Peterson. This year I bid on a critique or two, but was outbid. The main item I’m excited about is the Brenda Novak mentorship contest. (Did someone say contest? sign me up!) With a $50 entry fee, the first fifty pages of one’s completed novel will be judged by Barbara Freethy, Cindy Gerard, Dianna Love, Susan Mallery, Karen Rose, Karin Tabke, Debra Webb, and C.L. Wilson. The winner gets a six-month mentorship by Brenda and a read by her agent and editor. As of today 65 people have entered. Better odds than the Golden Heart thus far, but the month is still young.

Do the Write Thing for Nashville Auction

The 2010 RWA National Conference was supposed to be in Nashville this year at the Gaylord Hotel, but flooding has moved it to Orlando. To raise money for flood relief, a bunch of writers and publishing people have banded together to auction off more books, critiques and the like. Every three days a new set of items goes up for bid.

Check these great opportunities out. Great prizes for a great cause. Bid high and bid often!

First the bad news: The auction is over. Candice Hern’s price went up like Woah in the last half hour of bidding.

Now the good news: It looks like I won all my bids!!! I would like to thank Mr. Wonderful for spoiling me rotten and for funding my book addiction. He is the best husband in the whole wide world and my knight in shining armor and my sugar daddy. I am truly blessed.

Item 1: Critique of a FULL MANUSCRIPT by Award-Winning Regency Author Candice Hern

Historical critique of a full manuscript of a historical romance set in England between 1790 and 1820. Manuscript will be reviewed for accuracy in areas of titles and forms of address; fashion; government and the law; war and the military; travel and geography; art, architecture, and design; anachronistic language; and more. Candice has an extensive research library and will try to vet every aspect of Regency history in the manuscript. Author may be either published or unpublished.

Candice is the award-winning author of 13 historical romances set during the English Regency period. She visits the UK once a year, has an extensive library of reference books of the period, and has been known to waste weeks researching an obscure historical detail. Her 14th novel, LADY BE BAD, came out last August.

For more information about Candice and her work, please visit www.candicehern.com

From last year’s winner: Candice Hern’s in depth critique of my full manuscript was a life saver. She has an amazing ability to pick out troublesome plot points that can be hidden from the author’s eye. Her knowledge of the Regency era is unsurpassed, which made me one lucky girl to have won the bid for her critique!

Item 2: Lunch with author Jenna Petersen at RWA National in San Francisco

Are you going to San Francisco for RWA’s National Conference in July 2008? Then bid to win a lunch with historical romance author Jenna Petersen.

Jenna Petersen started writing full-time in 1999 when her husband said, “You’re only happy when you’re writing, why don’t you do that?” In 2004, her dream came true when her literary agent called to say she’d just sold two books to Avon.

Her releases include: SCANDALOUS (October 2005), FROM LONDON WITH LOVE (August 2006) and DESIRE NEVER DIES (January 2007), SEDUCTION IS FOREVER (October 2007) and the upcoming LESSONS FROM A COURTESAN (July 2008). She also writes erotic romance as Jess Michaels, and helped launch the Avon Red line with her novella in Parlor Games. She recently published her first full-length erotic romance, EVERYTHING FORBIDDEN. Her next Jess Michaels release is SOMETHING RECKLESS (on sale April 22). She’s been a Bookscan and Waldenbooks Mass Market bestseller.

In addition, she has run The Passionate Pen since 1999. This popular site for aspiring authors gets nearly 200,000 hits per month and contains information on literary agents, publishing houses, articles about writing and the industry, links and Jenna’s Diary toward and beyond publication. You can find her at www.PassionatePen.com and at www.JennaPetersen.com.

The winner will have a delicious lunch with Jenna at once of San Francisco’s great local restaurants and have time to pick her brain on whatever writing or reader topics that come to mind!

Item 3: A Critique by USA Today Bestselling Author Lori Handeland

USA Today Bestselling Author Lori Handeland will provide you with a detailed critique of the first three chapters and synopsis of your novel.

Lori Handeland sold her first novel in 1993. Since then she has sold to Dorchester Publishing, Kensington Publishing, Harlequin Superromance, St. Martin’s Press, Avon Books and Pocket Books. Her stories span the historical, contemporary and paranormal genres. She is a Waldenbooks, Bookscan, and USA Today best-selling author, as well as a two time RITA winner for her novel BLUE MOON in 2005 and THE MOMMY QUEST in 2007.

Lori can be reached through her website at www.lorihandeland.com

So now some more good news/bad news:

Bad news: Now that two authors will be critiquing my manuscript(s), I better get my butt in gear. This means less reading and book reviewing and blogging.

Good news: You, my friends, will get the inside scoop on my lunch with Jenna Petersen. Jenna has also graciously agreed to do an interview here on ciaralira. What questions do you have for her?

Questions for you, dear reader: Have any of you read books by Candice, Lori, or Jenna? Do you have questions for me to ask any of these dear ladies when I communicate with them? And lastly, do you think this new wordpress design is hard to read? I’m worried the grey is hard on the eyes.