My Favorite Day of the Year is the day I make my annual donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Minnesota. As you probably know, I donate a portion of my novel sales to this fantastic organization. It started out as an impromptu marketing idea that quickly became a win-win. I promote BBBS at every book signing or book festival or sales opportunity in exchange for support from BBBS. They mainly give me free bookmarks with their contact information and share some of my activities on social media. Also, I’m also allowed to sell books at some of their events such as Bowl for Kids’ Sake. Trying to raise as much money as I can for BBBS is a great sales motivator and keeps me writing.
2019 Donation Total
Thanks to the release of Straight River in early 2019, total sales last year dwarfed sales in my first three years of selling books. Sales of Castle Danger were better than I expected too. With 518 total sales, almost 200 “round up to $20.00 sales” (resulting in about $1.80/book in extra donations), and an amazing $85 of free-will donations to BBBS, I was thrilled to present a check to BBBS for $971.
I’m presenting a check for $971 to BBBS Executive Director Michelle Redman for 2019 book salesThis partnership with BBBS has exceeded my expectations! My sales are better because I always mention BBBS at my signings. At almost every event, I sell at least one book because the customer appreciates that I share a portion of my sales proceeds with a charitable organization. And, I’ve really been surprised to receive donations out of the blue. Some people buy a book and add a few dollars. Others don’t buy a book but still donate five or ten dollars. I gotta tell ya, book lovers and literate people are amazingly generous! So THANK YOU to all my customers in 2019. I hope you’ll remain a customer in the future as I create more books for your enjoyment.
Most importantly, the recipients of your generosity are not faceless or anonymous. They are the hundreds of at-risk kids in southern Minnesota. who benefit in countless ways from a steady relationship with a caring adult and mentor. Like my own Little Brother, Ethan:
(Ice skating) (Building a birdhouse)