As many of you may know, fellow writer Travis Erwin has suffered a devastating loss. Last weekend, his family’s house burned to the ground. Thankfully, he and his family all got out in time. But they lost everything they own.
A site has been set up to help them out as they start the difficult process of rebuilding. Please consider donating if you’re able to.
I’d also like to post this, from Travis’ own blog, for you to consider:
Lots of you have asked how you can help, so swallowing my pride I’m going to list the few things that come to mind concerning my boys.
Children’s books. My boys are 6 and 8 and they both love to read and I know at some point they are going to feel the loss of their books.
Hot wheel cars for my youngest. They sell for about a buck and I imagine they would cost only a bit more than that to mail. I know it would bring a smile to his face to find one in the mailbox.
Also if any of you live in the Orlando area or are visiting Disneyworld soon I’d love to replace t- shirts they boys picked out while we were there. My oldest is a size 10 or I think a child’s large and he had a shirt with Mickey Mouse’s body that said I’m the big cheese. His younger brother wears a 6 or a small and his ad a picture of Mickey and Goofy dressed as pirates along with a treasure map and it said How to Be a Pirate. It is very silly I know, but they spent a week agonizing over what shirt to pick and then they were gone before they ever got to wear them at home. I would gladly repay anyone who can find those shirts for them.
Also, according to Erica Orloff:
…his wife is emotionally suffering and is a scrapbooker who lost all her supplies, so perhaps you might have these things just gathering dust in your closet.
If you’re able to help out in that way, Travis’ address is posted on his blog.
On a very different note, I forgot to let y’all know that yesterday was my day for posting at Publishing Renaisance. Well, it was. Check it out here. Actually, you should check out all the posts over there while you’re at it.
R.J. Keller 
I rounded up tons of books last night, and was shocked to find what weird crap my boys read at Travis’ kid’ ages. All the Captain Underpants books, of course. A series about “The Butt that Ate New York” – apparently about a killer butt. Some Roald Dahl (Thank God). Travis and his wife are going to open the boxes and be like, “Thanks?”
My son was also a big Captain Underpants fan. I’ve never heard about The Killer Butt, though. I’m sorry to have missed out.
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