The science-fiction community is rallying behind author and independent publisher Vera Nazarian in an effort to raise more than $11,000 to keep a bank from foreclosing on the home where she lives in Southern California with her mother—forced into a subprime mortgage by debts incurred fighting off a fraudulent lawsuit, Nazarian—even given the successful launch of Narilona Books—ran into financial difficulties this year when her mother began a lengthy, expensive treatment for ovarian cancer.
Fortunately, the first two days of the online fundraising drive have already raised roughly two-thirds of the needed funds. In addition to direct donations, the fund organizers are also setting up a charity auction that includes, among other offerings, an autographed novel by Madeleine Robins (who’ll also bake a double batch of her special holiday cookies) and pristine copies of new limited-edition short story collections by Michael Swanwick and Ray Bradbury. And late Sunday night, John Scalzi launched an additional effort: He’s posted his latest short story, “The State of Super Villainy,” online for free—”but after you’ve read it, if you’ve enjoyed it,” he invites readers to make a donation; at the end of the week, he will take all the funds raised and send them to Nazarian. As a bonus, Subterranean Press, for whom Scalzi originally wrote the story, will provide matching funds for the first $1,000.