In the Spirit of the Season

I'm giving a donkey to a needy family somewhere in the world, this holiday season.  Isn't that just the neatest idea?  My husband's giving medicine and a rooster and two hens.  You too can decide, in the spirit of the season, to spend $50 or more to help communities and families in poverty.   Just go to www.worldvision.ca/gifts.  World Vision is a trustworthy Christian organization who gives where help is needed, whether people are Christian or not.  I like them for that.
My husband and I chose to do this instead of spending a lot on each other.  But maybe you want to help make a difference in peoples' lives, without spending that kind of money?

Let me tell you something important.  A quarter of a century after I first was published, I still get letters from people who have rediscovered my books in libraries, and who want me to know how much that  particular book mattered to them when they first read it all those years ago.  One girl, who was really, really scared to go into high school, made herself remember how brave Morgan had been in The Third Magic, and she wanted me to know how it got her through her own ordeal. A girl who was half native and blond and blue-eyed wasn't suffering bullying from other kids, but still she read False Face and thanked me, because, she said, "Nobody ever writes books about me."  Someone else said basically the same thing about Ben in Out of the Dark.  "I was that boy, carving, instead of crying," he told me.  Another said, "I was the 3rd witch in the Scottish play in [....] Theatre.  Loved the way you portrayed them in Come Like Shadows.  I'm going to write to my whole cast to buy the book.  They'll remember your story forever."  And one young adult wrote to me, "I loved the mother whale in Whalesinger.  You didn't anthropomorphize, but she was still real to me. I'd been thinking about doing graduate work in physiology, but now I've decided to go into marine biology. The world needs people like that, and like you."  

I wish I could show you all the letters I've had.  If, for a few dollars you can change peoples' lives for the better by buying them a book that they will react to so positively that they remember it so many years later, that is perhaps almost as good a gift of a donkey, to people in our privileged Western World.

I've tried not to push my books at you in this blog, but if you think one or more of them could open the eyes of someone you know to a new and exciting viewpoint,  then perhaps one of my books would make a good gift, in the spirit of the season.

And so, I've decided from November 15 until December 1, 2010 to offer my books at special prices (see below for shipping).  You must send me an email to wwiltonkatz@gmail.com and say what books and autographs you want and where you want them shipped (and how). We will pack and ship within three days.  You will receive an online invoice from me with a copy of the exact shipping bill to prove that we paid that to ship as you requested.  We accept Paypal paid to wwiltonkatz@gmail.com  For those of you who haven't got Paypal, please email us so that we can agree on suitable alternatives.

A detailed description of all the books (with reviews) are described on  http://www.booksbywelwyn.ca/.You could get them at Amazon.com, too, but not at these special prices, nor with an autograph!  
Special prices ending midnight Dec 1, 2010 follow:

(NO tax; we will pay it where applicable)

The Prophecy of Tau Ridoo (only in paper, illustrated long novel):   $7.00  ages 7-11

Time Ghost (only in hardcover): $15.00 ages 8 - 12 (CLA Honour Book , Children's Science Fiction Prize, USA, SC Book Award)

Beowulf (hardcover short novel, period style illustrations): $11.00 all ages (reading aloud to ages 4-5) (short-listed Governor-General's Award, CLA award, Red Cedar Award)

Sun God, Moon Witch (only in paper): $7.00 ages 11-14 (short-listed, CLA Book of the Year)

Witchery Hill (only in paper): $7.00 ages 11-14 (short-listed, CLA Book of the Year, ALA Booklist)

False Face (only in paper): $7.00 ages 11-14  (winner, International Fiction Contest, Ebel Prize, short-listed Governor-General's Award, CLA Book of the Year, Trillium Award, ALA Best Book)

Out of the Dark (only in paper): $7.00 (ages 11-14) (winner, Ruth Schwartz Award, short-listed Governor-General's Award, ALA Best Book)

The Third Magic (only in paper) $8.00 (*fantasy and science fiction readers of any age) (winner of the CLA Young Adult Award, winner of the Governor-General's Award, ALA Book of the Year)

Whalesinger (only in paper) $8.00 ages 12 and up: *mature readers, (nominated for Governor-General's Award, winner of the CLA Young Adult award, ALA Booklist, NYPL award)

Come Like Shadows (only in hardcover): $14.00   (*mature readers) (Winner Vicky Metcalf Award, CLA Young Adult Award, NYPL Award, ALA Booklist)

Handling: We do not charge for handling.

Shipping:
(a) Within Canada.  You will pay the exact cost of the type of service you request: priority, Xpress Post, expedited parcel, regular parcel.  Tracking numbers will be provided to all shipments at no additional charge. Most services are delivered reliably within 1-7 days except if by surface.   
(b) To the USA: You will pay the exact cost of the shipping method you request.  Choices are limited at this point by the USA government's limits on the kinds of parcels acceptable for cross-border delivery.  We do not advise surface for holiday delivery because surface can take more than six weeks, but if you have the time and are okay with that, it may be your best option.  Price for a three book envelope depends on distance but for air mail usually delivered between 5 and 8 business days our last delivery (to Los Angeles) cost $14.95.  Unfortunately, tracking numbers between Canada and the USA add $10.00 to the cost.  Yes, I know, it's shocking. 
(c) International delivery envelopes cost around $25.00 and will likely hold up to three books, or four to five paperbacks.  These envelopes are guaranteed to get there within a short period of time depending on where you live.  Air mail at exact cost is also available. 

I do hope you won't mind me offering you my books.  Thank you so much.

Welwyn-on-books