New York Times best selling author Lisa Jackson stopped by Cover to Cover Books in downtown Vancouver recently. She wanted to check out The Gift of Murder, a collection of winter holiday crime and mystery stories that has become a yuletide tradition for Wolfmont Press.
Lisa had heard about The Gift of Murder's connection to the Toys for Tots campaign. Every year during the holiday season, the USMC launches its annual drive to collect brand new toys on behalf of the children in our community who might not otherwise have a happy holiday.
Tony Barton, head of Wolfmont Press, has published three collections of short crime fiction with holiday themes since 2006. The Gift of Murder is his fourth. And each year, he has donated all net proceeds from the sale of these anthologies to Toys for Tots. Since starting this holiday tradition, that has translated into a "gift" of over $6600 to this very worthy cause.
"And our goal with The Gift of Murder," says Barton, "is to push our total for the four years up over $10,000."
Vancouver author Carolyn J. Rose is the only Pacific NW mystery writer with a short story featured in The Gift of Murder. She is quick to point out that none of the writers involved with this anthology are being paid for their efforts. To increase the profit margin, so that even more money can be contributed to the kids during this holiday season, all stories were "donated" by the authors.
So this holiday season, please follow Lisa Jackson's lead and consider giving The Gift of Murder to the one or two mystery fans on your holiday shopping list. Not only will you provide a "cozy" afternoon's reading enjoyment to family and friends, you'll also help brighten the holiday of a needy child. And isn't that what the holidays are all about?
The Gift of Murder (Trade, Wolfmont Press) is currently available for purchase at bookstores throughout the Portland/Vancouver area.
Stay tuned for more of Lisa Jackson's visit to Cover to Cover Books.
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