But, will there be treats?

Monday. It isn't that far away, and it's when I start having a new poem a day posted on Tupelo Press's 30/30 Project page. I won't be alone, there are eight other poets taking this plunge with me, and I'm looking forward to seeing what we all write.

I mentioned in an earlier post that the 30/30 Project is also a fundraiser for Tupelo Press, a nonprofit, independent literary press. Did you ever do a March of Dimes Readathon? I did one in elementary school, and let's just say that many neighbors severely underestimated my ability to read a great number of books in a relatively short amount of time.

This is so different!

First, I hope you'll follow along and see what I am posting each day. Maybe you'll even let me know, in the comments or on Facebook, or through email (or when I run into you at school pick up!) what you think.

Maybe you'll even make a donation in support of my efforts. And - there's no maybe about it - if you do, there will be treats!

What kind of treats? What kind of donation? I'm so glad you asked.

        $5 => set of 4 haiku-by-Merie stickers (the stickers are business card-sized) - here's one of the haiku stickers:

$10 => set of 4 haiku-by-Merie stickers PLUS a set of 4 postcards with short poems by me and drawings by Cora. Cora and I had a great time with this one. We read through a bunch of my poems and she picked out ones that she wanted to illustrate. Later on I'll post a picture of one of them.

$15 => set of 4 haiku-by-Merie stickers, set of 4 postcards with short poems by me and drawings by Cora PLUS the first 10 people to donate this amount get to supply 5 words that I must use together in one poem. 

$20 => set of 4 haiku-by-Merie stickers, set of 4 postcards with short poems by me and drawings by Cora PLUS one dozen homemade cookies (chocolate chip or gingersnap - your choice, delivered in October).

$30+ => set of 4 haiku-by-Merie stickers, set of 4 postcards with short poems by me and drawings by Cora, one dozen homemade cookies (chocolate chip or gingersnap - your choice, delivered in October), PLUS a handmade, signed chapbook of all the poems written by me for my 30/30 month (also delivered in October). 

Tupelo also offers a subscription (9 books published by them in 2014 for $99, or your choice of 9 of their titles - free postage!) for those who want to bulk up their poetry library. If you choose to order a subscription, I will also send you the rewards offered at the $30+ level.

You’re excited, now, aren’t you? You want those cookies! You want me to have to use “elephant, concatenation, pancreas, squelch, and Miami” in a poem, right? I hope so! My goal is to raise at least $350 for Tupelo Press, whether I get there through dozens of sets of haiku stickers or dozens of cookies.

There are three ways to donate - with each it is very important that you include my name as the poet you are sponsoring so that I know which treats to send your way! Here’s how you can sponsor me:

1. Subscribe to Tupelo Press (9 books for $99). Visit http://www.tupelopress.org/books_subscribe.php and fill out the form; be sure to put my name in the “comments” field!
2. Complete the Tupelo Press Donation Form at https://www.tupelopress.org/donate.php and be sure to put my name in the “honor” field. (You can also print out the form and send it in with a check.)
3. Donate using PayPal at https://www.tupelopress.org/donate.php - click on the orange “Quick Donation via PayPal” button - be sure to put my name in the “message” field!

If you choose option 2 or 3, be sure to provide your mailing address so that you can receive a tax receipt for your donation! 

Let me know when you donate, and I can make sure your donation has been matched up with my name - and then I can start preheating the oven for your cookies, put Cora to work assembling postcard sets, or pull out my dictionary to look up the wacky words you are sending me.

Whew. Okay. Now I'm ready for Monday!