File this one under ‘Holy crap, people have lots of money to spend on getting published’.
A couple weeks ago, I wrote about Brenda Novak’s auction for diabetes research, and how I had no problem setting aside what I could afford to bid on a critique.
Erm, apparently people have a hell of a lot more money than I do. Either that, or they really want to get published, or they REALLY hate diabetes.
The cheapest item on my watch list has a bid of over $100. The critique by Jessica Faust is at $1,060 right now. And there are 18 days left.
So yes, I’ll be doing things the old-fashioned way: with a donation and a query letter.
Not addressed to the same person.
Reader, I created him 
I know, it is crazy isn’t it? I usually just buy a couple of the “drawing” tickets and hope I have the luck of the draw. I can’t afford $300 for someone to read three chapters of my ms. But I’m oh so glad that others can afford to do so and, as a result, raise money for diabetes research!
Yeah, I think a drawing ticking and crossing my fingers are the way I’m going to go. I’ve seen lots of writerly charity auctions for different things – like the Nashville floods – and it’s great that people are willing to give their time and money.