I celebrated all weekend, because a weekend of birthday awesome is better than just one day, don’t you think? I received (and played through) Portal 2 and my wonderful husband got me a Flip camera and tripod so now I can make videos and actually put my Adobe AfterEffects to good use. Thank you, honey!
And while I would love to spend a whole post waxing on about how awesome it is that I was born, I actually want to ask you all for a present.
Sort of.
I mean, I want to ask you all for a present, but the present isn’t for me. I mean, it kind of is in that you’d be getting it because I asked you to. But it’s not for me. Oh, here, just let me explain.
Background: Do you remember a few months ago there was a big brouhaha (isn’t there always one of those?) involving author Jessica Verday, the editor of the YA anthology Wicked Pretty Things, and eventually the publisher Running Press?
Very very very brief summary: Jessica Verday wrote a short story/novella for the anthology called Flesh Which is Not Flesh. Her novella – which, by the way, is amazing – features a romance between two boys. Jessica was told to change the story so that it was a male/female romance because as it stood it would never be acceptable to the publisher. When it went public the publisher came out to say they were completely in favor of Jessica’s original story. The publisher invited her back to the anthology but she didn’t want to work with the editor, for obvious reasons. Jessica faced very very very positive support for her story and her position. I know because I was one of those positive people. This is the Cliffnotes version, but you can read about it here and here if you want more background.
Today: Jessica Verday still wanted to see her novella published, and not long ago she was approached by Lauren Becker who runs Let’s Get Beyond Tolerance. Lauren has decided to set up a scholarship to be used for educational purposes for those who identify as LGBT or an Ally. The scholarship is called the “Living Beyond Tolerance Scholarship.” Her goal is to raise $200 for the scholarship, though if she doesn’t she plans to cover the difference herself. Jessica was so impressed with Lauren and her goal, that she decided to put her novella up on Amazon and all proceeds between now and August 31st will go to the Living Beyond Tolerance Scholarship.
And you know what? This is something I totally respect and support.
So that present I mentioned? Well, I think it would be great if everyone would buy a copy of Flesh Which is Not Flesh this month and post about the scholarship and the novella on their blog, Twitter, Google+, or Facebook. Help support both Lauren and Jessica!
Right now it is available on Amazon.
It will soon be available on Barnes & Noble and Smashwords.
And if you have a need for an educational scholarship, and you identify as LGBT or are an ally, and you meet the other requirements, you should apply for this one. More info can be found here. You have until November to apply.
And you can read about Jessica’s participation here.
I support everything about allowing individuals to follow their heart. Each and every wonderful, crazy, silly, uniquely passionate person in this world should be not only free to believe and love as they see fit but they should be accepted by the world and not just tolerated. Everyone should be allowed to believe in the God they want, the religion they adore, the sexual orientation that makes them whole, the books they want to read, the political party they want to associate themselves with, and of course the dreams they want to pursue. 
Sommer
My name is Sommer and I'm a writer from the Midwest. I am currently working on a YA novel about superheroes, reading as much as I can, blogging, and saving the world.
Thanks so much for supporting Jessica and the scholarship. I really do appreciate it, and I hope you will continue to let people know so they can apply…and feel free to apply yourself if you wish. You just never know!! I’m planning on doing a giveaway soon for those that spread the word, so keep an eye out here: http://www.shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com
-Lauren
Happy birthday!
Happy belated, Sommer! I’m glad you had a wonderful weekend. =) Now go make some movies where zombies explode! =)
Happy birthday! How’d you find Portal 2? I played the first one, but I haven’t got around to the second one yet.
And although romance is something I don’t generally read, I’ll definitely check out Ms. Verday’s novella!
Happy birthday, Sommer! I hope there was much cake!
Also, how cool are you for telling me about an awesome story on YOUR birthday?
As part of my ongoing one-woman campaign against censorship and plain old bigotry, I’ve downloaded Flesh Which Is Not Flesh — and I was delighted to find out from reading the product description on Amazon that it’s a paranomal. Can’t wait to get home and read it. I picked a hell of a night to leave the Kindle at home.
There were many cupcakes
Delicious, pretty cupcakes. Mmm!
I promise you are not a one-woman campaign. There are at least two of us now! I have Flesh Which is Not Flesh on my Kindle now, but I haven’t had a chance to read it. I’m excited to read it this week.
Well if there are two of us… I propose that we don’t call ourselves a campaign. We have upgraded to juggernaut!
Aaaaaaaaa, yours is only a day after mine! Happy Birthday!
OMG ARE YOU KIDDING?!?!?
Happy Birthday
Haha! Happy birthday to both of you.
I maintain that you are twins, and one was born at 11:59 pm and the other at 12:01 pm, so they tried to cover up that fact by giving you different birthdates.
They separated us at birth because they feared too much awesome (and villainy) concentrating in one place. It was for the good of humanity. We really can’t fault them too much.
Wow. That explains a lot!
Glad you had an awesome birthday weekend!
I did, thank you!
Happy Birthday!
I’ve done birthday weeks, where I celebrate different days with different family members and friends since they are scattered all over.
Thank you
I think we should all get birthday weeks !
happy birthday (again!)
i’ll try to remember to post about this when i get back to blogging (after the kiddos go back to school) definitely a worthy cause, and a great idea!
Thank you again!!!
YAY! Happy Birthday!
Thank you thank you!!!
Happy Birthday!
“weekend of birthday awesome is better than just one day, don’t you think?”
For sure!
I once tried to claim an entire birthday month. I’ve yet to get others to play along, especially since there are many July birthdays in my family, but it’s still something to strive towards.
Hee! Don’t we just deserve a month long birthday party? I think we do.