October Royalties Benefit Mountain Ways to Help Hurricane Helene Victims
October royalties will benefit Mountain Ways to help Hurricane Helene victirms.
I’m a Tennessee Volunteer. Most people who graduate from the University of Tennessee wear the title like a badge of honor. We own an obnoxious amount of the right orange, we “woo!” when we sing “Rocky Top,” and we name our kids and dogs ‘Peyton’ after Peyton Manning. We call out a ‘Go Vols!’ when we see another wearing Tennessee gear in public places and we know that “Dixieland Delight” is a song about Tennessee.
We are also Volunteers.
Our state is nicknamed the Volunteer State in reference to our history of military service and volunteerism. The University of Tennessee also practices the Volunteer Creed: “One that beareth a torch shadoweth oneself to give light to others.”
That creed can be found all over campus. It’s on the walls of the Student Union, on websites, taught in classes. We’re taught that ‘Vol is a verb’ and Tennesseans answer the call when help is needed.
Help is desperately needed in the mountains of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina.
East Tennessee is my home now. I didn’t grow up here, and I’ve had the chance to live all over the country, but these mountains call to my very soul. This is home. While Knoxville received a lot of rain and high winds, we were largely spared from the wrath of Hurricane Helene. Drive forty-five minutes east and it’s a different, heartbreaking story, one of utter devastation.
I’ve also spent time in North Carolina. I lived in Chapel Hill for three years, and would escape to western Carolina to be closer to the mountains or simply explore from time to time. I drove through it countless times on my way to visit my beloved Tennessee. 1-40 through those mountains is one of the most beautiful drives you’ll ever take, especially in the fall. A lot of that drive is gone now. As of right now, there is no major interstate connecting Tennessee and North Carolina.
When I was thinking about the setting for my debut novel, Off The Record, I wanted somewhere Stars Hollow-like that also “felt a little like Halloween.” I was quick to settle on Blowing Rock, North Carolina for it’s downtown, iconic Blowing Rock, and stunning fall views. It served as the perfect backdrop for Reese and Nate to fall in love in the midst of a small town murder mystery.
My heart has ached as I’ve taken in photo after photo and video after video of the devastation in east Tennessee and western North Carolina. I’ve talked to students at UT who are from those areas, some of which, as of Thursday, still hadn’t heard from their loved ones. I have friends whose home was spared but are without water and electricity for the foreseeable future. Because of the state of the roads, it’s difficult for them to get to places to pick up the basics. Still, they consider themselves lucky, and are doing what they can to help others.
I’m a Volunteer, and this is my home, my own backyard. I had to do something. I took the time to research and listen to reports from folks I know in the area to figure out what that something is. While they do need food, water, and supplies, money is what is most needed. Money to buy supplies, to help rebuild, to help people start their lives again.
I will be donating the October royalties of my book, Off The Record, to Mountain Ways, a non-profit “committed to providing ongoing disaster relief, coordinating efforts with local organizations and officials to ensure that essential resources reach the most affected areas efficiently.”
This organization has been made possible by several reputable companies, some of which I personally frequent. The Queen of East Tennessee herself, Dolly Parton, has made a large personal contribution to Mountain Ways. I feel this is a safe, reputable place to donate to, and that they will utilize those funds responsibly.
If you’d like to donate directly to Mountain Ways, you can do so here.
Rural communities hold a special place in my heart. I grew up in one, know what it’s like to be underserved, underprivileged. Many of these people likely don’t have the means to replace what was lost on their own. They need help. As a Volunteer, as a product of a rural community, as someone who lives in east Tennessee and has frequented Western Carolina, as a human, I have the ability to help.
In an effort to be transparent, royalties are paid two months after earnings. The money raised in October will be donated to Mountain Ways in December, just in time for the holidays. My royalties aren’t much, but they are something, and I truly believe every little bit helps. The most royalties come from purchase of a paperback, followed by an ebook, and finally, Kindle Unlimited page reads.
I appreciate every single person who buys my book, but I will be especially grateful for purchases and page reads this month. Please share this information with your community. Whether you contribute through a purchase, a direct gift, or through other means, please consider helping Hurricane Helene victims in any way you can.
Be a Volunteer, even if just in spirit.
Thank you.
Love, Sarah
