This story is linked from the NJ paper, The Asbury Park Press :
JACKSON — Alison DeLuca is part of an international effort to restock libraries that were severely damaged by superstorm Sandy.
The Jackson author, who has penned a series of young adult novels called the “Crown Phoenix” series, donated about 40 books as part of an effort to fill the shelves the damaged libraries, located in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.
“We were really incredibly lucky,” said DeLuca, 52, while sitting in her Jackson living room. “We had friends who lost their roof.”
DeLuca said her Jackson home only suffered a long power outage after the superstorm. Though her family was spared the kind of devastation she has seen to the east, the author said she wanted to help.
Through a collective of independent authors, DeLuca learned of the program “Indie Authors for Hurricane Sandy Library Recovery” organized by author K.S. Brooks of Spokane, Washington.
“I wanted to do something to help libraries devastated by Hurricane Sandy,” Brooks wrote in an email from her home in rural Washington. “Since I’m broke, I figured I could send books. I knew just my books wouldn’t make a whole lot of difference, so I asked other indie authors to get involved.”
Five months after she proposed the idea, 170 authors have joined together and donated 1,200 books to libraries in the region, said Brooks, who was born in New York City and has lived in coastal Connecticut. The books will go to nine libraries that were flooded by the storm, the majority of which are located at elementary schools, she added.
“I’ve worked closely with the administrators at the libraries to make sure they only receive the genres and family-friendly ratings they need,” Brooks said, who is known for writing a children’s educational series called “Postcards from Mr. Pish.”.
She declined to share which New Jersey libraries were participating in the program, to protect them from unsolicited and unwanted donations.
The program not only benefits the libraries but the authors, too; they are reaching a broader audience, Brooks said. Not only are independent authors contributing, but best-selling authors such as mystery writer Warren Murphy are also participating, she said.
DeLuca, who’s “Crown Phoenix” series is a steam punk-themed action adventure, said the program is unifying libraries in need with authors.
The Jackson-based author said: “This is a great way to get the two groups together in a really meaningful way.”
