Unleash Your Story--join us!

I'm part of a group called Romance Unleashed--a bunch of romance authors who got our start with the Zebra Debut program back in 2004-05. Last year, we launched the first-ever "Unleash Your Story" event to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (one of our RU members has two children with Cystic Fibrosis, so this cause is very near and dear to our hearts). Today, I've invited fellow RU author Teresa Bodwell to join us here at the LIT Manor to tell you more about the Unleash Your Story event, and how you can join us. Teresa, take it away....


Unleash Your Story—August 31-September 28

Unleash Your Story brings writers and readers together to raise funds and awareness for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. We are harnessing the power of story to make a difference for the tens of thousands of kids and adults living with this fatal genetic disease.

The Power of Story

Of all the vehicles available to modern humans, the most versatile is the story. A good book can take you sailing on a pirate ship, hunting werewolves or dancing at Almacks. It’s a combination time machine and space ship that knows no limits.

Stories entertain. They make us laugh and cry. Provide an escape from reality, comfort in grief, a reprieve from pain and an inspiration to reach your goals.

When a reader opens a book and jumps inside, she releases the words from their two dimensional prison into a four dimensional world of time and space where magic happens. It is the combination of reader and writer that does the trick. The writer conceives the story and the reader completes it.

Now imagine hundreds of readers and writers coming together to unleash their stories. This is the concept behind the Unleash Your Story: Make a Difference write-a-thon/read-a-thon. With many readers and writers each doing a little, we can make a big difference.

The reality

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the U.S. and 70,000 worldwide. A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections. This same mucus obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food. To combat these issues people with CF depend on many drugs and supplements to survive.

In the 1950s, few children with cystic fibrosis lived to attend elementary school. Today, advances in research and medical treatments have enhanced and extended life for children and adults with CF. Many people with the disease can now expect to live into their 30s, 40s and beyond. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation works to find better treatments and, ultimately, a cure for this fatal illness. (Information from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation website).

Even with the advances we've seen over the last several decades the story of cystic fibrosis is grim for tens of thousands of kids and adults suffering from this disease and the hundreds of thousands of people who love them. Working together we can help change the story by bringing improved treatment and the hoped for cure closer to reality.

How you can help

Each Unleash Your Story participant sets a reading or writing goal and asks friends, family and fans to donate to CFF in support of their goal. It's sort of like a walk-a-thon, except there is no knocking on doors or wearing out sneakers. Instead you sit in your favorite reading or writing spot and crank out the pages!

Unleash Your Story runs from August 31 through September 28, 2009. Our fearless leaders in the 2009 campaign are Lori Wilde, Pacesetter Author and Michelle Buonfiglio, Pacesetter Reader. We'll have fun prizes for those who keep up with our pacesetters as well as incentives for reaching certain reading, writing and fund raising goals.

Last year Unleash Your Story raised over $11,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Our goal this year is to more than double that amount to $23,000. With your help we can reach this goal!

The Basics

What: Write-a-thon/Read-a-thon for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

When: August 31-September 28. Registration starts in early August.

How to participate: 1) Register; 2) set a reading or writing goal; 3) set a fundraising goal; 4) form a team or work as an individual; 5) contact friends, relatives and fans and ask them to donate in support of your goal. All donations go directly to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and are tax deductible. No need for you to worry about collecting donations.

Learn more: Visit UNLEASH YOUR STORY or write to info@unleashyourstory.com.

~Teresa Bodwell
Rugged Trails. Bold hearts.
http://tbodwell.com
Blogging at: http://teresawithnoh.com