The death toll from the earthquakes in Turkiye and Syria has now almost reached a devastating 41,000, with more than 70,000 injured. The first, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake, struck in the early hours of 6th February, followed hours later by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake. The earthquakes are estimated to have directly impacted 23 million people. A group of Syrian authors have started a book auction to raise funds to help those impacted by the earthquakes. Below are some of the books available and more ways you can help people currently in need.
Books for Türkiye and Syria
A book auction Titled “Books for Türkiye and Syria” launched on February 8th and has already raised almost $70,000. Authors, bookshops, and publishers around the world have donated special edition books, while a host of agents and editors have donated critique packages. Alongside the magnitude of physical book donations, authors and publishers are auctioning private calls to discuss their books, and careers, offer advice and help gain more donations at lower costs. The collective is hoping to raise $100,000 before the auction closes on Friday, February 17th, and is asking winners to donate the money directly to one of two selected charities:
Mercy-USA
Mercy-USA has relief coordination offices in Antakya, Türkey, and implementing relief staff in northern Syria. These are some of the hardest hit areas affected by these devastating quakes and despite losing their own homes, our teams have already mobilized food and water distributions in both countries. They’ve already raised over $300,000 of their $310,000 goal and there are still 17 days left of their campaign. They offer 10 giving levels from $25 to $1,500 which can feed 10 families for a whole month.
Union for Medical Care And Relief Organization
UOSSM is helping on the ground providing hospitals and medical facilities with emergency relief to those wounded by trauma and crush injuries. Their donation system allows you to either make a singular or recurring donation at the price you choose. They even take Zelle payments (that info can be found by emailing [email protected]) Their work involves constantly responding to emergencies and meeting the evolving needs at the disaster site. Having their funds unrestricted allows them the flexibility to allocate funds to where they are most needed. The Canada site can be accessed here.
Book Auction
You can access the “Books for Türkiye and Syria” auction through their Instagram, and Twitter, or visit the site directly (linked abover). They have over 300 items available to raise funds for those in need of food, medical aid, and shelter after losing their homes and loved ones. Below are some examples of their featured items up for auction.
8 Book Bridgerton Set
Best-selling author Julia Quinn has donated signed and personalized editions of her book series Bridgerton. These books are perfect for historical fiction and romance lovers. The listing includes the following titles:
- The Duke and I
- The Viscount Who Loved Me
- An Offer From a Gentleman
- Romancing Mister Bridgerton
- To Sir Phillip, With Love
- When He Was Wicked
- It’s In His Kiss
- On the Way to the Wedding
Quinn is a New York Times bestselling author whose book series centers around the Bridgerton family. Set between 1813 and 1827, each novel features one of the eight children of the late Viscount Bridgerton and his widow Violet: Anthony, who is the current Viscount Bridgerton, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth. The first 2 books were recently adapted into a Netflix TV show, with more seasons to come and follow the stories within the pages. Explore what’s to come in Season 3 here.
Adam Silvera Collection
His book They Both Die at the End took the world by storm when it was published in 2017. The hype around the book resurged in 2020 when BookTok readers discovered Silvera’s novel and fell in love with the characters he created. A story of two teenage boys, Mateo and Rufus, who, in turn, discover that they only have one day left to live. The prequel, The First to Die at the End, which gives an introduction to the Death-Cast system and introduces us to a set of new star-crossed lovers, was released in 2022 and is included in the set.
- They Both Die at the End Collector’s Edition (hardcover)
- The First to Die at the End (hardcover)
- Infinity Son (hardcover)
- Infinity Reaper (hardcover)
- What If It’s Us (paperback)
- Here’s to Us (paperback)
- More Happy Than Not Deluxe Edition (paperback)
- History Is All You Left Me Deluxe Edition (paperback)
All books are signed and your purchase includes a 25-minute video chat with Silvera himself.
Ransom Riggs Collection
Riggs, the author of the Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children book series is donating all 6 signed books. A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. The book was subsequently made into a film in 2016, directed by Tim Burton. The titles included are:
- Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
- Hollow City
- Library of Souls
- A Map of Days
- The Conference of the Birds
- The Desolations of Devil’s Acre
Tahereh Mafi Entire Book Collection
Mafi is donating a 20+ signed book bundle for the fundraiser. This includes the full Shatter Me series set including novellas, the award-nominated contemporaries An Emotion of Great Delight and A Very Large Expanse of Sea, the This Woven Kingdom book, and These Infinite Threads, as well as two middle-grade novels. Shatter Me was published in 2011; since then, Unravel Me (2013) and Ignite Me (2014) have been released and met with rave reviews. Mafi also has two novellas that go with the Shatter Me series, Destroy Me and Fracture Me. Film rights to Shatter Me have been purchased by 20th Century Fox and fans cannot wait to see where the series goes from here.
Mazey Eddings Romance Book Bundle
Eddings is giving away annotated and signed copies of:
- A Brush With Love
- Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake
- The Plus One
- Tilly in Technicolor
These books are the perfect coffee shop reads for any romance lover. In A Brush with Love, Harper is anxiously awaiting placement into a top oral surgery residency program when she crashes (literally) into Dan. Harper would rather endure a Novocaine-free root canal than face any distractions, even one this adorable. The Plus One is a prime example of the perfect enemies-to-lovers trope that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
More Affordable Options
Bids can also be made on video chats with authors, publishers, graphic designers, and more. These options are less expensive than some of the featured items and therefore allow people of any economic standing to help in Türkiye and Syria. These zoom calls allow you to learn insider secrets of the book world and give you the opportunity to ask those bookish questions no one else can answer.
If you are able, please donate to your fellow humans in Türkiye and Syria. Any size donation can help someone who has been displaced and hurt by this natural disaster. No amount is too small. Explore more ways to donate here.