Authors for Japan - can you help boost the signal?

You don't need me to tell you how utterly devastating the earthquake and tsunami has been in Japan. You'll have seen the pictures yourselves of houses being toppled as though they were made of tissue paper.

When something like this happens, you want to do something to help. Some people have gone from the UK to help in the rescue effort. Let's hope that their courage and skill saves lives.

For most of us, giving money to help in the relief effort is all we'll manage. Author Keris Stainton has come up with a novel (sorry) idea. She has persuaded a whole load of authors to offer up a collection of really interesting stuff which will be auctioned over the next few days on the Authors for Japan website. She has put an enormous amount of work into putting this together. The things for sale, as you would expect from a bunch of creative people, are very interesting and exciting. Jill Mansell, who write romantic comedies, has offered up the dedication for her next book. Others have offered to critique your own efforts, or to offer mentoring to budding writers. I like the fact that they are giving up their time in the future to help people in Japan now.

The idea is that people will bid, in the comments, between tomorrow morning and next Sunday evening.

Why not head on over and have a browse. There is something else you can do, even if you don't make a bid. Help to raise awareness of the site on your own blog, or Facebook or Twitter, even talking to people in real life. The more people who bid, the more money will be raised.

Of course, only one person can get each item, but all of us can make a donation to the British Red Cross Japan Tsunami Appeal, so please do that as well.