- Pin it
- SubscribeUnsubscribe
- Embed
pernod griswald hasn't added a story.
What's the story?
I'm Megan, a British writer living in San Francisco. Back in 2010, I started writing a short story that grew. It grew from 5000 words to 50,000, took me into ossuaries in Prague and caves in France. The story shone light onto my fears and took me to them. It forced me to face grief and loss and isolation. It became a novel - for middle-grade readers (8-12 year olds) - and it explores how we find family in strange places, how we grow from grief, and how tears are harder to cry when they're diamonds.
I moved to the US in 2014, and stopped writing. I missed it, not writing made me miserable, and amidst the busyness of moving to a new country, I put the project to rest. I've been depressed throughout this year - a strange combination of feeling both adrift and trapped all at once. After a particularly rough April, I made a snap decision to shake myself out of blackness. I chose to write again.
So here we are. I have been given an incredible opportunity to go on a retreat for a month to finish this project. I've found a perfect spot in the Gila Wilderness, New Mexico. Why there? Well, coming from Europe, the US has something we don't really have - vast expanses of open land. New Mexico, as it turns out, has a wealth - and I specifically want to experience driving there from San Francisco to gain a sense of distance, space, and landscape. In turn, this will be woven into my story. It also has superb, clear skies, and my central character is an astronomer. Just look at these cave dwellings!
So what do I need funds for?
It's hard for me to ask for help. I very rarely do. So this is difficult for me! However, any donations will go towards the following:
- Accommodation - the place I have found will be just shy of $1100.
- A car - renting a car, including petrol (gas) and insurance will be around $1100
- Sustenance - I'm pretty thrifty, but I will probably need a few hundred bucks to eat.
The savings I have already can cover the cost of my rent whilst I'm gone, and my healthcare, as my job cannot cover me if I don't work for a month.
This opportunity to research in person and to write while in New Mexico will enable me to develop my novel into its richest, most ambitious form. With your support, my ultimate goal for this campaign and project will be the completion of a novel to submit for representation with an agent, and hopefully, eventually, publication.
What's in it for you?
It's a good and fair question. I'm not planning on offering incentives because I plan to write each supporter a postcard from NM, wherever you are in the world. I'll keep regular updates on my blog, and if you want to read what I'm working on, I'd love some feedback :)
How you can help
Any donation, no matter how much, is a help. Thank you in advance for supporting this creative project!
If this campaign resonates with you, please SHARE this campaign on your Facebook, Twitter, etc. Shout it out to your family and friends. Every link, every like, every retweet helps!
Also, if this campaign raises more than $3000, I will donate those funds to the Tuition Assistance Program at AcroSports. This trip would not be possible without their compassion and support.
This is the Gila River
Delete media item?
Delete this item from the media gallery? It will also be deleted from any related story update.
Set as ?
The campaign video will appear in social media and email.
The campaign cover picture will appear in social media and email.
The will appear at the top of your campaign page and in social media and email.
Reset ?
It will be removed from the top of your campaign and won't be used as default in social media and email. The will remain in the media gallery.
Embed
Share a link
Delete update
Delete this story update?
Any pictures or videos will remain in the campaign's media gallery.
Report campaign
Report submitted
Thank you. We take reports like yours very seriously. Our goal is to keep the community safe.
Please know that we may contact you for more information, but that we won't notify you personally of our decision. If the campaign remains available within a few days, it's likely that we determined it not to be in violation of our policies.
Thank you. We've already received your previous report. If the campaign remains available within a few days, it's likely that we determined it not to be in violation of our policies.
Tell us about the problem. Please fill in both fields below.
Record a video
Upload a video
Nothing grabs attention for your cause like a personal video. Take a minute or two to record one now. Record a short video message of support. Or upload one from your device. You can preview or redo your video before you post it.
Nothing grabs attention for your cause like a personal video. Upload a short video message of support. Upload a short video message of support. Or record one right now.
- Most effective video length: about a minute.
- Maximum length: 5 min.
- You can preview or redo your video before you post it.
Heads up! The existing video will be replaced.
Email your friends
Join our team
Tell people why our cause matters to you. Your personal message will encourage others to help. Easy, effective, optional.
Say it in video
Short personal videos by supporters like you are incredibly powerful. Record one right now and you'll help us raise more money. Easy, optional, effective.
Add a personal goal
Set a personal fundraising goal. You'll encourage more contributions if you do. And rest easy. There's no obligation to achieve your goal or bad consequences if you don't. Easy, optional, effective.
We have a video!
Video thumbnail
We'd love to show you our campaign video. Want to take a look?
, you're already on the team.