Hello Author Buddies,
As many of you know, most of The Author Buddy team members live in the Carolinas. If you’ve been on social media or watched the news this week, you probably know that Hurricane Helene hit both North and South Carolina with an absolute vengeance. In one day, we experienced Helene who left devastation in her wake, braced for tornadoes, and hunkered down during an hours-long Severe Tropical Storm warning with 50+ mph winds. We’re still being impacted daily by her effects as the waters from multiple dam failures make their way down to us, still causing significant flooding in areas.
We are all safe and our homes intact, though many of us were without power and internet until yesterday. Each of us has coped in our own way. Some have coordinated with rescue efforts and spent their days gathering supplies for Western North Carolina, which was devastated by a combination of immense flash flooding and multiple dam failures. Others have banded together with neighbors to help restore some sense of normalcy by helping to clear fallen branches or offer a helping hand in any way they could, some are taking in friends that have had to evacuate their homes in Western North Carolina and other areas, and Rachel, needing to feel useful in some way, spent two days trying to lure a kitten from a car engine while waiting to hear whether her family had made it through the flooding in Western North Carolina. For now, we have received an update that they’re alive, though without power, water, or cell signal, and suffered massive damage to their area and possibly their homes though we won’t even know the extent until cell signal is more stable. Thankfully her kitten rescue was eventually successful. Kind of. The kitten is no longer in a car engine but wedged behind her bathroom cabinet. All that to say, regaining some semblance of normalcy hasn’t happened yet for any of us. We’re shaken, we’re exhausted both physically and mentally, and we are mourning not only for our friends and neighbors locally, but for the parts of our state and region that will never be the same.
We’re doing our best to keep in touch with authors with upcoming deadlines, but please, have patience with us. The loss that we’ve suffered has been immense and worse than imaginable. We hope that you and yours are safe!
Additionally, please let us know if you’d like to help! One of our team members is coordinating with Operation Airdrop to get much needed supplies to the Appalachian areas by air, the only way to access them due to the roads being destroyed because of severe flooding. Your contributions will go towards the purchasing of emergency supplies and life-saving medical care to those that need it the most and fueling the aircraft for pilots to make the deliveries. Operation Airdrop is a 501c organization which means if you itemize on your tax return you can deduct the amount of your donations from your taxable income.
https://operationairdrop.betterworld.org/campaigns/operation-helene
What This Means for Our Authors
If you currently have a cover or beta project with us: We are working quickly now that we have power and internet to complete outstanding projects that were interrupted by the storm, and expect to be in touch with all current project authors today with an update on expected project completion.
If you’re interested in our Premade Covers: The website is still live, and all premade covers listed for sale are available. Orders will be processed within 48 hours of the purchase on the website, but please note that turnaround time for customizations may be delayed for the next couple of weeks as we catch up. Please contact us before purchase if you have a tight deadline.
If you’re interested in our Custom Cover Design Services: We are not accepting new Custom Cover Design Projects with deadlines in October, but booking for November 2024 deadlines and beyond is open.
If you’re interested in our Beta, Quotes, or Proofread Services: We are not accepting any new rush projects with deadlines before 10/13, but we have availability for all story services and levels of Beta Reads except Platinum (Developmental and Line Edits) for deadlines 10/14 or later. A limited number of Quote & Teaser Service and Proofread Service projects are available for novellas (35k or less) immediately, including rush projects.
If you’re interested in our Developmental and Line Edit Services: We are not accepting new Platinum level (Developmental and Line Edits) Projects with deadlines in October, but booking for November 2024 deadlines and beyond is open.
If you have any questions, please email us at hello@theauthorbuddy.com, and we will respond as soon as we can.
