Page 7 - The Daily Builder - Day 09

From page 5 donating it back to Worldbuilders. Now, it’s not often somehow. But we double-checked everything, and 2013 – Stardust: now an Official Thing
item was put in the lottery. Anyone donating $10 to Pat’s left speechless, but he genuinely couldn’t find sure enough: Maayan won again. The next year, Jennifer won the Stardust ARC.
Heifer International had the chance to win it. words. He tried to talk Dan out of it. Dan said he She was super happy to win it, and declared that
And win it someone did! And that’s when the legend wasn’t changing his mind–he’d been inspired by what she would still return it for the next year’s lottery.
started taking shape: the winner donated it back. happened the previous year. Someone in the office said it was like we were a
While they were happy to win such an awesome book, Dan’s mom was a hardcore geek, like the rest of library that kept lending the same book over and over,
they said it really should be auctioned off so it could us. She was into fantasy and science-fiction, and she and that spawned the Best Idea Ever: We made library
raise even more money for Heifer. And, technically, played video games. She also supported charity, even cards for the Stardust ARC, complete with a Dewey
this person was now the donor, and Pat had to follow when she didn’t have much money to spare. Dan had Decimal classifier, because we’re geeks.
their wishes. an awesome mom. Unfortunately, Dan’s mom had We asked Neil if he would be willing to sign them
So the next year, the Stardust ARC went up for recently passed away, and he used most of the money as the first person to have the book, and he was.
auction. she left him to win the Stardust auction, because that After Neil sent the
would have done her proud. signed cards back, we
And Dan said everyone should have a chance to mailed them out to
own the Stardust ARC, so it went back on the shelf the previous winners,
until next year. So Pat called her. It was a bizarre conversation filled who signed all of
2011 – The legendary legend with all of the emotions, and she agreed that maybe them, keeping one for
The fourth Worldbuilders fundraiser launched with she might actually need this book, since it obviously themselves. Maayan, of
Neil’s Stardust ARC in the lottery for anyone to win, needed her. We sent it to her. course, got two of them.
thanks to Dan’s generosity. As we talked glowingly She had this to say… We figured it was a
about all the folks involved in this strange anomaly of I was really extremely surprised to win the fun way for people to mark the occasion–they get a
Stardust-go-round, people started to spread the word. Stardust ARC two years ago, because I don’t physical chunk of the Stardust ARC story to add to
At the end of the fundraiser, we drew names for the think I’ve ever won any kind of online contest their library.
lottery winners, wondering who the lucky Stardust before. I was actually sitting in a hot tub on a ski
winner would be. We hoped it was finally going to a trip to Colorado when Pat called, and my friends
good home. So Pat called up lottery-winner Maayan got to watch me make the craziest faces while on
to ask if she was ready to have a rare book delivered the phone. A few weeks later, Neil Gaiman sent
to her, and she said nope. As much as she would love me a little card with a picture he had drawn in it,
2010 – The $2,500…donation to have it (and she would), this copy of Stardust was which was so nice of him.
Worldbuilders was getting bigger, and Pat just now bigger than the lottery. It needed to stay in the When Pat called me this year to say that I
couldn’t keep up with the outpouring of donations and fundraiser. had won again, I’m pretty sure my first words
support. We had a bunch of donations from authors Pat thanked her, mystified, and sent her a box of were, “No, I did not!” Surprised doesn’t begin
and publishers to put in the lottery, we had rare & books anyway, just for being awesome. We thought to describe it. If I win again this year, I’m going
signed books from authors who brought in their own things couldn’t possibly get weirder, but they did. to start to be suspicious of your randomization
fans to spread the love, and we also had this extremely 2012 – Never tell me the odds algorithm.
rare Stardust ARC safely tucked on a shelf. The 2012 fundraiser launched with a legitimate Worldbuilders is such a great fundraiser,
So, along with a few other collectibles, the Stardust staff, a bigger lottery than ever, and the return of the and Heifer International is an outstanding
ARC went up for auction on eBay. We watched every Stardust ARC. organization. I’m thrilled to take part. Thank you
day as the bidding climbed to crazy heights, and the When we wrapped up and started pulling names– to Pat Rothfuss for putting it together, and thank 2014 – The legend continues
auction finally ended at $2,500. That’s a lot of goats, using a randomized spreadsheet this year, because you to all of the authors and artists who donate Our 2014 Stardust winner was Jeff, who turned right
and we were over the moon at how much just one science–Amanda got that look on her face like reality the prizes! I’ve enjoyed reading the fruits of your around and donated it back to us. We sent him some
book was able to raise for Heifer. might be tearing a little at the seams. We told Pat who generosity. cool books, and of course, his Library Card. Here’s
Pat emailed Dan, the auction winner, to congratulate the winner of the Stardust ARC was, and he agreed Then Maayan sent it back to us again, because she’s how he let us know he got it...
him and arrange shipping, and Dan told Pat he was with Amanda. Something was wrong. We messed up awesome. Continued on page 8

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