Back in 2008 Patrick Rothfuss started the Worldbuilders auction to benefit Heifer International, an organization that provides farm animals to needy towns and villages (and which profiled Rothfuss’ goat-milking skills in 2013).
One of the items up for grabs in the auction was an Advanced Reader Copy of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust, signed and donated by Mr. Amanda Palmer himself. But the winner of the book did something unusual, and took the story in a direction entirely appropriate for a meta-fairy tale.
The 2009 winner asked that the book return to auction for 2010, in order to continue benefitting the Heifer International. Then, the 2010 winner asked that the book go back in the pot again, telling Rothfuss that he had used an inheritance from his mother to enter the auction, and that she would have wanted the book to help as many people as possible. There are not enough hugs in the world for these people.
This brings us to 2011, when the awesomely-named Maayan won, and decided to continue the tradition of donating it back. The next year’s auction is where what Rothfuss called the “Heart-of-Gold-level” improbabilities start turning into sofas, because Maayan won Stardust again, fair and square, in 2012! They sent her the ARC, so she was able to get a picture with the book… before she sent it back to the auction block, again.
So here we are in the present, and the ARC is once again available! Who will win it next? If you would like a chance to win Stardust (or if you just like the idea of helping send goats to the goatless) check out Mr. Rothfuss’ blog here!
