Bowling For Dollars

Note to my devoted Cake Eater Readers: this post will stay at the top of the page until next Monday, April 11, 2005.

{Insert Kath feeling mighty uncomfortable about what she is about to do here}

Ahem.

The Cake Eater Chronicles has just morphed into a for-profit enterprise.

Yes. That feeling that just hit your gut is absolutely right on: this is a blegging post.

For almost two years now, I have been using the Cake Eater as a repository for thoughts that had nowhere else to go. Surprisingly, a goodly number of you started showing up to read said thoughts and got something out of them. For that I am eternally in your debt, and as my father is wont to say, "your kindness will never be mentioned." (And, yes, I know that doesn't fit, particularly since I'm mentioning it right now, but it doesn't really fit when my dad says it, either, yet he says it anyway, so like father like daughter, blah, blah, blah.) Nothing is so satisfying to a writer as actually having readers because the whole enterprise is something of a wash if no one really cares all that much. I'm glad to have you, and while in the past I've asked for donations for charitable causes, I've never really asked anything of my readers for myself, other than the odd plea for comments.

That, my devoted Cake Eater readers, is about to change with the FIRST ANNUAL "HAVE-YOUR-CAKE-BLEG-A-THON!"

Woot!

Yeah, I know. I'm having a hard time getting excited about it, too, so I can't blame you for your lack of enthusiasm.

As many of you know, I do not contribute anything to the GDP of the Cake Eater household. The husband does this and I am grateful to him for it because he works his fine, fine non-ass off at it. But it's time I contributed something. Since the novel isn't in any shape to send out, and I spend a goodly portion of my free time on this thing, I must work with what I've got---which would be you, my devoted Cake Eater readers.

You will notice that on the upper left sidebar, there is a now a PayPal "Make a Donation" key. If you're so inclined, click on it and donate what you can. I'm not that picky. If all you can afford is five bucks, I'm thankful for it. If you are like my mother and are leery of internet transactions, yet would like to contribute, drop me a line and I'll send you the snail mail address to the Cake Eater Pad. If you can't afford to give anything at all (and believe me, I understand that) send me some happy thoughts and all will be well with the world.

Now the reason I am so uncomfortable doing this is because whenever money is involved, strings suddenly become attached. It's just the nature of the beast. This blogging exercise will turn into a quid pro quo excursion and I don't really like the thought of that. I'm selling out. But it's past time for me to do this, hence I will have to suck it up.

Conversely, I also understand that a goodly number of people have been soured on this experience by a particular blogger's bleg-a-thons. This particular blogger not only refused to attach the strings, he blatantly abused his readership in the process by lying to them, and gave the rest of us bloggers an undeserved black-eye in the process. I can't tell you what to do. But I will say this much: I'm not going to guilt you into giving. If you can and you're inclined, thank you very much. I appreciate it. If you can't give anything or have been turned off by blogger bleg-a-thons, no hassles. I understand.

In conclusion, I will say thanks for everything. Showing up, reading, commenting, and if you are able, for helping increase the Cake Eater Household GDP. I appreciate it all.

Posted by Kathy at April 11, 2005 07:52 PM