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“Affecting and enriching.”
Back in March you may remember I blogged about events in Ukraine which were becoming increasingly disturbing. Back then Ukrainian people were, justifiably, fearing a war was about to arrive in their country.
Since then, Vladimir Putin’s audacious war games have already left thousands dead, including many civilians and – let us not forget – the passengers of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17. Today we cross our fingers that the ceasefire agreed in Belarus will hold, and that Ukraine will not become another ‘frozen conflict’ of the former soviet countries.
Many of us have stood by frustrated while these events have played out, and I asked a Ukrainian friend of mine recently, what can we really do to help. The answer – practically, there are so many people who need financial support. Injured people who cannot pay their medical bills, people with (at best) no windows in their home, facing a winter that can get down to -30°. They need help fast.
I know there are many conflicts in the world right now, but this is not a difficult one to understand. And I’m asking for you to help, by buying a short story, which I have published today on Amazon.
It is a story set in Kiev in spring 1986. In 1986 Ukraine was still part of the Soviet Union and Independence Square, referred to in the news by its new name ‘Maidan Nezalezhnosti’ in the recent coverage, was known as October Revolution Square. The story is strongly based on true events and was shortlisted for the Bristol Short Story Prize 2010.
I promise you that every penny raised by this will go where it is needed most: to help the innocent victims (for example to help with medicine), those displaced and homeless, their children and their families. Not one penny of the royalties will go in my pocket. The money will be transferred to Ukrainian Crisis Relief. You can also donate to them directly if you prefer, simply by following the link.
I have used Amazon to help you support these people with the ease of one click. The story is priced less than a greetings card, whichever country you come from. Please consider this as your message of support to our Ukrainian friends, and the story as a free gift. I hope you enjoy it.
If you would like to discuss the story further, feel free to comment.
Here are a few links, but you should be able to find the story whichever regional site you use.
In advance, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Claire.
Image (c) Sergey Rakhuba
Good story, remember it.
Thanks 😉
Done – and what a cracking thing to do
Thank you. Wish I could do more but if we all do a little…
What a good idea and a worthy cause. Downloaded it.
Thank you, Anne xx
This is such a lovely thing to do. Looking forward to learning a little more about a place I know so little about.
Thanks so much, Kate. Ukraine is a really beautiful country and the people have so much kindness and courage in their hearts.
Downloaded it, thank you so much for giving your support to people of Ukraine.
Thank you, it’s the least I can do. And thank you for sharing on fb too xxx
Done and look forward to reading. This is a good thing you’re doing.
Thank you so much xx
Claire, I’m a full-time author living in Saint Chinian. I’m puting together an initiative to bring readers and writers together in the Languedoc-Roussillon area. Can you send me an email: james@jamesminter.com.
Regards
James
Hello James,
Feel free to contact Claire via the contact page on this site. I’ll give it a couple of days before deleting this comment as it isn’t really relevant to the post. Best wishes,
Admin.
What is it they say? For a story to be good, it must move the human heart? I haven’t read your story YET, but my awareness is raised, my heart broken open. Yours is a lovely humanitarian effort. I applaud, bow deep and wish you well.
I cross also my fingers. a friend of mine really now this story and I read your blog with interest…
romain