Beloved British author unites book world’s biggest names to auction rare signed novels and illustrations in aid of Los Angeles fire victims

A British author is spearheading a publishing industry drive to raise funds for wildfire relief in Los Angeles. 

Caroline L. Perry, who wrote the acclaimed children’s book The Corgi and the Queen, teamed up with fellow writers to launch Kidlit For Los Angeles, and donations have come flooding in from some of the book world’s biggest names. 

Top auction highlights include rare, signed books from YA sensations Leigh Bardugo and Victoria Aveyard and a book signed by the late President Jimmy Carter.

A complete signed set of Diary of a Wimpy Kid books along with an original sketch by creator Jeff Kinney, and a full, signed Wings of Fire collection from Tui T. Sutherland, paired with original art prints by award-winning illustrators, are also up for auction.

Additional offerings include virtual book club and school visits, and many other exclusive experiences and collectibles. 

Manchester-born Perry, who moved to Los Angeles 16 years ago, collaborated with fellow authors Charlotte Offsay, Tara Luebbe, and Jocelyn Rish to organise the fundraiser, and the team has been deeply moved by the generosity of their peers. 

‘I have friends who lost homes in the fires,’ Perry shared. ‘And all of us know people who were affected by this tragedy. We felt heartbroken but we wanted to channel that sadness into something positive.’ 

The auction received more than 1200 bids in a single day, and the team is hopeful that they will raise ‘a significant sum’ to support those impacted by the devastating wildfires. 

‘The donations we’ve received are extraordinary,’ Perry said. ‘We’re so grateful to everyone who’s offered their support, and we hope to help make a difference.’

Taking to Instagram, Caroline wrote: ‘I have many friends who lost their homes, livelihoods, and communities in LA’s devastating fires, while others remain evacuated, suspended in a state of uncertainty. The scale of this tragedy is truly staggering, and very hard to process.

‘Like so many others, I spent much of last week feeling powerless, and crushed under the weight of my beloved city’s grief. 

‘I needed to channel that sadness into something productive, so I reached out to friend and fellow LA-based author, to see if she’d join me in creating a fundraiser.

‘Minutes later, Kidlit For Los Angeles was born. Along with our fearless writer friends and, we’ve been working tirelessly to gather donations, design graphics, upload and manage items, and set up social media accounts (the wonderful @sydwiki designed our gorgeous fundraiser logo). 

‘Already, the response has been nothing short of remarkable: donations have been flooding in from agents, editors, and award-winning creators. 

Caroline L. Perry (pictured), who wrote the acclaimed children’s book The Corgi and the Queen, moved to Los Angeles 16 years ago

‘Our small but mighty team is burning the midnight oil to get all of the amazing offerings uploaded onto our platform before the auction goes live on Monday, and after shedding so many tears of sorrow, the sobs are now sparked by gratitude for all the kindness in our children’s publishing community.

‘Kidlit For Los Angeles’s goal is to raise money for wildfire relief efforts and support the organisations doing extraordinary work in the beautiful and unbreakable city of LA.’

Bidding is open for the Kidlit Los Angeles auction until January 26th here.

The idyllic Palisades neighbourhood has gone from a beloved celebrity paradise to something that now resembles a smouldering apocalyptic hellscape.

Hundreds of ritzy, multi-million-dollar homes are now nothing more than piles of rubble and ash, with little evidence left behind of the treasured heirlooms and household items that used to decorate the walls.

Properties that remain partially standing barely offer a glimpse of the glamour they once displayed. 

Instead of picturesque buildings with perfectly manicured lawns, the properties paint a portrait of the horrific fires.

The remains are covered in black soot and littered with debris, while the trees and shrubbery that were previously green and full of life are burnt to the crisp.

The children’s author is hoping to raise a ‘significant sum’ for charities aiding victims of the tragic fires via Kidlit

Six fires have erupted across the greater LA area since 7 January, killing at least 25 people and burning more than 12,000 homes and other structures. 

A new fire broke out last Wednesday in San Bernardino County east of Los Angeles, burning 30 acres, Cal Fire reported. Two other fires in Southern California were largely under control.

Critics have questioned whether the city properly prepared for fire danger in the face of National Weather Service warnings about hazardous weather, even though firefighters were on alert and able to deploy assets beforehand.

Fire Chief Kristin Crowley fielded queries last Wednesday about a Los Angeles Times report that fire officials had opted against ordering 1,000 firefighters to remain on duty for a second shift on 7 January as fires were beginning to grow out of control.

The Times cited critics who said the outgoing shift should have been kept on duty and that as many as 25 additional fire engines should have been moved into hillsides.

Crowley defended her department’s preparation, saying it was impossible to know exactly where fires might break out and that some firefighters needed to remain in place to field ordinary emergency calls anywhere in the city.

‘We did everything in our capability to surge where we could,’ Crowley said.

The Times quoted Deputy Chief Richard Fields, who was in charge of staffing and equipment decisions ahead of the fire, as saying the scrutiny was welcome but that critics were too easily second-guessing decisions after the fact.