My Cape is in the Wash: Animal Charities

If you ever looked at my tabs above, you'd notice that I have one labeled Animal Links. You can add your favorite charity to those links and visit a few that are up there. AND while the giveaway is about more than just animals, it was started as a way to acknowledge kindness toward animals. 

Here is the linky so you don't have to visit the page:

I thought I'd take a moment to highlight a few of these. Also, remember you don't have to donate money, but time or even used serviceable goods. Just be kind! :)

Morris Animal Foundation

From their site: 

Morris Animal Foundation is a nonprofit organization that invests in science to advance animal health. The foundation is a global leader in funding scientific studies for cats, dogs, horses and wildlife. Since its founding in 1948, Morris Animal Foundation has invested more than $103 million toward 2,500+ studies that have led to significant breakthroughs in diagnostics, treatments and preventions to benefit animals worldwide. 

Morris Animal Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Tax ID: 84-6032307

This is one of the places that lets you easily donate as a memorial gift. I can personally tell you that getting a gift like this after a loss is comforting.

Big Dogs Huge Paws, Inc.

 Excerpt From their site:

We want to share with you our vision on how to address the urgent and growing need for a responsible, long term, and self sustaining Giant Breed Rescue in today’s society. 

Big Dogs Huge Paws was founded on the core philosophy is that every "BIG" dog deserves a chance. Our goal is to make sure that every dog receives only the best of care, food, and training. We will also ensure that they are properly evaluated (medically and behaviorally) and placed according to their special needs. Our medical officer and veterinarian team will provide first aid training to all foster volunteers and health seminars about the latest developments in animal medicine. We work actively with professional behaviorists who train each foster home how to handle introductions, properly evaluate dogs, work through specific behavioral issues, etc. Foster families undergo quarterly training sessions in order to maintain everyone's skills and abilities and ensure that the entire foster team is on the same page and has the tools they need for success. We will be working toward a special therapy dog training program as we identify dogs that would be good candidates and other potential partnerships. Eventually, our goal is to secure an actual facility where we can work with special behavioral or medical cases to give them the optimal chance of success! 

Big Dogs Huge Paws was officially incorporated as "Big Dogs Huge Paws, Inc" on June 11, 2008. Our EIN number is: 26-2780979

I've highlighted them previously because I think a lot of big dogs get left behind.

National Mill Dog Rescue

From their site:

National Mill Dog Rescue pledged to put an end to the cruelty of the commercial dog breeding industry, more commonly known as puppy milling. Through rescue and education, NMDR continues in its life-saving work while enlightening the public about the truth of pet store puppies. NMDR has taken a national approach to their rescue and adoption efforts and they have rescued and placed more than 10,000 mill dogs since their inception in 2007. These dogs are now living as cherished family members across the United States.

National Mill Dog Rescue is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Our EIN# is: 26-0574783.  

I've actually been following this group for a long time before they were on any of the major social media. I had a friend who helped them rescue dogs.

HeARTs Speak

From their site:

Mission and Vision

HeART’s Speak’s Mission is to unite art and advocacy to increase the visibility of shelter animals. 

The Vision of HeARTs Speak is a global community that treats all animals and people with compassion and respect.

HeARTs Speak is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a public charity under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. EIN #27-2327189

This is an organization I'm going to try to become a part of in the near future.

Also...

Don't forget to give while you shop:

Amazon Smile

iGive

eBay for Charity

There are just a few great services out there. Please feel free to list an animal charity in the linky. 

Remember:

Giving to any of these charities (time, money, serviceable goods) gets you an entry into the giveaway. Also you can help a neighbor out and that counts too. Even the smallest kindness can make someone's day. A smile, a kind word can go a long way for someone... and yes, that is an entry too. 😉

To enter for the giveaway you MUST go HERE to enter.

Have a great day!

😻

Blogger Guest Post: Leave a Mark Auctions

Lauren whom you might know from Shooting Stars Mag has a great book to charity event going on right now. I thought that if you don't know about it, this is a good time for Lauren to let you know! It's going on now! 

Lauren, Take it away!

Hello everyone!

Thank you to Melissa for allowing me to share Leave a Mark Auctions on her website. What are these auctions you ask? Well, back in 2007/2008, I worked with another blogger in holding a set of auctions that helped benefit the charity First Book. Authors marked up or annotated one of their novels (writing notes in the margins throughout the book) and other famous names marked up one of their favorite books. These would then go up for auction on a designated blog and whoever bid the highest would donate to First Book. Once they got a confirmation email, they would send to one of us and we'd make sure they got their book (by either mailing it ourselves or having the author send it out).

Well, I thought it would be great to bring the auctions back but instead of doing them during a set time frame, I wanted the auctions to be more ongoing! They officially started in August 2016 and I'm hoping to have at least two auctions a month. All of the money raised in August and September goes to First Book, but Oct-Dec money goes to The Trevor Project. The idea is to change the charity every few months so that the auctions can benefit a variety of places! Of course, some charities might come back around in the future.

While I'm no longer working with another blogger, I am very much grateful for everyone that has spread the word about the auctions. I couldn't do this without help - from people marking up books, to people bidding, to bloggers spreading the word, and on and on. If you would like to learn more about the auctions and see what books are available to bid on now, please visit www.leaveamarkauctions.wordpress.com. You bid in the comments, but if you have questions, feel free to reach out to me through email: lauren51990 AT aol DOT com. Each book's auction will last about one week, but some could be longer, so just pay attention to the end date/time and it will always be EST. The comments are set as such.

ALSO! I do recommend following the blog so you are aware of auctions as they go live, but also, because I will be having some fun giveaways to help raise more awareness and thank my followers as well as those who are bidding!

-Lauren Becker

Entangled Anthology

Description:

Ghosts, vampires, demons, and more! Entangled includes ten suspense-filled paranormal short stories from authors Cynthia Eden, Jennifer Estep, Edie Ramer, Lori Brighton, Michelle Diener, Misty Evans, Nancy Haddock, Liz Kreger, Dale Mayer, and Michelle Miles, plus a Seven Deadly Sins novella by Allison Brennan.

Stacia Kane contributed the foreword. Formatting and cover art were also donated to the project by Lori Devoti and Laura Morrigan.

All proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Stories include:

HALLOWEEN FROST by USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Estep (author of the Mythos Academy, Elemental Assassin, and Bigtime series) — It's Halloween at Mythos Academy, but Gwen Frost and her friends are in for more tricks than treats when they run into a mythological monster intent on killing them.

THE FAT CAT by Edie Ramer (author of Cattitude, Galaxy Girls) — In a battle for the souls of seven women, a wizard has the god of war on his side; all the witch has is a fat, black cat.

MEDIUM RARE by Nancy Haddock (author of the Oldest City Vampire trilogy) —What’s spooking the spirits of St. Augustine? As the witching hour of Halloween approaches, ghost seer Colleen Cotton must team with a by-the-book paranormal investigator to locate the one ghost who can save the city’s specters. If she fails, her own great grandfather’s spirit may be lost forever.

SWEET DEMON by Misty Evans (author of the Witches Anonymous series) —When Chicago’s vampire king insists Kali Sweet join his empire, the vengeance demon must rely on her ex – the half-human, half-chaos demon who left her at the altar three hundred years ago – in order to escape the vamp’s clutches.

SIAN’S SOLUTION by Dale Meyer (author of the Psychic Visions series) — When a vampire discovers the human man she loves has been captured and hung in a blood farm, she goes against her own kind and risks everything to save him.

A BIT OF BITE by Cynthia Eden (author of NEVER CRY WOLF and ANGEL OF DARKNESS) — A killer is stalking the streets of Crossroads, Mississippi, and it's up to Sheriff Ava Dushaine to stop him. But when suspicion falls on werewolf alpha Julian Kasey—Ava’s ex-lover and the man who still haunts her dreams—Ava knows that she'll either have to prove his innocence...or watch the whole town go up in flames.

SINFULLY SWEET by Michelle Miles (author of the Coffee House series) — When Chloe bakes a little magic into her pastries, she attracts the attention of Edward, the sexy half-demon, half-witch, who’s come to warn her those who murdered her sister are now after her.

A NIGHT OF FOREVER by Lori Brighton (author of A Night of Secrets and To Seduce an Earl) — Who is Aidan Callaghan? Mary Ellen James is intent on uncovering the truth about the mysterious man, but as she soon finds out, some things are best left buried in the past.

FEEL THE MAGIC by Liz Kreger (author of the Part of Tomorrow series) — Jenna Carmichael’s magical attempt to rectify Jessica Manfield’s birth identity takes an unexpected turn when the past comes back to haunt her.

BREAKING OUT by Michelle Diener (author of the Tudor-set historical suspense novel In A Treacherous Court) — Imprisoned in a secret facility, powerful telekinetic Kelli Barrack and two other 'special' inmates grab a chance to escape, only to confront their worst nightmares on the outside.

GHOSTLY JUSTICE, an all-new Seven Deadly Sins novella by New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan (author of the Seven Deadly Sins series) — Demon hunters Moira O’Donnell and Rafe Cooper are dragged into the dangerous world of nocturnal predators to find “Ghostly Justice” for a virgin sacrificed to an ancient blood demon.

I decided to do a mini review of this book since the descriptions were so good at profiling all the stories within this book. This was an enjoyable anthology even though some of the author afterwords were a bit bittersweet since many of them knew of someone with breast cancer or cancer in general. I've always believed that the cure to one cancer will lead to others (and cures for other diseases as well), so I believe it is important to support these endeavors even if it isn't the type of cancer that touched your life. These authors put their craft to work for a cure and I, for one, congratulate them!

As for the book... as with all anthologies you will find ones you love and ones you don't care for. I found my most surprising story by Michelle Diener since I enjoyed it so much and she never wrote a paranormal before. I hope she continues. Especially with the story within the anthology. I will also say that even though there are a couple of stories here that could be considered YA (or are, like Jennifer Estep's story) I would not say that this is for the YA group, most of the stories are adult in nature.

I give this book 4 stars. It is a great collection of stories to find a new author or continue with an author you enjoy! Plus it supports a great cause. I mean it's not often you can get 11 stories for only $2.99! Get it where you buy your ebooks!

I received this book from an author and no compensation for my review was given.