Okay, first the funny, and then the not-so-much.
Fed Ex routes everything through Memphis. Everything. Even if you, say, send it from Washington D.C. to Manhattan. So if you are a debut author sending her first book via Fed Ex to Manhattan, you’d better make sure that a hurricane hasn’t shut Memphis down.
Otherwise, try the post office. “Acts of God” indeed!
Okay, now for the serious. I am a veteran of many a hurricane, as well as a former employee in teh field of hurricane relief, and I have never seen destruction like this. Want to help?
Information, direct from FEMA, on how you can help:
http://www.fema.gov/rrr/help2.shtm
A few sites for people interested in volunteering aid to those affected by Katrina:
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9115520/
The MSN frontpiece with a lot of helpful links.
http://www.la-spca.org/
The Louisiana SPCA
http://www.nvoad.org/
National Voluntary Organization Active in Disaster
http://www.redcross.org/article/0,1072,0_312_4498,00.html
The Red Cross
Also, regular blog reader Larissa Ione lost her home in this storm. Information on how to help Larissa can be found here
Praying for all of them.
P.S. Confidential to Sailor Boy (ha ha!): HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!
August 31st, 2005 at 9:01 pm
Happy Birthday to Sailor Boy!
I just updated my blog. It’s sad that it takes a natural disaster to movitivate me, but there you go. Diana, just how many times did you check the Fed Ex website as your manuscript winged its way to the south and then back up north? Wild?
What? You didn’t check every hour or so? Liar.
August 31st, 2005 at 10:58 pm
From a Tennessean, Memphis is A-Okay!
Smiles. Just some heavy showers and that’s all. Memphis should be good to go 
Sad to hear about those who’ve lost so much during Katrina.
Happy Birthday Sailor Boy.
September 2nd, 2005 at 12:08 am
Thanks so much for posting the link to help Larissa – she is so appreciative with the show of support the writing community has shown her, and as her friend, I’m just as grateful!