Please Help Duane Wilkins Pay His Medical Debt

Hi! My name is Shawn Speakman, owner of Grim Oak Press and The Signed Page. And I'm fundraising on behalf of my friend and fellow bookseller Duane Wilkins.

Duane has been a bookseller at University Book Store in Seattle, WA for decades. I first met him in 1996 at a book signing event for author Terry Brooks. It was clear right from the start that Duane loved SF&F like I did. In the years that followed, we became friends and I witnessed him build one of the best yearly SF&F event calendars in the country. When SF&F authors visited Seattle on tour, they invariably stopped at University Book Store. Because of Duane. He's hand-sold more SF&F books that I even care to imagine.

In 2021, Duane had a serious medical scare that landed him in the hospital for two weeks. While he had health insurance through University Book Store, it didn't cover the entirety of his medical care. The bills piled up as they usually do. He's been struggling to pay off that debt ever since.

Recently, the collection agency filed complaint against Duane for the remaining balance of about $4700. He's been summoned to court. This is a stress he does not need.

I told him that I'd help him relieve that debt and raise some extra funds for any future situation that might require aid.

That's where you come in.

If you donate $10 or more, Grim Oak Press will email you free ebooks of our amazing anthologies Unfettered, Unfettered II, Unfettered III, Unbound, and Unbound II. These are filled with amazing SF&F short stories. Google them to view their incredible author line-ups.

And if you donate more than $20 to Duane's GoFund Me, several of these writers are willing to give free ebooks of some of their novels. Starting with me and my newly-edited edition of The Dark Thorn.

I hope you will consider donating to Duane's GoFundMe and help spread word about it. Together, we can help one of our best SF&F booksellers.

With Magic,

Shawn Speakman

PS: Be sure to include your email address on your donation so I can deliver your free ebooks for your generous contribution. Thank you.

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A LETTER FROM ROBIN HOBB:

On a regular basis, I go by University Book Store in Seattle to sign and dedicate books. Why? How? Because Duane Wilkins is there, and years ago he invited me to do that. So literally hundreds of signed books have gone out to readers as a result of that. Not just my books. He regularly invites sf and fantasy authors to come and sign.

I’ve known Duane for over thirty years. He has been a supporter of, not just me, but dozens of sf and fantasy writers in the Seattle area. He has hosted signings for them, hand-sold their books, and been instrumental in keeping their books in stock at the store. He has been a rock for so many writers.

As anyone who has ever experienced steep medical bills know, they overwhelm the household budget. To keep the creditors and collection agencies happy, other needs are neglected. Like needing a cooking range where more than one burner works, or a refrigerator that actually keeps things cold. Plumbing and heating issues that plague old houses. If this GoFundMe continues to gather funds, it can make a major difference in the day-to-day life of a very dedicated bookseller.

Thank you for supporting Duane.

-Robin Hobb