Wai Chim

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This podcast features author Wai Chim who is donating copies of her book with fore-edge hand-painting to the #AuthorsForFireys auction to raise money for the fire fighting effort here in Australia. The full set of #AuthorsForFireys interviews and blog posts will be here as soon as they are published, as interviews and guest blogs for #AuthorsForWildlife will be here.

Who is Wai Chim?

Wai is the author of a number of children’s titles, including the Chook Chook series and Shaozhen. Her debut YA, Freedom Swimmer was published by Allen & Unwin in Sept 2016. The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling is out in August 2019.

Wai was born in New York City in the US. Although her parents didn’t speak much English, Wai harboured a passion for books from a very young age, sneaking stories into bed to read well into the night.

Wai graduated from New York’s elite Stuyvesant High School and later from Duke University with majors in Economics and English. With a thirst for adventure and unique experiences (okay I really just didn’t know what else to do!), after graduation Wai moved to Japan where she spent over a year teaching English to children.

In 2006, she moved to Australia to enjoy the sun and to pursue her passion for writing. She completed a Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing at the University of Sydney under the inspiring tutelage of great Australian writers such as Kathryn Heyman and David Brooks.

Outside of writing, Wai enjoys cooking, pretending to yoga and ogling cute animals. She also spends a lot of her time creating paper craft animations and adventures for @bogsthepenguin. Part of the internet generation, she works as a digital producer, copywriter and digital creative for a number of notable Australian brands and agencies.

Wai is represented by Brian Cook at The Authors’ Agent. Her debut YA, Freedom Swimmmer was published in September 2016 with Allen & Unwin.

Find Wai on her website and on twitter at onewpc.

Wai Chim’s offer

So for #AuthorsForFireys I'm offering limited edition painted-edge copies of DUMPLING (I'll sign 'em of course 😂) Happy to make more, depending on interest. Reply below with your donation amt for 1 x copy. 😘😘 pic.twitter.com/a6cCZzOSwd

— Wai Chim 詹慧萍 (@onewpc) January 5, 2020

So for #AuthorsForFireys I’m offering limited edition painted-edge copies of DUMPLING (I’ll sign ’em of course 😂) Happy to make more, depending on interest. Reply below with your donation amt for 1 x copy. 😘😘

Update: new donation information.

As originally wanted by @EmilyGale and @NovaWeetman, this fundraiser is now officially for ALL fire services in Australia. The official Authors For Fireys Website will be updated accordingly. Winning bidders or auctioning authors can nominate funds to the fire service of their choice. #AuthorsForFireys.

Want to know if this is legit?

Yes, it is legit. The whole community — Australian and global — is rallying together to support Australian firefighters, wildlife recuse and bushfire victims. Here are some reports on this effort.

• SBS: Australian authors rally around to raise funds for bushfire relief effort
• SMH: Authors ask readers to dig deep for nation’s bushfire crisis
• Book Riot: AUTHORS SUPPORT AUSTRALIA FIRE SERVICES WITH #AUTHORSFORFIREYS
• Penguin Books: Authors For Fireys — Australian authors band together to support the Country Fire Authority
• Daily Nous: Philosophers Raising Funds for Firefighters in Australia
• ArtsHub: Six ways artists can take action on bushfires

Fundraiser information from Emily Gale

The #AuthorsForFireys auction is taking place only on Twitter from Monday 6th January. It ends at 11pm AEST on Saturday 11th January. Scores of authors, illustrators and book industry people will host their own individual auction under the hashtag #AuthorsForFireys. (Also #AuthorsForFiries and now #AuthorsForWildlife). Bids will take place on each tweet. At the end, the highest bidder donates the amount directly to the firefighters fund or the Wildlife fund. After receiving proof of donation, Authors will dispatch or arrange delivery of the goods/services.

Items up for auction include signed books, original illustrations, one-off fan-art and craft, unique gifts and manuscript critiques for writers.

There is a supporting site, explaining how it works, at this address: https://authorsforfireys.wixsite.com/website.

Given the $18million fundraiser (and climbing, thanks Celeste Barber) for the NSW RFS this week, proceeds from this auction are going to the CFA (Victoria).

Related:

Dumplings bring oceans of joy: thanks to Wai Chim Narelle Warren Eleanor Limprecht