Tag Archives: Sylvia Day

Day it Forward – January 2020

We believe that every individual has the ability to make a difference in our world, and we want to give our readers a chance to bring attention to a cause important to them.

Every month, readers are encouraged to submit the charity of his/her choice by sharing a charity on one of our social media posts (or Sylvia’s)!

Your submissions will be reviewed by bestselling author Sylvia Day and she will select one or more to personally contribute to for the month. The selected charity will be featured in the next month’s Day it Forward to bring more awareness to its cause and allow for readers of Beyond Words to learn about and possibly donate to help its cause, too.

The charities Sylvia has chosen for the month of January 2020 are WWF-Australia’s Koala Crisis Fund and the Australian Red Cross.

WWF

WWF-Australia is one of Australia’s most trusted conservation organizations. WWF works in Australia and throughout Asia-Pacific to protect endangered species and habitats, meet the challenge of climate change, and build a world where people live in harmony with nature.

Australian Red Cross

The Australian Red Cross supports and empowers people and communities in times of vulnerability. Their purpose is to reduce suffering across Australia and internationally through mobilizing the power of humanity.

Sylvia donated $750 USD ($1032 AUD) to each charity, and you can, too, here (WWF-Australia) and here (Australian Red Cross).

If you would like to submit a charity to Day it Forward for the month of February, please comment on our Facebook page, Instagram, or Twitter #DayItForward post(s) or Sylvia’s Facebook page, Instagram, or Twitter #DayItForward post(s). We appreciate and consider all submissions!

Top 5 Book Boyfriends to Swoon Over

Few things compare to the enduring pleasure of falling in love with men who live in the worlds of words. With outsized passions or masculine overtures, they’re not called heroes for nothing. Who is your favorite book boyfriend? Here’s a list of book heroes we love falling in love with, from the Beyond Words Team.

1. Mr. Darcy

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Mr Darcy Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

The consummate “don’t you see you’re in love?!” story, Pride and Prejudice stars Mr. Darcy who makes the book list for striking the perfect balance between conceited rich guy and noble humanist of convictions. Restrained passions between him and Elizabeth Bennet in Austen’s 19th-century tale eventually lead them to discover one fine day that they’re really, truly, mad for each other. Kiss. Deliver a letter.

 

2. Noah Calhoun

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

Ryan Gosling - The Notebook

It’s 1946 and Noah Calhoun spends a sweaty day fixing up a house that’s almost 200 years old, to come home and quote some Whitman with a cup of tea. Need we say more? Dashing Noah Calhoun is the summer boyfriend of our dreams. And winter love, and spring love…

 

 

3. Heathcliff

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Laurence Olivier Merle Oberon Wuthering Heights

Love. It’s all about hate. Or at least acute episodes of brooding 18th-century passion. Heathcliff makes the list for his total dedication to loving Catherine as much as he can’t stand her. Their love blossoms as kids when social class is not an issue, but the fickle Catherine opts to marry for money and status, leaving Heathcliff to cut off his nose to spite his face. We understand the smoldering nature of your intense desire, Heathcliff, even if Catherine never quite does.

 

4. Rhett Butler

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Rhett and Bonnie Blue Butler

Wiles don’t work. Tears don’t do the trick. Straight up pleading neither. Rhett Butler is the rebel with a cause. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows we are stronger than we think we are. And while he is the epitome of all that is enterprising, cunning, and masculine, the velvet of his true heart comes to life when he has a daughter. Sigh.

 

5. Gideon Cross

The Crossfire Series by Sylvia Day

Henry Cavill

“Gideon Cross was an impossibly gorgeous man, so beautiful that people stopped and stared when he walked by. I’d once thought of him as a sex god, and his frequent–and enthusiastic–displays of prowess constantly proved me right, but I also knew he was all too human.” – Entwined with You

Yes.

Write to Give: 7 Charitable Authors

One of the only things better than sitting down with a good book is knowing that the author who penned it cares deeply about giving back to his or her fanbase and communities. There are many authors who have learned the value of generosity and selflessness, and they exercise it on a regular basis. Did your favorite novelist make the list of authors who are giving back? Here are seven charitable authors we love.

1. Sylvia Day’s Day It Forward

Sylvia Day

Aside from being a #1 New York Times and #1 international best-selling author, Day also connects with her fans to bring attention to a new charity every month. Readers have the option to submit a one-paragraph essay on their favorite charity. Day reviews each submission and picks one to personally contribute to. Each selection is featured in the monthly installment of Day It Forward. Thus far, charities have included Alexandra’s House, the National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease, and Gentle Barn.

2. The Dean and Gerda Koontz Foundation

Suspense-thriller author Dean Koontz and his wife Gerda have generously donated in the past to Canine Companions for Independence — an organization that trains and provides assistance dogs — as well as Saint Michael’s Abbey in California. The Koontzes frequently focus their donations on people with disabilities and severely ill children.

3. J.K. Rowling

Aside from her ridiculously popular series, J.K. Rowling is also known for her generosity. In fact, she wrote Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them as part of a two-book pair of Harry Potter schoolbooks. Proceeds have gone to Comic Relief, a charity that uses entertainment to help eliminate poverty.

4. Romance Novelist Nora Roberts

This bestselling author’s foundation, created in 1991, supports not only literacy but also the arts, children’s programs, and humanitarian efforts. The foundation donated time, money, and energy to working with libraries, museums, and theaters.

5. The Jonathan and Faye Kellerman Foundation

Jonathan Kellerman is not just a gifted suspense novelist; together, he and his wife have also formed a foundation that’s given grants to the Children’s Hospital of LA, the Boston Institute of Music, and the University of Southern California.

6. Dave Eggers

Known for his best-selling memoir A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, Eggers wrote What Is The What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng, with proceeds going to the Valentino Achak Deng Foundation. This foundation works to build schools, libraries, and community centers to create educational opportunities in South Sudan.

7. Isabel Allende

Allende seeks to empower women and created her foundation in honor of her daughter, who passed on at a young age. In remembrance of her daughter, who volunteered in Venezuela and Spain, Allende donates to organizations like the Global Fund for Women, in addition to Oritel, which offers human services to low income families.

Does an author you’re a fan of give back to charity? We’d love to hear about it! And don’t forget to contact us if you have a charity you’d like to be considered for Day It Forward. You can reach us at editorial@beyondwords.life with “Day it Forward” as the subject line.

Day it Forward – November 2017

We believe that every individual has the ability to make a difference in our world, and we want to give our readers a chance to bring attention to a cause important to them.

Every month, readers are encouraged to submit the charity of his/her choice by emailing us. (You can also easily submit a charity on one of our social media posts!)

Your submissions will be reviewed by bestselling author Sylvia Day and she will select one or more to personally contribute to for the month. The selected charity will be featured in the next month’s Day it Forward to bring more awareness to its cause and allow for readers of Beyond Words to learn about and possibly donate to help its cause, too.

 

The charities Sylvia has chosen for the month of November 2017 are Vetsports and the Elephant Sanctuary.

 

vet sports logoVetsports was “founded in 2012 by three combat Veterans, VETSports aims to set the standard for how to improve Veteran’s physical, mental, and emotional health through sports, physical activity, and community involvement.” Vetsports was submitted by Cara Gadero on Facebook.

 

 

elephant sanctuaryThe Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee exists to provide captive elephants with individualized care, the companionship of a herd, and the opportunity to live out their lives in a safe haven dedicated to their well-being, and to raise public awareness of the complex needs of elephants in captivity, and the crisis facing elephants in the wild.” The Elephant Sanctuary was submitted by a reader on Instagram.

 

 

Sylvia will be donating $750 to each charity, and you can, too, here (Vetsports) and here (Elephant Sanctuary).

If you would like to submit a charity to Day it Forward for the month of December, please send submissions by November 25th, 2017 to contact@beyondwords.life with the subject line “December 2017 Day it Forward”, or comment on our Facebook page, Instagram, or Twitter. We appreciate and consider all submissions!

Day it Forward – September 2017

We believe that every individual has the ability to make a difference in our world, and we want to give our readers a chance to bring attention to a cause important to them.

Every month, readers are encouraged to submit the charity of his/her choice. Tell us as much or as little as you like, such as what the charity is about, why it is important to you, and anything else you wish to share with us – we want to know all about it! (You can also easily submit a charity on one of our social media posts.)

Your submissions will be reviewed by bestselling author Sylvia Day and she will select one to personally contribute to for the month. The selected charity will be featured in the next month’s Day it Forward to bring more awareness to its cause and allow for readers of Beyond Words to learn about and possibly donate to help its cause, too.

The charities Sylvia has chosen for the month of September 2017 are Team Rubicon and SBP: Disaster Resilience and Recovery

We can’t prevent natural disasters. But we can prevent some of the suffering they cause. By increasing resilience before disasters occur and streamlining the post-disaster recovery process, we’re able to fortify people against unnecessary stress and trauma. -SBP

SBP is providing recovery efforts in Houston, TX following Hurricane Harvey, as well as many other places where they also provide resilience training.

 

Team Rubicon‘s primary mission is providing disaster relief to those affected by natural disasters, be they domestic or international. By pairing the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders, medical professionals, and technology solutions, Team Rubicon aims to provide the greatest service and impact possible.

Sylvia will be donating $1,375 to each charity, and you can, too here (Team Rubicon) and here (SBP).

If you would like to submit a charity to Day it Forward for the month of October, please send submissions by September 25th, 2017 to contact@beyondwords.life with the subject line “October 2017 Day it Forward”.

Day it Forward – January 2017

We believe that every individual has the ability to make a difference in our world, and we want to give our readers a chance to bring attention to a cause important to them.

Every month, we will ask you to submit the charity of your choice (please send submissions to contact@beyondwords.life with “February Day it Forward” in the subject line). Tell us what the charity is about, why it is important to you, and anything else you feel is important to share with us.

Your submissions will be reviewed by bestselling author Sylvia Day and she will select one to personally contribute to for the month. The selected charity will be featured in the next month’s Day it Forward to bring more awareness to its cause and allow for readers of Beyond Words to donate as well.

The charity chosen for the month of January is the National Park Foundation. One of our 2017 resolutions here at Beyond Words is to get outside more and appreciate the beauty of our natural world. Where better to do it than right in our backyard? Not to mention, protecting our national parks here at home helps to ensure that they can be appreciated by generations to come.

(From the National Park Foundation:)

national park foundation All of us must do our part to protect our national parks—they are a uniquely American idea. Our mission is to the support the National Park Service, and through the National Park Foundation, we can all safeguard our national heritage, ensuring generations of national park enthusiasts can enjoy the parks we love…

The National Park Foundation, the official charitable partner of the National Park Service, enriches America’s national parks and programs through the support of private citizens, park lovers, stewards of nature, history enthusiasts, and wilderness adventurers. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the Foundation grew out of a legacy of park protection that began over a century ago, when ordinary citizens took action to establish and protect our national parks.

Sylvia will be donating $1,500 to the National Park Foundation and you can donate, too, here. If you would like to submit a charity to Day it Forward for the month of February, please send submissions by January 25th, 2017 to contact@beyondwords.life.

Day it Forward – June 2016

We believe that every individual has the ability to make a difference in our world, and we want to give our readers a chance to bring attention to a cause that is important to them.

Every month, we will ask you to submit the charity of your choice (send to contact@beyondwords.life with “Day it Forward” in the subject line). If you want, tell us what the charity is about, why it is important to you, and anything else you feel is important to share.

Your submissions will be reviewed by bestselling author Sylvia Day and she will select one to personally contribute to for the month. The selected charity will be featured in the next month’s Day it Forward to bring more awareness to its cause and allow for readers of Beyond Words to donate as well.

The submission chosen for the month of June is Action for Autism136463105155681036128

Action for Autism (AFA) is dedicated to helping children and the families of children affected by autism to assist them in the attainment of available resources and thereby improve their lives. 1 in every 88 children born today will be diagnosed with some form of autism.  AFA seeks to provide awareness and education about autism and to help families get the resources to best suit their needs.

Sylvia will be donating $1,000 to Action for Autism. You can donate, too, here.

If you would like to submit a charity to Day it Forward for the month of July, please send submissions by June 24th, 2016 to contact@beyondwords.life.

Eight Unstoppable Women Writers Balancing Work and Family

Much controversy and conversation still centers around the idea of women “having it all”. The thought of a family and successful career can be overwhelming to some, and downright unattainable to others, but our culture is dripping with women who can, indeed, balance work and family. Women writers, specifically, need only turn to their tribe to see how they might balance their family lives and their calling to write.

Cheryl Strayed

TEDxConcordiaUPortland2012 - Cheryl Strayed
Photo: Armosa Studios, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

She’s the mother of two and author of several books, including the New York Times bestseller, Wild, which was adapted into a feature film. She believes the positive relationship a woman has with her family depends on her pursuing her dreams rather than giving them up. While her children were young, she left them for a two-week writer’s retreat to finish Wild. She says it was one of the hardest—and most necessary—things she’d ever had to do.

“You will learn a lot about yourself if you stretch in the direction of goodness, of bigness, of kindness, of forgiveness, of emotional bravery. Be a warrior for love.” –Cheryl Strayed

 

Sylvia Day

Quick pre-party in the hotel 🙂 #MusiCaresPOTY #bobdylan #thegrammys #redwine

A photo posted by Sylvia Day (@sylvia_day) on


She’s a #1 best-selling author in 28 countries and just this April, she released the fifth and final novel in her popular Crossfire series. She’s considered one of the world’s most widely read writers, which is a feat in itself. Her accolades include winning Amazon’s Best of the Year Award and nomination for the Goodreads Choice Award.Day has two children, and she’s published over 20 novels while raising them. As if writing and raising kids isn’t enough, she’s also a workshop presenter, speaker and panelist at literary events across the country.

“I’ve learned to allow myself the room to fall in love with what I’m writing.” –Sylvia Day

 

Edwidge Danticat

edwidge danticat
By David Shankbone – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

This Haitian-American best-selling writer’s work centers on themes like the mother/daughter relationship, the relationship to the self and relationship to place. She’s a proponent of social activism, makes time for interviews and appearances, and she continues to write, all while raising two daughters in Miami.

“Create dangerously, for people who read dangerously. … Writing, knowing in part that no matter how trivial your words may seem, someday, somewhere, someone may risk his or her life to read them.” – Edwidge Danticat

 

J.K. Rowling

100405_EasterEggRoll_682
Photo: Daniel Ogren, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

She created one of the world’s most beloved characters, Harry Potter. Rowling was teaching English in Portugal when the idea for the best-selling series came to her. In the meantime, she’d married and had a baby-girl. After her divorce, she lived in poverty in England, but she continued to write what would become one of the most successful series to date.

‘We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.” –J.K. Rowling

 

A.S. Byatt

A.S. Byatt
Photo by Martin Figura, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

She’s been named one of Britain’s greatest writers and won the prestigious Booker Prize. She did it all while raising four children (two from her first marriage and two from her second marriage). She believes that women, regardless of whether or not they have a family, must create if that’s what they are called to do.

“I think of my writing simply in terms of pleasure. It’s the most important think in my life– making things. Much as I love my husband and my children, I love them only because I am the person who makes things.” –A.S. Byatt

 

Mary Karr

She’s the best-selling author of three memoirs, one of which is considered among the best memoirs ever written. Her writing delves deep into the pits of her past struggles with alcoholism. Now, over 20 years sober, she’s written a mountain of poetry in addition to her memoirs, she teaches creative writing on the university level, and she’s raised a child.

“Sure the world breeds monsters, but kindness grows just as wild…” –Mary Karr

 

Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison (1)
Photo: Angela RadulescuCC BY-SA 2.0


She’s regarded as one of the best novelists of the 21st Century, she’s won a Pulitzer Prize and she gave a voice to diversity in literature. Morrison rose early to write her novels while her sons slept. At the time, she also served as an editor at Random House, bringing other diverse writers to the world.

“If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, you must be the one to write it.” –Toni Morrison

 

Emily Giffin

Her best-selling chick-lit novels have been made into movies, served as the subjects of many a book club and graced the New York Times bestseller list time and again. Giffin, a former lawyer, is still going strong, writing new novels while raising twin boys, Edward and George, and her daughter, Harriet.

“Guilt is a supreme waste of time and energy.” –Emily Giffin

Day it Forward – April 2016

We believe that every individual has the ability to make a difference in our world, and we want to give our readers a chance to bring attention to a cause that is important to them.

Every month, we will ask you to submit a one-paragraph essay on a charity of your choice. We want to know what the charity is about, why it is important to you, and anything else you think is important for us to know.

Your submissions will be reviewed by bestselling author Sylvia Day and she will select one to personally contribute to for the month. Your charity will also be featured in the following month’s installment of Day it Forward to bring more awareness to its cause and allow for readers of Beyond Words to donate as well.

 

The submission chosen for the month of April is the Southern Nevada Beagle Rescue Foundation.

southern nevada beagle rescue foundation

The SNBRF is a non-profit foundation dedicated to the rescue of Beagles and education about responsible dog and puppy ownership. We provide rescue and adoption services primarily in Las Vegas, Henderson, and the rest of Clark County Nevada and find permanent homes for Beagles who have been surrendered by their owners or who have been abandoned or abused. Southern Nevada Beagle Rescue does not house dogs and puppies in a shelter as in many rescue groups. Our dogs are cared for in healthy, safe, loving foster home environments.

Sylvia will be donating $1,500 to the Southern Nevada Beagle Rescue Foundation. You can donate, too, here.

Day it Forward – December 2015

We believe that every individual has the ability to make a difference in our world, and we want to give our readers a chance to bring attention to a cause that is important to them.

Every month, we will ask you to submit a one-paragraph essay on a charity of your choice. We want to know what the charity is about, why it is important to you, and anything else you think is important for us to know.

Your submissions will be reviewed by bestselling author Sylvia Day and she will select one to personally contribute to for the month. Your charity will also be featured in the following month’s installment of Day it Forward to bring more awareness to its cause and allow for readers of Beyond Words to donate as well.

The submission chosen for the month of December comes from Shabnam Farhadi:312545b

In late 2013, my mother was diagnosed with stage IIB breast cancer. The doctors told us that it had metastasized which meant we were in for a long, hard battle. Luckily, our local branch of the Susan G. Komen in Southwest Florida, came prepared to help.  They gave us educational seminars, emotional support, and recommendations to different local doctors. In addition, they gave us a gift bag full of goodies that made the process easier to handle (pillow for chemo chairs, a cap for when all her hair fell out, a pill box for the thousands of medications they forced into her, etc.) They helped to prepare us for a battle we weren’t too knowledgeable about…My mother is approaching her two-year survivorship in May of 2016. I attribute a great deal of her strength to bringing us here. But I can’t say that the foundation had no part in it. The Susan G. Komen foundation in Southwest Florida was a blessing and the people who volunteer there are heroes.

 

Sylvia will be donating $1,000 to Susan G. Komen Southwest Florida. You can donate, too, here.

 

full_1404405744.pngThis month, we will also spotlight the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, an organization committed to finding a cure for breast cancer. They provide funding for cancer research worldwide to fuel advances in tumor biology, genetics, prevention, treatment, metastasis and survivorship.


Sylvia will be donating $1,500 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. You can donate, too, here.

 

To have your charity considered for January’s installment of Day it Forward, please email your submissions to editorial@beyondwords.life with “January Day it Forward” in the subject line by December 25, 2015.