The winning character name will be in a book published in 2009 or 2010

Lee Child is the author of twelve Jack Reacher thrillers, including the New York Times bestsellers Persuader, The Enemy, One Shot, The Hard Way and most recently, Bad Luck and Trouble. He was born in 1954 in Coventry, England, and after part-time work in the theatre, he joined Granada Television in Manchester for an eighteen-year career as a presentation director.

Always a voracious reader, he then wrote Killing Floor, the first in the Jack Reacher series. Killing Floor won both the Anthony and the Barry Awards for Best First Mystery, became a critical success and launched the series which only continues to grow in popularity. Since then, Child's novels have become top 5 New York Times bestsellers, with film rights optioned by Paramount Pictures. Foreign rights in the Jack Reacher series have been sold in thirty-nine territories, and there are more than 14 million copies in print of his novels worldwide. Child has dual residencies ...an apartment in Manhattan, and a country house in the south of France, plus whatever airplane cabin he happens to be in while traveling between the two.

His 2008 Reacher novel, Nothing To Lose, is due out in March from Bantam UK and in June from Delacorte Press US.

Previous auctions winners have often become MAJOR characters in his novels.   M.E. Froelich (Without Fail), Frances Neagley (Without Fail and Bad luck and Trouble) and Eileen Hutton (One Shot) all won similar auctions. 

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You are bidding for a character name in Louis' future novel

Louis de Bernières published his first novel first novel, The War of Don Emmanuel’s Nether Parts in 1990 and won the Commonwealth Writers Prize, Best First Book Eurasia Region in 1991 and was selected by Granta magazine as one of the twenty Best of Young British Novelists in 1993.  The next year, his second book, Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord, won the Commonwealth Writers Prize, Best Book Eurasia Region.  His third book, The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman, was published in 1992. The phenomenal bestseller,Captain Corelli's Mandolin (1994), won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best Novel and was made into a film in 2001. Since then he has become well known internationally.

His last novel was Birds Without Wings (2004),  shortlisted for the 2004 Whitbread Novel Award and the 2005 Commonwealth Writers Prize (Eurasia Region, Best Book). His new novel, A Partisan's Daughter, is published in 2008.

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You are bidding for a character name in R J Ellory's novel, due in 2009

Between August 2001 and January 2002 Roger wrote three books, the first of which was called Candlemoth, shortlisted for the Crime Writers' Association Steel Dagger for Best Thriller.  This was purchased by Orion and published in 2003.  His second book, Ghostheart, was released in 2004, and his third book, A Quiet Vendetta, was released in August 2005. City of Lies and A Quiet Belief in Angels followed, the latter being awarded the Richard & Judy Best Read of the Year for 2008.

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You are bidding for a character name in Christine Feehan's novel due in 2009/10 likely, but not definitely, to be part of the ‘Dark’ series’.

New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan has over 30 novels published, including four series. Her debut novel Dark Prince received 3 of the 9 Paranormal Excellence Awards in Romantic Literature for 1999. Since then she has been published by Leisure Books, Pocket Books, and currently is writing for Berkley/Jove. She also has earned 7 more PEARL awards.

She has made numerous bestseller lists including the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, USA Today, Bookscan, B. Daltons, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, Waldenbooks, Ingrams, Borders, Rhapsody Book Club, Sirenbooks, and Walmart. Her latest book, Safe Harbor, debuted at number 1 on the New York Times. She has received numerous honors throughout her career including being a nominee for the RWA’s RITA and receiving a Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times.

She has been published in multiple languages and in many formats, including audio book, e-book, large print, and hardcover.

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You are bidding for a character name in Ken Follett's novel due in 2010

Ken Follett is an award-winning author with around 100 million copies of his books having been sold worldwide. Many of his books have been made into films or mini-series for TV including: Eye of the Needle, (won the Edgar award) The Key to Rebecca, Lie Down with Lions, On Wings of Eagles, The Third Twin and Code to Zero (2000).

Some of his other novels are: Triple, The Man from St Petersburg, Night over Water, A Dangerous Fortune, A Place Called Freedom, The Hammer of Eden, Jackdaws (2001 - won the Corine Prize), Hornet Flight (2002), Whiteout (2004),

His latest novel is World Without End, published in October 2007, is the long-awaited sequel to The Pillars of the Earth, . Pillars was on the New York Times' bestseller list for eighteen weeks. It also reached the No. 1 position on lists in Canada, Great Britain and Italy, and was on the German bestseller list for six years. Chosen by Oprah Winfrey for her book club in late 2007, 'Pillars' became a best-seller again 18 years after it was first published.

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You will be bidding for a character name in Esther Freud's novel, published in 2009 / 2010

Esther Freud was born in London in 1963.She trained as an actress before writing her first novel Hideous Kinky, published in 1991. Hideous Kinky was shortlisted for the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize and was made into a film starring Kate Winslet. In 1993 she was chosen by Granta as one of the Best of Young British Novelists. She has since written five more novels, Peerless Flats, Gaglow, The Wild,The Sea House, and most recently Love Falls, which was published in June 2007. She lives in London with her husband and three children.

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You will be bidding for a character name in Jack Campbell's 'Victorious', published in 2009

John Hemry is an author of military science fiction novels. Drawing on his experience as a retired US Navy officer, he has written the Stark's War and Paul Sinclair series. Under the name Jack Campbell, he has published four volumes of the Lost Fleet series. The Lost Fleet series is best-selling and is being published in several languages including Russian, Polish and French.

Jack's two eldest children have been diagnosed with autism.

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You will be bidding for a character name in Melissa's novel, to be published in 2010

Irish number one best-selling author Melissa Hill lives in Co Dublin. 

Her novels, Something You Should Know, Not What You Think, Never Say Never, Wishful Thinking, and All Because Of You have all been bestsellers and have been translated into many different languages including French, German, Finnish, Latvian, Spanish, Norwegian Portugese & Brazilian.

Her brand new book The Last to Know is out now in Ireland and will be published in Australia, New Zealand and Canada in Feb 2008 and in the UK in March 2008.

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You are bidding for a character name in one of Marti's future novels

Marti Leimbach is the author of several novels including the international bestseller, Dying Young (1990), which was made into a major motion picture starring Julia Roberts. She subsequently wrote Sun Dial Street (1992), Love and Houses (1997), Falling Backwards (2001), Roberto: Hamster on a Mission (2005).

Marti has a son with autism which inspired her to write Daniel Isn't Talking (2006), a passionate and heartfelt novel which explores a mother’s determination to help her autistic child.

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You are bidding for a character name in Susan's novel due in July 2009

Susan Lewis is the author of twenty-one bestselling novels including the highly popular A French Affair and the much acclaimed quartet of Silent Truths, Wicked Beauty, Intimate Strangers and The Hornbeam Tree.  Her memoire Just One More Day remained on the Sunday Times bestseller list for several months touching hearts both young and old, and taking many on a very nostalgic trip down their own memory lanes.  Susan's early career was spent in television production with Thames TV, before she took flight to live in the South of France, Los Angeles and once again the South of France where she now lives with her partner James, his sons Michael and Luke, and her dogs Coco and Lulabelle. 

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You will be bidding for a character name in Toby's novel, to be published in 2011

Toby Litt was born in 1968. He grew up in Ampthill, Bedfordshire. A graduate of Malcolm Bradburys Creative Writing M.A. at the University of East Anglia, he is the author of two books of short stories, Adventures in Capitalism and Exhibitionism, and seven novels, Beatniks, Corpsing, Deadkidsongs, Finding Myself, Ghost Story, Hospital and I play the drums in a band called okay. He edited Henry Jamess last novel The Outcry for Penguin Modern Classics. He is a Granta Best of Young British Novelist.

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You will be bidding for a character name in one of Elizabeth's future novels

Elizabeth Moon grew up in south Texas, spent several years in the Marine Corps, and has degrees in history and biology. She has twenty books in print, and has published more than thirty shorter works...in both science fiction and fantasy. Her first book, Sheepfarmer's Daughter, won the Compton Crook Award; Remnant Population was a Hugo finalist, and The Speed of Dark, which is about a high-functioning autistic adult, won the Nebula. Her most recent book, Victory Conditions, ended the Vatta's War series, and she's currently working on a fantasy novel set in Paksenarrion's universe. She and her husband have an autistic son, now in his twenties.

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Jodi is donating a character name in the book she is currently writing for 2010 – about a child with Asperger’s Syndrome

Jodi Picoult, 41, is the bestselling author of fourteen novels: Songs of the Humpback Whale (1992), Harvesting the Heart (1994), Picture Perfect (1995); Mercy (1996), The Pact (1998); Keeping Faith (1999), Plain Truth (2000), Salem Falls (2001), Perfect Match (2002), Second Glance (2003), My Sister's Keeper (2004), Vanishing Acts (2005), The Tenth Circle (2006) and her newest novel, Nineteen Minutes, which debuted at number one on the New York Times bestseller list.

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James is donating a character name in his novel proposed for 2009

James Sallis is a prolific man of letters. Author of the popular Lew Griffin novels and the recent novel Cypress Grove, he has also written an avant-garde novel, Renderings, and a spy novel, Death Will Have Your Eyes, as well as countless short stories, poems, and essays. His novel Drive (2005) has just been awarded the Deutsche Krimipreis 2008, Germany's oldest and most respected prize for crime novels, in the "international" category. In addition, his recent novel Salt River was selected as book of the week by Crime Fiction Dossier.

In addition, he has written and edited a number of musicological studies and works of literary criticism, including The Guitar Players, Difficult Lives, a study of noir writers, and Chester Himes: A Life, a biography of one of his literary heroes. Jim has even turned his hand to writing screenplays, and he pens regular columns for the Boston Globe, Fantasy and Science Fiction, and Web Del Sol.

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Get killed by Darren Shan in his novel due in October 2008!

Darren Shan is the author of 19 novels for children and teenagers, with the 20th, Death's Shadow, due for publication in May. His books have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide, and a movie of Cirque Du Freak is currently being filmed in New Orleans. His first novel for adults, Procession of the Dead, has just been published, under the name of D B Shan.

The winner can choose to be a character name in Darren's forthcoming book, The Demonata, in which the character will have several mentions and also enjoy a 'death scene'! Alternatively, Darren is working on a new adult book, Hell's Horizon where the winner could feature as an alternative.

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You are bidding for a character name in Fiona's novel due in 2010!

Fiona Walker began her writing career at just twenty one, and had instant success with her first novel, French Relations. Since then she has written nine best-sellers, most recently the Cotswolds-based Lodes series which include Lots of Love, Tongue in Cheek and Four Play. In her trademark ‘bucolic frolics’, larger than life characters enjoy sex and laughter, as well as tears and temptation, in action-packed rollercoaster plots with the best loved-up endings in the business.

Fiona lives in cheerful chaos in Somerset with her partner, Sam, their daughter Dora, and various horses, dogs and cats, at least some of which they claim responsibility for.

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You are bidding for a character name in Patricia's next novel, due out in 2009 or later

Patricia's debut novel, Lottery (2008) is a funny, poignant, and wise novel about a very rich underdog who shows everyone just how little his IQ says about his smarts. It has been described by Redbook Magazine as "tickles your funnybone, tugs your heartstrings, and redefines the word 'fortunate' all at once."

Lottery is currently long listed for the Orange Prize for literature.

Read more about Patricia

The authors reserve the right to make the winning character name as large or small a character as necessary for their books. The characters will not be based in any way on the actual winners’ characteristics

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