I love writing fiction. Spawning a world from your imagination, searching for the right words to give it depth and meaning, is both wondrous and terrifying. What could give a writer more satisfaction than that simple, creative act? Contributing the result toward a worthy cause. In the past year, I've been fortunate enough to stumble across two projects intended to give writers this precious opportunity to blend their passion with a purpose.

Anthology House has just been released from ASEI Arts. This collection of eco-fiction stories features contributors from four continents, with all profits benefiting Habitat for Humanity’s “Habitat Hammers Back” initiative to help rebuild homes destroyed by last year's devastating hurricanes. Maia Kumari Gilman and the folks at ASEI Arts wanted to share an ecological vision with their audience, and to help hurricane victims at the same time. What an awesome concept! I was honored to contribute "Storm Rider" to this anthology.

The second project -- the Green Stories "Sustainable Societies" competition -- invited submissions in any genre and almost any format (play, film, radio, book, tv). Sponsored by the University of Southampton in the UK, the goal, and unifying theme, was to solicit fiction works that envision a more optimistic, sustainable future for humanity despite our environmental challenges. This visionary competition inspired hundreds of entries and culminated in an anthology of the best stories. I was thrilled to learn that my eco-fiction short story submission, "Resurrection Trust," will be the title story for this anthology. Other contests and projects are planned for the future as well, so if you're interested, check out this link to learn more:

Green Stories - Sustainable Societies - What's Next?

Granted, fiction isn't activism. Usually, it's enough to just tell a story you want and need to tell, hoping that it will touch readers in some way. But, sometimes, it's possible to join other like-minded writers to combine that passion with a common purpose. And that's pretty cool when the opportunity presents itself.

Authoring works of fiction isn't an act of charity. (Although, based on my recent royalty checks, maybe it is for me... ;-) Still, I believe that fiction can reach people in ways that nonfiction simply can't. And -- if it's a message that resonates with you -- helping communicate that vision can be a pretty wicked buzz.

Here's hoping that we all find similar chances to blend our passions with a shared purpose in the future. It's the ultimate win-win!

#SFWApro