Would you want to be a Stephen King character?

In August, we brought to your attention the First Amendment Project’s eBay auction fundraiser, in which people could buy the right to name a character in novels or stories by popular American authors. To be thorough, we are now reporting back on the results of the auction. Not surprisingly, bards with the most commercial appeal raised the most cash. Pam Alexander of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., shelled out more than $25,000 for the right to name a character in Stephen King’s novel Cell after her brother, Ray Huizenga. (Hopefully Ray will not be chopped into little pieces or buried alive in the book—or be the one doing the chopping and burying, for that matter.) King also inspired the most bids, 76. John Grisham raised more than $12,000, and Nora Roberts racked up more than $6,800. The literati did their part, with Dave Eggers’ offer raising almost $5,500 and Michael Chabon pitching in with $6,000. Whose ego took a beating? Short-story writer ZZ Packer raised the least, just $520. FAP is still collecting its donations but says it raised “safely over $90,000.” Not a bad haul.

—Posted by Deanna Zammit

Photo: WENN/Newscom

September 28, 2005 | Permalink