{"id":1781,"date":"2013-04-11T04:41:45","date_gmt":"2013-04-11T04:41:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dsavannah.com\/blog\/?p=1781"},"modified":"2013-04-23T01:42:41","modified_gmt":"2013-04-23T01:42:41","slug":"esdon-on-teamorange","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dsavannah.com\/blog\/index.php\/esdon-on-teamorange\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest Post: Christina Esdon on #TeamOrange<\/span>"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"orange_facebook_cover\"Woot woot! The Orange Karen anthology I’ve been blathering on (and on) {and on} about is launching RIGHT NOW!<\/span> <\/strong><\/p>\n

As a follow-up to yesterday’s post, Why I Am Orange<\/a>, I’m delighted to let Christina Esdon<\/a>, the #TeamOrange ringleader, tell you a bit more about the project, and give you the links to buy the book!<\/p>\n

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\"openquote_orange\"Many people out there say that too much of an emphasis on social media actually alienates people. Instead of having a face-to-face connection, people can text, message or post things at an emotional distance. People have thousands of friends on Facebook and Twitter, but depression and loneliness is on the rise. That\u2019s what some people say.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m here to tell you about the exception.<\/p>\n

In June 2012, Karen DeLabar was stricken with Toxic Shock Syndrome and almost died. She was put in a medically-induced coma for days to preserve her organs\u2019 functioning. After she rallied, her journey wasn\u2019t done yet. She had months of rehabilitation and surgeries.<\/p>\n

Karen\u2019s husband, family and friends all prayed and rallied for support. But not just friends in her personal life. Hundreds of people all over the world who knew Karen through her presence online also sent their positive thoughts and prayers. Online get well cards were sent to the hospital and covered the walls in her room. Friends changed their Facebook profiles to signify their support for Karen through a \u201cTeam Orange\u201d label. The virtual world became a sea of orange.<\/p>\n

And now, we prepare to blanket the Interwebs in orange once more.\u00a0 Forty authors spanning the United States, Canada, and Australia have written short stories of fiction in honor of Karen, all of them celebrating the theme \u201corange\u201d. This anthology, Orange Karen: A Tribute to a Warrior<\/span><\/strong>,<\/em> is now available on Amazon and Createspace. (dSavannah note: links to purchase are below.)<\/p>\n

All of the proceeds will go to Karen to assist her with mounting medical and rehabilitation costs.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

This anthology has something for everyone: romance, suspense, paranormal, science-fiction, fantasy, and humor.<\/p>\n

So long as there are kind-hearted people in this world, they will find their way to help others, whether in person, or hundreds of miles away. And that\u2019s what this anthology is all about. A bunch of people who care about Karen and her story who just want to help her out and share their appreciation of her strength, courage and resiliency.<\/p>\n

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Learn more about the authors (including me, dSavannah!) and Karen\u2019s story:<\/span><\/h2>\n