When I was assembling the Literary Motherlode package for the Mercury Charity Auction, I simply aimed to gather a bunch of stuff that I would want to buy, and then to snatch it up at the auction as a Christmas present to myself. But the three donors—Plazm, Tin House, and McSweeney’s (the entire McSweeney’s empire, actually)—all gave so generously that the package is threatening to blow past my meager budget. But still—what are credit cards for, if not overspending your self-imposed limits on once-in-a-lifetime bargains?

The online description doesn’t have a full description of what’s in the packages, so check it out below.

From McSweeney’s and family: One year subscriptions to McSweeney’s, The Believer, and Wholphin (their DVD magazine), plus membership to the McSweeney’s Book Release Club. This gets the next 10 books that they publish mailed to you before they even hit the bookstores. Plus, McSweeney’s has promised to throw in some miscellaneous books and/or treats for the winning bidder.

From Plazm: The limited edition (37/50) Plazm Collector’s Box, which includes all remaining back issues of Plazm magazine packaged in a custom silkscreened box (21 issues remain excluding sold out issues), plus early Plazm handbills and flyers, 4 posters, a Plazm T-shirt, and the next issue of Plazm magazine shipped to you hot off the press.

And from Tin House: A one-year subscription to Tin House, plus the following terrific collection of books: Ovenman by Jeff Parker, The Entire Predicament by Lucy Corin, Yes, Yes, Cherries by Mary Otis, Human Resources by Josh Goldfaden, Do Me: Tales of Sex & Love from Tin House, The World Within: Writers Talk, The Best of Tin House, and Tin House v.9 n.2: Fantastic Women.
(The Entire Predicament was probably my favorite book of 2007, and I can personally vouch for about half of the books, particularly Ovenman and Human Resources.)

Pretty impressive, right? They looked even better all spread out on my desk before everything was so callously ripped away and whisked off to the Auction Item Vault, where they’ll remain until the auction ends this Friday at 4 pm. Happy bidding, and happy reading.