A fundraising appeal for child refugees by author Patrick Ness has raised more than £400,000 in just 36 hours thanks to contributions from fellow writers around the world.
David Nicholls, the author of One Day, and John Green, who wrote bestselling novel The Fault in Our Stars, are among those backing his appeal for charity Save the Children.
Ness started the drive on Thursday, after photos of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi, who drowned trying to reach Europe with his family sent shockwaves around the world.
Aylan Kurdi (L) drowned with his brother Galip and their mother as his family tried to reach Europe
After slamming David Cameron’s response to the crisis on Twitter, he wrote that tweeting felt like the “epitome of impotence” and that he wanted to do more.
Starting the appeal, Ness wrote an hour later: “Okay, I don't know if this'll work but I'll match donations up to £10k to do *something* to help this refugee crisis.”
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The author originally set a target of £20,000, pledging to match half of that amount himself, but donations had rocketed past it within hours.
Ness wrote that his “heart was bursting” as support flooded in from around the world, including from prominent fellow writers.
John Green, the author of The Fault in Our Stars, was one of the supporters
Green, who recently saw The Fault in Our Stars turned into a Hollywood film swiftly matched the next £10,000, followed by Derek Landy, the author of children's series Skulduggery Pleasant, and Marian Keys.
JoJo Moyes, whose novel Me Before You is being made into a film starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin, joined the drive, as did Horrid Henry writer Francesca Simon and a group of young adult authors in the US.
You're such decent, decent people, thank you for your generosity ❤
— Marian Keyes (@MarianKeyes) September 4, 2015
Publishing companies and hundreds of members of the public have donated, along with anonymous donors, including one who gave £10,000.
By Friday night, the total had passed £310,000, meaning that with the addition of Gift Aid and remaining pledges, it had reached £400,000.
We're at £310,533. With Gift Aid £351,378. There's £50,000 pledged. So we've raised £401,378 or $609,000. In 36 hours. *hugs hugs hugs*
— Patrick Ness (@Patrick_Ness) September 4, 2015
“Genuinely crying. You amazing people,” a stunned Ness wrote on the fundraising page.
He told The Independent that he was in "absolute shock" about the appeal's success.
"I can't believe it," he added. "I was just hoping for around £10,000 really and we're over £400,000.
"And just this morning, we've have further £10,000 pledges from authors Cressida Cowell and Anthony Horowitz.
"But also, every time I see a £1 or £5 donation, I also just think how amazing that is, people doing what they can. It's overwhelming."
Anthony Horowitz, author of the new James Bond novel, is among donors
Ness said that it was not surprising that people are motivated to help the crisis themselves, given the international response.
He added: "There is a lot of frustration with the responses of governments out there, and if we've got to do it ourselves, then maybe this is one way to do that."
A spokesperson for Save the Children said the charity was “overwhelmed by the generosity” of everyone who had donated. Refugees Welcome: Supporters back The Independent's campaign
The charity works with the world’s youngest and most vulnerable refugees in both the countries they are fleeing, including Syria, and in Europe.
It has started a crisis appeal for child refuges, calling the crisis Europe’s “worst since the Second World War”.
Ness, whose most recent novel The Rest of Us Live Here, was published last month, is known for his young adult fiction, as well as adult novels and short stories.
He has also written the screenplay for the film version of his book A Monster Calls, which stars Liam Neeson, Sigourney Weaver and Felicity Jones.
This newspaper has started a campaign for the UK to welcome a fair share of refugees.
