Authors auction naming rights for charity

NEW YORK, Aug. 16 (UPI) -- Sixteen top U.S. authors are auctioning off naming rights to a character or place in their books to raise money for the First Amendment Project.

The First Amendment Project works to protect and promote freedom of information, expression and petition.

For his part, Stephen King is offering a character name in a novel called "Cell," CNN/Money reported Tuesday.

"Buyer should be aware that 'CELL' is a violent piece of work ... Like cheap whiskey, it's very nasty and extremely satisfying," King wrote in his description on eBay. "Character can be male or female, but a buyer who wants to die must in this case be female."

Other authors include Michael Chabon, John Grisham, Amy Tan, Daniel Handler, Peter Straub, Andrew Sean Greer, Karen Joy Fowler, Dorothy Allison, Jonathan Lethem, Ayelet Waldman, Nora Roberts, Neil Gaiman, Dave Eggers, Rick Moody and ZZ Packer.