Clarion West is one of the family of Clarion science fiction writers' workshops, bootcamps that train some of the best writers in the field. It's run as a charity, and relies on fundraising to keep the lights on.
Clarion West board member Eileen Gunn sez, "The Clarion West Writers Workshop is running an unusual fundraising auction on eBay this week, offering bidders the right to appear in stories by various science-fiction and fantasy writers: Paul Park, Eileen Gunn, Vylar Kaftan, and K. Tempest Bradford. Eight auctions are underway already and will end at some point after 9:30 p.m. PST on June 26."