NY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR BRENDA NOVAK SURPASSES $1 MILLION RAISED FOR DIABETES RESEARCH

As if being a mother of five and a New York Times bestselling author weren’t enough (upcoming titles include WHITE HEAT, BODY HEAT and KILLER HEAT), award-winning novelist Brenda Novak is also a true philanthropist. Wrapping up its 6th year, Novak’s Online Auction for Diabetes Research, benefitting the cure-focused work of the Miami-based Diabetes Research Institute (DiabetesResearch.org), surpassed the $1 million mark. Held each May at BrendaNovak.com, the month-long online auction features personal meetings, lunches and dinners with celebrity authors, world-class getaways and state-of-the-art gizmos and gadgets.  For Novak, it’s a labor of love and a concentrated effort to find a cure for her son who has lived with diabetes for most of his life.

“I remember when this all started how excited we were when we raised $34,000. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought we’d come so far so fast,” says Novak. 

As in previous years, the auction boasted some incredible and very unique items that are of particular interest to budding authors due in large part to the participation of some of the most prolific writers in the country who are offering their experience and expertise to help cultivate future talent. 

The Diabetes Research Institute, a center of excellence at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, is a recognized world leader in cure-focused research. Since its inception in the early 1970s, the DRI has made significant contributions to the field of diabetes research, pioneering many of the techniques used in islet transplantation. The DRI is now building upon these achievements by bridging cell-based therapies with emerging technologies to restore insulin production. For the millions of families already affected by diabetes, the Diabetes Research Institute is the best hope for a cure.  For more information, visit DiabetesResearch.org

About Brenda Novak
It was a shocking experience that jump-started Brenda Novak’s bestselling author career. “I caught my day-care provider drugging my children with cough syrup and Tylenol to get them to sleep while I was away,” Brenda says. “It was then that I decided I needed to do something from home.” However, writing was the last profession she expected to undertake. In fact, Brenda swears she didn’t have a creative bone in her body.
“When I first got the idea to become a novelist, it took me five years to teach myself the craft and finish my first book,” Brenda admits. “I learned how to write by reading what others have written. The best advice for any would-be author: read, read, read….”

Brenda sold her first book, and the rest is history. She’s hit various national bestseller lists, including Borders/Waldenbooks and The New York Times, and many of her novels have won or placed in contests such as the National Reader's Choice and the Bookseller's Best. She has three novels coming out this year: THE PERFECT COUPLE, THE PERFECT LIAR and THE PERFECT MURDER (August, September and October).

Brenda and her husband, Ted, live in Sacramento and are the proud parents of five children — three girls and two boys. She juggles her writing career with her children’s basketball and soccer games, field trips, carpool runs and homework sessions.