By Siobhan O’Leary

In an almost prescient move, German publisher Dryas Verlag has spent the last year donating 50 cents from every sale of the book Schattenläufer und Perlenmädchen – Abenteuer Alltag in Japan to the Japanese chapter of Doctors Without Borders to be used in the event of an earthquake.

In light of the tragic events of the past week, publisher Sandra Thoms and author Christine Liew have decided to double their donations to one euro per book sold from March 16th to June 16th. According to BuchMarkt, the retail price of the book will stay the same, so the added contributions will come directly out of the pockets of the publisher and author.

Donations are actually a pretty standard practice for Dryas, known for its travel books that describe everyday life in various countries with a particular focus on the locals. The publisher gives back a portion of the proceeds for most of its titles to local non-profits.

Thoms added that, though she realizes this contribution is a small one in the grand scheme of things, she hopes that it will encourage others to emulate their example.

To add your own contribution, contact Sandra Thoms at thoms@dryas.de.