Microsoft Visual Studio Tips Book Helps Hurricane Katrina Survivors Rebuild Lives
I am very proud to announce the Amazon pre-sale of my first book Microsoft Visual Studio Tips. Here you’ll find the best 251 tips from the Tip of the Day series, categorized and edited into a reference book with me as your narrator.
But wait, there’s more…
I am donating 100% of my author book royalties to create a scholarship fund at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College for anyone living in my hometown of Waveland, Mississippi, which was destroyed during Hurricane Katrina. The Save Waveland Scholarship Fund will give preference to math and computer science majors.
USA Today referred to Waveland as The Town That Vanished. After witnessing the devastation first hand six weeks after the storm, I vowed that I would one day do something that would make a difference. With Microsoft matching the donation, I feel that day is today.
This photo was taken on August 3, 2008 in front of Waveland City Hall, just one month shy of the three year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
I was raised with the belief that community is about being excellent to each other, which is why I did the Tip of the Day series in my spare time. This book and this donation are my way of connecting the community I came from with the community I work in. In my life I’ve always had a quest for knowledge, which has brought me to writing this post today. Now, this scholarship fund will help others pursue their own quests.
Special thanks to Rob Caron and Sean Laberee for inspiring me to do the Tip of the Day series, to Jim Newkirk for all the book-writing advice, to Ben Ryan, Devon Musgrave, and Melissa von Tschudi-Sutton at Microsoft Press for the guidance in my first publication, to Dylan Lingelbach, Sean Laberee, Fiona Fung, Chris McGuire, Josh Stevens, Noah Coad, Habib Heydarian, Monica Boris, Douglas Hodges, Pat Brenner, Rahul Jajoo, and Rob Caron for being peer reviewers under such a tight schedule, to Charlie Calvert for pulling me through speaking at TechEd while working on this book’s proposal, to Bryan Kirschner for pulling me through speaking at OSCON while working on this book, to Ruby Kane for the assistance writing this blog post, and to the entire CodePlex team for sharing an office with me the entire time.
Go Sara Go.
Comments
Anonymous
August 10, 2008
PingBack from http://www.easycoded.com/microsoft-visual-studio-tips-book-helps-hurricane-katrina-survivors-rebuild-livesAnonymous
August 10, 2008
You've been kicked (a good thing) - Trackback from DotNetKicks.comAnonymous
August 11, 2008
This is awesome! Note: Two of my favorite developers at Microsoft are Sara Ford and Beth Massi. httpAnonymous
August 11, 2008
This is a great move on your part. You're going to make a real, tangible difference there. What is the current condition of Waveland now? Have they rebuilt much of the damage? The picture here seems to indicate that a lot has yet to be done.Anonymous
August 11, 2008
Most excellent. I appreciate and congratulate you.Anonymous
August 11, 2008
Go Sara go!!!!! Congrats, I'm glad you finished it. :-)Anonymous
August 11, 2008
@zenstain: Thanks! I'd say that anything south of the railroad tracks looks like the picture above. Last time i was home in February, maybe 1 in 10 houses on the beach have been rebuilt, or maybe 1 in 20 in other places.Anonymous
August 11, 2008
One of my good friends Sara Ford finally finished her Visual Studio Tips book , based on her super popularAnonymous
August 11, 2008
Yesterday, I had the privilege of writing the Foreword for Sara Ford's forthcoming book, Microsoft VisualAnonymous
August 11, 2008
What a great thing you're doing Sara. Thanks for helping people remember what community should look like. Best wishes for great success with your book!Anonymous
August 11, 2008
On behalf of MS Gulf Coast CC and the many students that your generosity will help, let me thank you for such a wonderful gesture. We are proud to have you as an alumni!Anonymous
August 11, 2008
@Jere: Thanks Jere for all the help and advice setting up the scholarship! I look forward to meeting you in a couple of weeks when i'm down on the coast.Anonymous
August 11, 2008
I love reading your tips everyday! Thanks! I look forward to purchasing your book! Great work!Anonymous
August 11, 2008
Go, Sara, Go! http://twitter.com/oaktowner/statuses/884348893Anonymous
August 11, 2008
Please let us know when you come down we woould like to get a couple of photos of with Jere. You are one of Gulf Coast Hero's and I salute you for your generosity!Anonymous
August 11, 2008
@Rich: I will be posting the details of my Southern Speaking Tour this week. 7 or 8 cities in 4 states in 1 week. Stay tuned.Anonymous
August 12, 2008
Congratulations, Sara! I will be picking this one up for my developer friends. It's so awesome that you are donating all the proceeds to the Save Waveland Scholarship Fund.Anonymous
August 12, 2008
Dear Ms. Ford, What a generous donation! I have sent e-mails to many celebraties who have ties to the coast asking for scholarship donations. I have gotten a few responses all of which begin with, "I regret to inform you that Mr./Ms. whoever cannot contribute at this time because they have already made large contributions to the NOLA fund. It is great to find someone who recognizes that MS was also devastated by Katrina. Thank-you again, Dona E. Richmond Har. Co. Scholarship Chair MGCCCAnonymous
August 12, 2008
Dear Sara, GO SARA GO!!!! -MattAnonymous
August 12, 2008
Sara, we are all very proud of you here in Waveland. This is a great undertaking that you are doing for the people of Waveland. Congratulations, GO SARA GO!!!!Anonymous
August 13, 2008
Congratulations on your book, Sara, and your generosity in providing a scholarship for others in the Waveland area to set their goals a little bit higher! Well done!Anonymous
August 13, 2008
We are so proud of you and all of your accomplishments but most of all for your generosity of spirit. The proceeds from this book will provide hope and vision for many of our community. I hope this doesn't embarrass you, but I am your aunt, after all.Anonymous
August 13, 2008
We are so proud of you and all of your accomplishments but most of all for your generosity of spirit. The proceeds from this book will provide hope and vision for many of our community. I hope this doesn't embarrass you, but I am your aunt, after all.Anonymous
August 13, 2008
I will be buying a copy, Sara. I'm from the Miss. Gulf Coast too, and think it's a wonderful thing you're doing.Anonymous
August 13, 2008
WAY TO GO SARA!!! You have always been giving to others and this TOPS it! Keep up the great work you do - I still read these 'tips' and still don't understand them but can see by the responses you receive that others in your field appreciate your openhandedness too.Anonymous
August 13, 2008
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August 13, 2008
not as unpredictable as uncles who used to live out in the shed on water beds.Anonymous
August 13, 2008
Congratulations, Sara, on publishing your book. That's one book more than a billion other people, including me. Nice going. U AlAnonymous
August 13, 2008
Go Sara Go! This is absolutely amazing. Keep on rockin'.Anonymous
August 13, 2008
GO SARA GO. Very cool. Congratulations and well done!Anonymous
August 14, 2008
You have always been determined to meet every challenge. Congratulations on completing this book. I have purchased two and look forward to reading it.Anonymous
August 14, 2008
go sara go you never cease to amaze me.....Anonymous
August 15, 2008
Sara Ford posted an item on her blog this week that I want to link to here to hopefully help raise visibility.Anonymous
August 18, 2008
awesome - congrats on publishing and great for using the profits to help those in need. I will blog this shortly and will share this great (and useful) book with my developer audiences!Anonymous
August 19, 2008
Sara, congratulations! I'm so very proud of you, and happy for you. And I love the picture at the top of your blog! Love ya, ~John (Your former religion teacher at OLA)Anonymous
August 22, 2008
Buy an interesting book and help Katrina Survivors.  The author, Sarah Ford, work on the CodePlexAnonymous
August 22, 2008
Congrat's Sara, That sure is great to read. as always Thx 4 the info, CattoAnonymous
August 23, 2008
I have no clue what your book is about and I'm sure I couldn't understand one word of it. But, I DO KNOW that I am so PROUD of you! Awwww, it feels like it was just yesterday when you, David and I took out your little boat in the big 1/2" waves (and 2 feet of water) at the beach, or picked you up to go fishing off the sea wall. Our little Sara grown up and soon-to-be famous. Let's celebrate soon!! Love you girl!! Laura (PS You think I ought to tell Sammy amout this?? ha!!)Anonymous
August 25, 2008
This is great Sara. Congratulations!!! I am in for one!Anonymous
August 25, 2008
One for home, one for work. Thank you Sara!Anonymous
August 25, 2008
Wow, this is totally awesome. You rock! And congrats on the book!Anonymous
August 26, 2008
As many of you know, I have a Visual Studio Tips and Treats presentation with over 140 tips. It has beenAnonymous
August 27, 2008
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August 27, 2008
Hi Sara, This is anand from India{Jarajeshatgmaildotcom} . I like the way you do things. Your blog is excellent and now you have brought out a book this is even better. And as a topping to all your good work you are helping people in your own way that is really nice. Atleast I now know a person who is active and does whatever she wants to do. My case is different I think of doing a lot of things but do nothing and i am trying to improve on it.congratulations and best of luck for ur future endeavours.Anonymous
October 29, 2008
What a busy week! Every time I sat down to write this blog post, someone would sit down and want to chatAnonymous
October 29, 2008
What a busy week! Every time I sat down to write this blog post, someone would sit down and want to chat