This is actually a pretty cool idea – and who wouldn’t want to spend a few bucks to be immortalized by the one and only Stephen King? I’m not so sure about the others – although I’m sure Grisham will bring a decent sum – but I’d venture to say Stephen King will draw a hellava lot more than the “average $2500” that is quoted in the article.

Authors offer immortality in Web auction

NEW YORK (Reuters) – How much would you pay to be immortalized as a zombie in a Stephen King novel or a good guy in a John Grisham thriller?

King and Grisham are among 16 authors selling the right to have a character in a book named for the buyer to raise money for the First Amendment Project, a California-based nonprofit group that promotes freedom of information and expression.

Details of exactly what each author is offering have been posted on Internet auction site eBay and the auctions will be held between September 1 and September 25, the group said on Tuesday.