##### prepare and execute query

my $query = "INSERT INTO closedauctions (seller, sellerusername, category, title, bids, pounds, description, winningbid, price_per_pound, highbidder, buyerusername, month, day, year, itemnum, filename) VALUES(\"$sellername\",\"$sellerusername\",\"$quota\", \"$category\", 1, \"$pounds\", \"$desc\", \"$buyit\", \"$price_per_pound\", \"$buyername\",\"$buyerusername\", \"$month\", \"$day\", \"$year\", \"$form{'ITEM'}\", \"$cat\")";  
   
my $sth = $dbh->prepare($query) || die "Could not prepare SQL statement ... maybe invalid?";     

$sth->execute() || die "Could not execute SQL statement ... maybe invalid?"; 

##### disconnect from database
$dbh->disconnect;