rescued art

Salvaged from
dusty garages,
basements,
attics,
thrift stores,
estate sales,
and roadside stands,
these creations
from the brushes
and pens
and charcoal
and chalk
of artists past
have gained
a rare chance
for a second life
in new homes.


Thanks to Rodney Parrott and his rescue mission for art. Now, I hold the book in my hands, savoring not only the stories written of the people who had the art or the places where the art was found, but also enjoying the photos of the artworks at the heart of the tales.
I've even checked out a few of the pieces, and a few others, on the website.
Who knows? I just may find a stray to bring home someday.

Nick of time

The second time around, he was successful in obtaining the funds needed. Not much later, he was sending the book about time travel adventures of a teenager to his backers, including myself.
I am so proud of him.
Mahalo!

Science, time travel, history - this book has it all! AS my reward for backing his kickstarter project, I was to receive two copies of the book. Not only did I receive a copy - an autographed and nicely inscribed copy! - but the main branch of my local public library also received one to share with the young readers all around me. What a fabulous bonus!
Here is what he wrote to me in the book:
To Faustina -
For your "outside the box" thinking and your generous support of literacy.
Mahalo!
J. Lee Graham

And he sent me a bookmark, too!
(smile!)

acting for the good of the masquers

When Gail, the woman in charge of legacy gifts at Armstrong Atlantic State University, had asked last fall what I wanted to do for the Armstrong Foundation, I had responded with my heart.
I wanted to benefit the Armstrong Masquers theatre troupe.
The "Take Your Seat" program was somewhat familiar to me already, as I had seen other plaques on the seats in the refurbished Jenkins Hall.
I had not realized that the monies raised in this manner also benefited scholarships for the student actors.
That was a definite bonus to me!
After all, I was serving on the Student Success Committee for a second year. That service had allowed me much insight into the workings of scholarship distribution and attention to the wording of qualified applicants.
In other words, not all students were eligible for all 'free' money.
Some funds were specific as to the major field of study of the applicant.
Monies given to the "Take Your Seat" program was channeled only to those students of the arts, including music and theatre.
As I said, this project spoke to my heart.

So, what am I looking at so fondly?
The bronze plaque embedded in the arm of Seat C-C-112 in Jenkins Theatre.
It reads:

"IN MEMORY OF
MY MOTHER
SYBIL FAUSTINA BARRY"

Quite lovely, isn't it?
Of course, I would not want her to be seated without me.

My seat is to her left, in Seat C-C-113
That allowed me to be closer to her heart, and her to have the even-numbered chair, as well as a seat closer to the center of the theatre.
She always preferred symmetry, whereas I find beauty in asymmetry.
My plaque reads:

"LONG LIVE THE
ARMSTRONG MASQUERS!
FAUSTINA LEE SMITH"

It has taken several months for the plaques to be fashioned and attached.
I say it was well worth the wait!
Now, to be patient and await the next production by the Masquers!
It'll be nice to see my name listed on that program.
I know John Suchower would heartily approve.
So would Mama... and that is the point, truly.

hypothes.is - check that fact, please

In the name of separating facts from factoids, I became one of 791 backers of Hypothes.is in November of last year. I am so proud of what Dan Whaley and his talented crew have accomplished! The website is up and ready for action!
Speaking of the website, they have a special link for listing all - I mean ALL - of the donors. Gratitude makes for a good attitude of both givers and receivers. That is one of the reasons I support these kickstarter projects. By and large, the hosts of the projects, those who dare to put their hearts out there for all to see, in hopes that others might share their dreams - those people are truly grateful when family, friends, and strangers choose to suuport them. That's pretty magical. I like being part of that magic for others.
Check the comments to this post to see what I mean about gratitude.

help send the scots to scotland

What a cool idea for a school fundraiser: use of kickstarter to generate monies from outside sources! This is the first such project I've seen, and I'm very much in favor of supporting it.
Why?
Well, you know the tv show, "Glee"? Well, this school seems very much like that one. Highland Park High School, in Topeka, Kansas, is a public school. That means it doesn't have much in the way of funds for art and music and theatre and all of those creative things that make life go sizzle poom PAH!
Even so, Scott Kickhaefer has brought his group of talented thespians a long, long way, and I don't think they should be in Kansas anymore. Not when an Emerald City in Scotland beckons them to come forward to please the masses at ... the Edinburgh Fringe Festival!!!! What an honor to be one of the fifty-one high schools, in the entire United States, chosen for this privilege!!!
But I already mentioned that this troupe is in a public high school, right? So, not only does the school not have the funds to send them on this trip of a lifetime, their folks most likely don't have that kind of money, either. I recall when my (public high school) Spanish IV class was qualified to compete against other schools (mostly private) in Atlanta. We're only talking about an overnight trip, less than three hundred miles from home, but finding the money for it was a real challenge. Fortunately, we were able to hold enough bake sales and car washes to make it happen. (We even won 3rd place in the competition!!!)
A trip across the Atlantic Ocean, though, is going to take at least $15,000 - and that is the goal set on kickstarter. I'm providing them with $53, one buck for each year I've been enjoying theatre here on Earth.
What do I get? Well, the joy of helping some talented students take a giant step forward in a positive direction - and a video of their performance. You know, since I won't be able to cheer them on in person.
Go, Scots!!!!

chromazoid

In memory of Sam Johnson - I know he would have found the concept of a multi-comic book with a soundtrack to be TOTALLY fascinating. I miss you, man.


I received my rewards on February 1. Initially, I took some time and thoroughly admired the comic thank-you card (Coolness! They really like my name!. Then, I started skimming through the book, looking at the works by the nine artists - including the work of some female artists! Ultra-cool! Then, it hit me that I was doing it wrong - the comics had a soundtrack on cassette tape.
So, I popped the tape into my player. The tape has one more track than there are comics in the book - I have no idea why. I listened to the tape while I was reading, but you need to make sure you have a block of time, let's say an hour, before doing so. The two are quite an experience, shoving you into a world peopled by a rough-looking crowd with jangly edges. After a while, there is some melding and mellowing, but the harshness of the alternate reality remains in evidence throughout your journey.
The first story-tune combination remains my favorite. Told through the eyes of the dog, we see the master's decline and feel the sadness of the dog. The drawings are pretty graphic and animated, revealing the more simple mind of the dog and the depth of his concern. The music seems to echo the confusion and hypersensitivity of the beast, but perhaps that perception is based more on my lack of familiarity with the band.
I wonder which music-comic duo Sam would have favored?

love shack

I do wish I hadn't wimped out on this invite. The weather had turned brutally cold and traveling north for an outside event just hadn't seemed like a good idea, especially as I am allergic to the cold. Still, fliss is glad to have been a partner in this celebration of music in Athens, home of the B-52's.
Although I first heard about the Love Shack Bus Stop on kickstarter.com, the concept for the project first evolved in 2005, when the economy was riding high and real estate was everything. The city was wanting to remodel some of the bus stops and add some pizazz for the riders (and possible garner more). A competition ensued, with artists submitting their public-space designs and hoping for city funding. The artist responsible for this particular vision was asked to resubmit for the local-music-inspired phase of the competition, which was held in 2008 - and she WON! In return, the city granted the funds for construction of her design.
Fast forward to fall of 2011. The bottom had dropped out of the real estate boom, gas prices had leapt to more than $5 per gallon, and everything energy-driven - meaning, EVERY THING - now cost substantially more. Athens had already committed to paying the costs estimated at the time of submission, three years earlier, and would not fund more.
This artist had previously constructed he Love Shack homage in a family barn in Tennessee as a school project, circa 2003. She based her public design on that earlier structure, but reconfigured for strength and subjection to weather, as well as meeting all safety and utility constraints set by the department of transportation. In other words, she had to learn a bit about architecture to construct her art work.
And she did, and now riders of public transit have a more welcoming spot to await their "stretch" vehicle. As for the effect on myself? Well, I'm rethinking using my car every day, and perhaps making better use of my tax dollars. Instead of paying twice - once for public transport and again for gas for my personal transport - I just might begin again to let someone else do the driving.

Meanwhile, I will enjoy the magnet she sent to me as my reward.
I really do like magnets!
Especially when they are a pretty as this one is.
I know just the right spot for it on my fridge, too!

the dreamer and the devil: a new musical

Chicago! There's a place I really enjoyed! Of, course, it was summer then, summer of 1977. I was stationed at Great Lakes, Illinois, attending a "C" school in electronics. That place was a great, hairy armpit, surrounded by fast food joints, pawn shops, and jewelry stores - you know, as usual for military stations.
Even at the tender age of 19 I knew I needed culture and variety in my life, not the static status on the edge of Lake Michigan. Fortunately, the train went south to Chicago frequently and nearly every Saturday, I was on it. The Playboy Club, the sidewalk arts festivals, Buckingham Fountain, the statues and parks and trees - ah, almost like being home in Savannah!
Jenny Seidelman and Jonathan Wagner ask us to step back in time to the Chicago of 1893 in this musical kickstarter project, "The Dreamer and The Devil". That's right, I said it: musical. This makes the seventh musical I've backed! That should bode well for it! And it's the third musical I've chosen today!
So, let's just take a little look at these three of today, shall we?
None of them are local. Not a single one. So I am certainly not backing these musicals because I think I'll get to see them during their performances. I have no current travel plans to Michigan, Oregon, or Illinois.
None of them are promising videos of the productions, either. You know how much I enjoy film - but nary a one of these is going to deliver those. For the first two I backed, I suspect a lack of film rights is the reason the troupes aren't offering those as rewards. Those rights can be very expensive, so I completely understand. For this project, an original musical, the completion of the play and staging of a reading, rather than a live performance, is the goal. (One step at a time!)
The project featuring the aging stage actors is set to end today and needs quite a few more dollars. The "Spider Baby" bunch is already set for funding, so my little bit, as I said, is just to brag on to a friend. Both are definitely for fun purposes!
This project, though, has a very different feel to it. It's a piece of history, featuring an architect (Daniel Burnham) with high hopes, a serial killer (H.H. Holmes) with aspirations of his own, and a 400-year anniversary of Columbus' discovery of North America, as marked by the 1893 World's Fair: Columbian Exposition. "The Dreamer and The Devil" appears to have the makings of an incredible theatrical masterpiece, doesn't it? And it'll be educational, too, and probably useful for history, art, and criminal justice classes. Yes, even though it's a musical.
I'm not much on history, science nerd that I am. But I'm very much willing to add money to the pot if it means I'll have a cd of a brand-new musical to listen to on long drives. Especially as I know that to be a sure bet, as the funding goal was reached a week ago. My little bit, as well as those that follow, will just provide a little more cushion for these dreamers...

spider baby, the musical

Two things you should know about my reason for backing this kickstarter project. First, of course, is this: it's a musical. Actually, that one point would most likely have been enough, but there's something about the title, too. You see, I've actually seen the movie, "Spider Baby", billed as "The Maddest Story Ever Told." I even possess the soundtrack for it, all thanks to the Psychotronic Film Society of Savannah and Jim Reed's Wednesday night screenings at the Sentient Bean, a local coffeehouse.
Apparently, the Epiphany Theatre Co. in Oregon likes its stories off-center, too. Their goal is to bring "uniquely nerdy theatre experiences" to those who enter their spaces. This show promises to be a doozy!
"Spider Baby, the Musical" is based on the work of Jack Hill (the man who brought us the film in 1968) and Enrique Acostas, the musical madman, who published the score in 2010. Why musical madman? Click the link and you can have a free download of the songs - all of them.
So... if I can get the music for free and have no shot of going to see the play performed, why am I pushing money in their direction? And, if they have not only made goal, but surpassed it, then why add my funds to their haul?
Simple: I'll get bragging rights to tell Jim I was part of this because of him. As much as the man gives pleasure to so many so often, I know he will be pleased that he had an impact here, too.
Also, I'l get an email hug from one of the cast members.
That's got to be worth a few bucks, right?
You bet!

aging flappers need diamonds and pearls!

Debbie Lannen and the Spotlight "Still Got It" Players want to put on a musical!!!
Sure, sure, the troupe is in Canton, Michigan, so the likelihood of me actually seeing the show is pretty much nil.
However, in memory of my dear mother-in-law, Pat Landers, I am supporting this kickstarter venture. If she were still alive, I just know she would be part of this production, too. And she would definitely be there in the audience of "Flapper!"!
I'm joining this party late - the funding goal deadline is today - but I'm hoping for the best. This is the second run at funding this show. I've kicked in $69 to help make their show happen.
Fingers crossed!

ray harryhausen

Bruce Bowman is a longtime fan of the visual effects created by Ray Harryhausen for the movie world. When Bowman found out the revered man no longer had the puppet of the Phororhacos creature he had created for "The Mysterious Island", Bowman determined to send one of his creations, a resin sculpture of the giant bird.
But first, he wanted to bronze it, to make it more like an award statue.
And to mount it on a wooden base, for more stature.
And to ship it to England, where Mr. Harryhausen lives.
From Oregon, where Mr. Bowman lives.
Fine.
The math showed that he would need $1200. That's a reasonable sum, when you're wanting to acknowledge someone's lifelong talent.
By the time I stumbled upon the project, in the "Ending Soon" listings on kickstarter.com, time was drawing near to the end of possible funding. So, I've thrown a Jackson into the pot, which will earn my name, IN LARGE LETTERS, on the award document being presented to the Englishman.
That's a pretty fair trade to me.

curse of the sunset starlet

Wow... Lori Precious had me with the name of her leading actress, Kathleen Wilhoite. I remember her as the struggling-on-the-fringes-of-society little sister of Dr. Susan Lewis (played by Sherry Stringfield) on tv's long-running series, ER. I guess I could relate to the common dysfunctional aspect of their family and my family: drugs and alcohol and bad choices.
Since then, Kathleen has had many diverse roles in feature films and on other television shows. Here, in "The Curse of The Sunset Starlet", she is the one toeing the line while her mother trips lightly along the other side of it.
The director, well established in California and with plenty of working credentials [that's "street cred" to my younger readers, :-)], she certainly has the experience behind her. And, guess what? She also works at designing art with butterfly wings!
Just like the main character in this film!
And just like the main character, her designs feature starlets from the past. The one that most captured me in its butterfly net of colors is that of Dorothy Hart, not because I recognized her as herself, but because I mistook her for Judy Garland's "Dorothy" from "The Wizard of Oz". (That particular film has significance in my life.) Go ahead, click the link and see for yourself the resemblance! And while you're there, admire those of "Rear Window"s Georgine Darcy, Thelma White of "Reefer Madness", "The Damned" Ingrid Thulin, and Paula Raymond from "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms", among others immortalized by Ms. Precious in 2006 and 2008.
You know, I may be just as much as excited about the artistry with the cult-fave actresses as much as I am with the mystery of the story.
There's also a bit of mystery in the casting. Although Kathleen is a lock, the woman playing her footloose and fancy-free mother is not yet cast. I wonder who will get that juicy role??? My guess is it will be another well-known actress!
I've thrown in $29 for my option to "call" on this hand. I'm going to be a big winner, regardless of who is cast, because I'll have the video to enjoy over and over!
That'll be a great belated birthday gift for me!
Well, if I've helped enough and in time. This project is needing serious funds - $12,000 - and this is the final push, as its deadline is later today.
It's going to be close!

cafe murder

Cafe Murder??? Yep. A couple of guys in Athens, Georgia, are responsible for this new manga-influenced computer game. I may have a nephew or two interested in this and I'm pretty sure Sam Johnson would have liked it, too.
Why did fliss get involved? Well, the project involves home-grown talent. I find myself actively seeking local, i.e., specifically Georgia-based, unique ideas. Admittedly, my rationale is fairly selfish: I want to be able to interact in person with these creative folk, should the situation allow. Meeting them face to face is a bit difficult - and expensive - if their film or play or book or art is halfway across the continent.
The comic factor caught my fancy, too. These guys call their group "Beaver Toad Software". Seriously.
But perhaps the brightness of the characters and the artwork of this game were the true attraction. I want to know more about this brother and sister team, carrying on the work at their deceased father's deli. The brother (Stabby Grizzle) is a bit unstable, we learn, and the sister (Rainy Grizzle) has to run interference between him and the customers whilst using a bazooka to assemble the tasty sandwiches. That's right - she makes the meals with a BAZOOKA. THAT alone is a novel idea!
The thirteen customers each have their own back story and include a food critic, a celebrity, a picky old lady, and a fellow named Pincushion. Rainy is tasked with having to try to please the customers for her tips - while keeping Stabby from having his way with them. I think it's going to be great fun!
Apparently, I'm not the only one. The guys have used a format which will allow the game to play on iPhones, which should be a big boost for recognition of their company. Beta testing was to occur last night at FourAthens. Here's to much success!

genesis: air, water, life

Rachel Strickland wants to tell the story of the creation of life, but she does not have the technology needed to construct her Petri dish.
That's right: Petri dish.
Right off the bat, she's using scientific terminology - and using it in its full context - and that is what hooked me.
Of course, the fact that she is also a dancer probably helped to set the hook.
So, this kickstarter project, set in lovely San Francisco (home of my SAR best friend), became my last project of the day for funding. I've tossed $LIV (hint: Roman numerals) into this quest for a dream come true. That amount makes it an early birthday gift to me, as I cannot imagine my ever giving the dvd to anyone else.
Sure, I'll share it. You bet I will!
I just might make the gumbo, too, and share that with family and friends! (Shhh! It's a top-secret recipe!)
If I can make it to the show, that would be pretty gratifying, too.
But the video is going to be mine!
I know, I know, I sound pretty confident of that.
Well, here is the reason. "Genesis: Air, Water, Life" has already reached its funding goal of $2000.00. Within 24 hours of the project's launch, Madame Rex, aerialist and hoop dancer, had the funds, plus some. Pretty amazing, and quite a vote of confidence!
To quote her: From every bit of the stardust in me, thank you all!
From every bit of the stardust in me, thank You.
What a wonderful birthday gift this will be!

rosemary's cabaret

I was actively seeking to complete my kickstarter wheel and found this project.
The category satisfied by this choice is "dance".
The project is named in memory of his grandmother, who died of breast cancer, and in honor of his mother, a breast cancer survivor. You see, every year, his mother's group, Team Rosemary, participates in the Race For The Cure in Philadelphia. This project is a fundraiser for that group, too.
How could I not be a backer, having read all of that? I am so very fortunate that breast cancer has not struck down any of those I hold dear... yet. I have known, through six degrees of separation (sometimes less) several women who have died from this cancer, women of all ages.
I now have a breast cancer survivor in my family, on my ex's side, in Tennessee. She has not yet hit that magical five-year cancer-free mark, but I hope she will.
So, in honor of Gwen Ladd, I'm putting some money into this project.
What do I get in return? Well, I'll have my name listed as a "Patron" in the program for the dance that Tim Chester and his troupe will perform at the fundraiser.
Oh, one more reward - personal satisfaction.
That's always a good thing to have.

shredly - awesome mountain bike apparel for women

What's not to like? Bright and bold colors or feminine and flourished designs on, of all things, biking clothes. For women, designed by women. Once upon a time, I would have been ecstatic to have clothes like this when I was riding all day with the wind in my hair. Oh, yeah!
Maybe one day I will again straddle a bike, who knows? But I do know this: I have friends and children of friends who are women who ride. So, I am funding this kickstarter project for them.
Ashley Rankin, the founder of this project and creator of the Shredly Trifecta, has a background in apparel design. Tiring of the solid blacks or two-toned offerings, she has a line of patterned fabrics that let the world know that a woman is astride that frame! The peacock design is named for her and was most likely her first, but there are seven others which are sure to satisfy the eye as well as pleasure the body: paint-splattered Nikoli, bubbly Rixford, the tropical palms of Jaylen, the fuchsias of Caroline; modernist Stevi, paisley Mama, and jacquard RRR. Rawrr!
I may have to get a pair - or two - of these shorts for myself, once they go into production. Who doesn't need a pair of comfy, pretty shorts that don't make you sweat?
For now, though, I'll look forward to getting the package of stickers to share with the cyclists in my life.
Toot toot!

sustainable luxury apparel

Clothing made from recycled.... scarves??? Sounds like a good one to be my first fashion project with kickstarter!
Plus, it's in Hawaii, where such clothing would be sure to sway sweetly in the island breezes as the sun, or the moon, shines brightly and the sea sings of life and happiness.
After saying all of that, I just may have to make a trip there to visit the site, should the project be successful.
Katrina Langford is no novice to the world of fashion design. After moving from Indiana to the Pacific island, she changed her major from Marine Biology (one of my favorites!) to Fashion Design and Merchandising. This midwestern woman was fully embraced by her new home state, winning an award for her designs. She has fully embraced her new Hawaiian self, too, and initiated her own line of clothing. Now, she wants to expand and hire more local talent for her green-minded company.
I can definitely get behind her on this. I fully support the use of sustainable sources, local transportation, ecologically sound small business.
Especially by other lovers of the ocean.
I've chosen $29 as my voice of approval.
It's nice to put some money where my mouth is.
Try doing that some time... you just may like it!
Here's hoping others will follow my lead...

a circus burlesque

They had me at "burlesque".
That's one of my magic words, like "adventure".
Even though they're in Texas and I will most likely never get to see a live performance.
But the shows at Club One, here in Savannah, can come pretty close!
Here's how they introduce the Lipschtick Collective:
It wasn’t until their mid-teens that four lonely lipschtick-ers, each of whom had a peculiarly gaudy aesthetic informed by their distinctively Jewish families, finally found each other. Their aesthetic was honed as they grew closer and over the years they attracted a whole collective of people with enough chutzpah to let their freak flags fly.
Bloody marvelous!!!
Apparently, I am not the only one who agrees with that assessment, as they have surpassed their funding goal by 50%. Sah-weet!
I'll look forward to that thank-you letter with its "juicy kiss"!

not art

A local group of artists want to share their visions, but not in a gallery setting.
Okay.
This group of painters and sculptors, printers and photographers, and assorted others would rather use one of the lofts on Broughton Street, heart of the tourist area downtown.
Personally, I would think that would be more expensive than being in one of the many mini-galleries in City Market, at the west end of Broughton. After all, it's billed as "the art & soul" of this seaport, so the tourists and other potential buyers of art already know to go there.
From the presentation Andrew Duthu makes on kickstarter, however, this particular group of artists are not yet known in the art scene. Perhaps that is the origin of the "not art" reference?
Possibly.
We'll have to wait and see.

bringing back R&B

Georgia project?
Check!
Music?
Check!
Old school, Motown sound?
Check!
Well, then, I'm in!
While checking out some other kickstarter talent in the Southeastern United States, I was caught my Tre Powell's earnestness. Also, his style of speaking and sense of humor reminds me of my dear friend Sam Johnson, dead for almost three years now.
This is my second time backing a music project on kickstarter. The first, you may recall, was just a few months ago, for a fellow in Florida. I had gotten into that one almost too late; this one, I'm one of the early birds.
I look forward to having Pre's CD - with my picture on the cover, as my reward! That will be totally different!

owen's hobby - a narrative short

This is not Zachary Burke's first project posted on kickstarter. Actually, this is not the first time this SCAD senior has posted to raise funds for "Owen's Hobby". In fall of 2011, he was trying to finish the film and had a pretty high financial goal - which fell short. So, that meant he received no funds for that campaign.
This time around, he's done with filming and has it in post-production status. So, the funding needs are less and the goal is more within reach.
I like the premise: a stalker has to choose between outing himself as a pervert or allowing harm to come to the object of his attraction. It reminds me of the plot in one of my favorite Melanie Griffith's movies, "Body Double". (Aside: Excellent Brian de Palma movie and a soundtrack that includes "Relax" by Frankie Goes To Hollywood - magnifique!)
I'm hoping others will join me in the funding - I would love to own the hard copy of this film!

hellyfish

Lost bombs at Tybee Beach have been the topics of quite a few discussions over the years, especially here in Savannah, Georgia, just thirty minutes away. Now, we are asked to consider this: the bomb has radioactive material inside, which, thanks to the corrosive properties of salt water, has now leached into the nearby ocean and tainted the sealife. Jellyfish have mutated into gigantic creatures, able to feed at will on whatever goes into the water - including snooty young triplet blondes.
Really makes you want to stand up and cheer for the Hellyfish!
(smile!)
So, I'm backing it with one dollar for every year of my life.
I think Pat Longstreth and Rob McLean have a top-notch, fun, horror film on their hands and I want to see it!
I want to hold it in my hands!!
I want to watch it over and over!!!
Pardon me while I go stand by my mailbox...

bostwick does research. - a web series!

Oh, WOW!
Adam Hall and Mildly Fearsome Films has definitely upped the moxie quotient on this kickstarter project! It was already pretty awesome that Doug Jones is one of the stars involved.
Who's he? Well, he's the guy you don't usually see out of make-up. You may know him better as both "Pan" and "Pale Man" in "Pan's Labyrinth", or "Silver Surfer" in "Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer" - or my favorites, lab assistant "Jonathan Wright" in "Sudden Death!" and "Abe Sapien" in "Hellboy" and :Hellboy II: The Golden Army". If you go here, you can see him with his golden Saturn from the Science Fiction Films Awards.
So, pretty awesome, right?
Well, hold tight to your seats, folks! Here's the latest scoop!

Update #8
Jan 30, 2012
Very Exciting Announcement about who will play Dr. Rust & Dave

We couldn’t be more excited to make this announcement.

Literally.

Not possible.

We are very pleased to announce that Barry Bostwick will be joining the Research. cast as the fabulous “Dr. Rust.” We know you haven’t seen the series yet - but you will LOVE him.

LOOOOVE HIM!

Only if you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past 50 years or so would you not instantly know that name, that face. Barry is the owner of a beautiful Tony award, a Golden Globe, and a Courage Award. He’s played a president, a mayor, an All-American student, and a devil-may-care high schooler. Barry originated “Danny Zuko” in Grease and got his big break in film on “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” (can you see why we LOVE him!?) And TV fans will remember him as the hilarious bumbling mayor of New York in “Spin City.”

Not only is Barry an amazing actor but he’s an incredible person. We’re honored, we’re blessed to have him join us.

Check out his bio and allll of the amazing things he’s done on our CAST page. Thank you for joining us, Barry!!!

We're also pleased as punch to announce that we have cast Gabriel Diani as our lead researcher and the glue that holds together our crazy little team - "Dave."

Gabriel Diani works as an actor, comedian, and filmmaker in Los Angeles. He wrote, produced, and starred in the award-winning horror comedy "The Selling" about a real estate agent trying to sell a haunted house (coming to DVD/VOD in August), raised over $30,000 on Kickstarter to publish a new version of "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" that replaces the "n-word" with "robot" (satirizing attempts to make the book more palatable to modern audiences), and made the web series "Mary Olson" which has garnered over 1.3 million hits on youtube.
Videos and more information at http://DianiAndDevine.com.

He’s far too modest. “The Selling” has been reviewed all over the internet, attending more festivals than we can count, and has won several awards including Best Feature at the Friars Club Film Festival and at the LA Comedy Film Festival (along with 4 others...) Gabe was also honored with Best Actor & Best Screenwriting awards at that festival.

Yes. Wow. Please join us in welcoming him to the team!

Love,

The Research. Team

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Oh, you bet I will!
And now I know there will be singing in the webseries! How could they have Barry Bostwick and not make use of his vocal talent?
Oh, OH, O H!!!! I do sooo enjoy all things Bostwick!

warrior writers: after action review

Today, I finished reading the two books I received for backing this kickstarter project.
I can hear you now: Two books? I thought you were getting one?
Well, I was only supposed to receive the third anthology, After Action Review - but it was to be autographed. When it arrived in December, just a month after I had backed the project, I was very impressed with the professional quality of the publication. Glossy cover, nice artwork outside and in, well-bound volume; you can order your own copy here.
I really liked the bookmark, too, as it features handmade paper and has a "fashioned in the field" quality.
There was just one problem: my copy of the the book was not personalized for me.
So, I contacted them, asking if I should be looking on some particular page...
Warrior Writers
Dec 28, 2011
Hello Faustina,
First off, I would like to apologize for the mix-up and the delay in response. The holidays have been crazy and we're still reeling with excitement of having the book!
There must have been confusion during our packing party and we would like to send you a signed book. Would you like a signed copy of After Action Review or would you like a signed copy of one of our other two anthologies: Move, Shoot, and Communicate or Re-Making Sense?
You can check out the other two books here:
http://www.printmojo.com/WarriorWriters/
Again, we apologize for the inconvenience and would like to make this right.
Thank you,
Jamie
Above and beyond the call of duty was their response! That was impressive, too.

I selected the first anthology -
best to begin at the beginning, right?
Plus, I really liked the title,
Move, Shoot, and Communicate,
as it reminded me of a favorite joke,
the one featuring pandas.
As you can see by comparing the books in the two photographs, the two issues are quite different in appearance. The first anthology was less than thirty pages and was a chapbook. The third book is close to two hundred pages and was professionally published. Going to kickstarter to generate funds was apparently a very good move for Warrior Writers!
But it is important to note that the quality of the content is the same in both books. That content is derived from the healing writing of the veterans involved in the workshops. Maybe you know someone who might benefit from learning to loose their demons through print - or by reading the words of others who are doing so.