the broken hearts table

Truth be told, this is what started my recent bout of activity in the kickstarter universe. You know, the one in which I backed six book projects in less than an hour on a Tuesday morning last week.
Whew. I was a busy Fliss!
But this was the project I had first checked out that day.
You see, on June 1st, the brothers Titshaw (Brian and Matthew) screened their previous film at Muse Arts Warehouse to grab some attention for this new venture.
Good move.
The screening was free, which certainly appealed to many at the early afternoon show. Also, as "The Space Jockey Pursuit" is offered as a reward for several of the funding levels in this new kickstarter project, the free screening generated financial interest. (All puns intended!)
My forty-three remaining birthday bucks is helping to make that last push for the goal of $11500, which must be met in the next two days.
Honestly, I think they'll succeed. I'm almost their 200th backer, so that tells you they must be doing something right.
So, no worries.
I'm very much looking forward to owning my own DVD copy of that quirky movie of a brother helping another to attain his dream of being in a film about a space jockey. Quite funny and touching!
I'll also receive a plethora of other goodies! Digital Wallpaper, a signed postcard from the filmmakers (you know how much I love those!), a video thank-you, a digital download of the aforementioned space jockey film, and a subscription to the Making of the Broken Hearts Table (filled with juicy bits like behind the scenes footage!).
As the icing on the wedding cake, I also get a sneak preview of the first ten minutes of "The Broken Hearts Table"!!!
Won't it be super-special if that viewing is held at Muse Arts???

speculative relationships: a sci-fi romance comics anthology

I could most definitely use a little romance in my life.
Everyone can, n'est-ce pas?
When it comes to love between different species, science fiction has always been there to say: why not?
Tyrell Cannon and the other five artists in this 80-page collection agree with that philosophy. Together, they have contributed eight stories to stroke that romantic beast purring deep in my soul.
Mike Manomivibul, in conjunction with providing the cover art for the book, has a tale of two robots, searching the world over to be reunited. To be perfectly honest, it is that cover art, with the questing hand reaching out for the touch of another, that captured my heart. I'll hope his story bears up to that predispostion on my part.
Isabella Rotman offers dreamers on a traveling spaceship. Her art is lush and has a medieval fantasy edge. Very pretty!
Daniel Warren Johnson combines action and comedy in his other work. This tale of a cyborg in an alien war promises to keep the attention point on!
Rinko Endo is an art therapist, offering her tale through a manga lens. The star-crossed love tapestry of an alien and a human is of the ages, but newly woven.
Scott Kroll has two contributions to the anthology. The story which most has my interest postulates a five-gendered species, with love only if all are present. I wonder if they will have flavors, like quarks do?
Then there's the initiator of this kickstarter campaign, Tyrell Cannon. He also contributes two pieces, one which speaks in the voice of "Gravity", while the other features a modern chapter in the Adam and Eve saga.
Can you tell I'm hooked?
Apparently, I'm not the only one. Four hundred, thirty-seven others made sure they had surpassed their $9000 goal yesterday.
So, as the 438th backer, I've added $28 of birthday money to their pile, to help make this book the best it can be.
I'm committing to Going Steady with them. In return, I'm getting pinned in the form of a physical copy fo the book to hold in my hands and close to my heart, a print of the cover to frame and hang on the wall above my bed, and a PDF of the "Making Love" zine, so I will know all the work which was done to make this love my own.
I am nearly breathless with antici-pa-tion!

horizon anthology

This anthology poses the question: What happens after the hero wins?
Indeed, what does happen?
"The Incredibles" showed us the aftermath. All of the heroes were forced to go undercover, forgo their super-identities, phase their superpowers into "standby" mode. Sure, eventually, an evil power forces them back into the open, but again clad in their supergarb. After that evil uprising is quelled, they continue living as (near)regular folks, at least in appearance, when not called into action.
Jeremy Lawson, the initiator of this kickstarter project, has joined up with fourteen other talented artists, from near and far. Together, they have created a 144-page, full-color work of visual literature, which they want to share with us.
Nice, right?
The ringleader is a Savannah artist, transplanted from Texas (but we won't hold that against him). (smile!) He's done a great job of keeping interest alive in the project. They're on their last day today and are more than $1000 over their original goal! Woohoo!!!
Now, there's a push to try to hit that magical $10,000 mark. You want your copy of the book to be hardcover, right? I would!
So, more of my birthday money into a worthy creation! I've sent them forty-four buckaroos. As my reward, I'll be receiving a copy of the book, of course, with my name in the acknowledgements. Nice!!!
I'll also receive a PDF download of the book and a digital wallpaper pack of the cover art.
That's pretty nice, too!
And, because they had attained their initial goal, I will also be granted two Kickstarter Exclusive art prints!!! Sah-weet!!!
Now, let's hope they hit that hardcover stretch goal...

adventures of oskar & klaus: the search for bigfoot

Okay! This will be the first audiobook I have supported on kickstarter!
True, when Mick Syzdlowski and Travis Bossard, best buddies and co-authors, first announced this project, all they were trying to do was print a 32-page hardcover version of the book. The book would also be illustrated by Alex Novoseltsev, so some funds would be used to pay the artist.
That's cool.
The story is about Oskar, the blind cat, and his good buddy, Klaus.
That is really cool.
A blind cat? And his cat companion, who helps look out for him on their adventures?
When has that ever been done before???
Count me in!
Apparently, many agree with me.
On the same day that they announced the project on kickstarter, they attained their goal.
Seriously.
On that first day, they raised more than the $10,000 needed for the book.
That encouraged them to think more grandly. Rather than have only the book for those with visual acuity, why not also have an audio version for the blind?
That would require much, much, much more money. Like, at least $50,000.
Why not go for it? The project has until June 6th to collect funding, so that would give them 29 days - and much good word-of-mouth advertising - to see if it could be done.
Why not, indeed?
That course of action has worked out very well. By the time I had joined as a backer this morning, they were already well past $40,000 and still had three days left.
Bravo!!!
They have even already cast the voice of Bigfoot! Will Braden, a well-known man in the world of "Henri, le Chat Noir" has signed on for the role.
What will I get for my $29 of birthday money?
You mean, besides the satisfaction of helping a well-deserving project?
Let me tell you what I get.
An actual copy of the beautifully-illustrated book.
An embroidered patch for the Oskar & Klaus Adventure Sociery!!! Woohoo!!!
A digital wallpaper pack of the art in the book!!!
A digital download of the audio version of the book!!! (I just know they're going to hit that stretch goal!! Positive thoughts!!!)
This is going to be good, y'all.

pandamonium: a steampunk adventure

Adventure!!!
That's my magic word, y'all.
So, that was the first item that caught my attention: that one word, adventure.
But a steampunk adventure??? Are you kidding me???
With a Panda?!?!
Well... that sounds too cool to miss!
The cherry on top?
The panda is female.
Yep, Patrick Scullin has given the world a steampunk Panda heroine!
Of course, this isn't his first foray into the world of female leads. He's the author of a comic strip that features a geeky brother and sister duo. Click here for a cool tribute to both science fiction and sibling rivalry.
I like that the book is already written.
I like that it is even already available, in a trade format.
But I especially like that the author wants to dress it up, make it fully illustrated, turn it into a treasure.
It hasn't yet hit its funding goal, but I'm sure it will. The deadline is still a week away and all the author lacks is $500.
I want to help him make it there with some of my birthday money from my stepmom. So, he gets $37 and I'll get the fully illustrated book, autographed by him! And an autographed art print!! And a collectible bookmark - which I just may give to my stepmom.
You know, to share my surfeit of riches.
I really think she will enjoy that. She may want to read the book, too!

a cape!

TA DAAAAHHHH!!!!
A cape is magical, right?!?!
You can be a superhero, just like Superman, which I hope Sam Johnson's nephew will aspire to be, which I know Sam aspired to be.
The red cape is definitely what drew me toward this "Ending Soon" kickstarter project.
What kept me here, though, is the preview offered by first-time publisher, Marty Kelley. In it, he talks about the use of a pillowcase as a cape.
Hey! I remember my brothers doing that!
How cool!
This guy knows what he's talking about with this children's book!
He's had plenty of experience, having written several books for young readers. In addition, he's illustrated several books for other writers. And I am sure his years as a 2nd-grade teacher have been an enormous asset, too.
Why do I have an interest? I have a nephew who is quite energetic and not attracted to books, though it isn't for lack of trying on my part. This book, however, may be just the thing to grab his attention!
(Are you reading this, Conner? Nah, I didn't think so. But you will!!)
So why did I throw $29 of my birthday money from my stepmom into this?
After all, it was an "Ending Soon" (as in tomorrow morning) project, but not local. Also, it met its funding goal about two weeks ago.
So, again, why did I join its list of backers?
Yeah, sure, I want the autographed book and the poster and the postcard!!! Of course, he'll be getting all except that postcard. That will be mine, mine, mine!
But, I also hope Mr. Kelley will attain his stretch goal.
You see, if he hits $10,000, he's going to donate a box of the books to The Children's Literacy Foundation. That's a very admirable goal.
I hope he makes it.

creature DIScomforts

Oh, my! This is definitely for me, me, me!!!
A book of disgustingly cute monsters, with poetry!!!
Jessica Feinberg must be aware that I recently had a birthday and that I would want some super-cool memento to always henceforth remind me of this time of my life. So, for me, and for me alone, she started this project on kickstarter.
So very kind of her, don't you agree?
Say what? Why would I be attracted to such a thing??
Well, you should be aware that "Monsters, Inc." is one of my all-time favorite movies.
Like, in the top five.
At one point in time, I had the opportunity to buy a life-size Sully, furry self and all. I was in San Francisco, with my SAR friend, Paul, at this kooky coffee shop filled with movie memorabilia. I was cruising the aisles, admiring the goods, when I rounded a corner and there they were: Sully and Mike, life-size and totally awesome!!!
Why didn't I buy him on the spot?
Well, two reasons intervened. First, he was with Mike. I would have had to buy both of them. They're BFF's; you can't split them up like that.
Secondly, and this is perhaps the more important, the cost of getting him back to Savannah would have been numbing. After all, I had flown there and would fly back. I certainly did not have the funds to buy him - and Mike - airfare for the return home.
So, they had to remain in that coffee shop in California.
I totally get that.
Now, I have the opportunity to attain creepy-cute monsters of my own!!!
Thanks to the creative talents of Jessica and her best friend, Alese Taylor. Actually, the added flavor of two best friends working to create these creepy-cute monsters and writing poems about them makes this irresistible to me.
Truly.
I'm even catching the project at its beginning, so I'll be one of the first backers, showing my support right from the start.
Coincidence, my dear, that I should find this project at this time?
Sure, if you say so...
but I happen to love coincidences!
As proof, I've invested my birthday number of dollars into this venture, right here and now.
In return, I shall receive not one, but TWO autographed copies of the hardcover book. I will definitely plan to share one of those, and this story, with one of my dear greatnieces or greatnephews. That will be an awesome Christmas gift for one of them!
I will also receive two bookmarks - definitely will share those! (Maybe!)
And - oh, Yeah - ba DWHOMP DWHOMP.
Two 8x8 prints will be gracing my newly created "fliss" wall in my Ocean Room.
Two 8x8 prints of monsters of my choice - tika tika, ba DWHOMP DWHOMP.
Oh, Yeah.
(In case you're wondering, go back and review that part in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" when they're admiring that sports car in Cameron's dad's showroom/garage. Right?!?)
Yes, August is looking mighty fine right now, filled with lovely gifts!