Ray Friesen’s Steamhound Illustration, available through Indiegogo!
Let me begin by saying that my publisher, Something or Other Publishing (SOOP), is just fantastic! They have gone beyond the call of duty to make my dream of publishing my first book (The Time Manipulator’s Son) a reality. The book will be released soon.
Like other writers from Trinidad and other parts of the Caribbean, getting local and regional recognition is extremely difficult. So, to facilitate this deficit, SOOP did the ground work in organizing and developing a fundraiser though Indiegogo to donate two hundred books to schools and libraries in Trinidad. My book touches on anti-bullying and the challenges that come along with children who are different. With the love and support of their families and each other, three young boys who were considered outcasts amongst their peers were able to embrace their differences, overcome their insecurities, and accept themselves for who they were. This is a hot topic that is being addressed worldwide.
SOOP also incorporated into the perks drawings from author and illustrator Ray Friesen, with visual representations of some of the characters from the book. Social media master Christian Lee is also assisting with spreading the message about the campaign online.
My first challenge was to shoot a video. Initially, I thought this would have been a simple task, but to get the message across without sounding like a robot took several attempts, including filming and editing by multiple people. I have to say “thank you” to these people for their patience with me.
When the campaign was launched, I got in touch with everyone I could reach through emails, phone calls, and text messages, explaining the purpose and goals of this fundraiser. A few enthusiastic contributors responded immediately with support.
After that initial quick burst of support, the hard work really began.
Slowly, as a result of persistent and strategic outreach, more people started to donate. Though I have a way to go, the numbers continue to grow. I will continue to send gentle reminders to those I have already informed and keep reaching out to more people, including organizations, to help me achieve this goal.
Anyone wishing to contribute to this cause can go to: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-time-manipulator-s-son.
Thank you for your support. And, as we say in Trinidad, I would like to “big up” the people at SOOP for all their efforts.
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