"Mighty Wings" Kickstarter Crowdfunding my New Picture Book

MONARCH BUTTERFLY LOVERS UNITE!

A NEW Picture Book is Being Launched! OURS! 

Creating a new book has more than once been compared to giving birth. In my case this book pregnancy is more nearly similar to the pregnancy of a donkey -- because all said and done it will have taken 14 months from inception-to-books-in- hands. (Yes. I googled that factoid.) 

My daughter is the co-author. Her name is on the cover and truth be told, the whole thing was her idea and will exist because of her insistence. Yes. She was a donkey with unrelenting urgency to create this resource: an engaging and scientifically accurate book intent on contributing to the conservation of the endangered Monarch butterfly. 

There she is: daughter Sarah Joy, surrounded by her Monarchs! 

The making of our book, "Mighty Wings" is a unique daughter/mother combination of effort, energy, talent, commitment and study. What began as a hobby in the uncertain days of the beginning of the pandemic, has evolved into a determination to make a difference -- in our own backyards and beyond! 

It took approximately 9 months for me to create the 'mixed-media' illustrations for our 32 page, traditional format, hard-back, glossy paged book. Those illustrations are a 'whimsical' combination of hundreds of Sarah and my photographs of our Monarch caterpillars, chrysalis, and mature Monarch butterflies -- as well as plenty of Milkweed in bloom photos. 

This is what a kitchen island of illustrations looks like!

PROGRESS!!! That's our little summer haven-home and the art taking over as summer progressed. 

The pandemic has had a unique impact on every small business and every family. In my situation, all of my speaking engagements at educational conferences and author visits to schools were cancelled. 

No speaking = no income. 

We are creating a 32 page book and we need YOUR help! 

We are using Kickstarter as a crowdfunding site. By PREordering and PREpurchasing your copy(s) of "Mighty Wings" you are underwriting the cost of printing the first edition of the book! $6000 = 1000 books. 

We are in that stage of transformation where we need patience, but the struggle is primarily behind us. 

As I type, we have had 105 people step up to support us. 

Our early backers at Kickstarter have pledged by leaving their credit card number -- with the understanding that I'm on an ALL-or-NOTHING campaign. We need to raise all $6000 to print the first edition. As I type that 80% amount pledged is $4841. WHOOHOOO the finish line is at hand.

The first responses to our work have been amazing! 

We wanted a scientifically ACCURATE resource. That has been our goal from the beginning. Dr. Karen reviewed our lyrics before I ever went to the recording studio. She tweaked one verse to fine-tune the science. So we are approved with her two thumbs up!

Ready to jump right in at Kickstarter?

I went to college with Dr. Jeff and it was fun to have him see the project as it was unfolding and to receive his insight and blessing above. Our third scientist review is from THE Ohio State University! See what Dr. Joe has to add below. 

And no book of mine would be complete without the thoughts of my mentor, Mimi-the-Queen-of-Fun Chenfeld. It means so much to me that at 86 years of age, she gets to be involved in this project as well. 

Add our four quotes to the back cover and combine it to the front cover and all ya need is a spine with our names. 

It is so exciting to see it all coming together. But we still need your help at Kickstarter to cross the finish line. 

Let me jump ahead in the saga of bringing this Monarch coservation resource to life. We now, ALREADY have a professionally, genius crafted video version of the first third of the book created, uploaded and being viewed on YouTube. 

I give you 'Caterpillar Rap' with all the bells and whistles!