“Ren and Marie II: Stepping Off” – What We Are Doing
Welcome back to my blog! I apologize for the delay in restarting this communication path, but it turns out life can demand your energies elsewhere. With that being said, I have needed to slow down and force myself back into the swing of things to properly set up the next stage of my writing career. “Ren and Marie II” or RM2 is starting to make some noise as McCal has started frank illustration.
While she is doing that, it is my responsibility to get the word out and conduct the fundraising for this project. To this point, I am still independent, which I love! The down side is I have to raise the capital to meet my publishing and print goals. In a week’s time we will be starting heavier marketing and fundraising efforts. In the meantime, I thought I would lay out what we are doing.
Marie is back and curious as ever...
We will be offering two new books for this round
“Ren and Marie II: Stepping Off” is the main course. RM2 is a 36-color page adventure story intended for the 2-7 year old crowd. The range is due to the idea that the book can be read to younger ones. The second idea, like RM1, is that beginning readers can read the book to their younger siblings or cousins. That idea itself is enough is to put some “dust” in my eyes, as it were.
From our marketing blurb, “RM2 utilizes guiding narrative, inspiring dialogue, vital characters, and stunning visuals to immerse the reader in the world of these precocious lion cubs, where learning about their surroundings and themselves are the only priorities.”
At this time, we are estimating RM2 will be ready to print in the first months of 2018. If everything works out, there is a possibility it will be ready to the ship by Christmas, however, I just cannot guarantee this for the moment.
“Ren and Marie: Life in the Pride” (RM:LP) is the appetizer. This is the companion coloring book to the “Ren and Marie” series. It will be a simple 12-page coloring book which will give the main book readers some background into the life of our adorable cubs whilst not on the road. It will contain all the humor, vitality, and purposeful reading present in the main series, with the added benefit of a fun activity.
The coloring book will be ready to ship before Christmas (I’m targeting early December).
...together, their curiosity will lead them to the far side of the watering hole, and beyond!
Not to mention in a lot of trouble!
Kickstarter Campaign
Paying for this project has been my major focus for the last few months. Reality is knowing that creating takes money; reality is accepting the indisputable fact that one must pay for quality. This is a reality I accept with no reservations. Paying for RM2 is the taking form of three sections. I have invested a decent amount (for me at least) of my own money to get this project moving. Second, I have applied for an artist grant, the determination of which is pending at the time of writing. Combined, the first two sections constitute about 45% of the estimated minimum cost of the RM2 project (assuming I get the grant in full).
The balance will be made up by a crowdfunding campaign, utilizing the Kickstarter platform. I will write another blog this weekend detailing the specifics of the campaign. Simply, Kickstarter is a platform for anyone with an idea to get backing and investment. This will be the primary vehicle for preordering RM2, RM:LP, and a few special things unique to the campaign. While I anticipate the majority of funding to come from preorders, Kickstarter also functions as a place for non-“reward based” investment if desired.
Well…that about covers “what” we are doing. I want to thank everyone who has been so supportive to this point.
-Z