Award-winning writer Edward Willett crowdfunding fourth anthology featuring major science fiction and fantasy authors

 

Award-winning writer Edward Willett crowdfunding fourth anthology

featuring major science fiction and fantasy authors

 

Edward Willett, Saskatchewan-based award-winning author of more than sixty books of science fiction, fantasy, and non-fiction for readers of all ages, is launching a Kickstarter campaign on March 14, 2023, to fund the fourth annual anthology featuring some of the top writers of science fiction and fantasy working today, all of whom were guests on his Aurora Award-winning podcast, The Worldshapers (www.theworldshapers.com). 

Shapers of Worlds Volume IV will feature new fiction from David Boop, Michaelbrent Collings, Roy M. Griffis, Sarah A. Hoyt, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Noah Lemelson, Mark Leslie Lefebvre, Edward M. Lerner, David Liss, Gail Z. Martin, Joshua Palmatier, Richard Paolinelli, Jean-Louis Trudel, James van Pelt, Garon Whited, and Edward Willett, plus reprints by James Kennedy, R.S. Mellette, and Lavie Tidhar. Among those authors are several international bestsellers, as well as winners and nominees for every major science fiction and fantasy literary award. 

All of the authors were guests during the fourth year of The Worldshapers, where Willett interviews other science fiction and fantasy authors about their creative process. 

Backers' rewards offered by the authors include numerous e-books, signed paperback and hardcover books, Tuckerizations (a backer’s name used as a character name), commissioned artwork, one-on-one writing/publishing consultations, audiobooks, opportunities for online chats with authors, short-story critiques, and more. 

The Kickstarter campaign can be found at  kickstarter.com/projects/edwardwillett/shapers-of-worlds-volume-iv/. 

The campaign goal is $12,000 CDN. Most of those funds will go to pay the authors, with the rest going to reward fulfillment, primarily the editing, layout, and printing of the book, which will be published this fall in both ebook and trade paperback formats by Willett’s publishing company, Shadowpaw Press (www.shadowpawpress.com). This year, there’s a special stretch goal: once the campaign reaches $17,000, $5,000 over the goal, the anthology will be illustrated, with a new black-and-white drawing for each story from Calgary, Alberta artist Wendi Nordell, who has illustrated numerous books for regional publishers including Edward Willett’s science-fiction and fantasy poetry collection, I Tumble Through the Diamond Dust. 

The Worldshapers podcast continues, and assuming Shapers of Worlds Volume IV funds this year, there’ll be a campaign to fund the fifth volume in the series next year.

 

For more information:

Edward Willett

ewillett@sasktel.net

306-536-5421

www.edwardwillett.com

www.shadowpawpress.com

www.theworldshapers.com

 

Kickstarter by American Sign Language Interpreter Kelly Brakenhoff for My Dawg Koa

 

MY DOG KOA

A new Kickstarter by critically acclaimed children’s author and   American Sign Language Interpreter, Kelly Brakenhoff! 

If you want your young child to learn American Sign Language while reading a fun storybook, . . .

If you're an educator or special education professional looking for diversity resources for your classroom, . . .

If you know a child who is deaf or hard of hearing, . . .

. . . you'll love the Duke the Deaf Dog ASL Series! 

 My Dawg Koa: Duke the Deaf Dog ASL Series (MAKE 100)

A hardcover picture book featuring Duke the Deaf Dog and his friend Koa. Readers will learn 11 American Sign Language signs!

My Dawg Koa is a story about best friends.

Deaf friends Duke and Koa are the same, but they are also different.

Duke the Deaf Dog learns about similarities and differences between friends and families.

Their houses may look different, and their parents may have different rules and expectations, but Duke finds one thing families share no matter what: LOVE. 

A fun, engaging way to teach children that friends share common interests. 

PROJECT DETAILS 

·         44-page premium 8x8 hardcover picture book illustrated by my talented sister, Theresa Murray.

·         Age Range: 3-9 years old and Pre-Kindergarten to Second Grade level

·         Bilingual features, including photos of 11 American Sign Language signs and links to videos of Amy Willman, a Deaf ASL instructor, demonstrating the signs and complete story in both ASL and English. 

·        A durable hardcover that will stand up to countless bedtime or classroom readings.

·        Downloadable and printable lesson plans with activity sheets to enhance learning from the book (In high demand from parents, caregivers, and teachers!

·        Mid-tier rewards include Kickstarter exclusive art, early access to the eBook, and more!

·        Higher tier rewards include exclusive art, virtual classroom visits with the author and an ASL Instructor, Classroom Bundles, and more!  

This project will fund special edition HARDCOVER copies of MY DAWG KOA. Deaf and hard of hearing children--and really any child with a disability--want to see characters like themselves in books. Learning ASL is fun for any age child and starts them down the path of bilingualism.

KELLY’S INSPIRATION

I have used ASL every day in my interpreter career for more than 30 years! Deaf Culture has become a cherished part of my heart. At the same time, I always dreamed of becoming an author. 

More than 90% of children who are born deaf or hard of hearing have parents who can hear. I’ve done the research and there are very few books for young children with deaf or hard of hearing characters. Parents and educators need high quality books for their children!

KELLY BRAKENHOFF is an American Sign Language Interpreter whose motivation for learning ASL began in high school when she wanted to converse with her deaf friends. Her first novel, DEATH BY DISSERTATION, kicked off the Cassandra Sato Mystery Series, followed by DEAD WEEK. She also wrote NEVER MIND, first in a children’s picture book series featuring Duke the Deaf Dog. She serves on the Board of Editors for the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf publication, VIEWs. The mother of four young adults and two dogs, Kelly and her husband call Nebraska home. 

To request additional review copies or an interview with Kelly Brakenhoff, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.    We look forward to the coverage!