What is Black00?
Eight years ago when Laton was kidnapped and tortured, she had killed to survive. Now that her baby
brother becomes the latest victim of a wave of children abductions, her worst
nightmare turns real. When the kidnappers set the ransom so high, as if counting
on her inability to pay it off, she rushes to the authorities. Yet, the
police seem to stonewall the investigation.
The only way for Laton to raise her brother’s ransom is to
enlist herself as test subject in a lethal research. But if she is as
good as dead, why do the attempts on her life start piling up?
A fast-paced thriller, placed in a science-fiction near-future setting, Black00 is a celebration of determination and resilience. Seen through the eyes of a sister and a brother, Laton and Sabin, the story follows their journey to find each other and unravel the mystery
that ties their family to Black00.
With this story, I sought to reinterpret the
thriller
and science fiction genres in a more accessible form, even for fans unfamiliar with either one of these genres. The 100,000-word manuscript is complete and edited.
Who Created Black00?
I'm an author based in Massachusetts, invested body and soul into making Black00 a reality. Since my youth,
I've been fascinated by all
forms of art, from writing to music, painting, sculpture, and
photography. For
the last years I've been dedicated to blending my passion for
storytelling with my formal business training and market analysis
experience. I've been
involved in various projects employing my skills in writing, editing,
and
visual arts. Aside from storytelling, I maintain a blog about the
economic aspects of the publishing
industry, while working as a software developer for business and
statistical
applications.
In order to bring Black00 to life, I've teamed up
with some amazing people who gave their talent, time, and energy so you could
enjoy a prime quality story.
How Will Your Money Be Used?
I've already invested some of my own money into this project--I'm supporting the costs of the structural edit and the line edit, along with all the costs of creating this campaign and designing the cover. Now that these production steps were taken, I need to raise $6,000 to get the first printing done--which includes the final proofread of the manuscript and shipping the books to you.
The larger the volume of total orders the
lower the overall production and shipping cost that I will be able to
negotiate.
- What does the production cost of the physical books include? Manufacturing cost using 100% Forest-Stewardship-Council-certified paper and/or recycled paper + Proof copy + Set-up fee.
- How are the ISBN costs calculated? Each format (softcover, hardcover,
e-book) requires an individual ISBN number. The price is $125/one ISBN or
$300/10 ISBN.
- How are the IndieGoGo and Paypal fees calculated? 5% IndieGoGo + 3-5%
Paypal transactions depending on your method of payment and geographical
location + $0.30 fixed fee per transaction for U.S. (international
fixed fee varies).
-
How is the shipping cost calculated?
After lengthy research, I concluded that the best U.S. shipping rates are about
$4.00 U.S. offered by USPS as media mail. For international orders, one of the
printing companies offers a flat rate of $12.00/paperback and $15/hardcover for all zones outside the U.S. Then the shipping supplies have been added to obtain the final cost.
All shipping rates, particularly the
international ones, are sensitive to fuel price variations. The comparative
rates presented below were calculated at the end of May 2016, using the
calculators provided by USPS, UPS, and various printing companies, which offer
individual distribution options.
Publishing Timeline
To give you an idea of how long it will take to publish this book, here is the timeline for creating Black00.
The Perks
I added various perks available at different price ranges. I've included quite a few early-bird perks because I want a lot of people to be able to experience Black00. Please take a look at the
right sidebar--if you like what you see, click on a reward category in order to
pledge to Black00.
Any donation of $1 or more will get you a flash story never published
before (not set in the Glaukos Universe) along with my thank-you
message. I'll also update you with the
progress of this project during production and printing, and add you to
my website as an
official supporter.
In addition, any donation of $4 or more plus the Early Bird
Digital gets you a special digitally signed edition of the e-book. And
because I don't want you to be locked-in by the brand of your first
ereader, you'll receive the book in every available format (EPUB, MOBI,
and PDF) so you can upload Black00 on any device you own. Please note
that the EPUB format is compatible with iBooks.
Any pledge of $50 or more (made in any combination of perks or perks
and extra contributions) will be listed in the Acknowledgements.
I tried to cover most perk bundling options, based on
various printing format. However, if you'd like to get a different combination,
please contact me. Also should you have
suggestions about other perks you'd like to have or ways to support this
project, feel free to contact me directly. I'm always open to new ideas.
Risks & Challenges
The overall risks are small. I have a Masters Degree in Resource Economics and years of experience as a market analyst. The manuscript is already completed and edited, the cover is designed, and I've identified a suitable printing company and rewards suppliers. The prices listed are based on in-depth research of various alternatives. The main challenges are related to delays due to the printing process and distribution. Also individual items are being produced by
independent developers--hence, there may be delays in distribution or suppliers may change their offers before I can place the IndieGoGo orders. If this happens, I
will have to find an alternative printing company, alternative suppliers, and/or alternative distribution channels. However I am confident I can get Black00 safely into your hands.
Go Green
Without forests, humanity would face a bleak fate. Deforestation and forest
degradation threaten the quality of the air we breathe, by adding up to 15% of
global greenhouse gas emissions. Trees play the role of insulation for the
planet and help to maintain stable temperatures, therefore controlling climate
change.
I am passionate about promoting an eco-friendly mindset, which is why
I've chosen to produce Black00 only from
high quality sustainable and recycled paper. The physical books you'll receive will be printed
100% on Forest-Stewardship-Council-certified paper and/or recycled paper. For rewards, I'll use local suppliers in order to reduce the fuel consumption and therefore the carbon footprint.
Other Ways You Can Help
If you can't can't contribute, that's all right! Please share this campaign on your social media platforms and keep an eye out for updates. Using the IndieGoGo share tools helps this project too.
I'd love to hear your thoughts regarding Black00, so don't hesitate to use the comment section to reach me.
Thank you for bringing Black00 to life!