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Buy a Book. Bless a Child.
Save a Cat.
This is a beautiful storybook that you will treasure. Not only is it the (mostly) true story of three amazing
cats, but also a portion of every book sold goes to a homeless cat who needs medical
care. Families in financial need are also eligible for medical-care funding for their pets.
This is a sweet, sweet story with gorgeous illustrations that will delight little ones, and you.
JOY GUARANTEED.
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What Is The Book About?
The Bad Guy on the Block is a silly caper about three cats who help catch a neighborhood thief
through teamwork, courage, and quick thinking.
Dewey, Thumper, and Lily are
three gorgeous, goofy Norwegian forest cats whose lazy days are interrupted by a would-be
thief.
When their turf is
threatened, these three unlikely heroes—along with their human, Anna —spring
into action. What happens next will surprise and delight you, and make this book a timeless bedtime story for years to come.
The cats are real. The story
is (mostly) true. The cause is close to my heart.
Twenty-five percent of the
profits will fund acute medical care for homeless shelter cats so that they
have a chance to live healthily and happily in a loving forever home. Families
in financial need will also be eligible for acute medical-care funding so that
their pet can remain in their home and out of the shelter system.
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Where Does The Money Go?
Bringing the highest-quality, beautifully illustrated children’s book to life for as many families as possible, well, it’s a challenge.
The Three Norwegians team has designed a book that is sure to be a treasured family favorite that will last generations.
BOOK SPECIFICATIONS:
- Hard cover, 10 x 10 inches, 32 pages
- Full color cover
- Full page, full color illustrations
- Full color jacket
- Paper chosen specifically to allow a “personal paw” signature from your favorite Norwegian.
- Printing and binding
BUDGET:
Publishing ($19,500):
- Book design
-Offset printing and binding
- Public library eligibility & distribution
- Amazon distribution
- Books by the Banks Book Festival Participation
- Storage & shipping support
- Publishing industry & distribution expertise
Book Illustrations (full spread, 32 pages - $4,200)
Professional Photography ($1,000)
Professional Editing & Advising ($1,500)
Legal Services ($800)
Branding & Design Services ($2,250)
Website Development ($2,750)
Campaign Development & Event ($1,500)
Marketing, PR & Promotions ($3,500)
TOTAL $37,000
If we do not reach our funding target, partners will be compensated first for their services and the remaining funds will be provided to the publisher to begin the publishing process. Like the steely resolve of the rescuers who inspired this initiative, I’ll bootstrap together the remaining funds needed to bring this book to market.
If we exceed our funding target, we’ll produce more books than projected (resulting in more benefits for cats and shelters and families!) and invest aggressively in book marketing and distribution.
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Why Did You Write It?
I tried to hide the truth for
years, but with this campaign, the cat is out of the bag: I am a cat lady.
It’s not just my cats that I
love, although they are indisputably the best cats in the world. I love all
cats. Big and small, loud and quiet, feisty and calm, long hair and short. If
you love a cat, you know they’re special.
For as long as I can
remember, I’ve been wanting to help as many cats as I could. During my volunteer
work in shelters, I’ve seen a lot of medical issues keep a good cat from going
home with a loving family. It’s a big decision to adopt a cat, and it’s easy to
overlook the cats who come with a few strings attached.
I know this because I took in
a cat in need. Lily needed surgery to help her live a normal cat life, and the
difference the surgery has made has been enormous. Since then, I’ve become
tuned to a number of other cats who need a little help.
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The sweet-faced
Siamese stray with the gurgling heart in need of a scan to diagnose the problem
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The fluffy
sable-coated shelter kitten with an infected eye that needed to be removed
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Twin tabbies born
with underdeveloped eyes in need of surgery to return them to health
There are so many. Too many.
For a long time, I’ve been looking for a way to raise as much money as I can to
help these cats, but traditional fundraising only goes so far.
So when an unexpected
intruder stumbled into our lives last year, I turned the unusual event into an
irresistible story idea. For the next several months, I worked with editors,
researched publishers, and united the most amazingly talented creative team
from around the world to bring my first book to life.
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Why Is This Important?
We don’t like to think about
the possibility of our pets getting ill or needing medical care. But the reality
is, they do need annual medical checkups, they get ill, and, at times, they
suffer from a disease or as the result of an accident.
Homeless shelter cats with
treatable illnesses or who need costly care to return them to health often
suffer the worst fate. Yet these are savable lives. Most shelter cats were once someone’s special companion, and with
a little help, faith, and attention, they could be once again.
Let’s band together to shower children with joy while helping treatable
cats and kittens return to health and have a decent chance at a lovely life in
a forever home.
Buy a Book. Bless a Child. Save a Cat.
How Else Can I Help?
Word of mouth is key for a
successful crowd funding campaign. We need your help! After you pledge, tell
your family and friends about the project! Tell neighbors! Heck, tell
strangers! Share it on Linkedin! Facebook! Pin it! Tweet! Together we can do
this; we can help cats in need and bring joy to kids and families at the same
time!
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Who Are You Crazy Creatives?
We call ourselves Three
Norwegians after the cats who started this whole idea.
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Kristen Heimerl
At three years old and with arms wide open, Kristen
followed Fred, the big red crabby tabby, everywhere around the house. Of
course, Fred wanted nothing to do with her. And so began Kristen’s deep
affection for cats. Today, she caters daily to the Three Norwegians who—yes—are happy to be caught!
Together they reside in Cincinnati,
Ohio.
Reach Kristen:
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linkedin.com/in/kristenheimerl/
- kmheimerl@earthlink.net
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Irene Bofill Garcia
A college student, cat lover, and multi-talented artist, Bofill
dreams of becoming a successful children’s book illustrator some day. This book
is her first. We’re sure it won’t be her last.
Reach Irene:
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etsy.com/shop/mimandarina
- pinterest.com/ir3n38/
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Erin Pinkley
She’s not a cat person by nature, but who would know?
A friend’s cat perched in the windowsill inspired the Three Norwegians logo. We’re thankful that her aesthetic eye was watching.
Reach Erin:
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erinpinkley.com
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twitter: @erinpinkley
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pinterest.com/erinpinkley
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flickr/photos/erinpinkley
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Sam Benner
Sam is a communications major at NKU with an eye on
P&G. We have no doubt he’ll get there—he’s a go-getter. Mostly
though, he’s a good guy who rescued a half-blind cat named Woody and is marrying
his high-school sweetheart.
Reach Sam:
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sambenner00@yahoo.com
- facebook.com/sam.benner.7
A special thanks to so many amazing people and organizations who helped bring this book and campaign to life, including: Ashley Johnson, photographer with zen patience; Carol Killman Rosenberg, razor sharp editor; Claudia Kasvin, soon-to-be best selling novelist and advisor; Debbie Happe, problem solver with the gigantic heart; Beth Nyberg, the funniest most brilliant woman you will likely never know; Deskey Branding who threw cool projects my way to lead; and, importantly, Women Writing for a Change--confidence and craft builders extraordinaire.
And a special thanks to you, our supporters!