Dai Stihó, Everyone!

You are cordially invited to the first annual CrossingsCon! It'll be a whole convention dedicated to Young Adult science fiction, specifically the Young Wizards series by Diane Duane. These phenomenal books do not have the international fame that some other young adult series do, but their fans are every bit as dedicated.

After seeing the wonderful internet communities that exist to celebrate these books, we (Eli, Holland, Masha, Sarah, Claudia, Ron, Hanna, and Amy) decided that we wanted to meet all of you in real space, and give you the opportunity to meet each other.

CrossingsCon is slated to take place from June 24th-26th 2016 at the Courtyard Newark Downtown in Newark, NJ. We're planning two days of readings, blue food, meta, and hugs, with a third day dedicated to the optional "So You Want To See Manhattan" tour, so there'll be plenty to do and plenty of people to get to know. But don't pack your claudication just yet — we need some help before we're ready to go.

What You Can Do For Us

This is a project by fans, for fans. We've done a lot of work this past year, but we still have a ways to go. That's why we've created this IndieGoGo--so cousins everywhere can pitch in to make an awesome con for everyone to enjoy.

In order to cover our fixed expenses, we're going to need about $6000. Your donations will allow us to do things like:

• Pay for meeting space in the hotel so we have somewhere to hold the convention itself!
  
• Pay for advertising so that no fan is left behind! We want everyone to know this is happening so that more people can come.
  
• Pay for con necessities like programs and badges.
  
• Bring special guests like Mark Oshiro, Seanan McGuire, and maybe even Diane Duane herself to talk with us about books and sci-fi!
  

Our Goals

• $6000  - If we get fully funded, congrats everyone, we will have a convention! As mentioned above, we’ll have two days of programming and the Manhattan tour. 

• $7000 - If we hit $7000, Mark Oshiro of Mark Reads and Watches will be invited as a guest of honor.

• $8000 - If we raise $8000, Seanan McGuire, long-time Young Wizards fan and the author of the Toby Daye and Incryptid books, will be invited as an additional guest of honor.

• $9000? $10000? - ETA: We have to be honest: Needing a third stretch goal caught us by surprise. You guys have rocketed past all expectations we had for this fundraiser. So for this stretch goal, here’s the deal: if we hit $9000, that extra thousand dollars goes right back to our attendees. We’re not sure if it’s going to be free t-shirts, a catered lunch, or a bouncy castle in the hotel, but we’ll think of something and we’ll make sure it’s awesome.

What We Want To Do For You

We have a fabulous list of perks lined up that will fit any preference or budget. Many of them are handmade and have been donated to us by members of the fandom, so even our fundraiser is by fans, for fans. The list of perks is below, while a list of makers and their descriptions can be found on our blog here.

Cousin ($1)
You get our sincere thanks! Also, your name will go on the Wall of Awesome Cousins on our website (if you want it to). Image is from our "The Speech" perk, courtesy of Samantha.

                         

The Speech ($5)
A pack of five CrossingsCon-exclusive digital wallpapers. Available in various sizes for your Spots, iManuals, and Wizpods.
Creator: Samantha.

Out On Erran-tea ($5)
A character-themed sample tin of loose leaf tea from Adagio Teas. Choice of Nita, Kit, or Peach. 
Allergen Information: All teas are sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan-friendly. For more information please view each individual tea’s page by clicking the links above or searching for the character's name on Adagio.
Shipping Information: Teas cannot be shipped to Australia due to customs regulations.
Creator: Teas compiled by Sarah, with label art by xiy. 

CrossingsCon Keychain ($5)
A glow-in-the-dark blue plastic 3D-printed version of the CrossingsCon logo, approximately 2” x 1”, and weighing approximately 0.1oz/2g.
Creator: Bryton.

Sevarfrith ($5)
One vinyl decal, in your choice of "biteless apple" or "wizard's knot" designs, in a size perfect for phones and laptops.
Creator: Seward Street Studios.

Astahfrith ($10)
A bone pin measuring 1.5" by 1" with your choice of design. Choose from the Wizard's Knot, "What's Loved Lives", "In Life's name and for Life's sake...", and "With?". Pins are made from sustainably sourced buffalo bone. Design will differ from those pictured.
Creator: Heather.

How About Fred? ($20)
A small hand-crocheted Fred plushie of your very own! In his crocheted form, Fred resembles a fuzzy white ball about 2.25” in diameter. (Mark Oshiro not included.)
Creator: Hanna.

Preliminary Exercises ($25)
A set of 3 bone pins measuring 1.5" by 1": "What's Loved Lives", "In Life's name and for Life's sake...", and the Wizard's Knot.
Creator: Heather.

Not On My Patch ($30)
Enjoy the taste of CrossingsCon with a 3-pack of Holland's famous pumpkin bread, delivered straight to your door. That's 300 cubic inches of deliciousness! Can also be made gluten free and vegan!
Allergen information: Contains wheat, eggs, canola oil, pumpkin, and spices. If you are allergic to a specific spice and have questions, please contact us.
Shipping Information: US BACKERS ONLY! Due to customs restrictions, we cannot ship food internationally.
Creator: Holland.

A Quick Cup of Tea ($40)
The A Wizard Abroad theme pack, which contains: a ten-pack of YW character-flavored teas (specifics at the bottom of the page) and an "In Life's name and for Life's sake..." bone pin measuring 1.5" by 1" (not pictured).
Allergen Information: All teas are sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan-friendly. For more information please view each individual tea’s page by clicking here.
Shipping Information: Teas cannot be shipped to Australia due to customs regulations.
Creator: Teas compiled by Sarah with label art by xiy. Bone pins created by Heather.

The Wizard’s Oath ($50)
The So You Want To Be a Wizard theme pack, which contains: a handmade Wizard's Manual journal and a mini Fred plushie, which measures 2.25” in diameter. (Mark Oshiro still not included.)
Creator: Plushie by Hanna, manual by Kaitlynn.

Song of the Twelve ($50)
The Deep Wizardry theme pack, which contains: an Ed (shark) plushie and a S'reee (whale) plushie, being adorable together, and a Wizard's Knot pin measuring 1.5" by 1" (not pictured). The Ed plushie measures 4.5” long by 3” wide and 3” tall, while the S’reee plushie measures in at slightly longer.
Creator: Plushies by Hanna, pin by Heather.

Spell Diagrams ($75)
Every wizard needs a manual! With this perk, you will receive a bespoke Wizard's Manual, handmade and personalized just for you, and filled with blank pages so you can write down all your favorite spells. Journal pictured is from the "The Wizard's Oath" perk. Actual finished manuals will vary.
Creator: Kaitlynn.

Adopt a Mobile! ($75)
We have some mobiles that need good homes! With this perk you will get: a giant, hand-crocheted plushie of a mobile (about 22” tall by 16” wide, seen in the above photo as the larger of the two plushies), and a "With?" pin measuring 1.5" by 1" (not pictured).
Creator: Plushie by Hanna, pin by Heather.

Manhattan Skyline ($100)
For those who love the city that never sleeps as much as the wizards that live there, a hand-knitted shawl in variegated blue with a lace border that looks like the Manhattan skyline, and a Wizard’s Knot bone pin measuring 1.5" by 1" (not pictured) to finish any necessary spells with. Shawls will be made with 100% wool yarn and will come with care instructions. (Image not an exact representation of the finished shawl.)
Allergen Information: Shawls are 100% wool, and are made in a home that contains an adorable fluffy feline.
Creator: Shawls created by Masha. Bone pins created by Heather.

Other Manhattan ($100)
For those who love the city that never sleeps, and maybe want to run the place, a hand-knitted shawl in variegated grey with a lace border that looks like the Manhattan skyline, and a Wizard’s Knot bone pin measuring 1.5" by 1" (not pictured) to finish any necessary spells. Shawls will be made with 100% wool yarn and will come with care instructions. (Image not an exact representation of the finished shawl. Dominion over New York City attempted at own risk.)
Allergen Information: Shawls are 100% wool, and are made in a home that contains an adorable fluffy feline.
Creator: Shawls created by Masha. Bone pins created by Heather.

Support Your Local Wizard ($160)
Complete your personal library with all four book theme packs! Includes all rewards from the "The Wizard's Oath", "The Song of the Twelve", "The Motherboard", and "A Quick Cup of Tea" tiers!
Creator: Hanna, Heather, Kaitlynn, and Theresa. See individual packs for details.

Buy the Whole Patch ($500)
Really love the taste of CrossingsCon? We’ll buy a beach cooler, fill it to the brim with Holland's famous pumpkin bread, and ship it straight to your door. It won’t be a small cooler, either!
Allergen information: Contains wheat, eggs, canola oil, pumpkin, and spices. If you are allergic to a specific spice and have questions, please contact us.
Shipping Information: US BACKERS ONLY! Due to customs restrictions, we cannot ship food internationally.
Creator: Holland.

Spread the Word!

While we'll be posting like crazy on our Tumblr, Twitter, and Facebook, we can only reach so many people! So please, use the IndieGoGo share tools to let everyone know this is happening!

We've also made you a nifty badge and icon for your profiles, blogs, and forum signatures. Grab them and let everyone know: you want CrossingsCon 2016 to be a reality! 

Twitter/Tumblr icon:

Forum signature:

Risks and Challenges

While most of us are new to event planning, Eli, our fearless leader, is a con-planning veteran. He and Holland have worked to make sure we all understand the ins and outs of fulfilling an IndieGoGo, and we're all prepared to jump on any issue so it gets resolved as soon as possible.

This con has been in the works since August of 2013, and the majority of the team has been on board that whole time. We are already a 501(c)3 organization, and we have a signed contract with our venue, as well as with several guests of honor. We made sure this was all done before even planning the IndieGoGo. This is a flexible funding campaign, so even if we don't meet our goal, we will still have made a significant chunk of money towards having a con, and will hopefully be able to make up the difference with badge sales. However, we hope to meet and even exceed our goal so that we can throw you all the best convention possible.

Should the IndieGoGo go beyond our wildest dreams, we will enlist a third-party fulfillment service to help get perks out, plus the con will be much more exciting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is my donation tax-deductible?
A: Yes, it is 100% tax-deductible! You will receive a tax receipt through FirstGiving.

Q: Why isn’t a badge for CrossingsCon one of the perks?
A: The amount of funding we get through the Indiegogo determines the kinds of events that the convention will have, like signings, guest panels, and blue food banquets. We want anyone who is buying a badge to know what they’re buying admission to, and we can’t know that until fundraising is complete.

Q: These perks are so great and I want more than one! Can I do that?
A: Yes! You can make multiple pledges and request multiple perks. Be aware that, if you order multiple perks, or if you choose a perk with multiple parts, we may wait to ship your perks until they are all done so that we can ship them together.

Q: Can the perks be shipped outside the US?
A: Most items can be, except for the following restrictions:

• Pumpkin bread (the "Not On My Patch" and "Buy the Whole Patch" perks) cannot be shipped outside the US due to customs regulations

• Tea (the "Out On Erran-tea", "A Quick Cup of Tea", and "Support Your Local Wizard" perks) cannot be shipped to Australia, because Australians only drink rugby (actually also due to customs regulations).

If you do not live in the United States and are getting perks shipped to you, please add an extra $10 to your pledge. We’re not the biggest fans of this, but shipping to other countries is expensive!

Q: Why are the delivery dates of the plushies so far out?
A: The plushies are being hand-crocheted to order, so they take time! The listed delivery date of the plushies is the latest date you should get your plushie; you will get yours as soon as it’s done!

Q: What are the teas included in the ten-pack for "A Quick Cup of Tea" and "Support Your Local Wizard"?
A: Nita Callahan - earl grey moonlight, citron green, ginger with aniseed
Kit Rodriguez - masala chai, chocolate, chocolate chip, with cocoa nibs
Carmela Rodriguez - rooibos caramel, tiger eye, candy apple with chocolate chips
Ronan Nolan - irish breakfast, mocha nut mate, lapsang souchong with cocoa nibs
Filif - raspberry green, forest berries, berry blast with lemon balm
Roshaun ke Nelaid - earl grey bravo, grapefruit, blood orange with marigold flowers
Dairine Callahan - assam melody, ginger, cinnamon with rose hips
Darryl McAllister - berry blues, honeybush vanilla, rooibos peach with coconut
Ponch - assam melody, hazelnut, blueberry with raspberry leaves
Machu Picchu - ceylon sonata, peach, rooibos peach with apple pieces