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Funds for workshop to revise 'The Color of Safety'

For an novel-writing intensive to revise a novel after the police shooting of an innocent man.

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Funds for workshop to revise 'The Color of Safety'

Funds for workshop to revise 'The Color of Safety'

Funds for workshop to revise 'The Color of Safety'

Funds for workshop to revise 'The Color of Safety'

Funds for workshop to revise 'The Color of Safety'

For an novel-writing intensive to revise a novel after the police shooting of an innocent man.

For an novel-writing intensive to revise a novel after the police shooting of an innocent man.

For an novel-writing intensive to revise a novel after the police shooting of an innocent man.

For an novel-writing intensive to revise a novel after the police shooting of an innocent man.

sakki selznick
sakki selznick
sakki selznick
sakki selznick
1 Campaign |
Twin Cities, United States
$380 USD 3 backers
8% of $4,500 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal
Overview
I need funds to attend a one-year novel-writing intensive project to revise my novel, The Color of Safety, to include our experiences after Philando Castile's racially-based shooting by a police officer. This summer, Mr. Castile--who we loved --was shot and killed by a police officer, targeted because of his race. This workshop will help me incorporate that experience into The Color of Safety--an important way to personalize bigotry for many Americans who might not otherwise relate to it.

Funds for a workshop to revise my novel, The Color of Safety

With a video camera in every pocket, the world is finally seeing what people of color have known for decades--that, no matter their wealth, power, politeness or success, minorities are targeted by police officers, often fatally. And usually, the officers get off scot free. This summer, my family's story become part of the nation's headlines when someone we knew and loved--one of our own--was killed by a police officer, after being targeted as "a wide-nose type." I'm looking for $4500 for a year-long novel-writing intensive to combine our experiences with stories from our neighbors in South Central Los Angeles, in a revision of a novel, The Color of Safety,  that I had already written to humanize our country's history of racism. (This summer's draft had a Driving-While-Black episode mid-20th Century, based on court documents.)

In The Color of Safety, African-American and Jewish history are entwined through the four owners of one fine, old house in South Central Los Angeles over the last hundred years. In this revision, I will be changing the story of the owners in 2016: as Molly Lerner struggles to absorb her mother’s Holocaust past, Molly and Daniel and their children get to know and love a mixed race family of neighbors, before their world is shattered by the police shooting of one of their own. 

The novel-writing workshop is led by a gifted teacher and contains only twelve other writers. It  will provide artistic support, practical advice and the formal stamp of accomplishment--three things that will help this book break into traditional publishing. A generous writer friend who has read the existing draft, fronted me the first half-payment (to be repaid from sale of the novel.) I need to raise the rest. 

When I heard about the class--with a fantastic teacher-I leaped at the chance, recruited writers I knew were terrific, and signed us all up. I knew I needed help to pay for it, but with only twelve hotly desired slots--which went within seconds--I had to leap first, fund-raise later. Now I'm in, and passionately revising already. The class starts in three weeks--the due date for funds is coming up!

Budget  Novel-Writing Project

  1. The second half payment The Loft's The Novel Writing Project            $3600                                                             
  2. For a used Macbook Air for revision of The Color of Safety.                           $600                                                                
  3. For the purchase of seven novels required for the class                                   $105
  4. Laser printer and various class related printing costs                                       $195                       

Total                                                                                                                                         $4500

The perks I offer are:

1) for ten dollar donations, I will knit you a scarf--with no dropped stitches, guaranteed. 

2) For thirty dollar donations, I will send you a signed copy of The Color of Safety (after it is published.) 

3) for fifty-dollar donations, I will needle felt your last name, or an abstract design, onto a wool beret. 

4) For fifty-dollar donations, I will knit you an actual Minnesota hat (with ear flaps and long tails.)

5) For 100 dollars, (if you live in driving distance) I will be thrilled to visit your critique or book group and talk with you guys about The Color of Safety. If you live further away, I will Skype into your group. 

6) For 1000 dollars, I will edit or punch up the query letter for your own book project. (What can I say? I have a gift.)

Art can entertain--and I believe The Color of Safety will do so--but more than that, it can transform, translate, enlighten and serve as a call to action against the powers of tyranny.  As we saw during this election, some think that racial minorities and Jews are subhuman. We don't change these minds through argument, but through stories that build connection. I believe that the stories that twist and tangle through The Color of Safety can reach people who might not otherwise be able to identify with an inner-city black family--so that folks from Idaho to Iowa, from New Mexico to New Hampshire, can come to understand what it feels like to be targeted because of the color of your skin, with sometimes terrifying consequences. 

Any support will help. I hope to reach the full amount, but If I don't, what I have will help--a lot-- with tuition. 

If I reach more than the requested amount, what is left will go toward a professional critique of The Color of Safety before submission. If you can't afford to donate, I totally get it! I wouldn't be crowd-sourcing if money was no problem. But you can still help, by forwarding this link to friends you know who might be interested in supporting what I believe will be an important book.  Just use the easy Indiegogo share tools. 

One last note:  this my first ever crowd-sourcing, my first time making this kind of video, my first time doing any of this. If you have suggestions for how to improve this campaign, please let me know. I'm listening. 

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Choose your Perk

featured

needle-felted design on beret.

$40 USD
I will needle felt my autograph, your last name, or an abstract design on a wool beret. (Notice all of these are winter crafts? it's that time of year.)
Included Items
  • Needle-felting on wool beret
Estimated Shipping
June 2017
0 out of 20 of claimed
Ships worldwide.

I will knit you a scarf.

$10 USD
I will knit and ship to you a rectangular scarf in up to two colors of your choice. No dropped stitches, I promise. Delivery date--just in time for summer!
Included Items
  • I will knit you a scarf.
Estimated Shipping
June 2017
0 out of 15 of claimed
Ships worldwide.

Signed copy after published.

$30 USD
I will sign a copy of The Color of Safety after it's published and ship it to you.
Included Items
  • Signed copy of published book.
Estimated Shipping
June 2020
0 out of 30 of claimed
Ships worldwide.

A hand-knit Minnesota hat

$60 USD
A hand-knit (by me) Minnesota hat, (with ear-flaps and ear-tails). This is a bit beyond my knitting ability, so you'll have to donate quit a lot for this one!
Included Items
  • Hand-knit ear-flap hat (6)
Estimated Shipping
July 2017
0 out of 10 of claimed
Ships worldwide.

Visit critique or book group.

$100 USD
If you live within driving distance, I will be thrilled to visit your critique or book group to talk about The Color of Safety. If you live outside of a driving range, I will participate via Skype.
Included Items
  • Visit critique, book group.
Estimated Shipping
December 2017
0 claimed

Punch up your query letter

$1,000 USD
I will edit or help you write a query letter for your own book project. Please note, I have gotten darned good at this--value for your buck!
Included Items
  • Punch up your query letter
Estimated Shipping
March 2017
0 claimed

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