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
- The second half payment The Loft's The Novel Writing Project $3600
- For a used Macbook Air for revision of The Color of Safety. $600
- For the purchase of seven novels required for the class $105
- 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.