Dear Friends,
Many of you have donated to my earlier campaign, which ended a few days ago. I'm re-launching a new campaign to cover additional book tour spots that have been added and to try to reach my initial goal so that I can continue the wonderful journey ahead. A hearty thank you to all my generous supporters in advance!
I’ll be coming to city near you this fall to present and sign copies of my debut literary novel, JUVENTUD, which will be published by Curbside Splendor in October, 2015, The above video features my exciting new book trailer. I hope you enjoy it!
Here’s a brief summary of the novel, the “story behind the story,” and why I need your support:
Story Summary
Juventud explores the idealism of youth, the complexities of a ravaged country, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive. Growing up as the only daughter of a wealthy landowner in Santiago de Cali, Colombia, teenaged Mercedes Martinez knows a world of maids, armed guards, and private drivers. When she falls in love with Manuel, a fiery young activist with a passion for his faith and his country, she begins to understand the suffering of the desplazados who share her land.
A startling discovery about her father forces Mercedes to doubt everything she thought she knew about her life, and she and Manuel make plans to run away together. But before they can, tragedy strikes in a single violent night. Mercedes flees Colombia for the United States and a life she never could have imagined. Fifteen years later, she returns to Colombia seeking the truth, but discovers that only more questions await.
My Journey
This riveting story, part sociopolitical thriller and part love story, lyrically told, marks the culmination of the copious research and drafting which I began in 2009, and relied on the support of several writers’ colonies to complete, including Yaddo, Ragdale, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and others.
After so many years of working on the project, I am ecstatic that Juventud has found a home with the Chicago-based independent press, Curbside Splendor Publishing, and I am committed to bringing the novel to the widest audience possible upon its release this fall. In the Northeast I am scheduled to present at the Burlington Book Festival, the Fall for the Book in Fairfax, VA, then will head to launch events in Chicago and Minneapolis, Boston and NYC. In November, the tour heads south and will include my home state of Florida, Savannah, Charleston, Charlotte, Nashville, and D.C.
Why I Need Your Support
I need your help and support to cover travel expenses, lodging, and meals from when the launch starts at the end of September to early December, when I will be on leave from my part-time job at Bookmark It in Orlando, FL. While the publisher is arranging the tour, they are not funding it. My only source of income during the fall will be the online fiction workshop I’m teaching for UCF, which will allow me to maintain flexibility but will amount to a small paycheck that will just cover monthly essentials.
I have a variety of donation levels and incentives to offer – but of course you may donate any amount you wish! I sincerely thank you for being a part of bringing this stunning and important novel—the first of many, I hope—into the world. Further information can be found on the press release and in my biography, provided here, as well as on my website,www.vanessablakeslee.com.
The Impact
Your support will make all the difference. Juventud is a story I truly believe in, and I can't wait to embark on the exciting journey ahead. I've been fortunate enough to have my works published in a variety of journals, including The Southern Review,Green Mountain Review,The Paris Review Daily,The Globe and Mail, and Kenyon Review Online, among many others. My debut story collection, Train Shots, has taught me a lot about the publishing world, but my next endeavor will be the most challenging yet. Ultimately, with your help, it will be a valuable and unforgettable experience as I embark on a journey across the country to share my debut-novel with you.
Other Ways You Can Help
If you can't contribute, please spread the word of my campaign and share this page with your friends, family, and colleagues. I appreciate whatever assistance you can provide in helping me realize the culmination of my years of research and writing, so that I can share my debut-novel with the world. Indiegogo has simple share tools, so don't forget to post this page to your Facebook, Twitter, or email. Thanks so much!
Share this link and spread the word! http://igg.me/at/vanessablakeslee
Pre-order “Juventud” here!
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