February 22, 2018 - Soooooo, about those stretch goals!
The Vulture Culture 101 IndieGoGo Campaign started a little over two weeks ago, and as of right this moment it’s at $2,723, which is 91% of the original $3,000 I asked for--THANK YOU!!!! Since you all have been so enthusiastic in supporting this, it’s only right that I put a couple of stretch goals out there:
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--If the campaign reaches $4,000, I will have stickers of the above skull design printed! Everyone who will pledged at a level that includes physical items being sent to them up to that $4,000 mark will have a sticker tucked into their package at no extra cost. After we hit $4,000 I will open up additional perk levels where you can get the sticker (with or without the paperback book).
--If the campaign reaches $6,000, I will also produce a set of animal skull flash cards to help you with learning to identify some of the skulls you may encounter in Vulture Culture. Right now I’m looking at somewhere around 36-ish cards for the deck. If we reach the $6,000 mark, the deck will be automatically added at no extra charge to ALL pledges at the $100 Vulture Starter Kit level, the $250 Deluxe Vulture Starter Kit level, and the $500 Ultimate Vulture level. Additionally, I will add pledge levels where you can buy the paperback book and a set of flash cards.
Please note that I may have to push back order fulfillment a bit for orders with flash cards as it will take me extra time to design and print the cards.
At Last, A Book on Vulture Culture!
Hi, I'm Lupa! I am an artist, author, and naturalist in the Pacific Northwest. I've been working with hides and bones in my artwork and spirituality since 1998, and my first book on nature-based spirituality was published in 2004. Among my publications are Skin Spirits: The Spiritual and Magical Use of Animal Parts (Megalithica Books, 2010) and Skull Scrying: Animal Skulls in Divinatory Trance (self-published, 2015). I am also the creator of The Tarot of Bones deck and book set, which was funded through two wildly successful IndieGoGO campaigns in 2015 and 2016, and was officially released in 2017. I maintain a database of animal parts laws that is used by thousands of people every year, and I have run multiple events combining art and natural history (and skulls!)
Now I am turning my creative endeavors toward a new book project focusing on the "fandom" that has arisen around the collection and appreciation of hides, bones and other animal remains. Vulture Culture 101: A Book For People Who Like Dead Things is the first book solely focused on this subculture. While there are books out there concerning taxidermy, or animal bones, or hide tanning, Vulture Culture covers these topics and so much more! There will be information on how to find other Vultures, legalities and ethics, where to find specimens, and even how to get the smell of roadkill off your hands. Here's a working table of contents from the official website, http://www.vultureculture101.com:
Introduction
Chapter 1: Roots and Revival: Historical and Modern-Day Vultures
Chapter 2: The Successful Scavenger: Where Do I Get My Goods?
Chapter 3: Identifying Hides, Bones and More
Chapter 4: Here’s Where It Gets Messy: Processing Raw Specimens
Chapter 5: Put Your Best (Rabbit’s) Foot Forward: Displaying and Caring For Your Collection
Chapter 6: Vultures and Our Neighbors
Chapter 7: Rewilding the Beast: Vulture Culture as a Return to Nature
Conclusion
Appendix I: Further Resources
Appendix II: Recommended Nature-based Nonprofits
As of this campaign, I have written over 90% of the final manuscript, minus the guest essays (which I'll talk about in a minute!) I have a few more topics I want to cover here and there, but the bulk of the writing is done. My goal is to release the book in Summer of 2018, and you can help make that happen by backing this campaign on IndieGoGo!
Where's the Money Going?
Every dollar of the $3000 goal of this campaign will go directly into funding the production of Vulture Culture 101. Here's what I need to cover:
--Writers! I'll be using some of the funds to pay guest writers for how-to essays on topics like tanning and bone cleaning, since I'm more of a hide and bone artist than a hide and bone processor. (Look for a call for writers out on my social media once the IGG campaign is complete.)
--Books! As with The Tarot of Bones Companion Book, I'll be self-publishing and using CreateSpace as a platform. I'll need to print enough books to cover IndieGoGo backers, plus some more for general sales stock.
--Perks! While these are awesome extras for you, I still have to pay for their printing/materials/etc. and spend time putting together the handmade ones.
--Shipping! Shipping costs will be factored in during your pledge process, but keep in mind I'll also need to pay to have the books shipped to me from the printer.
While the majority of costs will go to the production of the book, I will be donating a to-be-decided portion of the proceeds to nonprofit organizations that benefit wildlife and their habitats, such as the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and the Nature Conservancy. I am already a regular contributor to several of these organizations, including making monthly donations to some. While the exact amount I give varies from month to month depending on my income and expenses, I do what I can to help these organizations keep up their good work.
About Those Perks...
So what sorts of goodies can you get by backing this campaign? Here are a few possibilities for you to choose from:
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Vulture Culture 101 (of course!) - you'll be able to get a single copy, or two at a time (one for you, one for a friend!)
- The Tarot of Bones, and other books I've written - you can have your choice of some or all of my previous, currently in print publications.
- A Wearable Fox Tail - tails are one of my most popular handmade items; each one is made from a tail left over from garment manufacture, and each has a handmade attachment using secondhand leather from old jackets rather than a cheap ball chain or keychain.
- Vulture Culture Starter Kits - featuring a nifty assortment of specimens; the actual contents of your kit will be a surprise, but expect goodies like fur, bones and more
- Furs of North America Wall Hanging - this is a very limited perk, featuring a leather wall hanging with samples of several furs from North American mammals. (Note that some furs may be replaced with substitutes if they are not legal in your state.)
- A wearable red fox, coyote or wolf headdress made from a whole hide complete with head, tail, paws and claws
- A special thank you in the book and on the official website (you can opt out of one or both of these)
- And more! Check the list of perks on the right.
If you can't decide which one you reallllly want, keep in mind you can claim multiple perks by making multiple contributions--more information here.
Also, please remember that perk amounts include my costs for materials for fulfilling them, and also remember that IndieGoGo and Paypal will both take out part of the money for their fees!
(My apologies to non-US folks; due to customs restrictions I cannot ship anything made with wildlife parts outside of the US. Books are totally legal to ship worldwide, however!)
Now for a little more detail on some of these perks:
Books and Tarot
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I've written and published several books prior to this project. You can choose to bring home one or more of these titles, shipped along with your copy of Vulture Culture 101 in Summer 2018:
Fang and Fur, Blood and Bone: A Primal Guide to Animal Magic
DIY Totemism: Your Personal Guide to Animal Totems
Skin Spirits: The Spiritual and Magical Uses of Animal Parts
New Paths to Animal Totems: Three Alternative Approaches to Creating Your Own Totemism
Plant and Fungus Totems: Connect With Spirits of Field, Forest and Garden
Nature Spirituality From the Ground Up: Connect With Totems in Your Bioregion
Please note that my anthologies are not included in this special offer.
If you want just the Vulture Culture related titles, the Vulture Culture Book Lot includes Vulture Culture 101, Skin Spirits: The Spiritual and Magical Use of Animal Parts, Skull Scrying: Animal Skulls in Divinatory Trance, and The Tarot of Bones deck and book. If you just want Vulture Culture 101 and The Tarot of Bones, select the VC101 and Tarot of Bones package.
Tails and Ears
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(Photo is a sample; exact items you get may vary.)
Tails and ears are among my most popular handmade creations, and I've sold thousands of both over the years. You can just get a fox tail with your copy of Vulture Culture 101, or select the Add a Tail and Ears, Please package to get a matched set of either coyote or red fox wearable ears and tail.
Vulture Culture Starter Kits
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(Photo is a sample; exact items you get may vary.)
Want some dead things to go with your copy of Vulture Culture 101? Check out the Vulture Starter Kit and Deluxe VC Starter Kit perks! The exact contents of your kit are a surprise, but expect a nice variety of hide, bone and other nifty specimens. The Vulture Starter kit will have a good all-around basic collection; the Deluxe amps it up in both quality and quantity. Please note that state laws will determine what I can and can't include in your kit.
Furs of North America Wall Hanging
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I made one of these several years ago, but it was stolen at a show before I was even able to put it on display. Now it's back as a special limited perk for this IndieGoGo campaign! A lovely piece of deerskin creates a backing for a variety of real fur samples from legal North American mammals. Please note that the wall hanging you receive will be larger and include more species (some species may not be available in your state due to legalities.) What you see here is just a small sampler to give you an idea of the concept.
Headdresses
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I've been making full hide headdresses for over 15 years. Rather than using non-biodegradable taxidermy supplies, I create a lighter, more open style of headdress that can be worn for long periods of time comfortably. If you'd like a headdress to go with your copy of Vulture Culture 101, I have perk options for red fox, coyote, and wolf--check them out!
Risks & Challenges
As I mentioned above, I have run two very successful IndieGoGo campaigns for The Tarot of Bones, both of which greatly exceeded their goals. 2015's campaign asked for $5,000 and made $10,143, and 2016's asked for $5,000 and made $5,800. Because this is a less elaborate project, consisting of a book rather than a deck and book, and requiring fewer raw materials for production, my overhead is lower. However, given that I was able to fund that much more expensive project, I am confident in my ability to successfully fund and release Vulture Culture 101.
This is a flexible-funding campaign, which means that if I do not meet my goal, I still get the money (but IndieGoGo gets to keep a much larger percentage of it, 9% as opposed to 4%, not including Paypal's fees on top of that). Even if I don't raise $3,000, I will continue with the project with the goal of having the book released Summer 2018; the successful completion of this campaign will make that much easier.
While the IndieGoGo campaign is not my sole source of funding for this project, it will allow me to divert a lot less money from my everyday income and help me compensate for the time that I spent working on Vulture Culture 101. In short, by backing this campaign you'll be helping me keep my bills paid and my belly full while I dedicate myself to this project.
Why Is This Project Important?
There are plenty of resources on Vulture Culture online, and there are books on how to do taxidermy, or how to identify skulls. However, they are scattered across libraries and the internet. Vulture Culture 101, while it will not be a completely exhaustive book on the subject (such a thing would be impossible!), is meant to be a well-rounded book on both Vulture Culture and the natural history specimens we enjoy. It gives readers both a good foundation in what Vulture Culture is, and how to get involved, from processing specimens to finding other Vultures.
It's also meant to be a book that you can hand to curious (but perhaps confused) friends and family who want to know more about why you're so interested in dead stuff. And it's a great read for people who just like unusual topics in their nonfiction perusals.
But it's not just about us. It's also about how Vulture Culture is seated in the greater context of the natural world. We humans have an imperfect relationship with the rest of nature, all too often exploitative and acquisitive rather than balanced. So Vulture Culture 101 also challenges readers to examine their ethics, and to consider the impact of our interests. And it invites everyone to connect their natural history collection back to nature itself, and the responsibility we have to our ecological community.
Do you want to see this book happen? Even if you can't back the campaign, please help spread the word! Use the share tools that IndieGoGo provides. Post a link on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter and elsewhere. Email people you think would be interested. Contact alternative, art and other media sources who may be interested in covering what I'm working on here (I have a press release available if you need it!) The more people who know about this campaign, the merrier--and the more we can share Vulture Culture with the world!
Thank you for all of your help,
Lupa
http://www.vultureculture101.com