Come with me...

Into an exotic and exciting world! I have written a beautifully illustrated book chronicling a year in the life of a traveling Romani girl named ZARTANA. The story, told in the style of a found journal, is interactive and the pages are filled with amazing art, much of which can be taken out and appreciated, for example:

• Recipe & herb cards can be removed and followed.

  
  

• Instructions on things that Zartana does in her daily life (sewing, fishing...).

• Fun items like tarot cards from her readings and maps 

This is the kind of book I wish that I'd had as a young woman, but I hope will be enjoyed by all ages. It's for the kid in all of us: the adventurer and the explorer. Zartana  takes you on a journey into the European wilderness of the past, while offering you curiosities, illuminating her day-to-day lifestyle (like perfume-making or mapping by the stars), and bringing her vivid world to life.

So who am I? I am a storyteller. I am a writer, a producer, an actress. This adventure is just one expression of my passion for world-building with interesting characters, a high aesthetic, and excellence in play.  I have collaborated with extremely talented international artists and designers to bring the vision of Zartana to life, and now it is time to do that with your help!

This is the sort of book I would want to read, get lost in, explore, share and I hope you will, too. Plus, the interaction with the book (how often do you physically participate with a book to be part of the adventure) is a thrilling immersion in the world that Zartana lives in.

The artists come from around the world, Peter Johnston is located in the UK, Francesca Baerald is located in Italy, while the rest of our artists and designers Blake Bradley, Maisie Yang, Kristin Lyman and Candace Platt are speckled all across the U.S.  I am pleased to share that Zartana spans the world in its collaboration and appeal!

What I'm Asking & What You Get

OK. So why does printing a book cost so much dough? Well, there are a lot of moving parts. All the artists have been paid. The editing/layout/design/calligraphy take time and money to do. The printing of a book would be costly on its own, but a full-color, illustrated book with special engineering, physical interactivity and removable elements is even MORE costly.

• I am asking for $8,000 to cover the costs of printing the book. The art and design is thousands of dollars. But the big bucks go to the actual print run. We are looking at almost $10k just in printing costs (paper, layout, gluing inserts, embossed cover). That totals far more than what I am asking for the campaign but I have already personally invested in the project because I believe in it.  Surpassing the goal means that more people will have access to the book, because we can print more copies and do community outreach!
  
• This campaign directly pays for the printing costs of a LIMITED RUN, hand-finished, numbered and signed edition of the book. You get a one-of-a-kind collector's edition with your campaign contribution at the book level and above.
  
• Because I believe in our impact on the environment, I'm working with a printer that's on the same page, and the more money I raise, the more eco-solutions they can include in the printing process.
• PERKS! Besides the book itself, world-renowned ambidextrous artist Rob Prior will be doing a one-of-a-kind Zartana inspired piece and there are several original signed prints of art from the book! Plus, all the artists were paid, so contributing to this campaign supports art and working artists!
• Books are meant to be shared. Explored. Pored over. Opened up. Touched. Respected. Handed down. Shared with other kindred spirits. I love physical media because I think tangibility is vital in our learning process and brings things to life, encouraging and aiding our imaginations and creativity. That is why Zartana will be a physically printed interactive book. Be curious. Be exploratory. Be a reader.

The Impact

I think the single most important thing in storytelling is to tell a story you, yourself, would be interested in hearing. I know the books that I pick up to read feel like friends, so I want this book to become your new friend. Books are vital to learning, entertainment, exploring and our creativity, and Zartana is designed to honor these aspects and more.

• Zartana is exciting, engaging and unique. Whenever I tell people about it they can't wait to see it, so I feel there is appeal to like-minded aesthetes and adventurers.
• Though this is a flexible-funding campaign, I will be printing the book regardless of how much I raise, but the size of the order will be determined by success of the campaign.
• Investigating cultures and stories that are different from our own experiences opens up the world and is one of the main reasons travel is so important to self-exploration. What better way to travel than into whole new world in a book!

Other Ways You Can Help

I totally understand not being able to financially contribute, but word-of-mouth is INVALUABLE to a small press project like this.

• If you know of anyone who might be interested, please tell them. Share and share alike! ;) (teachers, parents, friends, family, students, librarians, kids, adults, readers, cooks, outdoorsfolks, witches, herbalists, hunters, sewing circles, book clubs... ) 
• Any and all social media exposure helps, so please spread the word and the campaign on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr... and all the new ones of which I am unaware. You can find me on Twitter at @taraplatt :) and Facebook TaraPlattFans
  
• And if you have recommendations of people/places/stores/lit groups/etc. please let me know. The world is a big place, and I am but one little person, so all the help and word-of-mouth is appreciated!

THANK YOU! Sincerely. I can't wait for you to meet ZARTANA! XO Tara ;)