#Kickstarter Planning Update #PhoenicianSeries #indie #SciFi
Got a little update on my Kickstarter Rewards after doing a lot of web research and sourcing the manufacture of custom plush toys made from a cartoon. Click through the jump break to read an update to the Councillor-Level Tier description, then let me know what you think of this. Who knew a Gorthon Worm plush toy could cause so much trouble? Well, there is a reason everyone hates Gorthon Worms ^)^
*The available number of the Councillor-level reward tiers is based on the available number of Council Seats and may change at any time should a Councillor be assassinated. Accidents do seem to happen in The Phoenician Series.
$300 – Junior Councillor (50*)
The Privilege Class tier plus a Gorthon Worm Plush Toy based on a cartoon I will draw. The Gorthon Worm Plush Toy will be grey in color with glowing (hopefully neon/glow-in-the-dark) eyes and have eight – yep, count ‘em, 8! – heads just like a real live Gorthon Worm. It will not, however, be capable of burrowing through the sand.
PLAN A: The fulfillment of the plush toy reward is contingent upon my sourcing an affordable place to make them. Unfortunately, my researching into over 2 dozen potential sources for this manufacturing of a custom plush toy from a cartoon drawing has resulted in discovering that typically, there is a minimum run requirement of 500-1000 products plus a prototyping stage that costs several hundred dollars for the first one. What would I do with 500 or 1000 Gorthon Worms??? The mere image of a boxful of writhing plush toys with all those glowing eyes (aiyyyeee!)
The two best candidates are
1) Happy Softies (http://www.happysofties.com/) out of Kogarah, Sydney, Australia. These folks handmake each toy individually. They don’t come cheap but at least they don’t come in lots of 1000. These folks are my top choice but their costs will run close to $100 once all is said and done. That’s why this is only offered to the $300 pledges.
2) Custom Plush Toys (http://www.customplushtoys.com/) out of New York, NY and Ontario, Canada but they require a minimum of 900 toys per design. I say again (aiyyyeee!)
The biggest problem I’m having finding a plush toy maker isn’t even the minimum run requirement; it’s the location of the company. I flat-out refuse to buy toys from China or fund anything “Made in China” or supporting factories or industries in China. The two choices listed are the only ones who seem to do even reasonably good work without funding an economic and political enemy of the United States of America. I like the idea of supporting a small business and handcrafted arts so Happy Softies is my top choice. No clue if they can accommodate this order though.
CONTINGENCY PLAN B - DELAYS LIKELY: There is also the option of my making the toys myself. I am quite the sewing maven. However, that would take a significant amount of time to do and take away from writing the book or editing the book so it would have to be added on at the end and only if people who pledge this tier are willing to add a month or more delay to the receipt of their plush toy Gorthon Worm. It might be worth more if it’s handmade by the author, though, right?
CONTINGENCY PLAN C – NO DELAYS: The plush toy will be substituted with a coffee mug with the Gorthon Worm design that I will draw printed on one side of the mug with the words “More Heads Means More Caffeine!” under the Gorthon Worm image and the words “Eight Heads Are Better Than One” on the opposite side.
$500 - Senior Councillor (25*)
The Junior Councillor tier plus a poster-sized print of the original cartooned artwork of the Gorthon Worm that I will draw. I will sign the poster print for you (personalized however you like).
*The available number of the Councillor-level reward tiers is based on the available number of Council Seats and may change at any time should a Councillor be assassinated. Accidents do seem to happen in The Phoenician Series.
$300 – Junior Councillor (50*)
The Privilege Class tier plus a Gorthon Worm Plush Toy based on a cartoon I will draw. The Gorthon Worm Plush Toy will be grey in color with glowing (hopefully neon/glow-in-the-dark) eyes and have eight – yep, count ‘em, 8! – heads just like a real live Gorthon Worm. It will not, however, be capable of burrowing through the sand.
PLAN A: The fulfillment of the plush toy reward is contingent upon my sourcing an affordable place to make them. Unfortunately, my researching into over 2 dozen potential sources for this manufacturing of a custom plush toy from a cartoon drawing has resulted in discovering that typically, there is a minimum run requirement of 500-1000 products plus a prototyping stage that costs several hundred dollars for the first one. What would I do with 500 or 1000 Gorthon Worms??? The mere image of a boxful of writhing plush toys with all those glowing eyes (aiyyyeee!)
The two best candidates are
1) Happy Softies (http://www.happysofties.com/) out of Kogarah, Sydney, Australia. These folks handmake each toy individually. They don’t come cheap but at least they don’t come in lots of 1000. These folks are my top choice but their costs will run close to $100 once all is said and done. That’s why this is only offered to the $300 pledges.
2) Custom Plush Toys (http://www.customplushtoys.com/) out of New York, NY and Ontario, Canada but they require a minimum of 900 toys per design. I say again (aiyyyeee!)
The biggest problem I’m having finding a plush toy maker isn’t even the minimum run requirement; it’s the location of the company. I flat-out refuse to buy toys from China or fund anything “Made in China” or supporting factories or industries in China. The two choices listed are the only ones who seem to do even reasonably good work without funding an economic and political enemy of the United States of America. I like the idea of supporting a small business and handcrafted arts so Happy Softies is my top choice. No clue if they can accommodate this order though.
CONTINGENCY PLAN B - DELAYS LIKELY: There is also the option of my making the toys myself. I am quite the sewing maven. However, that would take a significant amount of time to do and take away from writing the book or editing the book so it would have to be added on at the end and only if people who pledge this tier are willing to add a month or more delay to the receipt of their plush toy Gorthon Worm. It might be worth more if it’s handmade by the author, though, right?
CONTINGENCY PLAN C – NO DELAYS: The plush toy will be substituted with a coffee mug with the Gorthon Worm design that I will draw printed on one side of the mug with the words “More Heads Means More Caffeine!” under the Gorthon Worm image and the words “Eight Heads Are Better Than One” on the opposite side.
$500 - Senior Councillor (25*)
The Junior Councillor tier plus a poster-sized print of the original cartooned artwork of the Gorthon Worm that I will draw. I will sign the poster print for you (personalized however you like).
No comments have been added yet.
