Shhhhhh!  It's a Surprise!

This is a SURPRISE for Ken Hinman's birthday June 16 and YOU can be part of it!  (But please don't spill the beans!)

Many of you know that Ken Hinman found and restored his dad's 1944 John Deere Model A tractor.  But did you know that Ken wrote a wonderful children's book about it?  The book is based on the true story of how his dad purchased the tractor, brought it home, and how Ken learned to farm on it.  Then it was sold and a long time later he eventually found it again!  It's a very heart- warming tale.  In fact the first time I read it,  I got a little lump in my throat.  The reunion of the rusty lonely little tractor who felt he had outlived his usefulness, with a man who has gotten older too, celebrates a timeless friendship, and points out that discovering friendship and joy is possible at any stage of life!  

So Here's My Crazy Plan

This book needs to be published.  I have some experience with the process of self-publishing.  Did you know that more and more popular books are being self-published these days.  So why not just take the bull by the horns and go for it ourselves?

I talked our own Patricia Gename into doing the illustrations!  Patricia, George & Mary Hinman's daughter, is an accomplished artist and  I am excited (and very lucky) to have her working on this with us.  She is working feverishly on the illustrations at this very moment and I will be working on all of the technical work of layout for the printer's proof and galley.

Goal, Budget, Deadline

Our goal is to raise at least $825.  This will cover the first printing of 100 books, the purchase of the ISBN#, and the set-up fee with the printer, any electronic editing necessary, and for the set-up for making the book available through major on-line retailers like Amazon etc. 

If we can raise more than our goal, we will be able to improve the quality of the book's reproduction. (Heavier paper, improved color separations, a sturdier cover and better binding)  but we can do an adequate job with our budgeted goal.

Is it doable on such a short time line?  Yes!  Just.  But there's not a minute to lose.  If we miss the deadline to complete the printing by his birthday, we'll at least have a draft for him by then and the books shortly thereafter.

So that's it.  That's our story.  I'm hopeful that we can accomplish our goal in time for a HUGE surprise for Ken's birthday (but remember it's a surprise!)

Thank you so much for considering this very worthy project. I apologize in advance for the horrible way this site collects payments.  I hope you don't have any trouble with it.

Blessings,

Susie Klotz

P.S. - I can just picture Uncle Kenny at a table selling his books at an antique tractor fair, or volunteering to read it to a group of kids at the library.  Let's make this happen!