A Halloween celebration of Cthulhu & other Lovecraftian horrors - in poetry & short fiction
Every year, Popcorn Press celebrates Halloween by publishing a new collection of horror poetry and short fiction. This year the topic is Cthulhu Haiku and Other Mythos Madness. It will be a 100-page book at minimum, with one or two poems per page - our usual format. This Kickstarter project is your chance to order the book with several early-bird deals. You'll also help us to take a new step forward in rewarding contributors for their work.
In past years, we've paid contributors in copies of the book their work appeared in. For poet's, that's not unusual. Poetry isn't considered a profitable venture.
- We believe that's largely because about a century ago academics stole poetry from the mass of humanity. Ever since, some poets have been trying to steal it back. Popcorn Press's Halloween collections are part of that effort.
- Halloween is a perfect time for people who don't think of themselves as poets or poetry readers to "dress up" as poets and poetry readers and go "trick or treating" through verse. The horror topic makes it fun. And short poetry like haiku, and formal poetry like sonnets, help to make the collections inviting.
This year we're paying contributors cash for their work. We've launched this Kickstarter project as a means of drumming up support and spreading the word. We hope you will help make it a success by pledging and by passing the news to anyone who likes Halloween, Cthulhu, or poetry.
And if you're interested in submitting your own work to the book, visit www.CthulhuHaiku.com for details. Please spread that word, as well. We're looking for lots of good materal.
Yours truly,
Lester Smith
President, Popcorn Press
President, Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets
Horror Aficionado
Risks and challenges Learn about accountability on Kickstarter
Popcorn Press has brought Halloween books to market for three years running now. It began in 2009, with a crazy idea to start a contest on Oct. 1 and have a book to the printer on Oct. 31. Every year is a crunch, but we've succeeded each time. This year our goal is to have the print book actually in supporters' hands by Halloween. We can accomplish that by meeting these stages.
PROJECT STAGES:
Cover production: Front cover is completed. Back text by Oct. 14
Submissions: Underway, deadline Oct. 13
Responding to submissions: Ongoing through Oct. 13
Finalizing selections: Oct. 14
Finishing book interior layout: Oct. 15
Book to printer Oct. 15
Ebook release: Oct. 15
Print book shipping date: Oct. 17, estimated
Kickstarter funding/orders closed: Oct. 31
Delivery to supporters: Oct. 27-31, estimated
NOTE; The delivery date above supercedes the "November" setting on pledge dates. (There's no Kickstarter option for setting pledge dates to the month when a project ends.)
FAQ
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Certainly. Just add to your pledge $1 for each additional title, and let us know which ones you want.
110
Backers
$1,489
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Funding period
Oct 3, 2012 -
Nov 1, 2012
- 4 created · 88 backed
- Lester Smith 805 friends
- Website: PopcornPress.com
Pledge $2 or more
14 backers
Investigator - You'll receive the Cthulhu Haiku ebook (in Kindle, Epub, and PDF forms) before it is published anywhere else.
Estimated delivery: Nov 2012Pledge $3 or more
3 backers
Cultist - The Cthulhu Haiku ebook, plus your choice of Vampyr Verse, The Hungry Dead, or Halloween Haiku (all in Kindle, Epub, and PDF forms).
Estimated delivery: Nov 2012Pledge $4 or more
1 backer
Acolyte - The Cthulhu Haiku ebook, plus your choice of TWO other ebooks: Vampyr Verse, The Hungry Dead, or Halloween Haiku (all in Kindle, Epub, and PDF forms).
Estimated delivery: Nov 2012Pledge $5 or more
28 backers
Priest - The Cthulhu Haiku ebook, plus all three other ebooks (all in Kindle, Epub, and PDF forms).
Estimated delivery: Nov 2012Pledge $7 or more
6 backers All gone!
Chrysalis - All the "Priest" rewards, plus a PDF copy of "The Very Hungry Cthulhupillar" from Signal Fire Studios. (http://ow.ly/ehIlB)
Estimated delivery: Nov 2012Pledge $7 or more
6 backers All gone!
Chanter - All the "Priest" rewards, plus a PDF print-and-play copy of the "Building an Elder God" tile game from Signal Fire Studios. (http://ow.ly/ehIsu)
Estimated delivery: Nov 2012Pledge $9 or more
6 backers All gone!
Dark Savant - Combined "Chrysalis" and "Chanter" rewards.
Estimated delivery: Nov 2012Pledge $15 or more
24 backers
Servitor - The Cthulhu Haiku book in print and in ebook format (Kindle, Epub, and PDF). [Shipping included to the continental United States and most of Europe. Canada and Mexico please add $2.00 to your pledge.]
Estimated delivery: Nov 2012Pledge $23 or more
1 backer
Harbinger - A print and ebook version of Cthulhu Haiku and one other Halloween title: your choice of Vampyr Verse, The Hungry Dead, or Halloween Haiku. (Ebook versions include Kindle, Epub, and PDF.) [Shipping included to the continental United States and most of Europe. Canada and Mexico please add $3.00 to your pledge.]
Estimated delivery: Nov 2012Pledge $31 or more
4 backers
Spawn of a Dark God - A print and ebook version of Cthulhu Haiku and TWO other Halloween titles: your choice of Vampyr Verse, The Hungry Dead, or Halloween Haiku. (Ebook versions include Kindle, Epub, and PDF.) [Shipping included to the continental United States and most of Europe. Canada and Mexico please add $4.00 to your pledge.]
Estimated delivery: Nov 2012Pledge $35 or more
8 backers
Dread Lord - A print and ebook version of Cthulhu Haiku and ALL THREE other Halloween titles: Vampyr Verse, The Hungry Dead, and Halloween Haiku. (Ebook versions include Kindle, Epub, and PDF.) [Shipping included to the continental United States and most of Europe. Canada and Mexico please add $5.00 to your pledge.]
Estimated delivery: Nov 2012Pledge $40 or more
8 backers Limited (5 of 13 left)
Mad Master - All the "Dread Lord" rewards, plus a PDF copy of "The Very Hungry Cthulhupillar" (http://ow.ly/ehIlB) AND a PDF print-and-play copy of the "Building an Elder God" tile game, both from Signal Fire Studios (http://ow.ly/ehIsu).
Estimated delivery: Nov 2012Pledge $50 or more
0 backers Limited (1 of 1 left)
Arcane Scholar - All the "Dread Lord" rewards, plus a two-year print subscription to Dreams & Nightmares, the second oldest English-language magazine of SF, fantasy, & horror poetry, including many Rhysling winners. dreamsandnightmaresmagazine.com
Estimated delivery: Nov 2012Pledge $100 or more
0 backers
Elder God - FIVE print and ebook copies of ALL FOUR books: Cthulhu Haiku, Vampyr Verse, The Hungry Dead, and Halloween Haiku - plus a haiku crafted in your honor. (Ebook versions include Kindle, Epub, and PDF.) [Shipping included to the continental United States and most of Europe. Canada and Mexico please add $10.00 to your pledge.]
Estimated delivery: Nov 2012Pledge $500 or more
0 backers
Star Spawn of Cthulhu - TEN print and ebook copies of ALL FOUR books -- Cthulhu Haiku, Vampyr Verse, The Hungry Dead, and Halloween Haiku -- hand delivered by Lester Smith to anywhere within 500 miles of Rockford, IL, with a tanka or limerick (your choice) crafted in your honor, and a public reading at your local library or bookstore. (Ebook versions include Kindle, Epub, and PDF.) Date of delivery and public reading to be arranged separately.
Estimated delivery: Nov 2012Pledge $1,000 or more
0 backers
Mighty Cthulhu - TWENTY-FIVE print and ebook copies of ALL FOUR books -- Cthulhu Haiku, Vampyr Verse, The Hungry Dead, and Halloween Haiku -- hand delivered by Lester Smith anywhere in the continental USA, with a sonnet written in your honor, and a public reading at your local library or bookstore. (Ebook versions include Kindle, Epub, and PDF.) Date of delivery and public reading to be arranged separately.
Estimated delivery: Nov 2012
