Badin and the Secret of the Saami Official Press Release

Screen shot on top half of the new press release

I took a big plunge into hiring an experienced writer to compose a press release for Badin and the Secret of the Saami. It took me awhile to find the right one. I think this is something every self-published author should consider. The writer, Eartha Watts-Hicks completely tapped into the heart and soul of the story and its connection to me as the writer and illustrator. She also provided a slew of tips and corrections to help make this project more presentable online. She called me multiple times to read the copy and ask me questions about my ideas and thoughts regarding the story and its importance in popular culture. You can download the press release as PDF or Word documents. Please spread the word. I need your support.

Six more days

I am ready. Are you ready? 2017 has been a tumultuous year for this graphic novel. Some wonderful news has come my way regarding Badin and the Secret of the Saami. But I will wait awhile before I share it…In about 6 days.

Meanwhile, I wanted to share these image of Badin and Crown Prince Gustav III that I created for a new series of tee shirts featuring the major characters. What do you think?

Graphic Novel Launch: 28 More Days!

I cannot believe I have come this far in one year. Just 12 months ago I was planning for it. Total concentration and sacrifice resulted in a finished product.

Right now the paperback edition is at Lulu and the digital edition is at Comixology. Of course they are not available until May 1.

The more I work on this project—trying to bring attention to it—the more I believe it will not be appreciated until I am long dead. It is just too profound and unconventional. Getting feedback has been like pulling teeth. Asking someone to read a 114 page graphic novel about an obscure African child of Swedish nationality and his Indigenous male mentor just is not very "sexy." Nonetheless, I persist. Some just want to support me because they know my heart is in the right place.

However, I did not write and illustrate this graphic novel to satisfy appetites for the hottest trends (i.e. zombies, vampires and transgender). I wrote a story that redeems a slandered and emasculated people (African and Saami) and paints a positive future for the human race. I knew what I was getting into, and yes, I was disappointed to receive no help from literary agents and publishers. I was disappointed because they claimed to want "diversity" and "relevance to contemporary issues" but could not see that in my story.

So I have gone the independent path. That means the paperback will be costly (probably $45 USD). That seems to be a high price, but I will only make about $1 USD for sales on Amazon. Yet the story is magnificent and the inspiration you will receive from reading it will be worth the cost. The good news is a digital edition will be $14.95 USD. 

I hope you will support this effort. Sharing these articles would be a great start!