The Books are getting closer to Release
I am finalizing the remaining Illustration Panels
there is still much to do, but relatively speaking,
we are almost done.
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| The Cover of the e-Storybook |
UPDATE (10/8/25);
I keep thinking the books will be done very soon, but it keeps taking longer that I expect. If I were able to dedicate full time to working on the layout, then in might be very close to being ready, but I cannot. I am building the studio and advancing assorted projects.
The final Illustrations are being assembled with numerous parts, as we started to create the components of the illustration panels as individual paintings for the sake of having higher detail in the work. This causes more work for me to assemble, but it results in a better finished product. Also, we are moving toward the 3D animation and the paintings of the characters needs to be more detailed for that.
I have concluded that it would be best if we sculpted the characters and then scanned the sculptures for the 3D. That way, we will have consistency and the Garden Gnomes/figurines will match the animated characters. So on that basis, I am looking for people who would like to sculpt our characters (in clay).
Other work is being done on the Gallery Exhibition. I'm trying to finish the design of the panels, after deciding how to do so. I will be constructing frames for the panels from old fencing so it looks very rustic. I have just decided to add stage models to the exhibition. We will need them anyway for the set construction, so we might as well design the models to be used in the exhibition and integrate a few more panels that have a model stage as part of it's design. But further than that, I have been intending on producing a cyclorama walk-thru presentation. In one way the exhibition can add to that concept, or we might integrate the puppetry into the exhibition as an enhancement by including a few stops that act as an animatronic cyclorama. So these are design elements that are being addressed, but they do change the work that needs to be done and the time-frame. There are numerous degrees of puppetry involved and this needs to be considered as well.
Practically speaking, these elements and components need to be completed in such a way as to support one another. The Exhibition needs to take place in synchronization with the release of the books, just as the parade float needs to support the stage play and even those elements should be well along or even completed as well. I am now engaged in building the parade float, which will ultimately use animatronics to convey a promotional scene from the Gnomes.
So, all said, it's not easy to synchronize and implement these components of the overall project.
AG
UPDATE (6/14/25) :
I have the prototypes of books one through four printed and bound. We have nearly completed all the watercolors for the entire series, with only a dozen of so needing to be painted. There are Illustration Panels that still need to be assembled from numerous paintings and there are two three inch binders of art that is ready to be installed into the layout. When we do complete the painting for the Illustrations, we will shift over to painting drops for the "Little Theatre" stage show.
Little Theatre; Definition - in this context, this refers to the size of the Green Screen/Sound Stage that is being set-up in the studio. That is 20" wide by 18" deep by 14' high. This will serve a number of theatres available for the try-out run. The size is expandable (within IMS space) to 30" wide by 25' deep if necessary, but my opinion is the smaller version will be suitable for workshopping this show, since there must be smaller productions available, within the context of the entire scope of possible venues. Certainly a larger production could be produced, but that is outside of my immediate scope at this time.
My mission has now become printing Book Five, which is the longest of the books, because that book contains "The Gnomic Tales". These are not the full version of the tales, but only summaries of the stories that are used to serve the storyline of "Zach and Zebby's Grand Adventure". Publishing of the prototype books continues; Five, then Six and finally Seven, with only a small amount of work remaining to be completed.
So now, I have enough of the book series finished that I can talk turkey with another publisher and or distributor. But since I am finishing up the final layout. I will not be soliciting that dialogue, but I will be open to discuss the project if I receive inquiries.
Even after I finish the books, the only publication I will be doing is in-house, which amounts to limited quantities. My efforts will shift over to Theatre Production, Animation, Literary Representation and Cinema. The larger Publication and Distribution activities will take place within the context of an organized production structure that is external from the development environment of Image of the Mind Studios. That means that the rights to all markets will need to be negotiated with my literary Representative, if and when I secure that agreement. Until the entire series is fully published in it's completed form that agreement will not be implemented.
If you are an Industry Professional, I am certainly willing to discuss the possibility of licensing any market, and I will be able to accept an Option of First Refusal, contingent upon the proper contract structure being put in place for Union Operations if that Option is implemented into a Production Contract. I have to say that, contrary to the Writer's & Dramatist's Guild Contracts, I will not permit any other writers or any producer to modify what I have written. I will remain open to enhancing what has already been written, in fact I created opportunities for that to happen within the material, but I retain sole authority over the Core Creative Material ad infimum, in all markets.
"The Gnomic Tales", five at this point, can be constructed by a writing team, but I will supervise and direct that if it occurs.
I will add more to this discussion as necessary, as time allows. AG
Notes regarding Distribution
I have a number of versions of the books. Above you see a cover for the e-Storybook. The e-Storybook, which will be a subscription, includes not only the Audio Book, but the watercolor illustrations contained within it will (gradually) become animations, meaning most of the page illustration panels will be converted to GIFs. Eventually, this will lead to an Animated feature film or television series. The books were in fact, designed to serve as Storyboards for a film.
There are the Gnome-sized books; a small version that is about 3.5" square. There are the Big People's books that are about 9"x10". There is the "Hand-stitched" version and a "machine bound version". Both of these editions will be presented in boxed set editions.
I will be keeping the "Hand-Stitched" and Boxed set versions as in-house production, at least for the time being, because they will become the signed and numbered editions and I have yet to have found a production house willing to make Hand-Stitched Editions who is willing to adhere to my design specifications and do so at a price that works. As it stands now, the MSRP is $34.95 per book. There are seven books in the collection.
I may release the Hand-Stitched (as well as all other ancillary markets) at some point, to another publisher/producer if the design elements are maintained and the down payment is sufficient. Contact me to discuss terms. Basically my terms are; a deposit against a guarantee, plus 10% of the gross on all markets. That applies to every market. That's firm.
For now, I am looking to find partners for publishing and distributing these books. I am publishing in-house but those quantities are very limited. This is because I need to focus on the details of producing the stage musical and not assembling and selling books. After all, the whole point is the stage musical and I can't focus on that - if I have to be making books.
I will be making Hand-Stitched books on a regular basis and they can be ordered directly by contacting me via email. I will be setting up a Shopping Cart and selling the books direct using PayPal.
I will not be concerned with mass production, unless I receive bulk orders exceeding for 25K books. If that occurs, it will be contingent upon available personnel and/or publishing partners.
Just some recent thoughts.
Contact me via email if this business opportunity interests you.
AG
