From My Pen to Your Hands: Support Haikus of Soul
** NOTE: As told by Autley I. Salahuddin
Hello Friends and Family,
I have some great news to share with you. As many of you know, I have been working on my debut book of haiku poems entitled Haikus of Soul: Love, Lust & Confusion.
After many months of hard work—from writing the poems to designing the covers and formatting the pages myself—the book is finally ready for print! I've been able to self-publish, which means I have full creative control, but it also means I'm funding the launch on my own. I’m asking for your help to bring Haikus of Soul to the world. My goal is to raise $2,500 to cover the final essential steps.
The Specific Needs (The Breakdown)
- Website: A dedicated author website ($600) to promote the book and process direct sales. Selling directly allows me to earn a decent return from my work instead of the small royalties offered by major retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
- Printing: The first print run ($1,300), which will include 150 softcover and 25 hardcover copies. These will be sold at launch and fulfilled directly to readers and donors of this fund.
- Shipping & Fulfillment: The costs for shipping materials and postage ($600) to send books directly to supporters. This includes a postage scale, printer toner, bubble mailers, and shipping labels, which I've already purchased out of my pocket—so every dollar you give goes toward getting the books to you.
Right now the only thing that I am waiting on is a control number from the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. Once I receive that, the book will go to print. The application for the control number was submitted on July 31, 2025, and it takes approximately three (3) months to receive it according to the copyright office's website.
Thank you for being a part of this journey, and thank you in advance for helping me make this happen. Your support means more than you know and will help bring this book from a past thought into a tangible reality.
I will be sharing updates on this page and my forthcoming website as the book heads to print and prepares for launch!
IN CLOSING
What does it mean to be an American soul in a country of unlimited freedoms when your own are stripped away?
This is a question I dared to confront in Haikus of Soul: Love, Lust & Confusion.
Unless you've been behind these walls, you can't truly imagine what it's like to have your freedom taken. For more than 17 years, the three strongest emotions I've felt are Love, Lust, and Confusion. Writing became my safe space, and I released those feelings in the poetic form of haiku. Each line is intentionally concise and deliberately packed with an intensity that I am certain will reach your heart.
Please support this project and help me share these verses with the world.