Support Betsy's Book

You can help tell the story of  'Horace Henry Walp and Uli, the crow'.


Please note: There is no deadline for this campaign. You can donate today, tomorrow or any time.  Any amount you can give will truly be appreciated....BIG or SMALL.  It will all help.

Please share my Go Fund Me with as many people as you can. (Facebook, emails, twitter etc.)

It is important to know I do need donations...BUT... what will also help me in a tremendous way (as the writer and illustrator) of The Extraordinary Life Of Horace Henry Walp is sharing my GFM campaign and the amount of donations I receive. The more the better. Getting a lot of donations will help bring attention to my book. It will show people have interest. This will help convince a publishers that my book is worthwhile and that it has merit. Publishers want to know if a writer has an audience. 

Thank you in advance for your contributions and taking time to read about my campaign. 


My Story:

In 2016 I came across the gravestone of a little boy named Horace H. Walp. I found it when I was out walking my dog, Lexi La (a working therapy dog) in a local cemetery near my home.


I have seen many grave markers for children before. But, for no reason I can I explain, I was immediately drawn to and captivated when I came across Horace's. Shortly after discovering Horace thoughts of him kept popping into my mind over and over again.  He wanted attention.  Going with the flow I began drawing him, though I did not know how he would evolve or look.  

I learned Horace was a boy who died of diptheria eight days after his eighth birthday in 1894. It was said about children of that time that they were visited by the 'Angel Of Suffication'.  Diptheria was a painful and a terrible death for a child to suffer.  It saddens me to even think of this little boys suffering.   No less,  eight days after his eighth birthday celebration.  

I started researching and looking for any information I could find on Horace. I found his home in the town. It is now subdivied into apartments.


His school is still there but also made into apartments. I learned his father was a coal and hay merchant. I found a  photo of his father and uncle in the town's marching band photo. Most wonderful of all I found a photo of Horace's class taken the year before he died. He is in the picture but I am not sure which boy he is. I like not knowing.


I immediately felt a deep connection,  inner nudge and desire to start drawing and illustrating Horace. This was due to a warmth and love I felt for him. Images in cartoon form came easily and so quickly I could not keep up with the drawing of all of them.   At the same time I began drawing Horace his companion appeared.  Uli, the crow began popping into my drawings very naturally. I sometimes wonder if little Horace really did love crows or have a pet crow?

I planted the daffodils.


Here is the very first drawing I did of Horace and Uli.





As time went on drawing Horace and Uli progressed.  I got to know them more. Some illustrations became more and more colorful.




The following illustrations are roughs from 
The Extraordinary Life Of Horace Henry Walp.










I began posting my drawings of Horace and Uli on facebook. Not long after that Horace started to develop a following which made me really happy! People loved the drawings and fell in love with Horace and Uli.   For me, well, I felt like I was giving little Horace a life again so he was not forgotten.  

Soon I began getting requests from Horace's
fans for a  'real' book. People wanted a Horace and Uli story. Thus began my project of creating the story book, The Extraordinary Life Of Horace Henry Walp. 

It did not take long for me to learn  how happy my drawings were making people.  People would make comments on FB. The sweetness of Horace and Uli  have touched so many hearts. I think it is because they have awoken the childlike nature in people who view them. There is an organic simplicty and innocense to my drawings and characters.  

The beauty and uniqueness  of The Extraordinary Life Of Horace Henry Walp is that it set in the time when Horace lived. Though the story  is fiction it teaches important values that are still relevant and needed today.  It is a story is about loss, loneliness, human nature, kindness and love. I have  written the story in such a way that it leaves the door open for a series. My dream is to find a traditional publisher who loves Horace and Uli as much as I do. A publisher who shares the vision I have to do a series.

I am seeking funds for:  

1. I want to pay people that are and have been working on the book with me. The sooner the better too. People I would love to pay for their work are the graphic designer, copy editor and artistic editor. My graphic designer, Kris Tenner, who is super talented super star has worked with me before. She did graphics on Meditation, My Friend (www.meditationmyfriend.com). 

Kris has been working on  The Extraordinary Life Of Horace Henry Walp as a labor of love. 

$500 for the help of the graphic designer and editors.

2. Funds I earn from Go Fund Me will also help in the  purchase of an ISBN code for my book. Without one I cannot list it on Amazon or sell it in bookstores.  The ISBN costs $125.

3. In April 2018 I would love to attend the Bologna Children's Book Fair in Italy.  A dream come true!

The Fair's information: https://bologna.scbwi.org

People from the children's book industry attend from all over the world.  I can smooze with pubishers one on one there. It is  much more powerful to meet people in person. Better connections are developed that way. as I said, My goal is to find a real publisher to work with. One that loves Horace and Uli. A publisher that can see what a great book and series The Extraordinary Life Of Horace Henry Walp would be. 

Money would go directly to air fare and travel expenses.

4. Funds would go to helping me create ONE proper website about  my work in the arts, as a writer, illustrator, singer songwriter and more. The website will host pages devoted to my Horace and Uli books. 

$500 for help in making and designing it.

5. Money will go to printing copies of
The Extraordinary Life Of Horace Henry Walp.

This will depend on how many books I have printed. Since they are full color they will cost more.

6.  Promotion of The Extraordinay Life Of Horace
Henry Walp.

Please know your support helps encourage me to keep trying, creating and getting my work out there. My entire life as artist (both creative and in the healing arts) has more than often been with financial struggle. I have gone through many periods where it has been a complete challenge in trying to pay rent and bills. Stress and strain from this pulls me away from doing what I love most, creating.  I know I am not alone in this. Many in the arts deal with the same scenario.  It would be  such a relief not having to worry about about such things. 

As for me, I enjoy being the one keeping the memory of the real little boy, Horace Walp a live in
storybook form.   I am his friend and  in a way his guardian. He is mine.

I believe Horace wants to be heard.  I like being the writer and illustrator to make that happen and give him a voice.

My big dream: To do a complete series of Horace  and Uli books and see him animated! I have already composed some of the music for this.

Horace wants to play,  and he wants to make people happy.

Please feel free to contact me and ask questions.

xo

Betsy

Me:  I like to say I am a multi media artist. I am a singer songwriter, artist, illustrator, photographer, yoga instructor, psychic/tarot reader.  I work as a costume designer, dresser and much more. To make ends meet I have mowed lawns, weeded gardens, painted murals, cleaned homes, waited tables ....and ....the list goes on.