The Hip-Hop Pop-Up Shop

Thanks everyone for checking the status of your account. We have collected over $8,000 in pledges but still have 4 unresolved accounts. There are just a few more days to fix your payment methods or those pledges will be lost.

I will be submitting my survey to the Backerkit folks today for review and then I will get that out to everyone as soon as possible.

I hope to meet with our artistic director Melinda Martin to put the finishing touches on Bugzee and the Bees in the next few weeks and then it is off to printing.

You'll bee hearing from me soon.
Nocola

Hey everyone,
It has almost been a week since we funded our book, Bugzee and the Bees. I'm still walking on Cloud 9....thank you so much for your support.

By now, your credit card should have been charged. I know there have been some technical issues with a few people. I backed a few other campaigns, and my credit union suspected fraudulent activity. (I called and those charges were quickly resolved.)

I say all of this because there are still a few (16) failed charges associated with our Bugzee campaign. I do not know who those supporters are, which is why I'm sending a mass message to you all. We have until October 9th to get those rectified or we lose a large sum of money ($664.50), which means Bugzee and the Bees will not be made accessible to blind and deaf children anytime soon. (You know how badly I want this to happen.)

Would you all be so kind as to check a few things:
Did the charge go through for our Backerkit campaign?
Has your credit card expired since you made your pledge? (That happened to me.)
Did you just get paid on the 30th and now have money in your account? (Also me!!!)
Did you just forget to go back and rectify?
 

In a little over a week, I will be sending each of you a survey to complete asking if you would like your book(s) autographed. You will also be able to add on items if you choose. For those living in the Southern Maryland area you will be able to select local pick-up at the end of the survey. Everyone else as stated in the campaign, a shipping fee will be processed at that time. 
Thanks,
Nocola

Woohoo!
Thank you for your kindness and your generosity
Now we can print our book, Bugzee and the Bees

You've done more than buy a book, you've launched my career
I've been an "author" without a new book for four long years.

We're changing the face of beekeeping; providing new narration
We get to donate 250 books all across the nation.

It took four long years for this dream to come true
But none of it would have been possible without you

Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart.
                                                                  Nocola

OK, that was a spur of the moment rhyme thing and to give you proof that you definitely need a great editor when you write. (I know the meter is off, but hey...it's 9 o'clock at night.)
I just came in to say Wow! Just Wow! I am thankful for all of you that helped fund my Backerkit campaign. This was a lot of fun, and a lot of work. I learned so much during this experience. Thank you, coach Lisa Ferland.

I also wanted to let you know what happens next.
1. Your credit cards will be charged soon
2. I will create a survey in the coming weeks for each of you to fill out asking for additional mailing or local pick-up information. (Shipping will calculated at that time) 
3. I will also create a Backerkit shop for additional orders at a higher price. (You snooze, you lose)
4. I post frequent updates about the progress of the book. You'll know what's happening every step of the way.

You'll Bee Hearing from me Soon!

Hey there everyone,
It is 8:51pm on the east coast. I am feeling lots of feels right now, mostly pride, but exhaustion is high on the list. I like to be in bed by 8:30, so 20 consecutive days of not going to bed until after 11 has me drained. I am so thankful for all of you right now. Four years ago, I wrote this book to celebrate the birth of our grandson and the arrival of our first package of bees. Now, Sage is about to turn five in December and is so proud to see and understand that his book is coming to life. This book taught me lessons in patience for sure. (It has been rewritten 8 or 9 times, I've lost count.) 250 children are going to get a free copy of Bugzee and the Bees because of you. I will also be able to begin a relationship with MannLake Ag and Beekeeping Supply, who will be purchasing 50 books to start. (Yay!) There will be the face of a little brown skinned child who loves bees on the shelves of their stores.

We did it, we are changing the narrative of what a beekeeper looks like. (This is huge)

I have asked Tyrus (our illustrator) to come up with a sticker worthy of all of you. I will share the design once it is completed.

Please consider sharing once more before the campaign ends tomorrow at 4pmEST.

Well done everyone. (Clap, clap, clap) I am excited to announce that we have unlocked our second achievement at $8000. I feel so happy about this one and I hope you do too! We can now make our book accessible to children with no/low vision and no/low hearing. I want to reach into my computer and high 5 each of you.The next achievement unlocks at $10,000. I know that seems like a lot, but we raised almost $3,000 the first day. As of 8:15 pm EST we have only 68 hours left in the campaign. If each of you shares just once we can get the editing and illustration process started for the next Bugzee book. If we reach this goal, you get to decide which book gets published next: 1. Bugzee's ABCs of Beekeeping: A Glossary in Rhyme     2. The Not So True Adventures of Bugzee and the Bees (Early Chapter Book Series)  3. Bugzee's Big Book of Fun (Activity/Coloring Book)

Here are tonight's updates: