Kickstarter Project: My Skin in the Game

I would like to clear up some information on why we are having our Kickstarter Project. First of all, Kickstarter is the world's largest funding platform for creative projects, like my book, “ A Perfect Armenian”.  Everyone from successful movie producers to first time authors use this platform.  Since I am self-publishing, I am not backed by a large publisher that normally would front most the costs.

We are trying to raise $5,500 to help pay for the final editing and initial publishing of the book. After everything is said and done, it will cost close to 20K to get the first 1,000 copies out in print. This would include the website, cover design, editing, publishing and the Kickstarter gifts. Our Kickstarter Project’s goal is only to help with this process.  If you become a backer, the campaign gives you the chance to buy the book up front – either in e-book or first edition hard cover -- at a premium.  In return, you get the book, a variety of related gifts, and a chance to follow the book’s progress.

Kickstarter is a one time funding project and if (by some chance) we fail to reach our goal of $5,500 then that’s it, it’s over.  The book receives no money, the backer’s credit cards are not charged and no gifts will be sent. 

My editors and I are really excited about “A Perfect Armenian” and we know you are going to love it.  We hope the campaign will be successful and would be so very honored if you felt the project worthy of participation.  

Not Just for Armenians...

The book, "A Perfect Armenian" is for any nationality or individual that wants to feel good about themselves, their culture, their past.

You could change the name of the book to "A Perfect Italian" or "A perfect Jew", Romanian, Greek,African, you name it, change the name of the main character, the location and you have a book for all ages and cultures. I of course just happened to write it about an Armenian because that's my background.

Warning! If you like to feel sad, depressed or suicidal, don't read this book...

A Perfect Armenian equals:

Gadaryal Hye Mahneh

Armenius Perfectum

Doskonala Ormianski

Un Armean Perfecta

Un Perfecto Aremio

Egy Tukeletes Ormeny

Une Parfaite Armenienne

Eine Perfeckte Armenischen

Savrsen Armenski

En Perfekt Armenske

Mukemmel Bir Ermeni

Last Man Standing

writing to me is about putting emotion on paper

but it doesn't mean anything unless your readers can

feel it

see it

through Their eyes

and through their subsequent tears

wash away the impurities of their imagination

Life in the Village of Tchingiler

If you were a child growing up in the Village of Tchingiler, there is a good chance that your father worked in the silk industry. And fastened up in your attic above where you slept were wide shallow boxes covered with mess or cloth. Within were your family's silk worms and their favorite food, the leaves from mulberry trees. In the late spring as you were eating breakfast outside the fruit from the tree as well as fresh yogurt

On a clear day you could see Mt. Olympus and at its foothills, orchards of various fruits.

At night when all was quiet, just as you were to fall asleep you could hear the silkworms above in the attic munching and crunching on their intrinsic delicacy. The rhythmic sounds would drown out all your other thoughts and soon you would be fast asleep.

Battle of Avarayr

Ever heard of this one? You probably have if you are Armenian. If not, its pretty interesting, stay tuned in...

Today, February 16th commemorates this battle of Avarayr which took place in 451 A.D. on the Avarayr plain in the region ofVan. 

Back in the days... The Persians wanted the Armenians, Albanians and a few other regional countries to convert to their religion or they were going to "make" them convert. I guess you could call this the Persian "Crusades". Unfortunately the Armenian nobility was split up and some were backing the Persians and were led by a fellow named Vasak Swini. The nobility that was against the Persians were led by Vartan Mamikonian and of course he was backed by the church. Vartan also got backing by the Huns in the North and went into battle with a faction The Vasak's men, but when it came down to the battle, the Vasak faction retreated and the Huns decided to split as well. So Vartan was left to fight against overwhelming odds and was wiped out. The Persians had sent the "Immortals", warriors on elephants. Even though the odds were fierce against him, Vartan took many of the Persians with him to the grave. And for the next 2-3 decades the descendents of Vartan and his men fought a guerrilla war with the Persians until they gave in and decided to "allow" the Armenians to practice their own religion.

The day is also commemorated as "Vartanantz"