LOVE STORIES ABOUT DEATH Pre-Order Store

The finishing touches are being finalized... here's what's next!
2 months ago – Sun, Sep 08, 2024 at 04:06:40 PM

Hello friends!

I've been a bit quiet over here on the LOVE STORIES ABOUT DEATH front mainly because I've been digging through old storage disks (remember those) finding various old promotional images and such dating back to the early 2000's (aka: the days before cloud storage) finding old art files, promotional images, and such for the new text retrospective piece at the end of the book.

In news that will come as no shock to those of you who know me and/or have backed projects from me before, the text piece has grown exponentially in size, with me adding more and more content to it as I've gone along, prompting me to then search through my old files for more and more old-school images and such.

I'm finally "calling it" on the retrospective piece, though, lest book designer Dave Lentz and/or editor Drena Jo throttle me, haha.

SPeaking of my wonderful (and wonderfully tolerant) creative partners, Austin McKinley is putting the final touches on the internal cover to the story "Nothing Else Matters," which contains all the cameos for those of you who secured them. I've seen the final inks and the WIP (work-in-progress) colors, and the cover may be among my favorite pieces he's ever done. No spoilers, but here's a peek at the pencil layout, at least:

That aside, I've been toying with what platform to use for the post-campaign survey options, and it's looking likely that I'll be using BackerKit once again, if for no other reason that I'll most like set it up that you can add some graphic novels and such to your pledge, which you may be inclined to do to either treat yourself or perhaps some loved ones.

This coming week I have some travel obligations followed by two signing appearances in two different locations this weekend: Monroe Comic Con (Monroe, Michigan) on Saturday and Gathering Volumes (Perrysburg, Ohio) for their Author Fair Parking Lot Party on Sunday... so if I don't get to setting-up the BackerKit until next week, that's why. In the meantime, if you're within driving distance of either of my signing appearances, I encourage you to come on out! Details about both can be found at my (recently updated) website www.DirkManning.comunder the "Signings and Appearances" section.

Thanks, all!I appreciate your support, and I'm very, very excited to get this book to the printer... and then into all of your hot little hands!

I'll be in touch again soon!

Your friend in comics,
Dirk Manning

IMPORTANT: "It's Date Night!" Couples Cameo Backers Photos Needed
3 months ago – Sun, Aug 18, 2024 at 09:30:58 AM

This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.

THANK YOU.
3 months ago – Fri, Aug 16, 2024 at 03:26:30 PM

Seriously... THANK YOU!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I'm just gonna leave this right here:

I cannot express enough how much I owe all of this to all of you.

THANK YOU to you all so very, very much. I cannot wait to pay it forward to you with the deluxe edition of this book.

I hope you all have an amazing weekend, and do something for yourself to treat yourself. I'll be in touch soon, friends.

THANK YOU!!!

Your friend in comics,
Dirk Manning

 

Some press, some previews, and another campaign of note!
4 months ago – Wed, Aug 07, 2024 at 07:15:43 PM

About one week left to unlock the art print, too!

Hello friends!

We passed 200 backers on LOVE STORIES ABOUT DEATH today, and with about eight days remaining we're only about $1,500 away from the final stretch goal that will upgrade the double-signed bookplate to an "embiggened" art print to accompany all the KS Exclusive Red Leatherbound Editions of the book!

The fact that we've accomplished this much with me keeping my vow to now go on a media blitz for this one is especially humbling. Truly, my friends... thank you.

I did do a little press, though...

While I didn't hit the press circuit hard, I did make two notable exceptions.

First, our friends at Comicon.com asked to run a feature on LOVE STORIES ABOUT DEATH, so I worked with them on this and also provided them SEVEN PAGES OF FULL ART from the book -- one from each story -- that you can check out HERE.

Furthermore, when my friends from Genretainment reached out to see if I'd like to chat with them, well, I could resist, as it had somehow been over a decade since we last spoke on the air! You can listen to our chat on YouTube HERE or on Spotify HERE. It's a fun talk and it was great to catch-up with some old friends... who happen to also be running a Kickstarter of their own, which you should also all check out as well! See below for details!

Here's another great anthology you should check out!

Fairy Tales, Folklore, and Fables Reimagined has already SHATTERED it's funding goal, offering backers a great new anthology that offers readers familiar stories with creative new twists.

I absolutely love books like this, have already pledged to support the campaign, and encourage you to check it out, too, right HERE.

Keep spreadin' the news...

Again, friends, THANK YOU all so much for the love (no pun intended) you've been showing LOVE STORIES ABOUT DEATH. Each and every one of you is the reason we've unlocked the "I Saw Red" leatherbound edition of the book with all the other Stretch Goal bonuses which will NOT be available after the campaign ends... so if you know of anyone who would like to get the red leatherbound edition of the book, please direct them to www.LoveStoriesAboutDeath.com
ASAP so they can secure their copy before the campaign ends next Friday!

Much love, friends! Enjoy the article and the podcast, and I'll be in touch again soon as we approach the end of the campaign!

Your friend in comics.
Dirk Manning

A new Stretch Goal? How about TWO?
4 months ago – Sun, Jul 28, 2024 at 08:19:10 PM

A confession...

I'm going to be honest with you all, friends: it was my original intention to only offer the one "I Saw Red" Super Stretch Goal because I sincerely believed that it would carry us to close to the end of the campaign...

Only for all of you to rally and unlock it in only 36 hours.

THIRTY-SIX HOURS!

Y'all rock, you know that, right?

Well, given that we still have over two weeks left in this "Quickstarter," I've decided to go ahead and add not one, but TWO more Stretch Goals to the campaign that will be included with every Kickstarter Exclusive Hardcover Edition of the book:

Huge kudos to illustrator Joshua Ross for not only for totally knocking it out of the park on this bookplate (which, if we unlock the "Bloody Kisses" Stretch Goal, will be embiggened to an art print size, but also being willing to sign every bookplate (perhaps turned art print). While Joshua does not have any art in LOVE STORIES ABOUT DEATH itself, he is the illustrator on the next TWO graphic novels I'm launching on Kickstarter (currently scheduled for October and February, respectively), so I'm happy that -- thanks to all of you -- we could include him in LOVE STORIES ABOUT DEATH at least for all of you getting the Kickstarter Exclusive Hardcover Edition of the book.

Also, huge kudos for letterer/designer Dave Lentz for working with me to design the bookplate "dressing," too.

Remember, any pledge level that includes the hardcover gets all the Stretch Goals, and if yours doesn't have it, you can adjust your pledge upwards to correct that any time before the campaign ends. After that, though, the Kickstarter Exclusive Hardcover -- and all the Stretch Goals -- will not be made available again.

Finally, and most importantly, THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU for supporting this campaign, sharing the link, and helping us not only make the creation of this book possible, but also the unlocking more and more Stretch Goals.

It's very sincerely my honor to pay it forward to all of you. Thank you again for the privilege. Truly.

Remember: The more people who join the campaign, the more free stuff you all get, so keep sharing the www.LoveStoriesAboutDeath.com link with people you know who may enjoy this love-infused horror graphic novel and everyone can get even more upgrades and bonuses!

Thanks again, everyone! I appreciate you all so very much!

Your friend in comics,
Dirk Manning