11:32am July 13, 2013

➸ The Black Vampire Project: Birth of a Dark Nation

African Vampires come to America during the transatlantic slave trade!

My name is Rashid Darden. In 2012, I was the Director of Development at a Washington nonprofit organization. After 11 years in the nonprofit sector, I decided it was time to stop being miserable and start fulfilling my destiny.

I quit my day job to invest in my career as a novelist.

Now, in 2013, I have written a novel in a new genre. I have created a world in which African vampires have come to America during the transatlantic slave trade and have been imbedded in the New World since colonial days.

I’m no stranger to writing. While an undergrad at Georgetown, I wrote my first play and participated in poetry readings on and off-campus. Over the next several years, I wrote and independently published three novels and a book of poetry: Lazarus, Covenant, Epiphany, and The Life and Death of Savion Cortez. Each of my books averages no less than 4.8 of five stars on Amazon! You can find out more about my career so far at www.oldgoldsoul.com and www.rashiddarden.com.

I want to add to the growing canon of vampire stories a legend that reflects the traditions and values of the African diaspora. Although we all grew up with many wonderful, well-written, and successful vampire stories, it’s high time that everyone gets a great story from a different cultural perspective.

Your investment will help me publish and raise awareness of this novel. It will also help me to inspire the next generation of novelists.

My goal is significant, but realistic: $3890

$220 for the cover designer, Charlis Foster, who has provided an extraordinary discount for services which could easily be over four figures.

$413 for greatly reduced copyediting and editorial development fees.

$220 for printing and postage of promotional postcards.

$606 for printing of review copies.

$616 for shipping costs of review copies.

$1815 for travel and lodging for free writing workshops at 20 colleges and universities.

In the event that I raise an additional $3,300 beyond my goal, I will use the extra funding to add additional schools that will receive free writing workshops and identify a publicity firm to help spread the word about the novel.

In the event that I do not reach the goal, I will reduce the number of schools receiving writing workshops.

There are many fun perks for investing in the Black Vampire Project, including thank yous on my website, acknowledgements in the novel, an e-book, signed copies of Birth of a Dark Nation, Lazarus, Covenant, and Epiphany, a poster version of the cover, a Skype conversation with me, and even getting a character in the novel named after you!

I write books to change the world. This is how your investment in my career accomplishes that.

I have chosen 20 colleges and universities in several states that will receive a free writing workshop if this project is fully funded. I have chosen universities that do not have large endowments and are not necessarily able to provide the same level of programming that other schools may be able to. If I am able to reach 50 students at each school, then I will have inspired 1000 emerging writers to pursue careers as poets, novelists, essayists, and other noble paths in the writing professions. I believe that I can reach many more than 1000 with cooperation from the schools themselves.

I have conducted workshops and lectures at colleges and universities since 2005, including Georgetown, Howard, Ohio, Cal State LA, and the University of Maryland; for the National Multicultural Greek Council; and for the Deltas, AKAs, Lambda Psi Delta, Alpha Phi Omega, and the Links.

I am also committed to writing as a full-time job. Your investment helps me get the right start on that career. Prior to now, writing was always secondary to having a “regular job.“ Now that I am making my dreams and my vocation one in the same, I could use help bridging the gap between my goals and my reality. I can do this because I have the tenacity, endurance, and creatvity.

More information about my previous appearances can be found at www.oldgoldsoul.com and www.rashiddarden.com.

I know all too well that the freedom of being a fulltime novelist isn’t free. I’ve made a lot of sacrifices to be able to do this and I know that everyone’s money is precious. If donating to this project just isn’t in your budget, I have a lot of things you can do to help:

Share, share, share! Please use Indiegogo’s sharing tools above to share this project with your circles. Our hastag is #BlackVampireProject

Do you have contacts at any of these colleges? These are my target schools where I’d like to conduct writing workshops. Help me get connected to the people who can make it happen!

Do you live in any of these cities? You can host a meet & greet when the tour gets started. Contact me!

Do you have access to air, rail, or hotel points, vouchers, or discounts that you’d be able to transfer or donate for the writing workshop tour? Let’s talk!

Are you a professional editor who is willing to donate your services? Let’s talk!

You might have other ideas to share to help make this project come together. I’m open to hearing them!

Justin tensed up and peered out of the window. A uniformed security guard and another woman walked out of the house. The small white woman wore a long black coat, a Baltimore Orioles baseball cap, and ear buds in her ears. She locked the door behind her. The guard got into the company issued sedan and sped off. The woman got on a bicycle and rolled by us at a moderate pace.

“Follow her,” I ordered.

“I got this,” he snapped back. He made a quick U-turn and stayed about half a block behind the woman as she pedaled through the neighborhood. She never looked back once.

We followed her through Rock Creek Park as she neared Georgia Avenue, pedaling slightly harder and slightly faster.

“She made us,” I said.

“I think so, too,” Justin said. He accelerated as she sped across Georgia Avenue onto Missouri, pedaling furiously.

“She’s gonna make that left on Fifth Street,” Dante said.

“I know,” Justin replied. “Relax, we’re in my territory now.”

Justin was right behind her as she turned onto Fifth Street. She pedaled as fast as a superhuman could and we were on her tail. We both ran through red lights.

Justin’s fangs began to elongate as he concentrated on the road.

“You hop out as soon as I go past her,” he instructed.

“What?!” Dante and I said in unison.

“You hop out of this truck as soon as I pass her!”

“That’s crazy!” I said.

Justin ignored us and put his pedal to the metal just as we reached Coolidge High School, a large colonial style building with red brick and slanted green roofs. A huge, modern gymnasium was attached to the building on its far side.

We passed the woman just on the other side of Coolidge and she hopped off her bike, running through the parkland next to the gym.

“Get her, bitch!” Justin screamed at me.

Without argument, Dante and I bailed from the truck and hit the ground, tumbling a few times but hopping right back up in pursuit of the vampire. Justin sped off down the street. Our stakes were in our hands, ready for action.

FUCK YEAH!