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Hello, Northeast Ohio Artists and Authors--<BR>
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I am thrilled to announce that my recently published graphic novel, <EM>Dot's Journey</EM>, is now available for distribution through major online booksellers, including Barnes and Noble.com and Amazon.com. <BR>
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As a long-time fan of <EM>The Wizard of Oz</EM>, I have always wanted to create my own retelling of the tale, with a twist. This book is just that. I've combined the story that we all know with the mystery/thriller genre and reworked it as a stop-motion film <EM>noir </EM>in print. The visuals are mostly digital photographs which I took of miniature characters and settings that I had designed and built, rather like Tim Burton's <EM>The Nightmare Before Christmas </EM>and the more recent film <EM>Coraline, </EM>based on Neil Gaiman's novel. The result is not only an affectionate tribute to L. Frank Baum's original, but a homage to the Golden Age of film <EM>noir </EM>thrillers, as well.<BR>
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Set in the late 1930s/'40s, <EM>Dot's Journey </EM>tells the story of a former chorus girl, down on her luck, struggling to support her ailing aunt, Emily (natch). Following a near-fatal attack in her flat one night by an assailant in a monkey mask, Dot is informed that she is the illegitimate daughter of a very powerful, reclusive millionaire, Winthorne Owen Zolarde, who wishes to make her his heir before he dies. Dot boards the YellowTrail Express to go to meet him...but unbeknownst to her, her every move is monitored by Zolarde's estranged, unbalanced wife, Irene (her maiden name was West), who wishes to eliminate Dot and grab the estate for herself...<BR>
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All the characters we love (and love to hate) are here, as well as a few new ones. I had tremendous fun putting this book together, and I hope that it will appeal to all graphic novel readers, Oz-lovers and the simply creative and curious who can appreciate the work that went into it. <EM>Dot's Journey </EM>is my first published work, and my intention is that it will be followed by many others.<BR>
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The link below my signature in this email will take you directly to my online storefront at the publisher, lulu.com, where you can see a preview of the book.<BR>
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Many thanks!<BR><BR><FONT face="Lucida Handwriting, Cursive"><STRONG><EM><FONT size=5>Craig R. May</FONT></EM></STRONG><BR><STRONG><EM><FONT size=5></FONT></EM></STRONG> </FONT><BR><STRONG><FONT face=Garamond size=3>Visit my lulu.com storefront at</FONT></STRONG><BR><BR><FONT face=Garamond size=3><A href="http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=3027613">http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=3027613</A></FONT><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><br /><hr />Quick access to Windows Live and your favorite MSN content with <a href='http://ie8.msn.com/microsoft/internet-explorer-8/en-us/ie8.aspx?ocid=B037MSN55C0701A' target='_new'>Internet Explorer 8.</a></body>
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