Welcome to the Crowdsourcing Mornings segment! Every weekday morning, Geek Alabama talks about and features one crowdsourcing project from crowdsourcing sites such as Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and others. The hope with Crowdsourcing Mornings is to feature and help a project be successful and reach its fundraising goal. Please enjoy today’s featured project!
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Quantum Possum is an inclusive, neurodivergence-affirming graphic novel taking readers on a wacky & frequently sidetracked adventure through Cosmic Bog, helping creatures in need and including everyone in the fun.
Quantum Possum has been a long-time dream of mine that has become clearer and more concrete in the last year – soon, she’ll be a reality!
My children’s writing journey began in 2019 and I published my first book, Opossum Opposites in 2020 just before the pandemic hit. I have since published six other books, as well as five in French versions and two in Spanish.
Though the idea of a graphic novel has been tumbling about in my head for years, I’m glad to have several years publishing experience under my belt before attempting such a task as this. It’s been a MUCH bigger and more complicated project than I even imagined.
But I am NOT intimidated! And now that I’ve got my dream illustrator, Possum.Mood on board, nothing can stop us!
My son and I sketched out a basic storyline for Quantum Possum a year or so ago and then I started furiously sketching terrible little possum drawings in my notebook to show what I wanted things to look like. My notebook is a wild mess of page numbers and additions here, scribbles there, but with the help of my wonderful editor, Lor, and my early readers, the story eventually developed far beyond what I had initially imagined.
Neurodivergence was not originally going to be one of the themes of this book. But as my drafts continued to evolve, it finally occurred to me that this is a perfect forum for helping to normalize neurodivergent ways of being and thinking.
In the last year and a half, we have discovered that our daughter, Azélie, is autistic and our son, Ulysse is AuDHD, meaning he is autistic and ADHD – and they are amazing little human specimens. They have their challenges, but with support they are thriving.
Still, even though girls are beginning to be more commonly identified with autism and ADHD, and boys with fewer support needs are being identified as well, the general public still has very outdated and under informed ideas about what it means to NOT be neurotypical.
According to the latest research and social movements, Autism and ADHD are considered more and more commonly to be neurotypes rather than disorders. With the proper support, neurodivergent people can achieve so much more than previously thought. We have always been here, just not understood as we are today. I hope that trend will continue!
Since I have always enjoyed highlighting misunderstood creatures in my writing – what animal is more misunderstood than opossums? – it seemed perfect that my heroine Opal should be socially anxious and sensitive, but also full of potential!
Though autism and ADHD are not overtly mentioned in the story, readers will recognize common neurodivergent traits among several of the characters:
- Opal Opossum is very sensitive to light and noise – she wears headphones to a concert in the opening scene. She is worn out by crowds.
- Essie Skunk carries a Rubik’s cube around with her as a fidget toy.
- Albin Ferret gets distracted VERY easily and has a wild imagination and some serious energy.
- Ricky and Rocco the Raccoon Twins – One of the twins does most of the talking and the other uses echolalia, repeating much of what his brother says, to communicate.
- Cecil the Burmese Python is very socially awkward and doesn’t seem to understand personal space, but he’s learning!
As of April 26th, this project has raised $6,800 of their $10,500 goal. This project has 15 days left to raise the $10,500 or it will not be funded. For a pledge of $10, you will get one digital book. For a pledge of $22, you will get one signed book. To learn more and to pledge money, go to: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ginagallois/quantum-possum-a-neurodivergence-affirming-graphic-novel?
Categories: Crowdsourcing Mornings Stuff
