Surveys Are Out, So Check Your Emails! PLUS, the Stretch Goal Cover!
over 5 years ago – Mon, Jan 07, 2019 at 08:06:52 AM

Happy New Year! It's time to fill out your Kickstarter surveys and I want to show you the new cover design!

Why You Must Complete Your Surveys

As we enter the first full week back to work, our fulfillment company BackerKit and I have completed our surveys and sent them your way! Please check your emails for your surveys.

You need to complete your surveys to:

• Provide your shipping information
• Tell us how you want your name to appear in the book
• Select Add-Ons
• Receive special discounts, coupons, and news about future projects.

Because many of you are being thanked in the book, and a few of you are having characters named after you, we must have the survey results before I can send the files to the printer to order the proof copy. The rest of the book is done and ready to go!

Need Help With The Survey?

If you need help with your survey, I put together this short instructional video for you!

I Didn't Get My Survey Link!

Survey links just went out this morning, so check your email - but if, and only if, you didn't receive one, you can recover the link here:

https://cellar-door.backerkit.com/

The Stretch Goal Cover!

As you might remember, for one of our stretch goals we promised to have my cousin and "Cellar Door" artist Francesca Chimera re-color the cover of Cellar Door in full water color. We felt this would better represent the art inside the book - and be a lot cooler. Behold!

I know I was an absentee publisher for the holidays, but I'm back and bringing a 2019 to Chimera's Comics you'll never forget!

Keep moving forward,

Carmelo

Milestone Unlocked! Plus, a Bonus If You Back Before Cyber Monday
over 5 years ago – Sun, Dec 09, 2018 at 10:36:49 AM

First of all, we had an AMAZING day yesterday, rocketing passed our next Milestone Bonus! I want to tell you about the next bonus and make you a special offer for Cyber Monday. Plus, I'd like to take a break from yapping about myself to tell you about a Kickstarter campaign I'm very excited about right now.

Your Free Bonus, and Your Next Bonus!

 Now, all backers will be receiving a digital copy of the ghost story "The Boy Who Came Closer" from the very talented and generous Simon Birks. Backers will be receiving their bonus in a backer-only update later today.

Now, when we hit 75% funded, all backers will receive a digital horror adventure comic called "Katrina Hates The Dead #1." This is a personal favorite, and in fact I own the complete hardcover graphic novel.

In “Katrina Hates The Dead”, the rapture has come. Now, demons and zombies wander the Earth…and then life goes on. Until a working class girl named Katrina has finally had enough. She’s a bad ass with a badder attitude and she’s ready to take on the undead armies swarming the Earth. Honestly, it’s a little like Evil Dead 2, and I think you’ll really enjoy it if you like to have fun with your horror.

This comic comes from the very generous Russell Nohelty, a friend and mentor who has taught me the importance of building an audience by treating everyone as friends, with kindness and respect. I hope to do him proud by getting to know you all better every day.

Free Scripts If You Back Before Cyber Monday 

The most valuable thing I have to offer you is a look inside my mind. As an author, it takes a lot of courage to share my inner thoughts with the world.

So if you pledge before the end of the night on Monday, November 26, I'll send you two scripts for my contributions to the Cellar Door anthology as a thank you.

If you love horror and love comics, then you'll love to see how the sausage is made. Being able to compare script to page gives you a unique insight into how a writer and artist work together to visualize a story.

Now, if you've already pledged, don't worry! I'll be sharing this bonus with every backer UNTIL the end of the day Monday.

Our backers have already gotten:

• A free print if they backed in the first 3 days; 
• A bonus digital horror comic if they were one of the first 126 backers; and
• A SECOND bonus digital horror comic if they backed before we reached $7,934

If you haven't backed yet, I'm very sorry to say these bonuses are gone out of fairness to everyone who backed early - but there's still time to get my two free scripts AND “Katrina Hates The Dead #1.”

Always grateful,

Carmelo

Win Free Tickets to Avengers 4 tonight!
over 5 years ago – Wed, Dec 05, 2018 at 02:51:25 PM

Last week, between Facebook, YouTube, and Kickstarter over 400 people tuned in to our Livestream where I gave away a page of original art from "Cellar Door." 

This week, I have another awesome prize for you if you're from the Chicagoland area - free tickets to our private screening of Avengers 4!

Tune In Live Tonight To Win

Tune in tonight to my livestream to win tickets to Avengers 4! I'll be interviewing Cellar Door creator Nicholas Chimera, my brother, about his new young adult scifi superhero epic, "The Crusader." Tune in at www.chimerascomics.com/live at 7PM CST to win!

The Prize

Every year, Chimera's Comics rents out a movie theater for the biggest release of the year and takes over 100 of our best friends, fans, and customers to go see the movie opening weekend.

This is the MOST fun we have all year, and the MOST fun way to watch these movies: surrounded by fans who get the jokes, find the Easter Eggs, and geek out after the movie.

I'm giving away TWO free tickets to our private screening of Avengers 4 opening weekend. The movie is a bit far out so I don't have the exact showtime yet, but trust me - you don't want to miss this.

Hope to see you tonight,

Carmelo

Thank You, and Congratulations - Plus A Free Gift!
over 5 years ago – Mon, Dec 03, 2018 at 01:14:35 PM

First I must apologize for disappearing - once the campaign ended, I entered the Odin-sleep whereby hybernate until my superpowers return.

Now that I'm back, I want to share this victory with you and offer you a free gift as a thanks!

Thank You And Congratulations

Because of you, Cellar Door will become a reality. A beautiful nightmare that will live on in perfect hardcover for generations.

Every like, comment, share, dollar, and backer helped bring this project to life. That's why I say congratulations - because it's as much your project now as ours.

You will be receiving backer surveys in the next few days - it's critical you complete them ASAP because we need your names for the thank you pages as well as for those of you who are getting characters named after you!

A Free Gift From "Cellar Door" Author Nicholas Chimera

My brother authored the "Cellar Door" short "The Clockwork Man", and this Friday December 7 he is releasing his first full-length novel, a young adult superhero epic called "The Crusader" from GenZ publishing.

Nicholas has offered us an exclusive free preview at the first two chapters of his book.

 I'm so proud of Nicholas because his novel is not only exciting, it has real meaning. This is a superhero origin ala Smallville or Star Wars where the ending is not a foregone conclusion. This character's choices have consequences. His actions shape what he becomes.

If you're local, I hope you'll join us this Saturday, December 8 at Chimera's Comics Oak Lawn for the book release! I'd like to have a toast and give a hug to every "Cellar Door" backer who can make it!

Always grateful,

Carmelo

More Freebies for the 11th Hour!
over 5 years ago – Sat, Dec 01, 2018 at 07:03:29 AM

We're coming down to the wire! I wanted to sweeten the pot for "Cellar Door" with a BIG announcement, offer you a free digital horror comic, share another featured Cellar Door creator, and remind you of our Kickstarter Finale Livestream this Saturday!

How About I Make Cellar Door Even Bigger?

We're so close to being funded, but I don't like to leave anything to chance, so I'm going to sweeten the pot.

We are ADDING a brand-new, 20 page horror story to "Cellar Door" to make the final product even bigger and scarier!

 I'm thrilled to introduce "Skinned" from Ryan Fleharty and Matt Hastings. I'd wanted to include this story all along but I was afraid it wouldn't be done in time!

"Skinned" takes place in the not-too-distant future where everyone has eye implants that allow them to customize how they take in the world around them. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - until a group of teens finds themselves and their implants possessed by a malevolent force. Is it a demon, or a computer virus? In a world where reality is software, what's the difference?

 Matt is still finishing coloring, but as long as we are successfully funded, we will complete "Skinned" and include it in "Cellar Door." It is clever, timely, and super grotesque. You'll love it.

Free Digital Comic For Backers

Kristen Gorlitz is the author of "The Empties", a horror comic book about the dangers of emotional abuse...and zombies. Issue 2 is on Kickstarter now and Kristen has generously allowed me to share Issue 1 with backers, for FREE!

You can download a 22 page preview here but to get the full first issue, you'll have to pledge to "Cellar Door" by the end of the day! If you've already pledged, don't worry! You'll get a copy!

Here's a message from Kristen:

"Relationships are scary, especially when you find out you married a zombie! Time is running out to snag your copies of The Empties, so pledge today at ANY level and l'll mail you a physical copy of the first comic in the series!"

In "The Empties", a workaholic chef has a simple desire - he wants to be happy and he wants his wife Helen to be happy too. But just because Helen has a roof over her head, it doesn’t mean that she’s happy or fulfilled. There’s something missing in her life, and even she can’t put a finger on what it is. As Helen tries to fill the need inside her, the “zombie disease” hollows her out.

If you love it, check out her Kickstarter here before it's too late! The Empties Kickstarter ends TOMORROW!

Meet Tim McIlvain

Another featured creator from "Cellar Door" is my oldest friend, Tim McIlvain. The trauma of knowing me so long inspired him to become a horror author.

Check out the behind-the-scenes info on his "Cellar Door" story, "Pumpkin Patch."

See You Tomorrow Night at 7PM CST For the Finale Livestream!

Tune in Live at your favorite channel here!