MAR 1st UPDATE: The time frame for art submissions is now over.

FEB 17th UPDATE: submission deadline is extended to February 29th. Pls note images submitted must contain orbs and/or circles.

Who’s doing what?

I'm Cindy O'Neil, the fourth daughter of six to my departed parents - at last they get some peace. My IndieGoGo quest is to publish a remarkable book that I began creating in the winter of 2001 in the midst of a long-term and life altering health change.

Having just been released from a month long stay in hospital and diagnosed with severe, systemic Rheumatoid Arthritis I was in a very transformed, painful and shockingly creative space. Confined to home by disability, healing became my full time job. This involved anything that would buoy my health and spirit. One such anything was doing word puzzles.

Many a day dissolved as I played with words. At some point ideas for puzzles began to spill over my mind. I was so engrossed in making these puzzles that I’d be up till all hours just picking themes, researching words, places etc. In the process my pain and fear evaporated, I was healing - my Healing Circle Puzzles project was born.

What's so unique about this book?

From my research this type of book hasn’t been done before. My Healing Circle Puzzles book combines original works of art with unusually crafted word search puzzles. Throughout the book full colour images by very talented undiscovered artists will accompany each word search. The artist bios/websites will also be featured.

I created the puzzles in a time when I was healing. But I didn’t want to make just any puzzles, the whole thing about healing and circles and the world and connection all came into the concept of my puzzle making, so I challenged myself and decided that they’d only be in circles. I didn’t use a special program; I designed the puzzles by hand then figured out how to make them on the computer.

All of the puzzles have themes of things that were helping me in my healing; positive thoughts, actions, music, books, therapies, healthy foods and more.  The contents of the book focus on connectedness, harmony, healing, unity.

Why I want to do this?

When I was creating these puzzles one of the forces that inspired me was the thought that someday they might be of help to someone else. Someone who was in hospital, people who were house bound due to health or injury. I hoped that one day my little project may bring other people release, joy or uplifting perspective.

Through my health change two energies - gratitude and acknowledgement - repeatedly manifested in ways that kept me fed, housed and safe. Since my health change I’ve been in deep financial debt, yet by way of gratitude and acknowledgement the Universe has provided. In honour of this I want to support and feature the talent of others in any way possible. Taking the risks and actions to publish my Healing Circle Puzzles book is one splendid way I can do so.

What We Need

I've previously self published two books, one in hard copy and the other as an e-book. This is the first time that I’ve sought financial assistance for a book project - overdraft and credit are my usual sources of funding :). I can say with experience that publishing is costly in more than just monetary ways. I've already invested months developing the puzzles, the cover art and part of the book design. The next steps are putting the pieces into a complete product.

I’m going to start with an e-book version, it won’t be as grand as the print version, but it will make the Healing Circle Puzzles book more accessible to people around the world. To launch and (pre)market the book a website is required. I’ve gotten a quote to have a website template designed. Once the template is complete I will input content to reduce financial costs. Advance marketing of the project will help to establish demand which will determine first run print quantities.

Now for the really fun stuff; finding original art for the Healing Circle Puzzles book. Let this be the official call to painters, photographers and graphic artists’ world wide. I’ll be including 20 images in the book that are original works of art. If you are an undiscovered artist stay tuned…

(Feb 5th update): The image submission guidelines are now posted.

An FAQs page has been created to answer questions artists have about submitting art.

Next is the formatting and basic layout of both the e-book and print editions of the Healing Circle Puzzles. I will be working with a printing house for this aspect of the project - it needs to be done correctly and efficiently so I’m leaving it to an expert.

Project Development Costs:
$2000 - payment to artists featured in book (20 artists in total, $100 per artist)
$  880 - book website template
$  380 - e-book formatting
$  600 - basic book design/layout at printing house

Here’s where you come in. $3860.00 will get the Healing Circle Puzzles project underway and that’s the financial goal for this campaign. Other than faith, organization and staying power, $3860 is what is needed to complete the puzzle. I’ll do the work but I need your support.

Why so little an amount? My objective is to use funds from e-book and (pre)sales of the Healing Circle Puzzles book to pay for printing. That’s why a website and professional book formatting are essential. The printed edition will be made available when it can pay for itself.

The Healing Circle Puzzles project started from a realm of gratitude and healing. In that spirit I’m inviting you to participate from the heart - please contribute an amount appropriate for you.

If I had a dollar for every time I didn’t have a penny (that’s a lyric line from a song I’m writing) this project would be long completed. I can honestly say that it sucks to be broke. So what happens if I don’t reach the goal amount?  You’ll get some great perks and I’ll be doing house work for my future mother-in-law so that I can complete this project.

What You Get

On the topic of perks, please cast your eyes to the right of your screen. All the perks include my deep gratitude and acknowledgment. Please know that any financial contribution you make to this campaign is of extreme value to me. I know that many of you are in a tight spot and others are looking for ways that you can share your abundance. While the amount is important, ultimately the vital thing is that you’ve chosen to be part of the circle. The act of giving what you can because you want to help is the core of healing and the circle.

Other Ways You Can Help

Puzzles are all about connecting, one part always leads you to another. Please be part of my puzzle, use the IndieGoGo share tools to connect with people in your world about this project. Facebook, LinkdIn, Twitter, email, snail mail even an old fashioned phone call, they’ll all be appreciated...

So much so that I'll give you a free download of one of my songs when you share this project with others. Just email to pzl.part [at] gmail dot com with a link or screen shot of where you shared the Healing Circle Puzzles project.

I'm really looking forward to giving you the first update on this project. 

Thanks very much for your time and interest.

with light,

Cindy