Excited to report that I have launched a campaign to fund the production and first print run for the book I’m writing on Jura wines, to be called simply, Jura Wine. I’m thrilled that 48 hours after going live it is already 20% funded, but there is still a long way to go. Creating the campaign has been a great exercise in concentrating the mind both in producing the video and writing the text to promote it.
If you are not familiar with the Kickstarter crowd-funding site, it allows individuals with a project to raise funds through contacts and strangers alike, whilst offering rewards for certain amounts pledged. For my Kickstarter project, the main (and so far most popular) reward is the book itself, delivered anywhere in the world on publication in April 2014 for a £25 pledge (about $40).
Effectively, this is an advance purchase of the book.
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Planning a trip to the Jura
For anyone who hopes to include the Jura on their travels in the next 12-18 months I have also put together rewards starting as low as £8 for the two Wine Travel Guides to Jura, through £100 for a personal itinerary, to £300 for a telephone or email consultation and a much bigger amount for me to guide you and your friends around the region. Take a look at the page for the details. All except the £8 reward include the book too.
A private guided tasting on Jura wines
Two other rewards are offered for me to lead a tasting of Jura wines for you and a group of friends, anywhere in the vicinity of London, Geneva or Annecy, or further afield by separate arrangement. As an experienced educator I love sharing stories and presenting wines from regions I know well, and now that Jura wines are more available in the UK and beyond, the logistics are ever more possible.
Why a Kickstarter campaign?
For me this Kickstarter campaign is not only about the money it will raise to produce a professional book, properly edited and designed, and with fine photos and maps, it is also to hold me accountable to those who pledge funds. If I had a publisher, I would have a contract signed. With self-publishing my contract is with both those who have pledged time and support in helping me produce the book, and with those who have pledged money in this campaign.
Kickstarter works on an all-or-nothing basis. If I do not reach the relatively modest target set at £7,500 (about US$11,500 or €8,800), those who pledge the money pay nothing, and I receive nothing, simple. If this is the outcome, I will proceed with an e-book, but not the printed book, and I am unlikely to have funds for professional photos, maps or an all-important editor.
Please help this campaign succeed by sharing the information with anyone around the world who reads English, confirmed Jura wine lovers and others. As you will read in the Kickstarter text, this is a book for wine professionals and amateurs alike – in my view there is only one chance to bring out a comprehensive book on the Jura wine region and I’m grabbing it.
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Some Tweets and Facebook updates about this project so far have included:
Peter Liem: “Want to read an up-to-date, English-language book on the wines of the Jura, written by a world-renowned expert on the subject? Good luck, because THERE ISN’T ONE. Fund this Kickstarter project, and Wink Lorch will write and publish this book on Jura wine, with additional sections on food and travel. We need this!”
Fiona Beckett: “Exciting and bold Jura book project … Needs supporting by April 22 to get off ground.”
Caroline Henry: “I am really excited about this book – Wink is definitely the most apt person to write it!!! So common why don’t you join me and buy a copy en primeur and back this project!! Best part is that we will not have to “cellar” the book when we get it in 18 months ;-)”
It’s lovely to have this support and I will blush if I share any more comments about being a “Rock Star” “THE Jura expert” ….Magnus Reuterdahl who is a blogger and features in the Kickstarter video even wrote his own post about the video and the project.
Will you join these supporters of the book, please? Most importantly, please share the Kickstarter project for Jura Wine – The Book with others around the world.
UPDATE: Tuesday April 2nd
Thanks to all the support the campaign is now 47% funded with 121 people having pledged. There are just under three weeks to go and those who have pledged would I know love to receive their rewards, which they will only do if the target is reached. Take a look at the first update post on Kickstarter, and also a very supportive blog post from New Yorker Arnold Waldstein.
Jura Wine, Food and Travel 
Wink, so excited to see the progress! Best to you on this worthy project.
Harold, thanks so much for your support. I’m excited too at the same time as being well aware that there’s a long way to go, but I’m working hard on it, and when the funding’s there, I’ll be working doubly hard on making a fantastic book.