 We admit it--the whole idea of doing crowdfunding sounded impossible. It's tough enough finding readers and selling books. But we figured it was worth a try for The Clear Blue Line. So we started a Pubslush campaign.
The author, Al Sprague, is one of Panama's best-loved artists. The cover alone--with one of Al's paintings, and Al Pranke's (AMP13) design--is worth the price of the book. More than that, after a lifetime of painting and teaching art, Al Sprague has taken up fiction in his 70s. And we're always eager to help new talent. So we made it easy to participate with levels starting at $5.00. We have beach bags with the cover on them at higher levels. And at the highest levels, we're offering a block print by Al that usually sells between $100 -$200. Crowdfunding isn't for everyone. But we've already raised some funds. With 18 days left, we may even reach our goal. 10% of all donations will go to support literacy. And everyone who participates gets a great summer read. We'd love it if you'd join us. You can sign up here. And you can see more of Al Sprague's art here. Advance review for The Clear Blue Line “For a rollicking good time, tag along with Jack Savage and his fearless, hard-drinking spearfishing buddies, whose language is saltier than the sea in which they dive. Ferocious tiger sharks, cut-throat pirates, and the beautiful women they love provide danger at every turn. Al Sprague serves up all the action, romance, and escapist adventure anyone could ask for!” —Paul J. Mila, author of Dangerous Waters and Near Miss www.milabooks.com
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 the kind with action and romance, exotic settings and fascinating characters--then you’re sure to enjoy The Clear Blue Line by Al Sprague coming this summer.
Set in Panama in the 1970s, The Clear Blue Line follows Jack Savage and his free diving friends as they explore the waters around the Pearl Islands off Panama’s coast. For Jack finding the clear blue line means hitting that perfect spot in the ocean where everything comes together. The visibility is good, the diving is easy, and the fish are plentiful. And if there’s a hint of buried treasure? Even better. But whenever Jack and his friends go out in a boat, all they find is trouble. Fearless, reckless, always up for a challenge, Jack’s single-minded pursuit of perfection drifts off course when he finds himself torn between two strong, beautiful women and discovers the most dangerous sharks aren’t always in the ocean. In this fast-moving adventure story, Al Sprague artfully captures a Panama of the 1970s. A time when drug lords prowled on land, and pirates cruised the surface of a black sea at night, looking for prey. As one advance reviewer put it, “For a rollicking good time, tag along with Jack Savage and his fearless, hard-drinking spearfishing buddies, whose language is saltier than the sea in which they dive. Ferocious tiger sharks, cut-throat pirates, and the beautiful women they love provide danger at every turn. Al Sprague serves up all the action, romance, and escapist adventure anyone could ask for!” —Paul J. Mila, author of Dangerous Waters and Near Miss http//www.milabooks.com Please Join Our Pubslush Campaign We’ve started a Pubslush campaign to raise money so we can promote the book to other readers. For just a little more than what you’d spend on the paperback or ebook, you can make a contribution, get a reward, and support literacy. And if you could help us get the word out, that would be terrific. We’ve got 26 days to reach our goal. Thank you.  [Our next title, The Clear Blue Line, is coming out July 1. We'll be running a series of posts about the book, the author, the sport of free diving, and maybe even Panama. Here is the first.]
Sometimes you meet someone who's so unusual or has led such a fascinating life, you're not only delighted to know him, you're also thinking he'd make a great character. (At least that's what you're thinking if you're a writer.) Al Sprague is like that. He was born and raised in Colon, Panama. After attending college in the United States, he returned to Panama to teach art in high school and college for 15 years. During that time, he painted the landscapes and people of Panama, one of the first artists to define the Panamanian culture through art. His most noted works depict native Panamanian women dancing in the traditional costumes of the pollera and the montuna as well as fisherman who troll the Pacific Ocean for snapper, grouper, and dolphin. Al, an avid fisherman himself, creates fishing lures that are works of art. Through painting, Al captured the Panama Canal and the men who keep it running. A number of his works were purchased by the Panama Canal Commission and presently hang in the Administration Building of the Canal. Two of his paintings were made into postage stamps of the now defunct Panama Canal Post Office and remain collectors’ items. At least two other paintings were recreated as postage stamps for the Republic of Panama. Al’s one-man show of Panama Canal artwork opened the new Museum of the Panama Canal in 2000. Many of his paintings of Panamanian fishermen and native dancers hang in banks and museums throughout the country of Panama and have been purchased as gifts of state for the presidents of Spain, Venezuela, Mexico, Brazil, and the United States. In addition, his paintings are included in the Presidential Libraries of Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. Al was selected as the official combat artist for “Operation Just Cause” and created a series of paintings which form part of the army art collection in the Pentagon and were featured on CNN. A consummate storyteller, Al took up fiction writing in his 70s. He is co-author of The Mahogany Tree (El árbol de caoba), published in 2010. This is his first adult novel. His paintings are gorgeous. You can see them on Al's website and on his daughter's blog. Photo: Brian La Barr . |