A local first-time author has launched a fundraiser campaign to get his new book onto bookstore shelves.
Pittsford native Bernard Birnbaum has written his first children’s book, “The Last Space Caterpillar.” The book, which targets children ages 4 to 6, follows the experiences of Nova, a space caterpillar who has lost his family and sets out on a mission to find them.
“It’s really about his journey, not only to find his family, but his purpose in life and to not get distracted,” Birnbaum said.
The inspiration for the book, he said, came one day this spring while playing with his son, Lucas, born last year.
“One day, I was playing with my son, and all of a sudden, an idea popped into my head,” Birnbaum said, adding that he stayed up all night to write his ideas down. “When they popped in, I didn’t want them to stay in my head.”
Writing a children’s book was a departure from Birnbaum’s main career, commercial real estate investment with his family’s company, Jay Birnbaum Company.
But, said Birnbaum, who studied literature and studio art in college, he has always had a creative side.
“In college, I did creative writing for fun,” he said. “I don’t get to be as creative as I’d like to be (at work).”
His wife, Lisa, a preschool teacher, helped him with the editing, said Birnbaum. The illustrations were completed by Thornpallete, an illustrating company from India.
“It’s gone by really fast,” Birnbaum said. “We have all this momentum.”
Birnbaum has launched a project on the website Kickstarter, with a funding goal of $3,500 by the end of August. The funding will go toward printing the book and hiring a web designer to set up an eCommerce website to sell the book.
Birnbaum said that if he raises the funds, the books will hopefully be ready to send out by October or November.
If the book is successful, he said, he hopes to write more.
He added, “I hope to share with everyone else that if you have an idea, just try.”
A local first-time author has launched a fundraiser campaign to get his new book onto bookstore shelves.
Pittsford native Bernard Birnbaum has written his first children’s book, “The Last Space Caterpillar.” The book, which targets children ages 4 to 6, follows the experiences of Nova, a space caterpillar who has lost his family and sets out on a mission to find them.
“It’s really about his journey, not only to find his family, but his purpose in life and to not get distracted,” Birnbaum said.
The inspiration for the book, he said, came one day this spring while playing with his son, Lucas, born last year.
“One day, I was playing with my son, and all of a sudden, an idea popped into my head,” Birnbaum said, adding that he stayed up all night to write his ideas down. “When they popped in, I didn’t want them to stay in my head.”
Writing a children’s book was a departure from Birnbaum’s main career, commercial real estate investment with his family’s company, Jay Birnbaum Company.
But, said Birnbaum, who studied literature and studio art in college, he has always had a creative side.
“In college, I did creative writing for fun,” he said. “I don’t get to be as creative as I’d like to be (at work).”
His wife, Lisa, a preschool teacher, helped him with the editing, said Birnbaum. The illustrations were completed by Thornpallete, an illustrating company from India.
“It’s gone by really fast,” Birnbaum said. “We have all this momentum.”
Birnbaum has launched a project on the website Kickstarter, with a funding goal of $3,500 by the end of August. The funding will go toward printing the book and hiring a web designer to set up an eCommerce website to sell the book.
Birnbaum said that if he raises the funds, the books will hopefully be ready to send out by October or November.
If the book is successful, he said, he hopes to write more.
He added, “I hope to share with everyone else that if you have an idea, just try.”
