…before mammals, birds and reptiles….still millions of years before the first dinosaurs, it was….
THE AGE OF FISHES
Dunkleosteus – the world’s first vertebrate apex predator
Journey back to the Devonian period to explore what Earth was like when it was ruled by primitive fishes. Prehistoric creature lovers, ancient monster enjoyers and fish enthusiasts will appreciate this study of one of Earth’s first superpredators.
With striking illustrations and modern scientific insights, this book is the first of its kind, and is sure to capture the imaginations of children of all ages.
A passion project in the works
Hi, I’m Jack Martin, the author of Dunkleosteus–an upcoming book that I will be publishing in late 2024. I am passionate about reading, and I can remember spending long hours at the library as a child reading about dinosaurs.
Today, I am the father of a dyslexic 8 year-old who is obsessed with fish! We make frequent trips to the library to practice his reading and pick out books that interest him…most of these books are about fish and marine life.
When he asked me to search the library catalog for a book about Dunkleosteus, I assumed we’d be able to find one. To my surprise, there were none at any of our local library branches! A quick internet search showed me that the book he was asking for did not exist.
I was shocked that I could buy my son a toy Dunkleosteus at Tractor Supply Company, but I couldn’t find a children’s book on the same subject.
…so I took it upon myself to write that book in my spare time.
Now, after months of research and several re-writes, the book is complete. I have recruited Ukranian artist Oleksii Bychkov as my illustrator, and am working with Gatekeeper Press to self-publish this project later in 2024.
How you can help:
Of course, I encourage you to buy the book once it’s out! I intend to donate several copies to local libraries, but it will be available for purchase on Amazon as well as through other distributors.
First, the project needs financing. On July 7, 2024 I launched a Kickstarter campaign that showed initial promise as a good way to fundraise. I soon learned that some of my contributors were scammers who later backed out on their pledges. My campaign ran out of time and no money was awarded.
While I’m disappointed in Kickstarter, I have no regrets; this campaign allowed my backers to make their support for this project known. Almost all of my legitimate backers are friends and family, so I’m very encouraged about my ability to raise the necessary funds to make the book happen.
- I have decided to do my fundraising in-house and allow backers to make contributions directly to me. This will cut out the ‘middle man’ and there will be no time constraint on my fundraising efforts. I have already raised the initial $2500 for the remaining illustrations. As of September 2024, I am currently collaborating with Oleksii on completing the content for the book. During this time I am raising the remaining $5000 for publishing.
Contribute Now!
- Early in 2025, receive an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) eBook and leave a review on Amazon
- Buy a physical copy of the book (once it’s out) and tell your friends!
