We're Making Progress Behind the Scenes
27 days ago
– Sun, Jun 21, 2026 at 10:04:10 PM
Dear Supporters,
Thank you for your patience. We are working diligently behind the scenes.
We have okayed the digital proof for our hard cover offset-printed book. The physical proof sheets should arrive this week. Once we approve those, our printer (Print Ninja) can start the print run in earnest. That said, shipping can take two to three months, and then I will mail them to you.
We are re-affirming our pledge that everyone who has ordered a print-on-demand paperback book thus far will receive this Patron's Edition hard cover with 105-wt interior pages, unless you have your heart set on the print-on-demand paperback with 70-wt interior pages. There will be no extra charge for the hard cover, itself. Moreover, for US and Canadian supporters, there will be no extra charges for shipping either. (We will be absorbing the small price difference.) However, for our European backers, we will be providing some alternative options that would allow you to circumvent the excessive shipping and duties fees for receiving a book shipped from the US.
Our book designer is working on the Patron Edition and Special Edition badges for the book covers that will be on any print-on-demand an Ebook versions. Our Ebook designer has everything else she needs to produce the Ebooks.
Our bookmark early bird reward is now also in the hands of our designer to make it even more beautiful.
Our sticker files are ready for the printer. We are still awaiting bids from printers who can provide the necessary paperwork to show that the stickers will be Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act compliant. This turns out to be more complicated than anticipated. We are fairly certain one of the vendors we approached can accommodate us. If not, we are working on an alternative sticker delivery method that will hopefully satisfy everyone.
Our Weekly Niyama and Well-Being Practice Trackers are done, as well as the print-at-home practice reward stickers that go along with them.
Our coloring books are still in the sketch phase, but we are really pleased with the sketches. One page in particular has easter eggs that most of you will really appreciate. I'd love to say more, but I don't want to spoil the surprises.
We have closed our Kickstarter late pledge store, but our Pre-Order store is now open on PledgeBox (https://bit.ly/44tb27r). You will also have opportunities for add-ons when you fill out the PledgeBox survey to provide addresses, shipping (if not paid already), and state and local taxes. For those of you who pledged large sums for no reward, you'll have a final opportunity to convert those funds into actual rewards. Even if you have no little ones that would listen to you read our book, you may find it amusing yourself and learn a little bit about yoga philosophy. Or, you could just donate it to a worthy school or reading program.
Finally, we note that there are some things that will be available only to you through the PledgeBox survey as Kickstarter supporters that will not be available in the PledgeBox Pre-Order store. In particular, add-ons through the survey will provide you with the opportunity to obtain books having the Patron's Edition badge on the cover, while the Pre-Order store will have only options for the Special Edition badge. If anyone, wishes to substitute their Patron's version for the Special edition, please message me. I can add a question in the survey-- there will only 150 hard cover Patron's editions but there will be over 1200 hard cover Special editions.
Please keep your eyes open for the PledgeBox survey coming soon! If you don't answer the survey, you cannot receive your books and other rewards
Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, especially the yoga dads, and great wishes to everyone else!
Thanks you all again for your tremendous support.
With gratitude,
Michael (and the Luradel Press team)
📚 Manuscript Edits, Late Pledges, & PledgeBox Migration!
about 2 months ago
– Fri, May 29, 2026 at 09:28:41 PM
📚 Manuscript Edits, Late Pledges, & PledgeBox Migration!
Dear Backers,
I hope you are all doing well! Perhaps you have even missed my updates? 😉 We have been working hard behind the scenes to keep the momentum going for Llamas and Niyamas. Here is a quick breakdown of where everything stands right now.
📝 Production & Manuscript Status
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Final Book Edits: We are currently making the final edits to our print manuscript. Once complete, we will officially order our hardcover offset-print run! We already have our Library of Congress Control Number.
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Paperback Upgrade Reminder: Remember, all previously ordered paperbacks are automatically upgraded to ultra-premium color.
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Hardcover Upgrades: You will have the chance to upgrade your paperback to a hardcover edition during the post-campaign survey. This will either be free or carry a very small upcharge.
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Stickers: We are almost ready to place the order for the stickers too!
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Safety First: We are currently finalizing our Children's Product Certificates (CPC) to ensure everything meets the highest quality and safety standards. Our FAQs mentioned that the stickers aren't edible and don't taste like chicken, but we are taking every precaution.
🌍 Late Pledges & International Availability
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Late Pledge Store: Our Late Pledge store is now officially open right here on Kickstarter! If you want extra copies or more stickers, you can visit our campaign page to grab them. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/llamasandniyamas/expand-kids-yoga-learning-with-life-improving-fables
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New Offers: If you check out the store, you will notice that the hardcover edition (if you want more copies of the printed book) can now be officially ordered, and the stickers are now available for international backers.
📦 PledgeBox Migration
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Moving Systems: We are currently setting up and migrating our data over to PledgeBox, our fulfillment manager.
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What to Expect: Your post-campaign survey will come through PledgeBox. This survey is where you will finalize your shipping address, pay for postage/taxes (if those weren't previously included), manage your upgrades, and input personalization details for signed books.
🤝 Cross-Promotions & Friendly Campaigns
Most of the amazing creators I cross-promoted during the live campaign have finished their funding runs. However, their late pledge stores are still open! If you were on the fence about supporting them, please do so soon, as they are getting their fulfillment orders ready right now. If you haven’t scrolled to the end of our previous updates, please check them out.
One fantastic campaign is still actively live and features an incredible project. It’s a worthy cause, and I love the illustration style. See below.
Thank you all again for your continued patience and support as we bring Llamas and Niyamas to life! I will check back in soon with our next major milestone.
With immense gratitude,
Michael
Skyler and the Spooky Storm is a children’s picture book by New Zealand author, Kousar Sadeghzadeh, inspired by the belief that no child should feel they have to struggle alone.
The story follows a devoted father ant gathering food for his family when a powerful cyclone strikes, forcing him to confront his fears and learn that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
With suicide rates remaining a serious concern globally, particularly among men, the book aims to challenge the stigma around emotional struggle and encourage children to see speaking up and reaching out as acts of courage.
The campaign has been awarded Kickstarter’s “Project We Love” badge and is currently 34% funded.
Campaign link:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kousarsadeghzadeh/skyler-and-the-spooky-storm-mental-health-for-children
🎉 MAGNIFICENT! Campaign Conclusion. We are 127% Funded + Important Next Steps!
about 2 months ago
– Sat, May 23, 2026 at 03:53:35 PM
🎉 MAGNIFICENT! Campaign Conclusion. We are 127% Funded + Important Next Steps!
Dear Backers,
Your support for Llamas and Niyamas has been absolutely magnificent!
Thanks to this incredible community, we officially closed our campaign at $4,469 raised and 127% funded, with 99 print books pre-ordered!
🦙 A Surprise About Our Stretch Goal
While we landed exactly one book shy of our 100-book stretch goal, I have some news. Your energy and dedication throughout this campaign astounded me. Because of your incredible support, I am going to make the 5-book donation to schools and libraries anyway! Together, we are officially bringing these life-improving yoga fables to children who rely on public resources.
💳 What Happens Right Now (The Next 2 Weeks)
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Card Charges: Kickstarter will automatically attempt to charge your credit card on file soon, if it hasn’t happened already.
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Payment Errors: If your payment fails, Kickstarter will email you. They will try for 2 weeks to correct any card or data problems before dropping a pledge. Please check your account to ensure your order goes through!
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Kickstarter Add-Ons: During this checkout process, Kickstarter will try to sell you more add-ons. I apologize for the extra sales pitches. (You received enough from me already!)
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Late Pledges Open: Kickstarter will accept new late pledges for a limited time. Tell your friends! The offerings will still feature our original Kickstarter pricing and tiers for anyone who missed the live window.
📦 Moving to PledgeBox: Your Survey Schedule
I have chosen PledgeBox as our campaign fulfillment manager. While PledgeBox usually recommends delaying surveys until closer to shipping, I intend to send a first survey much sooner. This is because we may be able to fulfill stickers, bookmarks, and eBooks long before the physical hard copies are ready.
Crucial Survey Details:
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Do Not Ignore the Surveys: If we do not have your address, we cannot send you your rewards.
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Postage & Taxes: PledgeBox will collect your shipping address to calculate exact postage, taxes, and international tariffs. It will determine if you have already paid enough or if any postage adjustments are due.
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The Hardcover Upgrade: If you earned the English Activated cross-promotion upgrade, the upgrade itself is free. Everyone else will have the upgrade option, but we are still figuring out whether it will be free or cost $2. However, a hard cover weighs more (and has more value, kicking in the Canadian tariff and tariff collection fee (ouch), for example), which may impact your final shipping charges (especially for international addresses). Through PledgeBox we will let you know the complete costs of the options provided to the best of our ability. Additionally, if you pledged for no reward, you’ll have the option to covert some or all of your pledge to products or shipping costs. Even if you no longer have room on your bookshelves or kids in right age range, you'd have an awesome book to give as a gift.--There are only 216 days until Christmas!
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Personalization & Multi-Orders: If you ordered a signed book, the survey will ask who it is for and if you want specific wording. If you ordered multiple copies, it will collect all names and addresses.
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More Add-Ons: Unfortunately, PledgeBox will also try to upsell you more tiers and add-ons at a higher price. I appreciate your patience with their system's automated marketing!
🗳️ Backer Poll: How Should We Deliver Your Rewards?
Please let me know your preferences by replying to this update or leaving a comment below!
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Physical Rewards: Would you prefer to receive all your physical products at about the same time in September, or would you like them shipped as soon as they are ready (e.g., stickers/bookmarks early, books later)? This will not affect shipping costs because the books and stickers have to be shipped separately due to media mail restrictions.
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Digital Rewards: Would you like to receive your digital products individually as soon as each file is ready, or wait until we can deliver all of them within a similar time frame?
Thank you all for making this dream a reality. I will keep you updated every single step of the way!
With immense gratitude,
Michael
🦙 Just 15 Hours Left to Meet Our Stretch Goal: And Only 3 Print Books to Go!
about 2 months ago
– Fri, May 22, 2026 at 06:09:16 PM
🦙 Just 15 Hours Left to Meet Our Stretch Goal: And Only 3 Print Books to Go!
We are currently sitting at 97 print copies ordered. We need exactly 3 more print books to hit our 100-book milestone.
When we cross that line, it instantly unlocks the 5-book donation to schools and libraries, bringing the life-improving power of yoga fables to children who need it most.
⚡ A Quick Way You Can Help Us:
Share the Link and blurb below: Text or email a parent, teacher, or yoga studio owner who would love these stories. Remind them that these special edition premium hardcovers will jump significantly in price after publication.
Let’s rally together in these final 15 hours to unlock this donation and get books into classrooms!
Thank you for your incredible support.
With immense gratitude,
Michael
👉 Copy and Paste to Share!
🧘 Join an indie yoga teacher in bringing "Llamas and Niyamas" to life! 🦙🧘♀️
We’re in our few hours on Kickstarter and 124% funded! 🦙✨
Cleanliness with a Raccoon? Contentment with a Bear? 🦝🐻
Teach your kids the 5 Niyamas through fables they’ll actually want to read. I am so honored to share that Jaime Amor of Cosmic Kids Yoga provided our back-cover endorsement, calling it:
"A beautifully thoughtful and accessible way to introduce children to the niyamas... helping them discover how things like tidying up, handling big feelings, and taking quiet time can help them feel happier, calmer and more confident in themselves.”
I originally wrote these stories for my daughter over 20 years, and I am so honored to finally share them with our yoga community.
The 'Teacher's Starter Kit' is now live! 🍎
Includes:
✨ The physical book
✨ 30 character stickers
✨ Digital coloring book & Niyama tracker (in both secular and traditional versions)
Join the herd and pre-order your founder’s edition before the campaign ends! 👇
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/llamasandniyamas/expand-kids-yoga-learning-with-life-improving-fables?ref=dh6mz5
We’re just 3 print books shy of our book donation stretch goal! Late pledges will be accepted for a limited time.
💳 Crucial Financial Notice: Card Charges Impending
Kickstarter will automatically attempt to charge your credit card immediately when the campaign ends in 15 hours.
- Please double-check your payment method on file right now to avoid any payment flags or processing errors.
- Any desired reward tier adjustments or add-ons must be locked in before the clock hits zero.
📦 Looking Ahead: Watch for Your PledgeBox Survey
Once the campaign concludes, our fulfillment process moves to PledgeBox.
- Within the next two weeks (perhaps a few days) you will receive an email containing a critical PledgeBox survey link.
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Please do not ignore that email. This survey is completely mandatory for collecting your shipping address, calculating local taxes, and ensuring your books actually ship to you.
(And yes, finally relief from these constant updates.)
46 Hours Left! 🚨 6 Books Away from Our Big Stretch Goal + A Very Special Community Cross-Promotion!
about 2 months ago
– Thu, May 21, 2026 at 10:44:58 AM
46 Hours Left! 🚨 6 Books Away from Our Big Stretch Goal + A Very Special Community Cross-Promotion!
Hello Backers!
We are down to the final 46 hours of our campaign, and I am absolutely blown away by your support.
📚 We Are SO Close to Our Stretch Goal!
Right now, we are at 94 print copies ordered. If we can reach 100 print copies before the clock runs out, we will unlock our major community stretch goal: a 5-book donation to local libraries and schools!
If you have friends who might be interested in this book, please let them know about it. Also, please make one last call out to your social media. Now is the time, so we can donate these books to children who need them.
Let’s finish these last 46 hours strong.
With gratitude,
Michael
(Relief from these constant updates is coming soon!)
🤝 Community Spotlight: Let's Help "English Activated" Come Alive!
As part of our mission to expand children's learning, I want to introduce you to a wonderful fellow creator who recently gave our campaign a beautiful shout-out.
Her project is English Activated - A System Where English Comes Alive. Education creators stick together, and with only 6 days left, her campaign is sitting at $3,599 of her $5,228 goal. Because Kickstarter is all-or-nothing, she needs a final community push to reach her funding goal so this project can officially launch.
Here is a glimpse into what she is building:
✨ English Activated is an interactive 2-year English learning system designed for young learners aged 6–8. The core idea is to move away from traditional, worksheet-based learning and instead focus on real engagement through hands-on, story-driven materials.
The system is built around a physical, highly interactive book with elements such as flaps and simple manipulative features that encourage children to discover language in context rather than passively receive it. The goal is to increase real language use in the classroom and make lessons more dynamic without relying on screens, apps or digital tools.
It is currently live on Kickstarter and in its final funding phase, with the production already prepared for a limited first print run.
👉https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/145247308/english-activated-a-system-where-english-comes-alive
🎁 A Special Hardcover Upgrade for Supporting Her!
If you back English Activated at any reward tier, I want to personally thank you for supporting a fellow educational creator.
I will completely waive the potential $2 manufacturing upcharge and grant you a FREE upgrade from the paperback version to the premium Hardcover version of our book!
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⚠️ The Important Fine Print: While the $2 manufacturing upcharge for the hardcover book itself would be completely waived on our backend, please note that this free upgrade would not cover potential differences in regional shipping costs, local taxes, or international tariffs/VAT. Because a hardcover book weighs more than a paperback and has a higher monetary value, any shipping weight adjustments, taxes, or customs fees would be calculated and collected via our post-campaign pledge manager, PledgeBox.
How to claim your upgrade:
- Back her campaign: English Activated.
- Then go to the backed projects in your profile. Find and select my campaign and then tap the blue "+" sign, and toggle from Backing Details to Messages.
- Send me a private message saying "I backed English Activated!"
I will manually log your username on our backend to ensure your reward tier rolls over into a Hardcover when your final PledgeBox survey arrives!
Let’s help an amazing teacher bring her project to life!
With gratitude,
Michael
