Jon Ponder
Garden of Allah jigsaw puzzle offered for donations to the Kickstarter campaign to benefit the West Hollywood History Center
Garden of Allah jigsaw puzzle offered for donations to the Kickstarter campaign to benefit the West Hollywood History Center

At the West Hollywood History Center, novelist and Hollywood history expert Martin Turnbull is to us what podcast hosts call “a friend of the show.” Now Martin and Nance-Sasser Studio in Portland are sponsoring a Kickstarter fund-raising campaign for the Center.

Martin Turnbull
Martin Turnbull

That means you, too, can be a friend of the show at the Center, just like Martin, by donating to the campaign.

Depending on the level of your donation (see below), you’ll receive Garden of Allah themed items ranging from postcards, a print to hang on your wall to a 16 x 20 inch, 504-piece jigsaw puzzle. Martin is the author of the nine-book Garden of Allah series of novels. The puzzle and the cards feature the covers of Martin’s Garden of Allah novels along with a 1950s map of Hollywood.

Recently, Martin published two novels “starring” movie greats – Chasing Salome, about silent film superstar, Alla Nazimova, who founded the Garden of Allah Hotel, and Heart of a Lion, about MGM’s “boy wonder,” Irving Thalberg. Now he’s currently two books into a series of three novels set against Hollywood’s golden age – All the Gin Joints and the-soon-to-be-released Thank Your Lucky Stars. (Here’s a link to Martin’s page on Amazon.com.)

Clearly, Martin Turnbull never sleeps.

We are so grateful to Martin and Nance-Sasser for producing this Kickstarter campaign. They’ve set a goal of $3,500, so please pledge at whatever level you can.

If you’re familiar with Kickstarter, you know that the Center will only receive its share of donations if the goal is met. The campaign runs through to July 30, 2022, so please donate now. Estimated delivery on the puzzles, cards and other items is September 2022.

Garden of Allah postcards offered for donations to the Kickstarter campaign to benefit the West Hollywood History Center
Garden of Allah postcards offered for donations to the Kickstarter campaign to benefit the West Hollywood History Center

Here are the six pledge levels:

Pledge $15 or more
Garden of Allah Postcards
With this pledge you will receive five 5×7 inch Hollywood’s Garden of Allah Hotel postcards, with the specially created image sustainably printed in full color.

Your friends will know that you supported Hollywood history when you send them one of these unique cards. And you will deserve a grateful thank you from us, and a shout out on our official website.

Pledge $30 or more
Garden of Allah Archival Pigment Print
Nance-Sasser Studio is known across the nation for our art prints. We’re making an archival pigment print of the new Hollywood’s Garden of Allah Hotel image. With this pledge you will receive the print, matted at 11×14 inches. It is ready to be popped into an off-the-shelf frame and will brighten any darkened corner in your home.

And you will deserve a grateful thank you from us, and you will receive a mention on the contributors page on our website.

Pledge $35 or more
A Garden of Allah Limited Edition Puzzle
You will be the first to receive our special 504 piece, top quality jigsaw puzzle. Measuring 16 inches by 20 inches, it will contain 504 pieces, printed in full-color and carefully die cut out of sturdy backing board. With your contribution of $40 or more you will receive one of these beautiful puzzles. And you will deserve a grateful thank you from us, and a recognition on our official website.

Pledge $65 or more
Two Garden of Allah Limited Edition Puzzles
With this pledge you will be the recipient of two Hollywood’s Garden of Allah Hotel puzzles. One to keep and one to share with a Hollywood history friend. They will be over the moon when you give it to them and you will be just as happy with yours to assemble at home with your loved ones. And you will deserve a grateful thank you from us, and a shout out on our official website.

Pledge $110 or more
The Whole Hollywood Bonanza
Get it all! With this pledge you will receive all five post cards, the matted archival pigment print, and two Hollywood’s Garden of Allah Hotel limited edition puzzles delivered to your door. And you will deserve a grateful thank you from us, and be recognized on our official website.

Or if you don’t actually want anything, there’s something for you too:

$10 (pledge without a reward)
Back it because you believe in it.
Support the project for no reward, just because it speaks to you.

Thank You!

You can learn more about the Garden of Allah Hotel’s fabled history by checking out our history of the hotel, A Place Called the Garden of Allah. It’s the most comprehensive history of the Garden available anywhere.

You can help the folks who are dedicated to archiving and preserving a special history of Los Angeles by checking out the Garden of Allah Hotel Jigsaw Puzzle Kickstarter campaign here.

Thanks so much for your interest and support. It really means a lot.