William Shatner, Star Trek's Captain Kirk, uses crowd-funding to release new book on how to reinvent yourself after 50

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Dec 15, 2014, 04:30 ET

BURBANK, Calif., Dec. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- William Shatner is the latest celebrity to utilize crowd funding to produce projects they are passionate about and to retain creative control.

His new book, Catch Me Up, will be a combination of stories Shatner has collected from people "who had been laid off, lost careers, had been downsized and replaced by younger people with more tech skills; but who actually fought back and won", and "the vital tools and training needed to accomplish great things at any age", he explains on his Kickstarter campaign page.

William Shatner Launches Kickstarter Project to Publish New Book "Catch Me Up". The book teaches seniors how to leverage their life experience through the use of new technology.

"Until just recently I HATED new technology. My 'smart' phone made me feel stupid. My grandkids had to show me how to use Facebook. I even refused to have an email account. You know what I found out? Without this know-how, I was becoming irrelevant ... and a guy like me can't afford to be irrelevant. So I did something about it."

"This book and the website are labors of love. I really believe it can give hope, skills, and even community to a portion of our population that really needs it right now. Frankly, lofty goals like this are not that appealing to big publishers. Going the traditional route would've required a number of sacrifices including a change in the overall message. So I've decided to take a page from my own book, so to speak, and use crowd-sourcing to fund this project," said the author. "Through Kickstarter, I can preserve the integrity of this movement and give you, my backers, the chance to be a significant part of my cherished project."

Pledging $10 brings a digital version of the book as its reward, $250 brings an autographed copy, while $10,000 gives "your very own table for you and five friends at the William Shatner Charity Gala".

Shatner is utilizing Kickstarter so he can collaborate directly with backers and fans to produce a project he is very passionate about.

At this time, the project is 75% funded at the campaign halfway point.

William Shatner gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the science fiction franchise Star Trek. He has starred in television dramas The Practice, its spin-off Boston Legal, and can be seen as the primary spokesman for Priceline.com.

For more information visit www.catchmeup.com

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SOURCE Catch Me Up