(not necessarily in that order)
If you’re interested in spiritual books and/or music, now is a great time to indulge your curiosity.
Why?
Because Crystal Clarity Publishers is having its biggest sale of the year until Monday, December 2 (that’s tomorrow!) at midnight PST.
You can use discount code: friday35 for a 35% discount on your entire order.
Of course, one of the items available at this discount is the Ananda Joy Singers new album — The Christmas Mystery. Just sayin’! 😉
I pretty sure that this is the first time the music ministry has collaborated so completely and intensely with Crystal Clarity Publishers on a music release.
Collaboration certainly happened in the past, but the marketing and promotional possibilities simply didn’t exist in the same way back in the 80’s, 90’s, and even early 2000’s.
The fact is that the recording, re-recording, editing, mixing, and mastering of the actual music — while the biggest part of the process — were by no means all we’ve had to focus on.
For months now, Ramesha has been writing and sending emails; building landing pages; designing merchandise; releasing singles; arranging for lyric videos; and more that I don’t even know about.
At the same time the Ananda Joy Singers were rehearsing and preparing for our launch concert, and helping get the word out to family and friends.
Now, with the release of this second lyric video, we’ve pretty much put it all out there. People have until December 3rd to pre-order the album at a discount. Then — BAM! — as of December 4th it’s officially launched and available everywhere!
I can’t speak for anyone else, but at that point I’m going to breathe a huge sigh of relief and thank God it’s over.
The Joy Singers started recording a new Christmas album last March and we’re returning to the studio soon to do the second half.
Crystal Clarity Publishers will be launching it sometime in November. Considering how much remains to be done after the recording process is complete — mastering, artwork, graphic design, marketing, promotions, etc. — time is already of the essence. ⌛
So, yes — we’re very much feeling the Spirit of Christmas even in the heat of July.
We had an extremely productive meeting at Dharmadevi and Narayan’s home this morning.
First we greeted Kali (their little black dog); met the three goats; caught a glimpse of some of the chickens; and viewed the barn and farmyard area (the cow chose not to make an appearance).
Then we brainstormed a whole new level of collaboration between Crystal Clarity Publishers and the Ananda Music Ministry. It feels like we’re shifting into a glorious new age for the music and books of Ananda!
But the funniest moment for me came when I noticed something strange in the bedroom… 😂
I had the incredible blessing of playing flute on Secrets of Love back when I was still very new to Ananda.
I hadn’t yet met Swami Kriyananda (who was living at Ananda Assisi at the time), but I spent three days and nights at Crystal Hermitage, playing his exquisite melodies for hours each day. By the end I felt very close to him.
Ananda was so much smaller then, and marketing and promotion were a very different story back in 2000. Word of the new album spread throughout the immediate Ananda World and then that was pretty much it, as far as I could see.
So, one of the goals of the music ministry’s collaboration with Crystal Clarity Publishers is to reintroduce the classic albums that might be unknown to newer Ananda members — hence, the relaunch!
And I must say, I absolutely love the amazing artwork of the new cover.