Thank you for checking in. Work on the draft is progressing well and I plan to release to beta readers in the coming months. If you are interested in participating keep an eye on the updates.

Hello Everyone,

I don't put my personal recommendation on a lot of books. I'm not a miser, but I'm not exactly the most generous person with my seal of approval. A lot of that has to do with passion. I want to tell you about stories that are worthy of your time. The other part has to do with faith. I only want to tell you about authors who I believe can get the job done. When I say I stand behind the words of Amanda Ornek and her book, Deus Hex Machina, you better believe it!

If you like science fiction, cyberpunk, or rad stories (yes I said rad grammar checker and I mean it,) then you need to check out this book. There is so much about it that is nails the aesthetic. Let me throw a couple words your way. The main character's name is Isidore RAM, sister of the Chuch of Technology. Can you get behind that? What if I said she was investigating magic in a dystopian Orange County? Not far from reality right? I've talked with Amanda about this book, and there are things in there that you are not going to want to miss. I believe this book has legs, so get in on the ground floor and be one of the ones that helped make it happen. You won't be disappointed.

Pre-order Deus Hex Machina before it's too late.

Hello everyone! 

Work continues on Lost Generation and it is reading (and sounding great.) I can't wait to share the book with you, and I think you're all going to love it. Right now I'm running my book through an application called TextAid ReadSpeaker, which helps me listen for flow, quality, and misused words. Doing this ensures you're going to get the best quality end product, and for all those who have been waiting since the beginning, it will be well worth it!

Need something to do while waiting for Lost Generation to be finished? Well, there is an event coming up tomorrow that can net you free books! Hold onto this link (https://www.inkshares.com/search?genres=All&scope=funding) and check the detail below to see how you can join in.

Get ready for the inaugural Inkshares Review-a-Thon, an independent event, organized by Inkshares authors!

On December 19th, all authors and readers are invited to leave reviews on currently funding Inkshares books using the Inkshares “leave a review” option.

Throughout the day we’ll be hanging out on Twitter in the #InksharesReviews tag as we share our favorite book projects, answer author Q&As, debate the merits of astronauts with swords versus cavemen with lasers, and much, much more!

From 6 - 8pm ET, JF Dubeau and Paul ‘such a nerd’ Inman will be hosting a Google+ Hangout livestream filled with author interviews, review readings, and live announcements of prize winners!

Prizes?!?!

Everyone who leaves a review on December 19th by 6pm ET will be eligible to win one of our fantastic general prizes:

• Sword & Laser Contest Winners Package - print copies of the six winning books from the Sword & Laser Inkshares contest!
  

• Nerdist Contest Winners Package - print copies of the five winning books from the Nerdist Inkshares contest!
  

• An immediate pre-order of the book of their choice for five winners!
  

• $30 in Inkshares credits!
  

Readers: Peruse the “currently funding” books on Inkshares and leave as many reviews as you want. You could even start up a “must-have” list of books to order in case you win a free pre-order or the $30 in credits!

Authors: Join our review exchange to leave three reviews in exchange for two guaranteed reviews on your Inkshares project and a chance at author-exclusive prizes!

Email Cara Weston at cara.c.weston@gmail.com with questions, or simply to learn more.

(And authors, if you’re in, please copy the message above and include it in your next update!)

It’s gonna be fun.

Hello!

If you're not in the United States, today is Thanksgiving. A day when people get together with family, eat too much, and think of the things for which they are thankful. I'm writing this email to thank you for making a dream of mine possible. With crowdfunding, every single one of you matters and your support means a lot to me.

Here's a short list of people who keep me going.

My wife, for keeping me sane.

Dan Rooney, for reviewing my work and giving excellent feedback.

JF Dubeau, John Robin, A.C. Weston, G. Derek Adams, Paul Robinson for making sure that my writing path is fruitful. (Their names are links, check out their books.)

Inkshares (the company,) who care about quality and are great to work with.

The Inkshares community, where publishing was once a solitary and competitive push, a group now exists of writers working together to improve and present their work and share their knowledge.

This one is a cop out, but YOU. Seriously though, the path to publication required a lot of pitching, and when publication decisions came down, every single person mattered. You made this happen and you are great.

Thank you!

P.S. You look great and smell nice.

Hello to all my supporters. 

In my area, the leaves are about to turn and fall. School is back in session and to me, the year is terrifyingly close to the end. Most of you were introduced to this work mid-year when the rollercoaster of funding started, but back in January this work began with a simple goal, publish a book in 2015 by any means necessary.

I could not know where this would all lead me when I started, but it's been an adventure, at times stressful, at times incredible and illuminating, and I'm glad you've all come along on this experience.

With happiness and relief, I say to you all that the book is nearly ready to be handed off to the capable hands at Inkshares. In the next month, I am reading the book, smoothing out the lines, and making sure the content is in the best shape I can put it in before the editors get it. To see the novel in the condition it is now is very inspiring, and I am excited for you all to get your hands on it.

I'll share more chapters with you, but not until I'm certain I don't want to tweak them much more. For now, here is a passage about thirty percent into the book. In this version, I've altered out any spoilers, so you can read it without fear.

Snow fell in heavy sheets and blanketed Hammond Bay all in white. Rooftops took on an icing glaze and the coverage blurred the divide between the walking paths and roads all but for the fire hydrants, little red markers with white caps in a row. By way of the heavy grey clouds in the sky and how light cast itself against the fluffy covering, the days looked much like the nights except for the way the shadows moved. And when the darkness did come, it came so gently that eyes did not perceive it until the there was a calm moment to look around and take in your surroundings. 

Along the road a taxi carefully crawled, leaving fresh treads, two long lines to mark its path. It moved along the roads in the district where the buildings once stood. The roughshod buildings replaced by with solid foundation, infrastructure, electric strung along the lines above, a network of webbing that brought modern convenience to a place where there was once none. The taxi stopped in front of a social club, The Turned Coin, and idled in its place. The engine hummed with soft revolutions. 

After a moment, Duke stepped out from the taxi, snow already collecting, little flakes that clung to his shoulders and hat in speckled spots. In this time, the place he knew as a child had become unfamiliar. The dramatic collapse and reimagining made this a foreign place and as if anything, he was a stranger now.

I hope you like what you've read, and if you haven't pre-ordered, please consider doing so. I promise you will want to get comfortable with the characters and a place of Lost Generation.

P.S. I'd like you also to consider pre-ordering Andrew J. Ainsworth's These Old Bones. Click here to check out his book. Andrew has survived two Inkshares contests and is currently in fifth place. Your pre-order helps him cement his position and ensure publication. There are many talented and deserving writers in the Inkshares system, but Andrew has run the gauntlet and put himself out there so many times that he deserves a spot on the published list. Give his work a chance.

Thank You! More Soon!

Hey Joseph!  I preordered your book :)  If you've got referral credits, you mind hitting me back and helping me hit my preorder goal?  Thanks! - Dave

Hello, followers! With Lost Generation now in production, I continue to devote my time the quality of the novel. In this update, I outline the larger themes explored throughout the story.

Lost Generation exists in a world where automation replaces most jobs. It is a leisure society where all citizens receive a stipend from the government and work for additional income is optional. Sadly, no society is without its ills and here we have the backdrop to highlight two major themes relevant to our own.

The first theme explores the stigma of mental illness and medication. Our society often misunderstands mental illness and treats it much differently than physical maladies. Sufferers are stigmatized, treated like outcasts, or have their problems downplayed or ignored. Often those who suffer, do not seek help out of a fear of judgment and problems are left unchecked.

Mental illness suffers may struggle with questions of identity and the introduction of medication adds complications. A sufferer might ask, will this medication change who I am? A creative person might fear medication will cause them to lose their edge.

In Lost Generation, Lauro suffers from a non-specific hallucinatory mental illness. He requires medication to regulate his episodes and struggles with these questions of identity. In this novel, I hope to treat mental illness with the respect it deserves and explore the stigma and questions of identity that surround it.

The second theme is enhanced by the fictional world’s dependence on automation. In our society, the prevalence of mass production gives us so many products and conveniences. We browse huge online catalogs and in two days or less nearly anything can appear at our doorstep. These conveniences come at the price of quality and as the array of goods grows the pure spirit of craft fades away. As people realize what has been lost, some DIY or maker movements reject mass production in favor of handmade or one-off goods.

In Lost Generation, this spirit manifests as the simple-living movement, a group of people who reject automation and embrace a natural life away from machines. The characters explore the pleasure of a job done themselves, but sacrifices must be made to enjoy it. For some, the compromises required by the lifestyle are more than the benefit. This exchange plays out over the course of the novel.

In the weeks that follow I will release chapters from Lost Generation, and all of you may follow along and watch as the product matures and blossoms. 

Thank you all for supporting this endeavor. Pre-orders for ebook and hardcover versions are now available. If you know anyone who might be interested, please spread the word.