Hi everyone! I apologize that it’s been a while since I’ve checked in. As you can imagine, publication timelines have taken a hit along with everything else during coronavirus. Books that should have come out this past year, are now gearing up for release this summer and fall, and late fall books are being pushed into next spring. A large part of this past year has been learning to roll with and make the best of what life throws at us, so it’s all good! And now, finally, I have an exciting announcement for you! The Seclusion II will be released as part of next winter’s catalog on MARCH 1, 2022!
Now that it officially has an ISBN and ordering info is starting to be circulated to book buyers and libraries, it should become available for preorder through major outlets in the near future. We’re starting to put together our marketing and event campaign, and a great perk of a release next March is that maybe by then, we can celebrate in person once more!
On a personal note, as some of you may know, I’ll be starting my MFA in Writing through Vermont College of Fine Arts this summer. I’m incredibly appreciative to have two years to put my fiction writing front and center and to learn under such respected voices in the field. And no, this doesn’t mean I’ll be moving to Vermont. It is a low residency program with a couple of visits a year and the rest from home as I juggle working, writing, and being the parent of two kiddos. On the author-event front, I’ll be participating in Library Journal’s Day of Dialog on May 6th alongside a panel of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers, so if there are any librarians on this list, please tune in!
That’s it for now, but I’ll be in touch soon. Now all of the fun stuff begins - cover reveals, arc releases, etc.
Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who supported over the past few months!
I’m going to give everyone’s inbox(and myself) a break for a bit, but there is exciting news in the pipeline and I will keep all of you updated as I can with news and behind-the-scenes developments every month or two. While I don’t have a timeline yet, my best guess after having been through this process before is a early/mid 2021 release. Again, I’ll let you know more as I do. Try and stop me.
For now, I’m going to turn my attention to something I haven’t been able to focus on as much as I would have liked to these past couple months - finishing the story! Right now, it is about 85% of the way finished, and my goal is to have the first draft turned in to the developmental editor by the end of October or early November.
From there we will talk through how to make the story stronger. Then, we go through the old song and dance of revising, editing, revising, editing... and rinsing and repeating until everything is shiny and perfect.
For those of you who supported by ordering 3 copies or more, look out for occasional emails from me regarding polls and surveys for behind-the-scenes decisions.
Tomorrow evening I will be at the Author Reception and Signing at the NC School Library Media Association Conference in Winston-Salem. If you will be be there, let me know so we can connect!
Thank you again, and until next time!
-Jacqui
P.S. - The winner of the $100 Air BnB Gift Card is Jason Stokes who referred over ten supporters!!! Congrats Jason!
The seals for the Foreword Indie Awards have arrived! Check it out! To those who supported the journey of getting The Seclusion out in the world, I couldn’t have done this without you!
Since the last couple updates have been all about crowdfunding, today I wanted to fill you in on what I’ve been working on.
Along with campaigning for book two, I’ve been, well, working on the actual book! So far, the manuscript sits at about 60K words, with a goal of ending up with a story around 85K to 90K.
I’ve recently taken a step back from writing to focus on outlining for a week or two before I continue. Anyone who knows me or my writing style knows this is not my strong suit. I’m more of a write whatever comes to mind and sort it all out later type. While this is cathartic, especially with a series such as this, it does tend to create more of a headache in the long run. Here’s to writers evolving!
I’ve been spending my spare time with books on structure, such as Save the Cat and Wired for Story, and it’s been incredibly helpful and eye-opening. I have also been going back and reading old emails, and referencing some of the advice received from my editor on book one. Hopefully this will all culminate in a solid jumping off point once the editorial process begins.
The story is developing nicely and I think you will all enjoy it. While Patch Collins is still the main protagonist in book two, we also get a glimpse of this world in the year 2090 from a few other perspectives. As promised, below is a short blurb for the book that hopefully will not spoil the story for those who have not read book one, but is also intriguing for those who have:
The year is 2090. America has alienated itself from the rest of the world, and Patch Collins once again finds herself in unfamiliar terrain as she continues to unfold the true history of a country she loves despite its shortcomings. With the help of a few familiar faces, and some new players, Patch will have to come face-to-face with those she fears the most, in her quest to open the eyes of a nation.
If you haven’t read book one, let me take a moment to emphasize that this series is for fans of books such as 1984, The Handmaid’s Tale, or Divergent, and draws from current events.
If that sounds up your alley and you are thinking of ordering a copy of The Seclusion, hang on a second. Let me reroute you.... check out the campaign for book two and note that every preorder comes with a free ebook of book one(or a paperback of you preorder three or more copies). There are also options for displaying your name in the back of the book, access to exclusive behind-the-scenes polls related to story development, and a personalized thank you in the acknowledgement section for top supporters.
I’m going to continue to campaign until the goal of 750 is reached, but I won’t lie that it’s emotionally draining and I would much rather be working on getting the story in your hands! The sooner the goal is met, the sooner production can begin. So please - tell your friends, neighbors, and random people you encounter on the street - and in the meantime I’ll be here working diligently to make this the best version of the story possible.
If you have any questions at all, I’m happy to answer them personally - you can email me at jacquicastle at gmail.com
Woot! The campaign has only been running for one week and we are well past the 10% mark at 87/750 preorders. What an amazing community this is. Thank you to everyone who has jumped in early!
Crowdfunding, for me, has always been bittersweet. Asking people to support you in a project close to your heart requires a lot of stepping outside of your comfort zone. But, there is also beauty in knowing that the end product is that of a community and not of one person. I’ve seen others of my generation and the next embrace this way of sharing art, literature, and other passion projects. I’ve drawn inspiration from them. They know, as I now do, that having the backing of a community of people only makes you stronger.
Throughout the production of book one and the publishing of The Seclusion, with each step I carried with me those people who had gotten me to that point. It is as much their story as it is mine. I want this book to be the same. I want to be driven to live up to your expectations. To take this support and turn it into something that resonates. To make the conclusion of this story worthy, for you.
Thank you for being here. Stay tuned for my update next week as I will attempt to give a run-down of the story of book two that is somehow 1)enlightening for those who have read The Seclusion and 2)doesn’t spoil book one for those who have not read it.
Will I pull it off? We’ll see.
Until next time,
Jacqui
Curious about the TIER 3 perk of having your name in the back of the book? Are you wondering what that looks like? Here’s a peek at the backer page in book one:
Chuck Vukotich, Kelly Welch, Ferd Crôtte, Dyanne Ryan, Kathleen Lelis, Dennis A Bohn, Andrew Gill , Susan Hamilton, Sue Regan, Daniel J. McMahon, Nicholas S. Ludington, Michael Ostrowski, Jason Stokes, Michael Sobers, Robert Batten, Becca Spence Dobias, Katy Estrada, Dean Fearce, Carl R. Hahn, Douglas M. Nichols, Elisia Ross, Deborah Munro, Michelle Grant, John C. Thompson, Elizabeth M. Derochea, Julie Smallman, Pamela Walker, Tara J. Burchett, Deborah L. Castle, Mary Pembleton, Leo Valiquette, Liz Kerin, Katherine Forrister, Kaytalin Platt, Benjamin D Shirley, Juliet McDaniel, Maggie Hoyt, Alastair Luft, John C. Crutcher, G.K. Lamb, Janna Grace, Nicolina Torres, Peter Ryan, Frederick Street, Sergey Grechishkin, Patrick Edwards, and Jason Pomerance.
Now that it officially has an ISBN and ordering info is starting to be circulated to book buyers and libraries, it should become available for preorder through major outlets in the near future. We’re starting to put together our marketing and event campaign, and a great perk of a release next March is that maybe by then, we can celebrate in person once more!
On a personal note, as some of you may know, I’ll be starting my MFA in Writing through Vermont College of Fine Arts this summer. I’m incredibly appreciative to have two years to put my fiction writing front and center and to learn under such respected voices in the field. And no, this doesn’t mean I’ll be moving to Vermont. It is a low residency program with a couple of visits a year and the rest from home as I juggle working, writing, and being the parent of two kiddos.
On the author-event front, I’ll be participating in Library Journal’s Day of Dialog on May 6th alongside a panel of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers, so if there are any librarians on this list, please tune in!
In constant appreciation of all of you,
Jacqui
We did it! The campaign has ended, I’ve had a wonderful talk with Adam, the CEO of the publishing company, and the sequel to The Seclusion is officially in production.
Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who supported over the past few months!
I’m going to give everyone’s inbox(and myself) a break for a bit, but there is exciting news in the pipeline and I will keep all of you updated as I can with news and behind-the-scenes developments every month or two. While I don’t have a timeline yet, my best guess after having been through this process before is a early/mid 2021 release. Again, I’ll let you know more as I do. Try and stop me.
For now, I’m going to turn my attention to something I haven’t been able to focus on as much as I would have liked to these past couple months - finishing the story! Right now, it is about 85% of the way finished, and my goal is to have the first draft turned in to the developmental editor by the end of October or early November.
From there we will talk through how to make the story stronger. Then, we go through the old song and dance of revising, editing, revising, editing... and rinsing and repeating until everything is shiny and perfect.
For those of you who supported by ordering 3 copies or more, look out for occasional emails from me regarding polls and surveys for behind-the-scenes decisions.
Tomorrow evening I will be at the Author Reception and Signing at the NC School Library Media Association Conference in Winston-Salem. If you will be be there, let me know so we can connect!
Thank you again, and until next time!
-Jacqui
P.S. - The winner of the $100 Air BnB Gift Card is Jason Stokes who referred over ten supporters!!! Congrats Jason!
------------------------------------------------------
Thank you to these final backers!
Catherine Evans, Anya Pavelle, Mike Donald, Anthony Bassignani, and Glen Cantrell
Check out some of their work below:
The seals for the Foreword Indie Awards have arrived! Check it out! To those who supported the journey of getting The Seclusion out in the world, I couldn’t have done this without you!
Since the last couple updates have been all about crowdfunding, today I wanted to fill you in on what I’ve been working on.
Along with campaigning for book two, I’ve been, well, working on the actual book! So far, the manuscript sits at about 60K words, with a goal of ending up with a story around 85K to 90K.
I’ve recently taken a step back from writing to focus on outlining for a week or two before I continue. Anyone who knows me or my writing style knows this is not my strong suit. I’m more of a write whatever comes to mind and sort it all out later type. While this is cathartic, especially with a series such as this, it does tend to create more of a headache in the long run. Here’s to writers evolving!
I’ve been spending my spare time with books on structure, such as Save the Cat and Wired for Story, and it’s been incredibly helpful and eye-opening. I have also been going back and reading old emails, and referencing some of the advice received from my editor on book one. Hopefully this will all culminate in a solid jumping off point once the editorial process begins.
The story is developing nicely and I think you will all enjoy it. While Patch Collins is still the main protagonist in book two, we also get a glimpse of this world in the year 2090 from a few other perspectives. As promised, below is a short blurb for the book that hopefully will not spoil the story for those who have not read book one, but is also intriguing for those who have:
If you haven’t read book one, let me take a moment to emphasize that this series is for fans of books such as 1984, The Handmaid’s Tale, or Divergent, and draws from current events.
If that sounds up your alley and you are thinking of ordering a copy of The Seclusion, hang on a second. Let me reroute you.... check out the campaign for book two and note that every preorder comes with a free ebook of book one(or a paperback of you preorder three or more copies). There are also options for displaying your name in the back of the book, access to exclusive behind-the-scenes polls related to story development, and a personalized thank you in the acknowledgement section for top supporters.
I’m going to continue to campaign until the goal of 750 is reached, but I won’t lie that it’s emotionally draining and I would much rather be working on getting the story in your hands! The sooner the goal is met, the sooner production can begin. So please - tell your friends, neighbors, and random people you encounter on the street - and in the meantime I’ll be here working diligently to make this the best version of the story possible.
If you have any questions at all, I’m happy to answer them personally - you can email me at jacquicastle at gmail.com
Until next time,
Jacqui
Woot! The campaign has only been running for one week and we are well past the 10% mark at 87/750 preorders. What an amazing community this is. Thank you to everyone who has jumped in early!
Crowdfunding, for me, has always been bittersweet. Asking people to support you in a project close to your heart requires a lot of stepping outside of your comfort zone. But, there is also beauty in knowing that the end product is that of a community and not of one person. I’ve seen others of my generation and the next embrace this way of sharing art, literature, and other passion projects. I’ve drawn inspiration from them. They know, as I now do, that having the backing of a community of people only makes you stronger.
Throughout the production of book one and the publishing of The Seclusion, with each step I carried with me those people who had gotten me to that point. It is as much their story as it is mine. I want this book to be the same. I want to be driven to live up to your expectations. To take this support and turn it into something that resonates. To make the conclusion of this story worthy, for you.
Thank you for being here. Stay tuned for my update next week as I will attempt to give a run-down of the story of book two that is somehow 1)enlightening for those who have read The Seclusion and 2)doesn’t spoil book one for those who have not read it.
Will I pull it off? We’ll see.
Until next time,
Jacqui
Curious about the TIER 3 perk of having your name in the back of the book? Are you wondering what that looks like? Here’s a peek at the backer page in book one:
PREORDER The Seclusion: Part 2 Here
Thank you to these week-one supporters!
Chuck Vukotich, Kelly Welch, Ferd Crôtte, Dyanne Ryan, Kathleen Lelis, Dennis A Bohn, Andrew Gill , Susan Hamilton, Sue Regan, Daniel J. McMahon, Nicholas S. Ludington, Michael Ostrowski, Jason Stokes, Michael Sobers, Robert Batten, Becca Spence Dobias, Katy Estrada, Dean Fearce, Carl R. Hahn, Douglas M. Nichols, Elisia Ross, Deborah Munro, Michelle Grant, John C. Thompson, Elizabeth M. Derochea, Julie Smallman, Pamela Walker, Tara J. Burchett, Deborah L. Castle, Mary Pembleton, Leo Valiquette, Liz Kerin, Katherine Forrister, Kaytalin Platt, Benjamin D Shirley, Juliet McDaniel, Maggie Hoyt, Alastair Luft, John C. Crutcher, G.K. Lamb, Janna Grace, Nicolina Torres, Peter Ryan, Frederick Street, Sergey Grechishkin, Patrick Edwards, and Jason Pomerance.