Welcome to new followers, and greetings to those who have faithfully stuck with me for awhile. I have some glorious news! 384 copies of The Walls are Closing In have been presold, which slides us over the 50% mark! This leaves 366 copies to go!

I am working on an audio version of Chapter 1 to be released once the 400 order target is met - likely sometime in the next week.

That is not all on the exciting news front! In addition to the dystopian book bundle giveaway that I am running to help spread the word, I have also decided to offer a raffle specifically for those who place a preorder. I will be raffling off a $250 gift card for Airbnb as soon as the 750 order mark is met. Everyone who has already ordered has automatically been entered!

So, for $10, folks can support an emerging author, and enter for the chance to win a $250 Airbnb gift card. Please tell your family, friends, and random strangers you pass on the street.

In the meantime, check out these other great books currently on Inkshares.

Everything is Normal: The Life and Times of a Soviet Kid

One eventful middle-class childhood behind the Iron Curtain in Soviet Leningrad. A mix of a fun memoir and social history of the years preceding the collapse of the USSR.

 Rule Britannia 

A female airship Captain and her crew work to prevent a despotic Queen Victoria expanding her empire.

It’s weekly update time! Been grappling with the decision of whether or not to accept the Quill light-publishing contract and move on to production, or continue pushing toward the full contract. I’ve come to the conclusion that the differences between the two contracts are just too vast not to continue.

The book is steadily selling copies every day, but not at a rate that will reach 750 in just one month. So, I have extended my campaign through the end of June. I am optimistic that the book can get there. Most who take the time to read the material that is up, feel a connection to the story, and preorder the book.

So, the name of the game now is - reaching a larger audience. Keep in mind that if 750 orders are placed before the campaign end date, that production will begin. So, reaching 750 as soon as possible is the goal! If anyone has any brilliant(or not so brilliant) ideas for spreading the word, I am all ears. If you have not gone through your email list to see if there is anyone you know that would support a book such as this, it would mean the world to me if you could take a few minutes to do that.

In other news, Inigo Online Magazine ran an interview with me earlier this week. Check it out! https://inigoonline.com/2017/03/08/author-of-the-walls-are-closing-in-discusses-her-dystopian-novel/

Update on the book itself: I will be sending the manuscript off to beta readers over the next few weeks so it’s ready to submit to Inkshares the moment the goal is met. News headlines continue to shape the story-line, so I’m continuously combing through the backstory to ensure that the final work is as poignant, yet malleable, as possible. It’s a fine line.

The last couple days I’ve stepped back, intentionally blacked out the number 750 that blinks in the back of my mind, and reflected on the fact that I have sold 335 copies of my first book before it has even been published. This is an amazing feat, and I am incredibly grateful to each and every one of you for the support. THANK YOU.

Until next time,

-Jacqui

Another week is wrapping itself up rather quickly, and I will do the same with this update. Just a few points.

The first chapter of The Walls are Closing In was published in Inigo Online Magazine earlier this week! "Inigo Online is an international online magazine centered around people who create, invent or take risks for a project or a dream. We feature writers, artisans, poets, musicians, artists of all types, entrepreneurs, bloggers, filmmakers, foodies, fashionistas, photographers, innovators and more."

Read the Article Here

The Walls are Closing In passed the 300 order mark, and as promised, there is a new teaser trailer, made by yours truly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYK0LbUn2-o

Future milestone perks!

Let’s keep the word spreading! Just two referral orders from each follower will lock this full publishing deal down. I appreciate each and every one of you!

400 Orders - Audio version of Chapter 1 - Narrated by me. We will see how my voice-over chops measure up.

500 Orders - A limited edition The Walls are Closing In postcard (design to be revealed next week) will be sent to each of the first 500 to order (tipped in upon publication for paperback orders, or mailed for e-book orders.)

Until next time,

Jacqui

Another week of the campaign has come and gone! Knowing that The Walls are Closing In has passed the light-publishing goal and will be in your hands in the future is an amazing feeling, and reaching that milestone allowed me to take a few days to refocus and come up with advanced marketing plans.

To achieve the full goal of 750 orders, I can’t afford to slow down for long. The campaign halfway point is in a few days, and there are a couple of marketing efforts in the works. The Walls are Closing In will see some online publication attention in the coming weeks, and I will share those links as they become available.

To continue spreading the word on social media, I have started a giveaway. I invite all of you to enter for the chance to win a bundle of 5 dystopian books! All are eligible to enter in a variety of ways - those who have preordered already, and those who have not. Let me know if you have any questions. Thank you again for your overwhelming support!

The Walls are Closing In has reached the Quill light publishing goal!

This means that The Walls are Closing In will be published through Inkshares!!! Once the campaign ends, the book will be assigned a production timeline. This is a dream come true, and I am grateful to each and every one of you for helping me get to this point. Thank you.

There are still almost two months left of the campaign, and I will continue to strive for the full contract (which adds perks such as advanced marketing to bookstores, developmental editing, professional cover design, and representation for TV/movie rights).

455 orders to go!

In the past week, the book was chosen for two syndicates on Inkshares (bringing the total to five). Thank you to all members of Break the Bechdel with Strong Female Characters syndicate and Rite of Passage syndicate for the support.

Syndicates are groups of Inkshares members that pool together to support one book per month. To say that it is a tremendous honor to be selected would be an understatement, as there are currently 320 books funding on Inkshares.

Writer John Robin recently interviewed me on his epic fantasy blog! You can check out the interview here. 

We are only 5 orders away from 300. Once 300 is reached, I will post a new novel trailer, with teasers! I am also trying to come up with some other clever ideas for future milestones. Tossing around an audio chapter, giveaways, etc. Let me know if you have any ideas!

Below this I will be pasting a copy of the steps that can be taken to help with the campaign for the new followers who are joining. Feel free to either continue reading or just get on with your day!

Thank you all again for your support. Until next week.

-Jacqui

For those that are willing, there are numerous ways to help me reach my preorder goal. Every little bit helps a great deal!

1) The greatest way to help, the method that has been shown to produce the best results, would be to select people you know who might like this book (I think we all know those who would, and would not, like this book), and personally tell them about the book via email. Invite them to read the material that is up, and ask them to offer their support if they like what they read. Remind them that if they are one of the first 750 to order, they will be a backer, and will receive a signed, first-edition copy if they select a physical copy over an ebook.

2)If you are on this list and have not ordered the book, then order it, or two, or three, or ten (who am I to judge?)

3) Share the information for my novel on any of your social networks (there are share buttons on my book’s page), tagging those who you think would be interested. Share updates, reviews the book has received, the link to my novel trailer, and/or interview and YouTube links as they become available.

4) Preorder three or more print copies and receive your name in the back of the book.

5) Leave a recommendation on Inkshares if you notice that the novel has slipped off the front page of the site. Providing a recommendation places The Walls are Closing In under the "Recommended by Inkshares Readers" section on the front page of the website, thereby increasing exposure.

6)Send me any and all ideas that you have for spreading the word and getting this book out there!

Thank you again!

-Jacqui

Another thrilling week has passed and it is time for an update! The Walls are Closing In is sitting at 229 orders, a mere 21 orders from the first milestone of Quill light-publication (250 orders), and above the ideal rate of funding for the full Inkshares contract (750 orders). Chug chug chug.

The book received a bit of spotlight on the Inkshares blog in a post by Elena Stofle, Operations Manager at Inkshares. Thank you, Elena!

"Castle’s tale about a walled United States is exciting, maddening, and full of hope. Two walls have been constructed at the northern and southern borders of the United States—with no way in or out. Patricia is a brave and intelligent heroine living between the border walls with a thirst for the truth about life before the Seclusion, and the future that could be had if the walls were to come down.

I have only read the chapters posted on Inkshares, but I am so excited to read more about this epic, futuristic tale that is so different and fresh in the sea of modern dystopian stories that are out there. "

The full post can be read here

Next weekend, February 16th through 20th, I will be attending the San Francisco Writer’s Conference. I am eager to dive into classes for both journalism and fiction writing, and network with other authors. There is one session that I am particularly looking forward to - Writing the Resistance: Authors as Activists and Agents of Change.

The Walls are Closing In has been nominated for three syndicates this month!

If you happen to be a member of Staff Syndicate, Break the Bechdel with Strong Female Characters Syndicate, or Rite of Passage Syndicate, and deem that The Walls are Closing In fits the bill, I would be eternally grateful for your vote. 

That is it for now. Thank you again for your support. Until next week!

The Walls are Closing In has received 200 preorders within the first three weeks. Thank you, thank you, thank you! And one more for good measure. Thank you!

First things first. I owe all of you a couple of things for helping me cross the 100 reader and the 200 order thresholds!

Using a random number generator and a spreadsheet of my first 100 readers, I have selected two winners to either have a minor character named after them or select the name for that character.

The winners are Robert Batten and K.L. Noon.

Congrats! Let me know what you would like to name your character!

As promised, I have also uploaded a mid-book excerpt to commemorate reaching 200 preorders. Experience Patricia and Rexx’s first steps into Zone 36, a town sealed off due to fracking-induced pollution and destruction, and meet my favorite character, Oliver.

The campaign, as it sits now, has a view of the full publishing contract with few obstacles in the way, but still has some hiking to do. If half of those who are following the book on Inkshares, but have not placed an order yet, order, then The Walls are Closing In will surpass the Quill light-publishing mark.

I have been working tirelessly to cross the Quill milestone early. It is important for a variety of reasons. It signifies that the book is happening! Though I am aiming for 750 preorders and a full publishing contract (think marketing, bookstore shelves, public book signing, cover design, and complete developmental edits), passing the Quill mark (think print-on-demand, ISBN, and Amazon listing) means that there will definitely be a book. Advanced promotion to reach outside of my already-tapped circle will then become much simpler, as those in the book-review world are understandably more willing to promote a sure-thing.

Thank you all again for rallying behind me and this book. A special thank you to both my grandfather Allen Ahearn and aunt Beth Fisher, of Quill and Brush, who shared The Walls are Closing In with their broad community of book lovers!

More milestone perks to come! At 300 orders I will release a new novel trailer with teasers.

-Jacqui

It has been just one week since the 90-day campaign began, and The Walls are Closing In has reached 123 preorders. This is phenomenal. We are halfway towards the Quill light-publishing deal already, and are on a brilliant trajectory towards the full publishing contract.

Thank you to everyone who has taken this leap of faith with me. I realize that putting down hard earned money on a book that is a ways off is not everyone’s cup of tea. I want you all to know that each time I see a new order come through, I am dancing on the inside ... and sometimes on the outside. 

A special thank you to my super readers (who have ordered 3 or more copies), Inkshares authors and followers who have already sent referrals my way, and to those who have left a review or recommendation.

The manuscript is complete as is, though it will continue to be fine tuned until the last minute. I am spending long hours locked in staring contests with my manuscript, striving to ensure that the story walks the line between fact and fiction just enough. Sometimes it wins and sometimes I do.

As I mentioned in a previous update, The Walls are Closing In has been selected as this month’s Thriller Night Syndicate pick. This was a huge honor. My book’s page now sports the Thriller Night badge!

Blog posts and youtube mentions will start to go live this week or next, and I will share those links when they do!

Today is a rough day for a lot of people, and I hope that all of you are able to stand strong, find solace in numbers, and surround yourselves with friends and loved ones. Buckle up. It will be a rocky ride.

Until next time,

-Jacqui

One more update, and then I promise I will give your inbox a break. It has been a fast moving day and a half.

The Walls are Closing In was just selected as this month’s pick for the Thriller Night Syndicate on Inkshares.

Syndicates are made up of Inkshares members that pool together to support one book a month, and this month they selected my book. I am incredibly honored, and beyond grateful for the boost that this will give my campaign.

You will now see this lovely badge underneath the title on the page for The Walls are Closing In.

43 orders in just over 24 hours! Thank you to everyone who has preordered so far!