Hi everyone!  Very quick update for you:

So the contest ends and I don’t say anything? 

To be honest, I didn’t have much to say. Also, there’s a good chance that you were already receiving a lot of emails from other writers and participants. So instead of adding to the noise, I took a step back and worked on a few other things. What sort of things?

For one, I wrote a blog post about what it’s like to work with Inkshares once a book is funded. I also started preparing work on another book and recorded as short unboxing video so that you could see what books published by Inkshares look like (spoilers: dope as hell. Super legit.). 

We lost the contest, but not the campaign 

Aww… we didn’t get in the top five and grab an easy publishing deal. So what? "Suck it up JF!" I told myself. I didn’t jump in this just to win a contest. I’m here to publish a book and that’s what’s going to happen. Because I have a plan.

1. First, I’m going to get a significant extension on the deadline of this campaign. There are many who want to get my first book, ‘The Life Engineered’ before they commit to pre-ordering a second work of mine. Fine! I’ll extend this campaign until you have ‘The Life Engineered’ in your hands if I have to!
2. I’m going to try to reach readers outside my normal sphere of friends and family. Well I’m going to try. It’s not going to be easy because I don’t exactly know how to do that, but I’m willing to learn.
3. I aim to expand my ‘brand’. Let’s face it, at this stage in the game, I’m not just selling books but I’m also selling myself. Which means putting myself out there. Being more public and more accessible.

In essence, I’m not quiet because I’ve quit. Indeed, this is the calm before the storm. Soon I’m going to have to kick the promotion of ‘The Life Engineered’ into high gear and I want to ride that wave with ‘A God in the Shed’. What does all this mean to you?

If you’ve pre-ordered this book, you’re going to get your copy. It might take a little longer, but you’ll be holding this novel in your hands eventually. This is my way of thanking you for your support; not with simple words but with renewed commitment to get this thing funded. 

 JF

It has been the BUSIEST week in a very long time.

Congrats are in order for those 5 that won the Inkshares + Nerdist Collection Contest! This was no easy competition, and it certainly took something extra. I encourage you to check out the final leaderboard and investigate some of these projects - especially those that cracked the top twenty and are still looking for supporters to make their goals for publication. If you have credits left over from referring Housewife in Hell, I highly suggest you find some other worthwhile Inkshares projects to spend them on. There are many great writers here to support.

Meanwhile, I've been so busy because I've been launching THIS WEBSITE.

It's been in the works for some time, and seeing as I've been in horror mode for the last month, I think there is no better time than the present to launch a film criticism blog. Especially when I'm watching and critiquing a different horror movie every single night in October. Honestly - I could do two-a-days, but I'm trying to cut back.

If you've been interested in my fiction writing, I think you'll enjoy my blog writing, too. Although horror is the focus this month (and my speciality), I'll be covering every genre in the future. And as is my mission in life, I'm going to strive to make my criticism slightly more exciting than your average academic paper. Expect reviews, expect film literacy lessons, but also expect feminist mis-readings, weird trivia, a lot of Klaus Kinski, and a place where you can go to get the most out of movies. That's my goal, anyway. If you're curious, check out the latest post - I watched Ana Lily Amirpour's A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, and it's so worth your time (Plus, it's streaming on Netflix right now!).

Here's an illustration I did - you'll find more up on blog, too.

As I move on from Inkshares, I'd ask you to continue to support me by following the blog. And as mentioned previously, if you're dedicated to Evelyn's story, I would love to keep you in the loop as I determine how to proceed with it. To that end:

Please send me an email, tweet, comment, or Facebook message if you would like to be included in further Housewife in Hell or One Critical Bitch communications. I'll be putting together an initial mailing list in the next few days, and will be happy to keep you updated. 

Thank you again for following me through this contest. It's been fun, but it's time to jump the ship and move on to the next project. I really hope you'll join me.

Best,

Alex

So the Nerdist contest has ended (congratulations to the winners!!), and I landed nowhere near the top. BUT THIS IS OKAY.

If not for this contest, what you have been supporting and following would still be an anxiety-riddled idea in my head, and a paragraph of dialogue or two on my computer. If not for your support and encouragement (and pre-orders!) I would not have realized that I CAN make my dream come true.

I am still walking the path of that dream. I am making it happen. YOU are making it happen. And this is where I ask you to continue in your support. Tell everyone you know, and help them become supporters too. I've got until the end of November to reach 750 copies pre-ordered, which will mean my book will be published electronically. I'd love to surpass that number, honestly. I'd love to reach 1000 pre-orders and make this book a living, solid thing to hold in your hand. I truly believe it can happen. 

I will be posting another excerpt from my book tomorrow, and in the days to come I'm going to get creative with my "marketing", as it were. There may be a video or two. There will be some character exploration and possibly some artistic renderings. I'm in the process of designing my own book cover as well. 

You don't get what you don't ask for.

I'm asking, and I'm receiving.