Dear Readers,

There’s good news and bad news (always, right?). The good news: I have figured out a brilliant way to fix the middle of Lucky. Currently, the middle of the novel says this exactly: "[...stuff happens...]" And then moves on to the next scene. My editor doesn’t like this, so I’ve cooked up a fantastic way of fixing it.

The bad news is that I cooked it up at 3:30 this morning, woke up, scribbled it down on the back of an envelope, then went back to sleep. Now, in the light of day, I have no idea what I wrote.

However, we shall persevere and we shall get this thing done. This afternoon will be dedicated to deciphering the hieroglyphics I wrote last night in my sleep, and tomorrow will be editing Chapter Nine. 

What’s that? You want to read Chapter Nine? Then share this novel with everyone you know so we can hit 500 orders!

Happy Saturday!

- Webster

Hi everyone,

Firstly, apologies for the long time between updates, I’d lost track of how long it had been. 

Unfortunately, things have been slow to non-existent for the last month or so when it comes to progress. It’s disappointing, for me and for you guys too, but I’ve been getting over some exhaustion issues and writing has often been the furthest thing from my mind.

That said, it’s April, and Camp NaNoWriMo has just opened up, and I’m forcing myself to participate. So I’ve spent the last week or so getting myself reacquainted with the story and the outlines for the unwritten parts (have I mentioned I really like my ending?...because I do) and I will be forging ahead to get this first draft knocked out. 

I’ve also got an extended chunk of Ghosts in the hands of a few readers, so over the next month or so I should be getting some feedback that I can use to start shaping the next drafts.

Updates should be a little more regular while NaNo is going on, so keep an eye out for them.

Until next time.

I was pawing through my blog archives for an old April Fool’s bit  - and I actually stumbled onto something I don’t remember writing. (All too common.) It’s from 3 years ago, after I finished my first book. It’s strange and sort of wonderful to look back and feel like maybe I’ve gotten a little closer to the things I talk about here -- and it’s all because of you.

I Want - 4/25-2013

Like Heinlein said, I want the Roc’s Egg.

I want the leather of my sword-grip to creak as my knuckles go white. I want the lightning to crackle between my fingertips like Egg Shen. I want the Flux Capacitor to ignite as I travel through time.

I want the power, I want the fairy tale.

I want to run down the secret hallway, and slam my rainbow colored key into the console of the Black Lion.  I want to save the universe with Rock and Roll, my electric guitar made of steel and griffon-talon. I want to wake up in the middle of the night to the sound of Holmes and Watson clattering by in a horse-drawn carriage.

I want the legend, I want the world of doors.

I want the Master Sword dreaming in the glade, and Excalibur in the Lady’s hand, and Cloud picking up Zach’s sword — his mind all wind and shadow.

I want all the promises that the world is not as it seems. I want Mulder and Scully in a Ford Taurus arguing with the night. I want all the possibilities, the promise of wonder. I want Seven Dragonballs, even if I never get to make a wish.

I want the doors. The endless, endless doors.

I want this world to be not as it is. Or, at the very least, I want the walls of this world to get a little thinner. Thin enough to hear the music from the Universe One Over.

I want to tell my story and I want my mom to get better and I want there to be enough money and I want Emerson back. I want my Beloved to never know pain or doubt, and I want my friends to never know want or despair.

I want to break the rules. I want to undo and shine and defeat and cheat death, cheat life, mashing in the codes on my controller and rolling back the cruel grip of time.

I want to snatch the lost from death’s grip.

I want to not be afraid. Of the Unmaker and its thousand, thousand shadows.

I want there to be more magic in this world, because there is so little — just a tiny, tiny drop.

Such a little thing to shine in the darkness. The secret flame we clutch in weary hands through the wind and rain.

I want the thousand heroes, I want the doors open wide.

Most of all, I want you to help me pry them open.

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No reminders or promo-flogging today. Just wanted to share this and say thank you again - for helping a stranger tip-toe down an uncertain path. And I use ’stranger’ here in the way you would ’baker’ or ’potter’ - something I make, not that you don’t know my social media profile.

Hello "CotF" backers ~

Work continues on the book, with heavy editing and beta-reading underway. I’m still putting the finishing touches on the last portion of the story, but I’m hoping to have a complete manuscript by the end of May for final submission. That being said, I intend to take my time in finishing the book, to guarantee that every backer receives the best product possible. 

I do have some good news - I have one finished portrait and two preliminary sketches, showing off a bunch of the beautiful artwork backers can look forward to with the art booklet -

Greetings wonderful people, 

First of all I’d like to say how grateful I am for all your continuing support in getting this project this far. We are at 164 orders with 45 days to go. We are well over half way there with only 86 orders to go to make Quill. WE CAN DO IT!! 

That being said I have finally received some much needed time off from work and have spent that time hard at work (ironic). I just posted a newly revised chapter 4 and it has gotten some massive changes I can tell you that. So please check it out and let me know what you think. 

I will continue to work hard to give you a wonderful finished adventure to curl up with. If you haven’t ordered Beyond the Code yet please help this caffeine induced dream become a caffeine induced reality. Another 36 orders and we will have another 50 Point Raffle for a soft blanket with Beyond the Code’s cover art embroidered on it. 

Again thank you all for your continued support and please if you like my hard work help support it and bring Beyond the Code to QUILL!!!

Kelsey Rae Barthel

Dear readers,