Hey guys, I've tried to keep these updates sparse-ish so as not to annoy. I hope I've been gentle with these pushes. We're in the last week of the contest and I've sadly fallen off the Top 10 list. Not to fear! I only need 5 orders to pass the guy in 10th. 8th is not terribly far ahead, either.
Please note: Inkshares gives new readers (that's you guys) $10 of credit, which is the equivalent of 1 free book on them. So, if you've already purchased, consider using that credit to help boost my sales. Simply log back in with Facebook, Twitter, or your email to check and see if you have credit just sitting there, collecting cyber dust and intercobwebs. Thank you so much. Now, let's summon some pre-orders, get it? Anyone? No? *joke falls flat to the shaking of heads* Summon, you know, because my guy's a summoner ... I'm bad at this.
Good evening, Squires and Wild Mages - backers new and old. Here's a picture of me dressed as a wizard.
I'm trying very, very hard to not panic. There's only a week left in the Sword and Laser Contest and thanks to YOU [FINGER POINT] we're doing very, very well. I should be calm, I should play it cool. But I can't!
We've come so far - farther than I ever really expected, especially for a book about dragons, saxophones, friendship, magic, cruise liners, automaton mage-hounds, witches, and minotaur tea parties. I honestly think the most amazing part of all this is the feeling that I'm writing for someone -for you guys specifically. My other books I sort of type away in the wilderness, mutter drunkenly about them to my patient friends in gutters and gazebos, then they go out into the great unknown. But now, I love the feeling of owing you something. I love the feeling of a sold-out crowd for opening night of my little Muppet Show. (Don't worry - it's also intimidating enough to give my anxiety-demons all sorts of ammunition.)
I just shared another chapter from a little further in the book - here's a link if you didn't spot it in your email:
Chapter Three : Half-Ghost Sea
...But of late, he had started to see a shift, something change in his companion. The laughter - the way she seemed to revel in her power, it made the squire worry. There wasn’t one thing he could really put his finger on, but it seemed that Rime’s magic was perhaps beginning to get out of control.
“I’m going to blow their ship up too!” Rime said with exultation, weaving her lightning into a large ball above her head...
I love that I can write a chapter, and just send it to you! I mean, it's raggedy and needs some editing TLC, but bah! There it is, fresh off the dome and put up on your internet refrigerator with a heart-shaped magnet. Comments and feedback are very much appreciated.
This is what it will be like if we win - me sending you these little updates and napkins smeared with lipstick. IT WILL BE WEIRD. But it will also be kind of wonderful.
So, rainbows can wait - back to stress-bombs. 7 days! I want to win for myself, obviously, but I'm also really feeling the responsibility of all the time and energy you guys have put in - we have got to finish this thing monster strong.
THINGS I'M DOING
THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP
Thank you all so much for everything you've done so far, and dealing with me coming completely unraveled over the next week. Here's an even MORE unflattering picture of me. As the annoyance builds this week, just look at this picture and feel your rage pass like a summer breeze.
I should be exhorting you all to PUSH PUSH PUSH the Inkshares campaign, but I'd rather just share a poem with you I just wrote. This will appear in a Jonas/Rime chapter of Asteroid Made of Dragons.
“Last light of the sun against gravestone sky,
dream of the shadows all come to die.
White sand, gray stone, green field all bear the scar,
of heroes’ blood and silver star.
They walk in steel, they die in stone,
Children of Gilead sing alone.
Black sea, white sand, the lives they fall,
from broken horns still sound the call.
Where Night and Beast dare wear the crown,
Knights of Gilead will throw them down.
Last light of the sun shine across the waves,
bones of valor down in their graves.
Songs of blood and journey’s end,
the price of heroes for shadow’s end.
Sundown comes and Gilead stands,
sundown comes and Darkness plans.”
Eh, probably needs a revision or two -but I hope you enjoy it anyway!
Derek
Good afternoon, everyone!
I've added the first Jonas & Rime chapter to the campaign site officially after some feedback from readers, and it's the featured segment for new readers to check out. I've also sent it to you all again if you want to share it around.
I'm on VACAY [woop woop] this week, but that only means from my actual day job. I just stumbled up from the beach half-drunk and three-quarters sunburnt to work on AMOD. Next up in the queue is the chapter where Jonas and Rime fight half-ghost pirates, followed shortly by the chapter where Sideways sips daiquiris on an airship in between abductions.
I'm trying to remain calm, cool and collected about the Sword & Laser Contest and not flog you guys about it - we're in a good position going into the last leg of the competition, but be forewarned - if there's a need for some 11th hour campaigning and hustling you will see a new level of shamelessness from me.
Thank you all!
We've grabbed 9th place! Only have to make it to 5th to guarantee publication. If any of you are sitting of Inkshares credit, please, please, login and consider using them on another pre-order of my book; after all, it is free. Help me close the gap.
Tootles.
Good evening, Squires and Wild Mages - backers new and old. Here's a picture of me dressed as a wizard.
I'm trying very, very hard to not panic. There's only a week left in the Sword and Laser Contest and thanks to YOU [FINGER POINT] we're doing very, very well. I should be calm, I should play it cool. But I can't!
We've come so far - farther than I ever really expected, especially for a book about dragons, saxophones, friendship, magic, cruise liners, automaton mage-hounds, witches, and minotaur tea parties. I honestly think the most amazing part of all this is the feeling that I'm writing for someone -for you guys specifically. My other books I sort of type away in the wilderness, mutter drunkenly about them to my patient friends in gutters and gazebos, then they go out into the great unknown. But now, I love the feeling of owing you something. I love the feeling of a sold-out crowd for opening night of my little Muppet Show. (Don't worry - it's also intimidating enough to give my anxiety-demons all sorts of ammunition.)
I just shared another chapter from a little further in the book - here's a link if you didn't spot it in your email:
Chapter Three : Half-Ghost Sea
...But of late, he had started to see a shift, something change in his companion. The laughter - the way she seemed to revel in her power, it made the squire worry. There wasn’t one thing he could really put his finger on, but it seemed that Rime’s magic was perhaps beginning to get out of control.
“I’m going to blow their ship up too!” Rime said with exultation, weaving her lightning into a large ball above her head...
I love that I can write a chapter, and just send it to you! I mean, it's raggedy and needs some editing TLC, but bah! There it is, fresh off the dome and put up on your internet refrigerator with a heart-shaped magnet. Comments and feedback are very much appreciated.
This is what it will be like if we win - me sending you these little updates and napkins smeared with lipstick. IT WILL BE WEIRD. But it will also be kind of wonderful.
So, rainbows can wait - back to stress-bombs. 7 days! I want to win for myself, obviously, but I'm also really feeling the responsibility of all the time and energy you guys have put in - we have got to finish this thing monster strong.
THINGS I'M DOING
THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP
Thank you all so much for everything you've done so far, and dealing with me coming completely unraveled over the next week. Here's an even MORE unflattering picture of me. As the annoyance builds this week, just look at this picture and feel your rage pass like a summer breeze.