Hello, supporters!
Three days remain and anything is possible! Long nights, hard work, incredible support, and dedication have gotten us to this point. The process has been incredible and exhausting and as we near the end, don't let up. If you haven't pre-ordered yet, now is a great time, and for those who have, spread the word. We spent most of the month in 6th place. It is a miserable place to be and now as we sit in 2nd, let's keep it there!
I give thanks to my wife, who has supported the process and maintained me throughout, and to all the friends and family who have stepped up and contributed to spreading the word. It's cliche to say none of this would be possible without you, but it's true. Every pre-order counts and because you believed in me, we reached this point.
I'd like to share with you a number, 232. That's the number of readers that support Lost Generation, and that is incredible. At this time, we have more readers than any other book in the Sword & Laser Contest, and it makes me so happy. Each digit is a person who decided they would support this dream, I feel your support and I thank you for it.
Feedback has been a driving focus for this project, and you have delivered. Those of you who have been reading each iteration of the draft and supplied your thoughts have made the end product much better. Feedback and quality are important to me, and you have my word that I will push myself as hard as I must to ensure Lost Generation receives the dedication and polish to become a top quality product. I owe it to myself, Inkshares, and you to ensure Lost Generation is a novel we will look back on in ten years and still be proud.
If you haven't read the chapters in a while, I recommend you check out the updated chapter one (now chapters one and two,) and view how your feedback and my commitment are helping to shape a better product.
https://www.inkshares.com/projects/lost-generation/book_segments/chapter-one-1805
This address might be my last before the contest ends. Forgive any grammar mistakes I have made, I am exhausted but happy. Please keep those pre-orders strong and cheer me on until the final hour comes. I'll bow to you at the finish line, and we will all watch Lost Generation mature and finalize together.
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.
Hello Everyone,
Have you seen the emails yet? You did it! Thanks to your support, Inkshares will publish Lost Generation. Your support places an incredible faith in me, and I will give all that I have to deliver a product worth of the opportunity. In this update, I describe what is next, but first I’d like to give some thanks and recommendations.
I feel incredibly lucky for the support of my amazing wife, Brenda. She was my inspiration when I doubted myself and a key supporter for spreading the word. I look forward to continued success with you in my life as we grow our family together and pursue our dreams.
Thank you, D Kirschling, when I was uncertain you used your connections to expose a whole new set of readers to my work. You were the microphone that spread the word when I needed to focus on writing.
Dan Rooney, you were a madman. You believed in my goals from day one, edited draft after draft, and always gave good feedback. You were up late with me, attuned to the heartbeat of the campaign. My work would be less without you. Take a breath and then maybe take your fiancé out to dinner for putting up with it all.
Angela Antinucci, when I first took my campaign online, you pre-ordered it immediately, no questions asked. I had not even mentioned it to you yet. The world could use more people like you.
I am so lucky to be a Sword & Laser winner, but before the project ended, I already won. The bonds and friendships that grew between me and the other writers are greater than any prize and will produce fruit for years to come. As we all fought for the coveted top five positions, nothing was certain, and some of us would not make it. As we celebrate this victory, there are several equally worthy writers that did not earn this chance. I would like to highlight them and ask that if you have remaining credits, or feel generous, that you support their dreams as well. They provided invaluable companionship in the late nights, and I hope to share self-space with all of them in the future.
These Old Bones by A. J. Ainsworth
A young summoner must travel a long and dangerous road to appear before a council of master summoners to prove himself worthy of their craft.
https://www.inkshares.com/projects/these-old-bones
Ghosts of War by Paul Robinson
A military sci-fi thriller, 'Ghosts of War' is a planet hopping tale of revenge and retribution, born out of a love of Star Wars and science fiction.
https://www.inkshares.com/projects/ghosts-of-war
Rockets by Liam Dynes
A young girl searches for a long-lost family secret in a world that has lost its capacity for wonder.
https://www.inkshares.com/projects/rockets
These writers deserve your attention and share my dream. Please consider them.
In the weeks and months that follow, you will receive status updates on the project and updated drafts. I welcome your feedback and hope you will enjoy the journey to Lost Generation’s official release. Thank you again for your support. I will take this opportunity and create something truly special.
PS. My wife has some free time from work, so I’m not proofing this. Sorry for any mistakes, but you have to enjoy life when it is available. Have a wonderful night!