Break out the party poppers, readers: Witherfist has just hit 40 preorders! 

Thank you!

For context, the #10 spot in the top 10 is held by a book with 65 readers. We’re so close to getting up onto that ladder now. Though I’d love to already be up there, I’m chuffed to be finishing the first month of the contest in such a strong position. Please continue to share the book with friends and fantasy fans in your local area, and we can only get stronger.

As a (dubious?) thank you, I’ve recorded the first chapter of Witherfist for you to listen to. Yes, now you can listen to me reading the book’s introductory chapter and almost hear me wondering to myself why I chose to use the word ’caravanserai’ multiple times.

https://youtu.be/SX5C6YEILHo

I’m hoping that I can pass off any stumbles as quirks of my accent ;) Bonus points go to anyone who is not from my home city and can pinpoint where I’m from based on the accent alone.

Enjoy!

~ Jenny

Dearest Readers,

It feels good to be working hard. All other problems seem to disappear.

In the past few days I have been reaching out to more people individually, and seen my preorders go up as a result. It’s a chore, but damn if it isn’t invigorating. I’ve also been increasing my use of Twitter (@cookerlives) and Tumblr (cooker lives.tumblr.com).

Last night I cranked out about 10 query emails to literary agents. I am not giving up on my Inkshares campaign, but I refuse to ignore a perfectly good avenue. For my writing followers, if you don’t frequent the Literary Agent blog at Writer’s Digest, I suggest you make it over there at least once a week. Two recent posts contained lists of nearly 20 unique agents looking for fantasy and science fiction. Those lists are why I was able to send out so many queries. 

As always, please let me know you are out there by commenting on and recommending A Tale of Ghosts and Guardians.

It’s Wednesday! That solemn day we set aside for Woden, because what’s better than celebrating the middle of the work week than a day to remember the Norse god of the gallows. Granted, he did some other stuff too.  But, yea! Wednesday!

 

As it stands, 81 backers have pre-ordered 103 copes of A Beast Requires, putting it at 41% of its Quill publishing goal. This is pretty great news, but the 91 days left in the campaign are going to go by super fast. I’m working on this week’s video right now, but after that, I’m leaving it open to you guys, the backers. 

So, what do you want to see me talk? What aspects or parts of A Beast Requires are you interested in? I’ll touch on any subject, or can spend time answering each question individually. Every backer put their hard earned money behind me and my book, so I figure it’s a good opportunity for you all to be involved in the crowdfunding crazy train. Let me know on Twitter, or by DM, and let’s see what we can come up with for next week.

Hello dear friends,

You’ve taken the time to click "follow" or even "order" on my page, and there are many more of you than I hoped for when I started this campaign on what was essentially a dare. Still, from the nearly 70 of you (I’ve been desperately trying not to make a joke here, deleted several that were VERY amusing), Fae Child has just 23 readers/25 orders (thanks Mom and Dad!).

Please look over my chapter samples - if a kid wandering around fairyland isn’t really your thing, try Chapter 3, where we meet Dan, her father, and the changeling back in the world. Fae Child at it’s heart is a story about a girl trying to get home, and a father trying to get her home.

I played around with the Properties page, and it will let you add movies that are like your book - I of course went for Alice in Wonderland as the first pick, rather obvious, but then for the second one I ended up choosing Taken. Then I took them both down, because it looked ridiculous.

"Alice has... a very particular set of skills..." or "I will look for the white rabbit. I will find the white rabbit. And I will kill the white rabbit." Feel free to message me all sorts of Taken/Alice mashed up quotes, I hope it makes you laugh as much as it did me.

Fae Child has a facebook page here, I’d love it if you’d like it. I’ll be putting up some WIP quotes from bits of the book I’m working on, also highlighting some of the wonderful reviews it’s been getting.

Also, if you’re just following along and thinking there’s plenty of time to support the project later... there are only 63 days left! I’m not sure why I have so few when other books that started before me have about 90 days left, but here we are. An e-book is just $10, and the more we preorder now, the more momentum Fae Child will get. I don’t have to run faster than the bear (reach 250), I just need to run faster than whoever is in third place right now. We can do it, together!

Much love,

Jane-Holly