Bechtoldbonnie liked an update for The Last Faoii

I have SO MANY updates this week, Faoii! Listen up!

First off. Let’s see how we’ve done this month. Status report incoming:


That’s pretty good progress, Faoii. But I KNOW that we can do better than that. You want to make Faoii Betrayer real? You want to make sure that the world knows our name? You want to earn the title I bestowed upon you when you chose to be part of this army? Then pick up your sword and make that happen. We’ve already lost a month, Faoii. If we don’t pick up the pace, we’re going to lose this war. 

But I know a lot of you out there are fighting. And I want to welcome our newest soldiers to the field. Faoii Betrayer has, like its predecessor, been graced with the amazing and esteemed honor of being chosen by the Break the Bechdel with Strong Female Characters Syndicate. I cannot tell you what this means to me or how honored I am to be placed in their ranks again.  Look at the new medal in our barracks, my warriors! Let me hear your warcry!




Also--Did you see the new cover for Faoii Betrayer, once again put together by the incredibly talented Evan Graham? 



It’s beautiful, isn’t it? And worthy of Alana and her struggle in Faoii Betrayer.  

What’s interesting about Alana is she doesn’t know that she’s Faoii. She doesn’t even want to be Faoii. But we don’t often get to choose our greatness, and when I created the Faoii and their world, I wanted to embody all the heroines I had in life who didn’t even know how strong they are. Now I use Faoii in my day-to-day language, and I’m starting to see others out there do the same. Mark that word, my warriors. Everyone will use it someday. Because there’s finally a word for what we are. What we can be. 

My last bit of news is only part of an announcement, but it is exciting and I will let you know what I can now. I am currently working on getting the audiobook for The Last Faoii out onto Audible for your enjoyment. I have had several amazing people audition for the part, and am currently negotiating the final steps of the process, which is thrilling. I am so excited for what’s coming, and you should be too. But I can’t tell you more until everything’s official. Just trust me that you’re going to want to be paying attention in the coming days. ;)


That’s it for now, Faoii. You have your orders. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and FOR THE LOVE OF ILLINDRIA ORDER YOUR COPY OF FAOII BETRAYER. It’s going to take all of us to make this book real. Some people might say it’s impossible... but they don’t have an army on their side. Do not fail me.

Shields up.

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    Bechtoldbonnie liked an update for The Last Faoii

    Greetings, Faoii! Exciting news today!

    The and best way is to watch the video of your newest missive by clicking here.

    ;;

    For those who don’t want to watch the video, here’s a summary: SO MANY of you have asked me about a sequel to The Last Faoii. So, let’s make that happen. Faoii Betrayer is now open for pre-orders and I need you to pick up your blade again if we’re going to see it become real. It’s going to be a hard fight, my warriors. We need 750 soldiers on our side before we can even begin the process towards publication. I’ve already had people tell me not to get my hopes up... but they didn’t have an army, did they? Prove. Them. Wrong.

    The biggest thing we need in order to see Faoii Betrayer is more soldiers. Our current army isn’t going to cut it--we must spread the word. So tell your friends and your family. Leave a review for The Last Faoii on Amazon. Do whatever you can to bring more soldiers to this banner. This campaign and it becoming real is on you, Faoii. You want to see Faoii Betrayer? Prove it.

    It’s been too long, my warriors. Pick up your blades and let’s show the world what we’re made of. I’ll see you on the battlefield. 

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      Faoii Betrayer
      Faoii Betrayer is the riveting and highly-anticipated second novel in the Faoii Chronicles.
      Bechtoldbonnie liked an update for The Last Faoii

      Greetings, Faoii. There’s something we need to talk about before it blows up larger than it already has. 

      Two days ago I wrote an uplifting or at least solidarity-type post about depression on my Facebook page. Many people (including more than a few Inkshares authors) saw and commented on the post. Almost everyone was incredibly supportive, grateful, or kind. One person, however, said some very infuriating and hurtful things, and I took a stand to show support for people that have had to listen and endure such harmful rhetoric on a regular basis. Dozens of you chose to stand with me. Friends, loved ones, and so many of you wonderful Faoii drove him off of multiple posts using facts, logic, and a fair amount of sarcasm. 

      Then, within 24 hours, I received this terrible piece of hate mail through a burner e-mail on Inkshares. (I’m sorry for the language. I blurred the worst of it out).

      Now, this is the important part. Even though certain parties seem suspicious given the timing and nature of the mail, there is currently no evidence about who this came from, and as such, I am asking that you do NOT confront anyone on the matter. We are better than that. Even if there was evidence we could direct our anger towards, they can’t do anything more than start a smear campaign or throw one-star reviews on Faoii’s Amazon page, anyway. And we are stronger than that, too. 

      So, be on the lookout, my warriors. We may have to be vigilant if we want to keep from being drowned in lies and slander. But also remember that a poorly written, vitriolic death threat from a petty soul on the internet is just one of the signs that we are starting to be known. I choose to see this as a good sign.

      Shields up.

      Faoii-Tahani

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        Bechtoldbonnie liked an update for The Last Faoii

        Listen up, Faoii! This is the most exciting missive to date!

        The Last Faoii came out 6 months ago today. Even before it was a real book, even before we were worried about typesetting and Amazon reviews, hundreds of you chose to stand up and fight for this novel to become real. It’s because of you that this entire thing exists, and I am still so honored to be a part of this army. Look at what we’ve achieved, Faoii. Look at what you’ve done:


        Do you see that, Faoii? 500 copies sold! It seems like yesterday I was staying up all night worried we’d never reach the bare minimum required for publication. I should have never doubted you, my warriors. And look! Only 3 reviews away from the magic 50 on Amazon. 50 reviews means greater visibility and being part of the "also bought" marketing tool, which will only help our army to grow stronger. We’re so close, Faoii. Only a few more steps and that hill is ours! Let’s finish this.

        This last month has been exciting for other reasons too, Faoii. I’ve started preparing for summer events and signings. Here’s just a glimpse of what’s to come as I take our fight to the streets. I promise you, Faoii: They will know us.

        s
        s
        s
        s

        And the best is yet to come. Maybe next month I’ll be able to show you the thing our army has been missing all this time. :)

        Until then, Faoii, keep spreading the word. A single "like" or "share" on Facebook or a single retweet on Twitter could make all the difference in the world. And, of course, reviews on Amazon and Goodreads are always called for. Pick up that sword, Faoii. I could not have gotten this far without you, and I can’t keep moving forward without you, either. The fight is not over. I need you. This army needs you. Failure is not an option.

        Until next month. Shields up.
        Faoii-Tahani
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          Updates, Faoii! Listen up! 

            The Last Faoii has been out for 5 months, Faoii! Look at what we’ve done! Look at how much we’ve grown in just the last month alone!



          We’re still pushing for those 50 Amazon reviews. Only 9 more to go. Let’s get there. The 6 month mark seems like the milestone for that goal. 

          Also, if you live near Montana (or want to visit) there’s a Renaissance Festival in Billings on June 2nd and 3rd. I’ll be there, selling and signing copies, and wearing my brand new set of armor. Come say hi! You can bring the copy you already have with you and I’ll sign it, too. I won’t be at Miscon this year, but will aim for next year instead. Sorry for the disappointment.

          Need the Amazon link so you can leave your review? CLICK HERE. If you’ve never left a review before, let me know and I’ll send you a step-by-step guide with pictures. It takes all of us to win the war.

          Oh! We also got our first-ever One-Star Review on Goodreads. At first I was kind of upset, but I’ve decided it’s actually a great review, so I’m leaving it. Haha! If you have a Goodreads account, consider leaving a review there, too, especially since our rating has plummeted with that one star. Or helping us climb the ranks in This List. As of right now, we’re #30, but if you think The Last Faoii is a diverse book worthy of recognition, then vote for it. Let’s let the world know who we are.

          Shields up. The fight’s not over yet.
          Faoii-Tahani
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            Bechtoldbonnie liked an update for The Last Faoii



            Greetings, Faoii! 

            Today marks 3 months since publication. 3 Months, Faoii! And look at how far our army has come in that time! But we’re not done yet. More soldiers have been seeking our banner as they hear of our tale, and I expect that to continue as word spreads. But I can’t keep up the recruitment on my own. I need YOUR help to make every one of those numbers up above to rise a little higher. I’ll be putting various links at the bottom of this missive. Follow our banner and support our cause where it suits you, but make sure you don’t put down your sword yet. This fight is far from over. People WILL know us. 

            Let’s see how much greater we’ll be a month from now. See you then.

            Faoii-Tahani

            Inkshares Link (To send to your friends who want to read excerpts and watch the trailer)

            Amazon Link (leave a review)

            Goodreads Link (Rate/Review)

            Faoii Facebook Page

            Twitter

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              Bechtoldbonnie liked an update for The Last Faoii

              Greetings, Faoii! Exciting update!

              Our army’s first major reading is coming up on December 6. This will be The Last Faoii’s first public appearance since the launch party-- and thus the first one I expect for new people to attend. Reviews and orders have grown stagnant, and this might be the perfect thing to get people interested in our fight again. The holidays are coming, and I KNOW that The Last Faoii would make a worthy gift for many people out there-- but they need to know about it, first. Thus, I need YOUR help to spread the word. I’ll be raffling off 3 signed copies of the book at the reading. Come to Beautiful Montana and win one! 

              Shields up

              Faoii-Tahani


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                Bechtoldbonnie liked an update for The Last Faoii

                At ease, Faoii. This isn’t really an update. Instead, I’m sending out a reminder to all of you other hopeful authors out there who are working for a dream but constantly feeling like you’re just spinning your wheels.

                I get it. It’s not easy. It’s exhausting and soul-crushing and painful. It feels like you’re giving everything you have and that you don’t even have dignity anymore after all the times you’ve begged and pleaded and prayed just to get this far. Then you get another rejection or one hurtful comment or the hundredth "seen" notification on your messenger feed that will just sit there without a response for the next six months (assuming that person doesn’t just straight-up unfriend you for being annoying) and you realize that maybe you did have some dignity left-- because it just got crushed a little more. I know you want to give up. I know how hard this is.

                Don’t. Don’t give up, okay? Because some part of you still thinks that this is worth it-- that’s the part that keeps convincing you to send out one more DM, one more Tweet. That’s the part that keeps encouraging you to write one more sentence. Sometimes only a single word, but it tells you to keep going. And that’s the part that people are going to see and respond to. Don’t let it die.

                If you follow my Facebook or my blog, you probably know that I’ve been feeling pretty burnt out lately. Blades, my last blog post might have been a full-on mental breakdown. And I kept asking myself the entire time "who can blame me for giving up here?" After battling armies on all sides during the crowdfunding phase of things, I thought this entire book thing would get easier. But then I fell short of the contest I was going for, my health failed terribly at the end of my campaign, and I didn’t have any idea how hard marketing would be. Trying to get people to review or even share posts about your book is an insane battle all on its own, and you start to doubt yourself. Maybe no one is sharing because I’m not a good enough friend. Maybe I really can’t write. Maybe this entire dream was stupid.  It’s mind numbing and heart-wrenching and terrible. 

                And it’s wrong.

                I’m sorry I forgot that, Faoii. I’m amazed that it took the help of others to remind me of what I’m fighting for. What we’re all fighting for. But today I got an amazing letter from a fellow Inkshares author that you should definitely follow. And I (for probably the millionth time) got more encouragement than I deserve from this Inkshares friend who has picked me up and dusted me off after every single fall thus far. (Make sure to follow him, too--of everyone I know, none are more deserving of happiness than he is). And between the two of them, I remembered something that I tried so hard to put into words when I was writing an entire book that it’s ridiculous that I might forget it myself. 

                Keep going. 

                Keep going. We forget sometimes that even our hardest moments can be beacons of light for others. Standing to face our demons can sometimes give someone else just enough courage to rise against theirs. Facing and overcoming challenges means proving to others that it CAN be done. And so, while we face our own challenges in hopes of overcoming them and forging ahead to our own future-- do not forget that by rising up, you may also be helping others to do the same. This book is greater than you, now, and has been since the first day you chose to put yourself out in front of the world and declare it worthy.

                I know it’s hard, these demons you face on and off your book’s platform. But, whatever you’re going through--don’t be afraid to tell the world that it’s happening. Some might come to your aide (and hopefully many will), but if they don’t-- that might be because they just needed someone else to be strong for a while. You can be that person without ever knowing it.

                So stand up. Hold the line just a little longer. Lift that shield a bit higher. Raise your voice still louder. There are armies around you, but not all of them are coming against you, and the people at your back might need to see your banner more than you need their blade. 

                We are ALWAYS in this together.

                Shields up.
                Faoii-Tahani
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                  Bechtoldbonnie liked an update for The Last Faoii

                  Greetings, Faoii!

                  Did you notice the date? The Last Faoii came out one month ago today! Raise your mugs, Faoii. We’ve create something amazing together!

                  We’re still sitting pretty at 20 reviews on Amazon. This is good, Faoii. This is very good for a debut novel that didn’t even qualify for full funding. However, I want to look forward to the holidays that are coming up in a few months. The Last Faoii would make a great gift for people of various ages and backgrounds, and I want it to be available to those who might want to give it. But that will only happen if we can trigger the Amazon algorithm and thus get it to show up when people browse. So I’m beseeching you again, Faoii, to leave a review. It takes a few seconds. You can leave a one-word review if that’s what you want. But please help me. The army can only grow if everyone helps to push the line.

                  Shields up

                  Faoii-Tahani

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