Hello friends!

This is the update you have all been waiting for - even though you didn't know it! We have the magical release of the movie style video TRAILER for The Last Machine.

I originally wanted to drop this on New Year's Day. But it is simply too epic to hold back for two weeks. I just couldn't do it. Would require far too much willpower. 

I must thank Yicheng Liu for his unbelievable and shockingly fast work putting this together. Please check out his novel The Remains of Civilization and send a pre-order his way.

I also want to thank Melissa Berg and Vincent Lim once again for their wonderful reviews, which are included in the trailer.

At the bottom of this update, I've credited the free source material that was used in this video, which can be used by others as well.

Go check the video out on the homepage; you'll be glad you did. I can't stop watching. Just too much fun. 

OK, and quickly we have a couple of other quick items to hit on. First, the winner of the 40th reader raffle is Nichole Costa! Nichole, you will be receiving a signed and framed illustrated poem. Congratulations!

Lastly, I want to thank everybody again for the amazing support during this Sword & Laser campaign. The last few days have really shown widespread support for this story, from people I know personally, to my fellow authors. It's truly gratifying. We now have 48 readers and 99 followers. That means two more readers before our special 50th reader raffle. So get in the door while you can! And I'm thinking up something for the 60th reader. It'll be great, like the trailer. I promise.

Source Material

Earth zoom: http://youtu.be/HL0waHkIkps 

Urban city fast motion stock footage: http://www.videezy.com/urban/2649-night-traffic-fast-motion-free-footage 

Green circuit image: http://webneel.com/post/freedownload/vector/object/circuit-board

Dystopian world: http://rootnotion.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/dystopia-page-1641069.png 

Music by Sirius Beat - the unknown: http://youtu.be/lblqJoZ72bY

Mark your calendars!

Okay you guys, here's the deal. I'm going to release another chapter and another piece of art as soon as we hit 35 readers. So, if you guys would be so kind, please share this campaign page on your Facebook and Twitters. This is a team effort you guys! I can't wait for you guys to see whats in store for these characters!

Its Tuesday and that means another blog post.  This time I'm giving you a peek both into another continent on Pentaz' world which has been cut off by a jagged wall of sky high fire from the rest of the world since the Demon Gods' Invasion, and just how horrible a writer I was in high school.  Its a narrative poem I wrote in high school and have never once got around to editing and polishing.  All of the links in this update lead you to it.  Read it and laugh at how awful I used to be, then be thankful I got better.

BIG NEWS!  

I've taken a brief leave from my day job to finish the manuscript of the second book in the Maren Kane Mystery Series. The working title is A Timely Murder! Without revealing too much, I can share that one of the main characters from One Murder More (Book 1) runs for office, one is shot (no!) and Maren finds herself in deep trouble  on the strip in Las Vegas.

I also want to share that although I’ve been fortunate to have several agents wooing me, I am staying with Inkshares!  I could not imagine a more reader and author-friendly environment in which to write. But it does mean I need to have sufficient pre-orders to meet the threshold for Inkshares to publish me again—there is no “free pass” for sequels; each work must (appropriately) stand on it’s own. So I will be asking you soon to consider preordering the 2nd book in the Maren Kane mystery series, and to encourage others you know to do so. In particular, the system has changed—for  One Murder More, money could be contributed without being linked to additional books to the backer. Under the new system only money  to purchase books will be accepted, and 750 books total must be preordered to qualify for  full publishing via Inkshares.  This is  true democratic publishing in action—you "vote"  to secure the future of the book by purchasing copies  in advance.  

While all backers in the new system will receive special insider updates from me, I want to ask your input now on recommendations for a special incentive for individuals  who order 10 books or more.  (Upon request, I’ll arrange to have any books  that a backer  does not personally wish to receive  donated to reputable charitable organizations. One I have in mind is the Downtown Women’s Center for homeless women in LA http://www.downtownwomenscenter.org.  I welcome your suggestions for organizations that would similarly benefit from books for adult literacy efforts and for resale for their  fundraising.) 

Your Ideas for Incentives?  In particular, what fits the “Maren Kane Mystery” gestalt?  Also, I will need to be mindful that any incentive will be at my cost for production and shipping. In a general post Inkshares suggests " a t-shirt, mug or coloring book".  Not sure any of those fit though...One idea I had is writing a special short story that would go only to  “super-backers”, prior to being submitted to mystery magazines for publication.

 Finally, I would appreciate your assistance in coming up with a better name than “super-backers” for those who are able to offer more support.  

Thanks again for everything! It’s been quite a journey so far.

Kris   

www.kriscalvin.com

ps Thanks for the  great audiobook  development suggestions! Will keep you posted...

It has been exactly one week since I uploaded a sample of Transilience. And, I have to say, my experience on Inkshares has been a rather exciting one. It's given me an opportunity to find a group of writers who share the same hopes and dreams that I do. The chance to be published. To take some agency in the process - to circumvent the slush pile - and let the strength of our writing and our ideas determine our fate.

With that in mind, I give a hearty Thank you! To those who have already supported Transilience. Your generosity has pushed Transilience one step closer to becoming a reality.

Cheers!

Kev

Hello everyone! I'm back with an update after one crazy week of finals and waiting anxiously on grades. I got the grades that I needed and now instead of constantly thinking about that I can get back to writing! I have been adding chapters to the story and editing the already existing chapters and I am happy to say that the draft is almost finished. Please take a look at the chapters and leave some feedback so that I can know what I need to fix or what's good about my story. Thank you!