Whitta is a master of suspense. Abomination grabs you and doesn't let go.
You are my champions. You are the ones who jumped in the first day. I strapped the page together with baling wire and spit and you threw your money DOWN. You are reckless and potent - might I even say FECKLESS. I adore you - and I hope to show through my effort my appreciation and prove worthy of your support.
If I can impose upon you further, take a long look at the InkShares page - let me know of any wonky typos or things that just seem weird. Putting comments on the overall page or on the sample chapter would be really helpful - it will encourage others to do so down the line.
We're settling in for a long siege here and you were first on the line. I won't forget it - at least until a take one too many cannon-blasts to my cranium.
Sic Semper Tyrannosaur,
G. Derek Adams
Updated prices! New content! Exciting things!
You're all busy people, so here's a TL;DR:
Read on if you want more details:
Updated Prices
Inkshares, the company responsible for book publishing/printing, has just moved to a simpler crowdfunding model that's better for writers and readers alike.
The funding goal is now based on number of copies sold, rather than total dollars raised. This gives them a much better sense of how many people want to read the book, independent of ebook/print format, and they're willing to subsidize early adopters. This means that if you pre-ordered at the "Seed Stage" tier, you'll now be getting both a print AND an ebook, and if you pre-ordered at the "Growth Stage" tier, you'll be getting multiple copies of the book.
New Content
Based on the votes, the next chapter to be released is going to be GitHub! I've already recorded the interview, so it's a matter of transcribing the audio and editing the content. Tom Preston-Werner is a great guy, and it's a solid interview about how the co-founders got together and bootstrapped a V1.
Exciting Things
Funding progress is still going well (I am loathe to use the phrase "killing it"), as we've hit the 65% mark. However, if you haven't already shared, it would mean a ton if you could tweet or post a link to Facebook (click here to tweet). Or, if you recommend the book through Inkshares, you can get $15 in credits for more books (or, uh, more copies of my book?).
The faster the funding goal hits 100%, the faster I can worry less about promo and devote more energy to editing and making a quality book.
Questions? Email me at charlie [at] guo.io, or find me on twitter @charlierguo.
Cheers,
Charlie
Hello lovely supporters of Abomination! It's been a while so here's a quick update on where we're at. In the next day or two I'll be approving the final copy-edit and page layout for the book's hardback and paperback editions. We're also finalizing a beautiful map of medieval England that will be going in the front of the book, it's been illustrated by the super-talented Jonathan Roberts of Fantastic Maps, who created the official Westeros maps for George RR Martin!
Once all that is finalized the whole thing will be off to the printer! Right now we're targeting a print launch date of July 30 - that's the date your pre-ordered print copy should arrive in the mail, and also the date you'll be able to walk into a bookstore and buy it. The digital copy should be available before then (hopefully late June/early July) so whether you ordered a print or digital copy you'll be receiving that via email in advance of the print copy and then you can finally start reading! All very exciting!
THE MOREAU ZOO
Do not feed the octoshark, nor the sharktopus. I’ve yet to decide which to cull, which will thrive. What would Darwin do? Hand me that blunderbuss. Never look the hypnotoad in the eye unless you want to mutate into a Cronenberg-inspired horsefly. Be warned, human, there is no mating call like that of the Jesus Monkey. Makes you wet like a tropical storm, hard like a unicorn. Nothing like a bit of inter-species if you know what I mean. Don’t throw stones at the Ko. . .
Yes, this time it's real. We're over the goal line. And when I say "we" I mean you and the 317 other friends and colleagues who are supporting this project. So congratulate yourselves, not me. I just happened to be blessed with a list of generous people.
I have begun work in earnest on the book, a daunting task given the fact that I'm really trying to communicate to almost 4,000 vey diverse communities situated in over 90 countries, living under as many different governments and legal systems. In late May I'll head up the Haida Gwaii for a few weeks of on-site research. I'll send you updates, insights and other news from there.
If you have any insights, advice, suggestions or questions, don't hesitate to contact me.
Thanks you again so much. It really feels so much better to be working on something that is supported by a few hundred generous friends than by one big corporate publishing house.
With deepest gratitude,
Mark Dowie
Dear Readers,
My life has always been an open book. With Wailing Wall nearing its target publication date of late summer, 2015, that will soon be more true than ever. Since memoirs often discuss touchy topics (what fun are they otherwise?) there's a lot of talk among memoirists about how to manage you content when it involves people who would have preferred you keep the family secrets tightly under wraps.
For the most part, memoirists say that you have to tell your own truth. Talk about how you experienced certain situations from your own perspective. Okay.But some of the things I talk about in Wailing Wall includes *real* people. People that I love.