Glorious news! The Walls are Closing In has begun developmental edits.
I received a thorough twelve-page document with insights, as well as several notes within the body of my manuscript, from the Head of Story Development at Inkshares, Matt Harry.
I was so pleased to read Matt’s feedback and suggestions, as he certainly seems to understand what I am striving to accomplish with this novel. I know that he and the rest of the team at Inkshares will guide me in strengthening the story, ensuring that all of you receive the best version possible.
Matt has worked on Tal Klein’s Punch Escrow, which recently signed a deal with Lion’s Gate, and JF Dubeau’s recently released A God in the Shed, optioned by Skydance. Matt’s own book, Sorcery for Beginners, will be out in October.
Check out a recent video with Matt Harry, discussing the development of A God in the Shed.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/224256631
Over the next several weeks I will be hard at work incorporating Matt’s suggestions, and then I will send the revised manuscript to him for round two. It also sounds like Inkshares has started kicking around some ideas for the cover. I will keep you posted on all fronts.
Until next time,
Jacqui
I’d like for you all to meet my editor, Matt Harry. He has been amazing in the journey toward getting The Madness of Mr. Butler published. As I’ve said, it is a long process, but that process is all in the best interests of the story, and in your best interests as my readers, investors, and friends. This man is doing great things to help make Mr. Butler a great story. He is challenging me and pushing toward making the final product the absolute best it can be. He is behind the greatest successes at Inkshares, and Inkshares decided that my little book deserves the attention of an incredible editor. Please enjoy the blog entry and video regarding one of his recent releases, "A God in the Shed" by J.F. Dubeau, here: http://blog.inkshares.com/post/162717697220/it-all-comes-back-to-story
As for Mr. Butler, great things are happening, and I appreciate your patience as everything remains under construction. We are still looking at an early 2018 release date.
Any questions? Please don’t hesitate to email me at info@talltalestold.com
Why the new email address? Because I am running an internet thing called "Tall Tales Told" now. It’s a home for everything I’m writing and thinking. I’m featuring music, stories of both fiction and nonfiction, and illustrated poetry. Please take a moment and visit if you haven’t already. You can visit by clicking here.
Thanks again for your support and patience.
Love always,
Michael.
Hey everyone! Happy Summer!
At least they tell us it’s summuh up here in glorious Maine. Hard to tell with highs in the upper 60s and nights in the 40s. At least it’s keeping the black flies down. A little.
May 31 in Maine, Ladies and Gentlemen
So have I got some news for you!
The crowdfunding sequel to It’s All Fun and Games is now up and running!
As I mentioned in a past update, More Fun and Games has been written (for several years) and now needs the spit and polish (and in some cases massive reworking) to get it up and ready for publication. In the meanwhile, I need your help.
Many of you rallied to It’s All Fun and Games because I harassed you, begged you, and after all, it was only five bucks. Unfortunately (for us…financially appropriate for Inkshares), the price to support has increased - $10 for an ebook and $20 for the paperback. This is a bigger commitment, for sure, so I don’t feel comfortable doing the same level of begging. Having said that, I would really appreciate your tossing a few bucks my way.
Also unfortunately, this isn’t part of a contest, which means no getting the big win on a near miss (that is, the target of 750 copies is much more firm than it was last time). So even if you don’t feel like you can preorder a copy, if you know anyone who liked the first book and would be willing to pitch in on the sequel, please spread the word. Do you know someone who runs an indie bookstore? Rope ‘em on in. Are you a Reality TV family with 19 children (and counting)? All the rug rats need a copy, maybe two.
I will continue to post updates from both projects, so for those of you following both, I apologize for the spam. I’m hopeful that over the summer we’ll be able to get enough momentum to get the process up and running and the sequel out in a timely fashion.
As always, I am humbled by both the kind words and the financial support of my first novel.
Thank you!
Dave
This is the final countdown!
Only 26 orders to go. The champagne is in the fridge beckoning me to open it. If you have not ordered yet and would like to be a backer for The Walls are Closing In, now would be a fabulous time to jump in. If you would like your name in the back of the book, this is your final chance to buy a "Super Reader" package before that ship sails.
Once The Walls are Closing In hits 750, a few exciting things will happen:
1) The book will officially switch from "Funding" to "In Production," and I’ll await word from Inkshares on when to turn in my manuscript for the first round of developmental editing.
2) I will announce the winner of the $250 Airbnb gift card.
3) I will send out the limited edition bookmarks. Please send me your address if you would like one. Either DM through Inkshares, or to jacquicastle@gmail.com
Stay tuned! -Jacqui
My sincerest apologies, dear readers, because “The Animal in Man” hasn’t made it into your hands yet. I’ve only recently learned that its production was delayed due to the book’s length.
I’ve been chipping away at the word count as much as I possibly can, but between my familial responsibilities and my new high-school teaching gig, there’s not much time left in the day for editing. I’ve been tasked with cutting 42% of my novel, so it’s going to be some time I’m afraid. I’m slitting the throats of some characters I cared a lot for, but I’m allowing a few others to live a bit longer.
One of the main characters who will not be cut is Feyn, the white wolf. Twenty years ago, when the campaign to eradicate all the insect Thraxians came to its close, Feyn - a Leoran knight of some renown - set off for his homeland, eager to see his wife and children again. When he returned at last, he found his estate ransacked, his castle burnt to the ground, and his son butchered. And he found the butchers. They soon overpowered him, struck a fatal blow across his face, leaving a wicked scar from his mouth to his ear, and threw him into the ditch alongside his wife’s corpse. But Feyn did not die there. During the attack, Feyn’s body fell unconscious as its parasitic spirit inexplicably fled. He regained himself - his true self - down there, in the dark. Feyn became something else entirely that night. A true animal.
So Feyn stays in the story. He’s been dead once already, you see. It doesn’t suit him.
I commissioned the character sketch for Feyn from the ultra-talented Ronald Orrego. You can find more of his work here, as well as his contact info if you need him. Tell him Joe sent ya.
Stay tuned, dear readers.
Most patient and dedicated Supporters,
I am happy to let you all know that the third draft has gone to my beta readers. I’m expecting their feedback to come back in about two weeks(ish?). From there, provided that everything goes well, I want to send the manuscript to Inkshares within a month.
I realize there’s a lot of "if" in this plan, but my goal is to get this book into the production process by early July at the earliest. My dearest hope is that your patience will be well-rewarded and that once you hold your copies of Lucky in your hands you will find that the wait has been worth it.
More news coming soon. As always, a galaxy of thanks for all of you.
Sincerely, Webster
Greetings hexers,
The finish line is in sight! As of right now, The Walls are Closing In has received 619 PREORDERS, leaving 131 TO GO!
I want to take a breath to express the appreciation that I am feeling for all of you, for rallying behind me and this book. Some of you are family members and close friends who sprang in without hesitation when I asked. Some of you are friends from my past with whom I had lost touch, but you still supported me when I reached out or when you happened to see the book circulating on social media. And, most of you, were complete strangers before this campaign began, but who nevertheless clicked the preorder button to support an unknown author.
I started writing this story over a year ago when our current political reality didn’t yet seem probable. The idea for The Walls are Closing In came to me during the primary election campaign. It began as a short story, and it snowballed from there. The first draft was complete by mid-summer 2016. At the time, I sincerely thought that the story would forever reside in the ‘alternative future’ category, but as events unfolded, the story evolved.
The themes explored in The Walls are Closing In cut a bit deeper with each passing day. In fact, I am currently making notes to rewrite certain backstory sections because, well, they have more or less happened over recent weeks and months.
Though it does walk the line between fact and fiction, more than anything The Walls are Closing In, like other fictional stories, is about the characters. There is a splash of romance and a healthy dose of perseverance as the main characters explore what makes life worth living by rooting out the joy in unlikely places. It is about digging deep, figuring out how to tap your own truth, regardless of what society throws at you.
On an unrelated-to-storyline note, I have noticed that as the campaign approaches the end, several people have gone back and placed additional orders. Thank you! Also, I received confirmation from Inkshares that if multiple e-books are purchased, that you will have the ability to share the additional files with friends and family. Each person can order a maximum of 10 total books (ebooks or paperback).
This is also the last chance to receive your name in the back of the book by ordering a ’super reader’ package of 3 paperbacks. Once 750 order mark is passed, the window will close on this opportunity. Again, for those just joining, this is that would look like (from another Inkshares book).
Again, thank you for the support. Hopefully, only one or two more campaign updates, before we move on to the fun of "in production" updates.
Until next time,
Jacqui
P.S. - Running a bit behind on the chapter 2 recording, but check the site at the beginning of next week and it should be up.
Hi everyone, I’m still here. Not in the Jaoquin Phoenix performance art sense, but in the "oh geez, I’m not talking to anyone much lately" sense.
A call to action. PLEASE REVIEW SINGLE VERSION ON AMAZON. That is the best way anyone out there can help me right now. And it does help. A lot. Go here and leave a review when you can: https://www.amazon.com/Single-Version-Scott-Barsotti/dp/1942645139
Reviews on Goodreads, Inkshares, and elsewhere are great too, but Amazon is where I need to see those numbers ramp up in order to continue pushing the book.
I saw CURE in the MOAB.
I saw CURE during NoDAPL.
I saw CURE in the United incident.
I saw CURE in that Pepsi ad.
I see CURE every time I open a news site, more and more everywhere these days...which is not comforting.
A lot of people have messaged me and said that SINGLE VERSION appears to be coming true, politically, socially, environmentally, technologically, and for the people reading it right now, I’ve heard that’s an eerie experience. I’ve heard "I’m glad I read this BEFORE the election" more than once.
I go back and forth about what this means.
So...tell me what this means. Is it good SCI-FI? Good HORROR? A good yarn, who cares about genres? Let me know. Email me or better yet, PLEASE REVIEW SINGLE VERSION ON AMAZON. Pretty please.
https://www.amazon.com/Single-Version-Scott-Barsotti/dp/1942645139