One last quick thank you

It was exactly one year ago today (at about this time) when I opened up These Are My Friends on Politics for funding. I immediately regretted that decision, and would momentarily regret it from time to time in the months to follow, but if you’re reading this, you’re responsible not only for taking that regret away, but also for scenes like these...

(Curious Iguana in Frederick, Md., sharing a table with the likes of The Underground Railroad)

(The Skokie, Ill., Barnes and Noble, which also happens to be the place I bought my first copies of The Writer’s Market and The Artist’s & Graphic Designer’s Market many many years ago)

...so thank you for that, and if I can return the favor in 2017, message me and let me know how, because I gladly will.

If you want to get a glimpse of what I’m up to next, read on. But if this is your stop, I just wanted to say thank you again.

One last quick favor

If you enjoyed the book and/or it helped spare you from a family blowout over the holidays, a review on Amazon is most appreciated (and a bigger deal than I would ever have assumed it was until I experienced the Amazon bookselling experience from the other side).

Here’s a link to take you straight there (and you need not have purchased the book from Amazon to leave a review there): http://amzn.to/2ivmSIC#customerReviews

One last quick update (until the next one) on what’s next

Books: I’m currently drafting this note in my de facto writing app (Ulysses, if you’re curious), and when I look at the notes library in the sidebar, I see large pieces of four new books staring back at me. Two represent a completely different direction, one is a similar approach to a new topic, and one is a book that will follow up on this one without being a retread no one needs. Publishing plans haven’t been finalized on any of them yet, but I don’t envision funding them similarly to how I funded this first one. Nevertheless, I’ll use this channel to announce them when ready. (If you aren’t interested in any of that, there’s an "unfollow" link at the bottom of this email, and I take no offense if this is your stop and you click it.)

Art: I’d started getting into selling art and showing in galleries before I decided to momentarily upend that by publishing a book, but those plans will resume at some point soon. If you attend a show or festival in the Chicago area this summer, maybe you’ll run into me. But if not, I’ll be maintaining on online gallery here and here. (If you see anything you love, you’re privy to a friend discount on the Etsy side using the altogether fitting coupon code THISISMYFRIEND.)

One last batch of Nina photos for no reason

Enjoy, happy 2017, and thank you again. 

I’ve been here before, sitting in the quiet before the end, wondering what lies on the other side of the storm. I am the crazy person who has entered four contests on Inkshares, one of which I won with a group of amazing talents much larger than mine.  Four contests in a year. I can mark them like seasons in my life on Inkshares.

The first contest was my introduction to Inkshares as a whole. The Nerdist contest came along at a time when I was waiting for my final edit to return on Shadow of the Owl, when I had already written a book, created a cover, bought my ISBNs and prepared to self-publish. I hit submit assuming many things, not the least of which was that it would easy (not unlike self-publishing on its own).

Next I tossed Deus Hex Machina into the Sword & Laser the Sequel contest, largely because I already had a funding campaign for Shadow of the Panther up on the site and didn’t want to resubmit. I’m glad I made that choice, because while I didn’t win that contest, I did get far enough to grab interest in the project from outside and even eventually get the book a light publishing contract. The outside interest ended up pushing me to write a book while I was funding it (something I highly suggest no one ever do), writing a book I originally thought would never see the light of day. It was at this point that I promised I would never do another contest, by the way.

When the Nerdist Video Game contest came along, I was at the right place at the right time with a group of writing colleagues who wanted to try something crazy -- submit an anthology. The result was a first place win for Too Many Controllers, to which I submitted a story I had been working on for years that is currently titled "Final Boss." I am incredibly proud of that story, mostly because it represents my overcoming a huge fear of short fiction that’s hounded me since I let fear push me out of the fiction side  of my creative writing degree at USC. 

And now, The List 2016 is drawing to a close. In little under six hours I will be ending my first year with Inkshares the way I began it: Watching a contest end. I  find myself introspective (obviously) rather than dejected at the results of this contest. Sitting seventh in a contest that I was invited into is a rather big honor. I have a finished manuscript waiting until the contest closes today, one that I firmly believe is the best writing I’ve ever done.  No matter what result happens from this contest, I will be able to look back at this year with Inkshares and smile. I have one book published, two more in production once I send in DHM, and many more projects. I have found a community of disparate writers from around the world, and a strange and wonderful company that links them all together in this crazy publishing fever dream. 

What’s next up for me in 2017? I am about to write another couple of short stories in the Shadow of the Owl universe. Once I have those done and published I’ll be planning out the sequel to DHM and then hammering out the next (and final) version of Shadow of the Panther. That book needs to be finished -- it’s been restarted so many times at this point that it must assume I don’t love it. Luckily I have the outline complete on what it’s going to look like, and I think I’ve settled on a premise that will fit the fantasy of the series while still innovating within it.

Two stories, two books, zero contests: that sounds like a great year to me. If 2016 was the year of funding books, I think 2017 will be the year of writing books, and maybe even publishing a couple too.  That sounds pretty great to me.

Hello, friend!

As you know, Devil’s Call was chosen for Inkshares’ 2016 The List, which is a contest to see which of the site’s top-rated but as-yet unpublished manuscripts will get the full publication treatment.

Devil’s Call has been parked at 9th place since the contest began, which is nothing to sneeze at. In order to win the contest, we need to sell the most unique preorders between now and December 31st.

I personally will be content if we sell another 116 preorders, which will put us at a nice round 250. So my humble request to you:

If you already preordered your copy, I appreciate you. There’s a Recommend button on Devil’s Call’s page that will generate a code for you to share with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, if you haven’t already.

If you’re on the fence about preordering, I’ve uploaded the revised first chapter. This is the chapter that will be going to my editor and coming back with line notes, but it already looks immensely better than it did six months ago. Your preorder will help ensure this novel looks and sounds the best it can when it hits shelves next year.

And, since I have a reputation to uphold, here is an appropriate gif to wrap things up.

Happy Tuesday!

And then, all of a sudden, it was done.

Comrades!

Two quick things, as I have a deadline and have been on my feet all weekend:

1) Those of you who preordered already may have noticed you’ve been issued a refund. I lost track of the campaign deadline due to things happening that I’m not at liberty to discuss yet, but I’ve been issued a second extension because

2) Apparently Inkshares has this The List 2016 contest thing happening and Devil’s Call was chosen as one of the contestants and if I get more readers/preorders than the other 34 people on the list then something happens. Publication, I think. Or bragging rights. IDK.

Here is a gif to celebrate the fact that I have to cashier not only on Turkey Day, but on Black Friday.

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Thanks for your support, as always,
J.