Greetings Supporters of Crow’s Gambit! 

I’m past due to give an update and I’m getting some questions on the book, so today we’re doing a quick reset to get everyone on the same page. 

Did the book get published? Not yet. To get an automatic publishing deal we needed to finish in the top three of the Nerdist Sci-Fi Contest. We finished in a strong 5th place. And that was great, I am seriously proud of that accomplishment. 

Then what happens now? I’ve taken the option of trying to sell enough Pre-Orders to get a publishing deal anyway. While the contest was all about unique people ordering the goal is now about shear number of orders. If we can get to 250 the book gets a basic publishing deal. 

If you want people to Pre-Order why haven’t we heard from you? Well there’s this other thing called being a university professor. We just finished the first week of classes. The last two weeks of trying to resolve student and faculty issues has been chaos (I know some of you receiving this will understand). I’m also training to do a 100k (that’s 62 miles)…so there’s that little bit of insanity to deal with too. 

What has been happening with the book then? There are these things on Inkshares called Syndicates. Syndicates are groups of people that pool their money and support books focused on a common theme. During the summer Crow’s Gambit was selected as a pick by both the “Break the Bechdel with Strong Female Characters Syndicate” and the “Staff Syndicate”. This support really does mean a lot to me. 

So what do we need to do? As of today Crow’s Gambit has 178 Pre-Orders. We need 72 more to hit the Quill publishing goal. Tell your friends. Ask me for some book business cards to hand out. Post a Review of the book on Inkshares. Share the information with your friends on Facebook. Pledge to buy another copy if I finish the 100k? 

Anything else I should know? Yes. Don’t forget that part of the Crow’s Gambit proceeds will go to support the Le Sueur Public Library. For every order $1 will be donated. 

So there you go. Other questions, comments, or discussion on the book is always welcome. Stay tuned. 

PT 

I have a tendency to disappear sometimes. Actually, to escape. And at times escape so thoroughly that it’s like I can feel the whole Earth turning beneath me, forgetting it’s left me behind. ...but then I snap out of it, and I realize it’s really just my fault. I’ve been quiet a little too long. This reader update is long, long overdue.

As of this writing, The Animal in Man has sold 495 copies. As of months and months ago, that number was practically the same. I realized today I would very much like to see 500, and I’m asking all of those who have followed the novel recently to make a pre-order and help me achieve that goal. Of course, I’ve also been working on my sales pitch:

The Animal in Man is like Lord of the Flies, but instead of asking whether young men beguiled by the beast inside can ever be human again, the story asks if there’s something human already in every beast. Instead of stumbling, terrified, through a jungle of fear, they are born in a world of constant violence, perhaps designed that way by its creator. Are we so very different, I wonder. 

The original description I typed years ago when I first launched the inkshares page are still true, perhaps more than ever before: The Animal in Man “is our story. The story of mankind." But if words alone aren’t enough to earn your pre-order, then consider these images.

When you read The Animal in Man, what you’ll see first is this:

But it’s really all about this:

It’s about why anyone would ever think violence could be the answer. It’s about my belief that all of us at some point in our life have heard that whisper inside our hearts that says this it might just be. 

Is it?

Friends, Readers, and Sorcerers All,

Much has happened in the last month. We’re about six weeks away from publication, and the momentum is increasing. First, we’ve booked several more signing events in October. You can click on the links below to attend. It would be great to see as many of you in person as possible!

13 October, 2017 - Westlake, OH

14 October, 2017 - Oak Park, IL

18 October, 2017 - Redlands, CA

21 October, 2017 - Burbank, CA

30 October, 2017 - Pasadena, CA 

We will let you know as more events are added. If anyone knows people who work at bookstores, libraries, or middle schools, especially on the West Coast, please let us know. We’d love to set up as many events as possible to build buzz, and personal connections are incredibly helpful in such a crowded marketplace. 

Secondly, reviews have been coming in from early readers on Goodreads and NetGalley. Some highlights:

“Absolutely amazing! After reading this book, I didn’t want to put it down, even when I reached the last word.” (5 out of 5 stars)

“I could not put this book down … hopefully the author will expand on the universe.” (5 out of 5 stars)

“I loved the way the story was peppered with spells and footnotes…I can see this quickly becoming a cult classic and I hope this becomes a series with more volumes to follow!” (4 out of 5 stars)

“JK Rowling meets VE Schwab. Highly recommend!” (4 out of 5 stars)

It’s really humbling and awesome to see people we don’t know enjoying the book, especially since everyone involved worked so hard on it. And speaking of hard work…the final cover is FINISHED. I will be able to reveal that in about a week or so, but it looks really amazing and unique. My first thought when I saw it was, “If I found this in a bookstore when I was 10, it would have blown my mind.” 

And honestly, that’s my real hope with this book—that some kid I don’t know will pick it up and be as excited as I was to discover the Chronicles of Narnia, The Lord of the Rings, The Dark is Rising, or Harry Potter. (Not that I expect to sell anywhere near that many copies, I just want kids to enjoy it.) 

If you haven’t yet, please put Sorcery for Beginners on your wish lists at Amazon, Goodreads, Powell’s, Walmart, or wherever you buy books. It really helps us in terms of bookstore preorders. Thanks again for all the support, and we’ll have another update soon!

mh

My apologies for being out of the loop for the past 10 months. It’s amazing how life gets in the way. I swear the biggest obstacle in my life is myself. But finally have some time to reboot The Bully Book 

Just a quick update to let everyone know that the beginning stages of the developmental editing process are proceeding nicely. I promised a behind-the-scenes look, so read on if you’re interested in hearing more....

My developmental editor, Matt Harry, and I have spent the past month passing an 11-page outline back and forth. At this point, we have settled on the arc for the story as a whole, and the arcs of the main characters.

I am thrilled with the tweaks to the original storyboard and feel that the alterations and additions to the initial plot will serve to reinforce the themes. I am eager to see where it leads.

Now that the outline is complete, we are moving on. I am currently spending a few hours a day working on rewriting and editing the first 100 pages to turn over to Matt so that he can provide page-specific notes. As of now, I have worked through about 60% of the first section, and hope to complete it within a week.

Matt will then work through the first 100 pages as I edit and rewrite the next 100 pages. We will then do this with a final section (the book will likely end up between 250 and 300 pages). Because we are adding new scenes and drastically altering others, the second and third segments will take a bit longer to work through.

After the first round is complete, we will rinse and repeat a couple of times until we are both happy with the story.

So, there you have it. As always, thank you for the support. Every day that I sit down and write, I think of all of you. I am forever grateful for this opportunity.

Until next time,

-Jacqui

Quick update!

Thank you for hanging in there, everyone!

I’m nearing the end of the first phase of developmental editing, which means that the story itself is getting a polished shine so bright you’ll be able to see your face in the cover when you get the book (subject to glossiness of the actual cover). This means in the coming weeks I will be moving on to rewrites. The developmental editing process has been incredible. Mr. Butler and friends have truly come out on top through this process. Endless thanks to Matt Harry, my editor, for his patience with me during a difficult summer, his ability to see the story the same way I see it, and his willingness to challenge me along the way. 

"Cool. So when do I get my book?"

I’m working hard to try and get it into your hands during the first half of next year. I can’t thank you all enough for your investment in my dream to become a published author. I realize it’s unconventional to buy a book two years before getting it, but the end will pay off, I promise. Inkshares books are still getting published faster than traditional publishers’s books, and all the while they are gaining international attention, securing TV, movie, and audiobook deals, and winning awards. This momentum is no doubt part of the careful attention they are giving to books like mine. This is a dream, and I thank you all for your investment. 

If you wish to see my other writing, poetry, and music while you wait, please take a look at talltalestold.com. It’s my personal blog and home for all things writing. You can watch me become a Viking and play guitar...but not in the same entry...yet. 

If you’re on Facebook, stop by and give Tall Tales Told a "like." There’s also a group on that page where I post the Mr. Butler news and updates, in case you’d prefer seeing them on there rather than through an email. 

That’s all I’ve got for now. I’d better get back to work.

Thank you for your support, as always. 

Love, 

Michael

Quick update!

Thank you for hanging in there, everyone!

I’m nearing the end of the first phase of developmental editing, which means that the story itself is getting a polished shine so bright you’ll be able to see your face in the cover when you get the book (subject to glossiness of the actual cover). This means in the coming weeks I will be moving on to rewrites. The developmental editing process has been incredible. Mr. Butler and friends have truly come out on top through this process. Endless thanks to Matt Harry, my editor, for his patience with me during a difficult summer, his ability to see the story the same way I see it, and his willingness to challenge me along the way. 

"Cool. So when do I get my book?"

I’m working hard to try and get it into your hands during the first half of next year. I can’t thank you all enough for your investment in my dream to become a published author. I realize it’s unconventional to buy a book two years before getting it, but the end will pay off, I promise. Inkshares books are still getting published faster than traditional publishers’s books, and all the while they are gaining international attention, securing TV, movie, and audiobook deals, and winning awards. This momentum is no doubt part of the careful attention they are giving to books like mine. This is a dream, and I thank you all for your investment. 

If you wish to see my other writing, poetry, and music while you wait, please take a look at talltalestold.com. It’s my personal blog and home for all things writing. You can watch me become a Viking and play guitar...but not in the same entry...yet. 

If you’re on Facebook, stop by and give Tall Tales Told a "like." There’s also a group on that page where I post the Mr. Butler news and updates, in case you’d prefer seeing them on there rather than through an email. 

That’s all I’ve got for now. I’d better get back to work.

Thank you for your support, as always. 

Love, 

Michael