Tahani Nelson liked an update for The Spark Internal

Hello, 

As you all know the contest has come to an end and today my campaign ends. Although I didn’t get a lot of orders the support and encouragement that I got was amazing. Those of you who actually did order a copy I cant express what that means even though I didn’t make it. This contest was full of amazing stories and I was glad to be a part of it. Admittedly, I wasn’t ready for it but it was certainly a learning experience I will use in the future. So what does this mean for me and my book? Only that my dream will take a little longer. I’m going to keep writing this story and when I believe I’m ready I’ll try again. Shadow demons aren’t the only thing that can return with a vengeance. Sorry....lame joke  :P

So whats next then? I’m going to focus on finishing the book. Occasionally, I’ll still post here and give you all an update of what I’m doing (next week I’m thinking about making a post of the Qivar hierarchy). What a great month to make some progress too right? I didn’t know about NaNoWriMo but I’m doing my best to catch up for my late start. Also as my small social circle didn’t yield anything and my attempts of advertising outside of it didn’t do much, i’ll be trying to figure out a plan on how to spread the word better. If anyone has any options or advice on that they’d like to share please let me know. 

 Once again thank you everyone. I hope you’ll all continue to stay with me and we can rally again to make some magic happen in the future.
-jacob

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    Tahani Nelson liked an update for Leaf Falling

    Well, friends, it was an epic campaign, and you all were fantastic for your support. The book came in about 15th out of more than 400 entries, which I think is pretty good for a first time out: 103 readers willing to offer money for a book they could only get a glance at is encouraging.

    The contest has ended, and so I will be moving forward, looking into other publishing opportunities. If you’d like to keep track of when the book will be available, you can like the Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/LeafQuest/) or send me an email letting me know of your continued interest.

    Thanks to all the backers and the followers who expressed interest. Thanks to my wife for putting up with all my obsession over the book. Thanks to Devin Parker for the excellent cover art, and to him and his lady wife for helping me sharpen my video. Thanks to the many of you who gave good promotional advice and words of encouragement, and who helped spread the word. And thanks to God for the dream, for the promises, and for the blessing to make the attempt.

    Leaf will be coming one day soon; she will not be kept down. Godspeed, all.

    M. Slusser
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      Tahani Nelson sent an update for The Last Faoii

      Greetings, Faoii! Are you all ready to hear which of our brothers and sisters get to name/design the seven characters in our contest? Yes? Great!

      But first you have to wait and listen to me talk about something else for a second.

      Today is November 1st. For many writers, this is the beginning of NaNoWriMo-- a month where we all set a writing goal and dedicate ourselves to bettering our craft. A lot of people spend this first day feeling bad about how little they wrote, promising to do better. But guess what! Even if you didn’t write a single word today, you’re still doing better than me! My word count for the first day of November: -3,000 words. That’s right. No matter how bad-off you are, you’re NOT in the negatives. So go you!

      haha. I am still going through my final edit of The Last Faoii. When I first finished it and started querying it to agents 3 years ago, it was at an atrocious 117,346 words spread over 19 chapters. I, of course, had no idea that it needed so much help and sent it out to 200 agents without a care in the world. Thank god someone told me that it was too long and inspired me to truly look at it and see what was to be done. It has been through 15 or so edits since then, each one bringing it closer to perfection than the last.

      I still have about 40 pages to get through, but as of now The Last Faoii is 97,096 words spread out over 41 easier-to-digest chapters. My fantoii cut through all that was unnecessary to the ultimate goals of our army, its blade dripping with superfluous description and bulky exposition. Nearly 20,000 words have met their end in the name of greatness.

      Looking back now, the worst thing I could have heard at the time (It’s too long. It’ll never be published) turned out to be a blessing. Because it forced me to make something better. Something amazing. I read over the first 30 pages of both versions today to see the difference-- and I could not be more pleased with the changes that have come. 97k words is still probably too long for most publishers, but not with inkshares. Not with all of you backing me up. So thank you. And good luck with your own writing for NaNo!

      Okay. On to the contest:

      1. Current Name: Mollie-Faoii
      Now in the hands of Zack Jordan

      2. Current Name: Faoii-Leigh
      Now in the hands of K.E. Madsen

      3. Current Name: Ray Goodman
      Now in the hands of Joshua Griffith

      4. Current Name: Linda Goodman
      Now in the hands of Megan Galindo

      5. Current Name: Samuel Harkins
      Now in the hands of Amanda Garner

      6. Current Name: Faoii-Joanna
      Now in the hands of Jesse Moore

      7. Current Name: Faoii-Elizabeth
      Now in the hands of  Scott R. Mcinnes


      Congratulations to all the winners! I’ve contacted you with a direct message either on inkshares or on facebook! I really look forward to seeing what you all come up with! 

      That’s it for today, Faoii! Dismissed and happy writing!

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        Tahani Nelson liked an update for Storm Song

        Good afternoon, Sailors!

        Well... we did it! It feels surreal right now, but it’s official! Storm Song is listed as the #2 finish of the Geek & Sundry fantasy contest.y The last 3 ’months have been incredibly intense and stressful, but so so so worth it. 

        I’ll be keeping you guys updated on what’s what as this progresses. 

        Thank you again. I’ll update again when I can be more coherent and not just a bundle of overwhelming emotions  

        Until then!

        - Allison

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          Tahani Nelson sent an update for The Last Faoii

          Hey, Faoii! Here’s some information to get you all ready for the NAME A CHARACTER contest I’m drawing for tomorrow.

          I know I told you that I had three characters that were up for renaming, but I’ve since decided that that’s just not enough. So, instead, I’ve come up with 7 characters in The Last Faoii that need better names and descriptions than what I’ve had them under 

          The seven characters are listed below. I’ve included what they’re currently named, what they currently look like, and a brief description of their role in the story. If I draw your name in the contest tomorrow then you get to change their given name and physical aspects to whatever you desire (within reason. I will not have any Boaty McBoatface’s in this book). Unfortunately, their role in the story is fixed, so you won’t be able to change that part. But I thought that knowing a bit about them might help you to pick awesome names/descriptions!

          Oh. One more thing--I know that there are only 2 male characters listed here. Sorry. The male characters in The Last Faoii are very specifically named because of how lineage works in the book, so I couldn’t offer up many of them for this contest. I’m sure you understand.
           
          Okay, here we go! Good luck! 

          1. Current Name: Mollie-Faoii 
          Current hair color: Red.
          Current eye color: Green
          Age: 15
          Role: Mollie is Kaiya’s shield sister and significant other in the Monastery of the Eternal Blade. Bonded for life as shieldmates, these two have done nearly everything together since birth. While intimate relationships are not unheard of in the faoii order, few couples develop a bond as strong as that of Kaiya and Mollie and there is no question about their love for one another (despite their almost-constant bickering).

          2. Current Name: Faoii-Leigh 
          Current hair color: Chestnut brown.
          Current eye color: Hazel 
          Age: 32
          Role: Faoii-Leigh is one of the ascended of the Monastery of the Eternal Blade. She is a stalwart fighter, a fair trainer, and a woman of irrepressible spirit. During the croeli attack on Kaiya’s monastery, she fights to protect Kaiya and the other unascended maidens.

          3. Current Name: Ray Goodman  
          Current hair color: Silver hair/black mustache
          Current eye color: Dark Brown
          Age: 43
          Role: Ray is one of the citizens of Resting Oak-- the town located closest to Kaiya’s monastery. As a regular citizen caught in the middle of a bloody revolution, he is the representation of what might be lost in the Faoii-Croeli war, and the embodiment of everything Kaiya has sworn to protect.

          4. Current Name: Linda Goodman 
          Current hair color: Graying blonde
          Current eye color: Blue
          Age: 39 
          Role: Linda is Ray’s wife and another symbol of everything Kaiya has sworn to uphold. Afraid of losing everything she has, but absolutely sure of the faoii Order’s invincibility and protection, she refuses to give in to the croeli demands-- no matter the cost.

          5. Current Name: Samuel Harkins 
          Current hair color: Brown. 
          Current eye color: Green 
          Age: 16  
          Role: Harkins is a shy but incredibly loyal soldier in Kaiya’s inner circle. As one of the few members of Kaiya’s band not to be raised as either faoii or croeli, Harkins serves as a reminder that the war being fought affects more than just the rival factions-- and is resolute in his belief that no one can afford to sit on the sidelines.

          6. Current Name: Faoii-Joanna 
          Current hair color:  Fiery Red.
          Current eye color: Black
          Age: 22
          Role: There is no doubt that Faoii-Joanna is mad. Driven crazy by grief and the side effects of croeli magic, she is an uncertain ally to Kaiya and her army.  Best describes as a "loose cannon," Joanna has the skill and the determination to bring down her foes-- but not necessarily the mental stability to properly recognize who that is.

          7. Current Name: Faoii-Elizabeth 
          Current hair color: none (previously blonde). 
          Current eye color: none (previously blue) 
          Age: 25 
          Role: Enslaved by the croeli as part of powerful spell, Faoii-Elizabeth becomes a willing servant to the gods and a possible savior to the faoii Order--but only if Kaiya can save her in time. Capable of seeing all parts of the Eternal Tapestry as well as being able to control all those affected by tonicloran, Elizabeth might be the most powerful faoii in existence.

          So there you go! Doesn’t this sound like fun?? I’m so excited to see what the winners come up with! Good luck again! I’ll announce the winners tomorrow!

          Faoii-Tahani
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            Tahani Nelson sent an update for The Last Faoii

            Updates, Faoii!

            I promised you all you’d get an audio version of Chapter 3 if we got 275 pre-orders. One day later and BOOM! We’re there. So, here you go, as promised:

            Chapter 3 (Audio) On Youtube

            Now, if you’ve been paying attention to The Last Faoii for a long time, then you probably know that those first 3 chapters were all written in one night after a muse whispered to me in my sleep and inspired me to create something amazing. They’ve been edited more times than I can count, now, but the core of the story and the world are still in those first three chapters. They were the beginning,the spark that ignited The Last Faoii and I always wanted them to be available to anyone who might be interested. I’m glad to finally be able to provide you with audio versions of those first three chapters, as well. 

            Now that the beginning of the story is available in different formats, you’ll have to work a little bit harder to get new material. If you want to see Chapter 4, I need 10 new pre-orders. 10. Get us to 185 and I’ll put it up. Not difficult, right? Well, not for faoii anyway.

            I’ll see you when we have more warriors on the field.

            -Faoii-Tahani

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              Tahani Nelson sent an update for The Last Faoii

              Updates, Faoii! Listen up!

              I promised you all that I would do an audio version of Chapter 2 if we made it to 270 pre-orders. We’ve done that, so I’m upholding my end of the bargain. You can listen to it on youtube by clicking HERE.

              Other than the audio chapter, I’ve been doing everything in my power to bring you perfection. I want us to take that hill-- I want us to stand at its summit with our war cries on our tongues and our victory in our hearts and for everyone to know that all of this finally came to fruition. That there’s some sort of karmic justice in the universe that repays hard work and determination. That at the end of next week we’ll know that The Last Faoii had finally earned mass publication and that maybe my health would finally improve and my heart wouldn’t be so tired all the time. Because dreams keep us going when other things don’t.

              But we’re warriors. We need contingency plans. Realism. I don’t know how to produce miracles-- I don’t know how to inspire you all any more than I’ve already tried to. I was never able to get us featured in the Inkshares blog like many of the other authors we’ve fought (and in some cases, overcome). I was never quite able to get us to 4th place in this contest, much less to the top 3. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop trying. You’d think after submitting The Last Faoii to 200 agents during its initial run 18 edits ago, I would be used to rejection-- to falling short. But I don’t, because it’s just not something I do. 

              I don’t know how to get us to the top of that hill. But I do know how to give you the best I can, no matter the outcome of the contest. Even if we fail at parts of the war, the victories we have will be perfect. There are no half measures here.

              So I’m editing again. I’m going through The Last Faoii a 19th and final time since its completion--looking for any errors, any sentence, any word that doesn’t add to the story. That doesn’t prove to be absolutely worthy of your attention. I’ve sent it out to two more beta readers (numbers 13 and 14 if that matters to you) with instructions to make it perfect. 

              If those that are following this army now are the only ones who are ever going to know how hard we fought to win this war-- if we will be the only ones to see the forces that Kaiya overcame just to exist, then I will make sure the reward at the end is worthy of the battle fought. 

              Shield up, Faoii. The end is coming and we will not meet it lying down.

              -Faoii-Tahani

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