As the contest winds down (there’s about 24 hours left!) I’d like to take this moment to say Thank You to each and every one of you. Whether you pre-ordered, shared, gave feedback, or followed, every moment of support has meant so much to me. There are a few people who went above and beyond that I’d like to acknowledge by name.

• Jack, Karen, and Joe Brennecke - They made the incredible video that most of you have probably seen by now. If you haven’t, go check it out now! (https://youtu.be/dhLMbM58STo) I’m still in awe and may have to re-watch it another 50 times ;)

• They were also a phenomenal force in rallying the troops. As were Dave Burns, Caitlin Brennecke, Kathleen Brennecke, Charlotte Robinson, Lynda Lichti, Diane Denesowicz, Michele Williams, Andy Hollstein, Heather Tankle, Katey McNamara, and Erica Beam. Asking others for time and money is an uncomfortable task at best, and having someone else help out made a world of difference.

• John Robin, author of Blood Dawn (https://www.inkshares.com/projects/blood-dawn?recommended=true) - He created a wonderful community for the writers of Inkshares; Somewhere we could go to share insights, do some cross-promotion, and cheer each other on. He also featured me on his blog: https://epicfantasywriter.wordpress.com/2015/08/26/world-builders-c-brennecke

At this point, I think it’s safe to say that Seven Shards: The Colors of Wine will not be one of the five winners, but all is not lost! I will continue to leave the project live on Inkshares to see if it can make it to its long term goal. In the meantime, I will re-focus on the most important part: finishing the book!

This contest has truly been a wonderful experience, and was quite the crash-course in self-promotion as well! I’ve learned a lot and I’m so thankful for every moment. Here are a few highlights I’d like to share:

• I’ve done some major networking and will most likely have a group project or two in the works by this time next year. I can’t wait to get started on that and to tell you more!

• Someone I very much look up to, but have never met in real life, ordered a copy! She has been a huge source of inspiration to me, and is partly responsible for activating my writing bug, so you can imagine how exciting that moment was!

• I received three pre-orders from overseas! How cool is that? I’m not sure who they are, so you’re one of them - Hi! and thank you!

• I shared my writing publically for the very first time, and I survived! It was a scary step, but I’m so glad I did it.

That’s about all I have to say for now, other than THANK YOU all again!!!

We're closing in on the end of the contest. I wanted to just make a quick update, pointing out that, after a flurry of activity, The Children of the Forest is only 15 sales from breaking into the top 20! If you're one of my followers who has been holding on grabbing a copy, now would be the time! Please recommend my book to everyone you know, and help me secure my place on the top! 

Chapter 8 updated and tweaked. Chapter 9+10 will hopefully be finished this weekend. I am 8 sales away from breaking 100-! Help me get there!

Friends. Romans. Countrymen. (Supporters. Followers. Fellow human beings.)

I am 6 readers from tying for the 20th spot in the competition. Surely we can drum up at least that many more.

Please, if you haven't ordered and you don't have a dog in this fight, pre-order a copy now. If you *are* in the fight but are exceptionally magnanimous, by all means, please order a copy, too.

But I must especially entreat those who have already backed me: spread the word. I implore you. Share my book with at least one person you know. Whether they're a dyed-in-the-wool sci-fi geek (preferable) or just a beneficent soul (that works, too), give them the link to my book (refer, them, get more credits, buy more books!), and encourage them to follow through!

Am I going to storm up the ranks into the top-5? Yeah, if 400 readers suddenly fall in my lap over the next 9 1/2 days ... but maybe miracles do happen.

However, if they don't, real human pluck and perseverance is A-OK by me. I'm not going to sniff at breaking into the front-page rankings. But I need your help to get there.

I'll say it again: I'm your Leia. Be my Obi-wan Kenobi; you're my only hope.