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Howdy, folks. Only a day remains in that 72-Hour Challenge I announced on Saturday afternoon. So far, the response has been rather light. Please help me nudge that pre-order total a little higher. It will influence the editors’ decision whether or not to publish Bane of All Things.

Consider this:

“If half the people in the world who are trying to publish a novel disappeared tomorrow, publishers and agents probably wouldn’t notice.”

No, that’s not a twist on Thanos and his finger snap in Avengers. This is the hard truth spoken by a friend of mine in one of his writer workshops. As someone who is a published author and also works in the industry, he knows what he’s talking about.

His point is that publishers are overwhelmed by hopeful authors in waiting. There are more great manuscripts on their doorstep than they have the capacity to publish. Making the hard choice between this great manuscript or that one often comes down to the author – are they reliable, professional and not an a-hole?

If this sounds like an interview for that dream job everyone wants, you’re right.

Inkshares is different than a traditional publisher. Here, it is the potential of the manuscript, the character of the author AND that pre-order total. A strong pre-order total shows there is a community willing to support the author and their work. This grass-roots validation influences the Inkshares editors’ opinion about the potential of the manuscript to do well.

It’s fair to say that 400+ is a strong pre-order total, but we have the opportunity to make it even stronger as we wait for the editors to complete their review of BoAT.

So, I am asking you, hat humbly in hand, to help me nudge that pre-order total just a little higher by placing another pre-order or recruiting a friend/family member to the cause.

Cheers

Leo

Howdy, folks. I’ve got a new contest for you – a 72-hour challenge. The prize will be a personal memento that has graced my office wall and served as my writing inspiration for two decades.

It’s a map.

Not just any map. It’s the laminated and dry-mounted wall hanger version of the map of Islaria that adorns the Story Page for Bane of All Things on Inkshares. The prize winner will get this unique item, signed by me.

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But I am not going to just give this baby away.

Here are the contest rules:

1.     To qualify for the draw, you must order one or more additional copies of BoAT, and/or bring on board a new supporter, between now and Tuesday at 5 pm EST. Do both, and your name is entered twice.

(If you are currently following BoAT but haven’t yet pre-ordered any copies, you must pre-order at least two to qualify, or, pre-order one copy and get a friend to do so, too.)

2.     We must achieve two milestones for the draw to proceed:

i)     First, there must be new pre-orders placed by at least 15 people (both existing and new supporters) within this 72-hour period. (Last weekend, we had 14 people rise to the challenge and pre-order a total of 30 copies within 52 hours).

ii)    Second, BoAT must be chosen for publication by Inkshares. If it isn’t, you all know how this works – everyone gets a full and unconditional refund.

For my 5+ pre-orders crowd

I also hinted yesterday about an additional thank you, should BoAT be chosen for publication, for everyone who has pre-ordered five or more copies.

In addition to the signed 12x18 poster of The Sword & The Skull artwork for anyone who has pre-ordered two or more copies, five+ supporters will also receive a signed poster version of the map. So, if you are sitting at four pre-orders right now, all it takes is one more ebook.

What is the story with this map?

I’ve always thought a great fantasy tale must have a map. In my youth, the first thing I would do when I picked up a new book was flip to the map –  Feist’s Midkemia, Tolkien’s Middle Earth, Brook’s Four Lands, McKiernan’s Mithgar, Donaldson’s The Land, even Varley’s living space station, Gaea (OK, that’s science fiction).

Inspired by these mythic places and the characters who inhabited them, any story I set out to write of course had to begin with a map of its own. This once involved sheets of poster board and a fresh stock of markers and art pencils. Then I went digital.

Way back in 1999, I was working at the Kingston Whig-Standard (the daily newspaper in Kingston, Ontario, for those of you who haven’t heard of it) doing photo and graphics work. In my spare time, I employed my skills in Photoshop to create the map of Islaria. 

Yep – this story has been gestating for that long. The current version is in fact the second reboot of the original. 

The story may have substantially changed, by the world in which it takes place has not. Sure, I’ve made some tweaks. The world of BoAT was originally comparable to 14th century Europe in terms of its socio-political structure and technology. Now it’s more like the 17th century, with muskets and cannon and the first hints of a steam-driven industrial revolution to come. It’s a world where Dumas’s musketeers might fit, though it is better suited to Howard’s moody and grim Solomon Kane.

It’s a world I hope to share with you, but first, we have to give Inkshares every reason to publish BoAT. Help me make this happen by nudging up that pre-order total just a little more. 

Cheers

Leo

Hey there, it’s been a while. Well, that was intentional. I grew tired of never having meaningful updates, promises for the future and how great things were going to be, blah, blah--bleh! So I wanted to wait until something worth reporting actually occurred. 

Here’s one: I turned in my manuscript to Inkshares today! So, to clarify:

• No, the book isn’t lost in the mail and you missed it.
• I haven’t abandoned the project. Quite the opposite. 
• I will now await marching orders and proceed accordingly. 
• There will be an honest to God actual timeline popping up of where the book is, and when it will be coming out.
• Welcome, and thank you to my new supporters!

That’s it. Stay well and stay tuned. Have a great weekend!

Dream on,

Kevin

Hey, folks. I have news!

It’s NOT bad news. On the other hand, it’s not quite the “Grace Above, that’s awesome!” news we have been hoping for.

But you could say I have unlocked the next level. Getting past 400 pre-orders has earned Bane of All Things a full read by Inkshares editors. The manuscript is now in their hands. I expect a decision before the end of the month.

As I have said before, earning publication with Inkshares is dependent now on the “combined score” of three different things:

·     Pre-orders to date

·     The state of the manuscript

·     Those other non-pre-order metrics Inkshares is tracking behind the scenes

Of these three, pre-orders is the only one we can obviously influence. I said over the weekend that I wouldn’t extend this campaign unless some new development justified it. Well, I’d say we got justified this afternoon. 

Inkshares editors are still watching that pre-order total. They do want to see it continue to rise. So long as the jury is out on the manuscript itself, it only makes sense to keep the campaign active with an extension.

You will see a 30-day extension appear on the campaign clock this evening. It’s not time to take the foot of the gas quite yet – helping push up that pre-order total still matters. Maybe now more than ever.

I thank you all for your patience and your support and humbly ask that you stick with me just a little while longer.

As promised, I will send the note out this coming Friday about the prize draws and winners.

Cheers

Leo

Good morning! No, this is not an April Fool’s joke. Thanks to Linda S., Ian G. and Peter B., we reached 401 pre-orders last night.

And here we are, the last day of the campaign. What will happen next? I don’t know. Nothing is certain. If you still intended to place another pre-order or nudge a friend or family member to do so, please do. The campaign ends this evening, so don’t wait!

As I said in my updates over the weekend, there will be an additional prize draw now that we have reached 400. And there will be an additional thank you souvenir for each and every one of you who pre-ordered two or more copies and/or referred someone else, if  Inkshares agrees to publish Bane of All Things.

That’s all for now. Fingers crossed!

Cheers

Leo

Good morning, everyone. Happy Ides of March.

Today is supposed to be the day. The campaign for Bane of All Things is currently slated to end around 8 pm EDT tonight.

I could let it end. Or we could push on with the goal of passing 400 pre-orders.

Last Friday was supposed to be the end, too, but adding another week to the campaign paid off. Since Monday morning alone, 26 additional pre-orders! We currently stand at 359.

Is this total enough, when added to those other metrics besides pre-orders that Inkshares is also tracking against BoAT? I don’t know yet, nor can I say at this moment when I might. I had hoped to have something more substantial to tell you at this point, but patience is a virtue, in this world, and the world of BoAT, too.

On the firm belief that no news is good news, I am inclined to keep BoAT in the race. Today, I will have the campaign extended until April 1 (yes, I know what day that is). Fingers crossed that in that time, there will be a definitive determination made about BoAT’s fate.

I humbly ask for your continued patience and support.

As I have stressed in recent updates, keeping that pre-order total ticking up is the important thing we can all focus on to increase the odds of success. Please continue to spread the word to friends and family and consider ordering additional copies. If we cross 400, there will be a new prize added to that list of draws!

If you haven’t had a chance to read the four sample chapters up on the site, please do, and leave a Review/Recommendation – this activity also boosts BoAT’s standings.

It’s been a long ride and I thank you all for jumping onboard with me. When I have news to share, you will all be first to know. Regardless of what that news might be, it will then be time for those prize draws!

Happy reading.

Leo

Good morning, everyone! In the past 10 hours, we have shot past the 350 pre-order mark thanks to the support of old and new. A shout out to our new supporters: The TIE Ottawa crew (Bharat R., Sanjeev S., Kevin F. and Bernie F.), as well as Julian M., Greg M., Janet F., Jantine V., Cindy P., Ricky R., Samantha G. and Rosemary S.

This already-extended campaign is due to end this Friday evening -- the Ides of March, no less. Hopefully this date proves more auspicious for me than it did for Julius Caesar!

Achieving 356 pre-orders is an amazing milestone, but still not a guarantee that I will earn a contract offer from Inkshares. As I announced last week, Bane of All Things was Inkshares Staff Syndicate pick for February. I have also been asked about the state of my manuscript. These are both very good signs that have my fingers crossed.

Now more than ever I need your help to finish strong. Any and all last-minute support matters. I also want to give a shout out to existing supporters who have stepped up in recent days to pre-order additional copies or enlist others to the cause: Francis M., Ian G., Bryan Y., Howard C., Megan A., Yves B., Elle P. and Jacqui C.

If you haven’t already, please lend me your support with a pre-order. If you have a few dollars more to pre-order another ebook copy, please do. And if you have anyone in mind you could also recruit to the cause, now is the time. Those prize draws I promised last time are still pending!

This whole endeavour wouldn’t be anywhere without you. I am truly humbled by the support and encouragement you have all so graciously given.

Cheers

Leo Valiquette