Hi Readers!

I come bearing some pretty great news. As of this week, The Phantom Forest is being moved from the Quill collection to the "full" Inkshares catalog. So, what does this mean? 

Well, first of all it’s an awesome opportunity! Quill is a limited release platform, in which I had to do a lot of the marketing/design legwork myself, or hire outside vendors. The bump up to the Inkshares catalog basically means the book will get greater marketing/publicity support, more reviews, updated artwork, and likely an additional pass with their fantastic in-house editor. The best news is that we are still shooting for the same release date - November 13th! There’s a lot to do before then, but the team is working hard and I’m hopeful we will pull it off. 

Now, how did this happen? Because wonderful people like YOU started telling everyone how much you loved this book, and the Inkshares team listened. The Phantom Forest will enjoy a wider release and become accessible to even more readers because you made your voices heard. I am SO thankful I can’t even think straight. 

This will likely be my last update on the Inkshares website, as I’m going to move everything over to an email listserv. Next time ya’ll hear from me, I’ll have many more details about this new and exciting process! 

Thanks again everyone - this is truly a reader-driven platform and it appears the readers have spoken. You’re truly the best!

Liz

Hello friends!

I know what you must be thinking, “Eudai..what? Meghan, who?”

Which is a perfectly normal response when you haven’t heard from someone in months. To recap, I am Meghan Godwin and I wrote Eudaimonia, and you (very graciously) helped me get it on track to be published. We are now inexorably linked. Hooray!

I have been working diligently for the last few months to spruce up the Eudaimonia manuscript based on the comments, suggestions, and feedback from the developmental edit letter. Today, I am proud to report, I’m done… with that part. I have just emailed the first round of developmental edits for Eudaimonia. Double Hooray!

We are still a ways from “totally finished”, but this round of edits is a nice mile marker to pass on that road to “done”. And, as we keep passing mile markers I will keep updating you on our progress!

Thanks again for your help and support!

Pals forever,

Meghan Godwin

P.S. - To my new friends and followers, if you haven’t pre-ordered Eudaimonia yet you can do so here: https://www.inkshares.com/books/eudaimonia-48b598

EIGHTEEN DAYS

Dear friends and followers, I just looked at the calendar and realised: there are, as I type this, just eighteen days (and a couple of hours) to go until 31 July, when "A Gentleman’s Murder" is officially released into the wild.

If you happen to be in Montreal for the week following, there will be a book signing and launch event at the Indigo bookstore downtown (Place Montreal Trust, 1500 McGill College Avenue) on Saturday, 04 August from 1 pm to 4 pm.

In the meantime, if you’re in the U.S., there’s a GoodReads Giveaway happening with 25 free copies of the book to be won. Check it out and tell your friends.

And speaking of GoodReads, we’ve got a few reviews there already from readers with advance copies. Reviews have so far been complimentary -- let’s hope the trend keeps up! And I hope you’ll consider adding your own when you’re done.

EIGHTEEN DAYS!

“Most people are scared of those things that don’t sit still and pose for our official portrait of reality.”                                         -Tom Robbins, Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas

Aloha All,

Some great news to share that is tempered with a dose of reality and sprinkled with the dust of a hard drinking pixie.  After more than six months of working to improve the characters, story, and structure of Lost in the Fog, I finally finished the development edit.  Caroline Tolley, my editor, has helped make the book the best it can be.

The manuscript is now in the queue for publication with Inkshares!

The reality is the publisher is small and can only work on one to two books at a time, so I need to wait my turn.  Completely understandable (I took longer to finish the development edit so I’m to blame for being pushed back in the queue), but still a bit of a bummer.  I feel the book is ready to go (it’s been heavily edited), but the process is the process.  They are estimating it to start in September. 

The pixie dust is the sheer fact that Lost in the Fog is being published.  For something I started in 2004, finished the first draft in 2008, and then mostly abandoned until last year, I’m just happy to be at this point.  Making me smile even more, is that I’m not publishing my book on my own, I’m getting it in print because of all of you.  I needed at least 250 pre-orders for Inkshares to help me realize my dream, and I accomplished that with your awesome help.

If the publication process starts in September, there’s still a chance Lost in the Fog reaches your hands by the end of the year.  Though that might be too optimistic, and it’s never good to over promise and under deliver.   You’ve all been so amazingly patient, and we’re almost at the finish line.  Once I have more information on the publication date (or even a better estimate), I will share it with you immediately. 

But I hope you’ll raise a glass and toast with me that we’re one step closer.  Thank you and mahalo!

-Michael

Friday, October 5th, 7-9 PM at The Book Cellar in Chicago for THE ANIMAL IN MAN LAUNCH EVENT!!!

What better way to celebrate this announcement than with some new character concept art? Fresh from the digital canvas of the super-talented Nic Morales, may I introduce you to Zariel, also called “Old Four Swords,” and I think you can easily see why. 

Zariel is a genetically engineered octopus, hailing from Peskora, the tropical archipelagian nation far to the west where vast numbers of aquatic species dwell. Each of the four swords he wields are a technological marvel, capable of cutting any material clean in half, no matter its molecular composition. There is, in fact, a moment or two in The Animal in Man Part Two: Ferocious Heart when the lone octopus literally brings about the collapse of a tower.

Do you like this art? Did you like Nic’s previous concept for Saghan? Would you like a chance to have a signed poster of this thing hanging up in your office? From now until October 5th, all you have to do is make an order of The Animal in Man: Violent Mind or show up for the launch event at The Book Cellar to enter in person for a chance to win these!

Find me (and the event) on facebook, Follow me on Twitter, Follow both The Animal in Man Part One and Two on Inkshares! 

It’s Pub Day!

I’ve been having a blast all day talking up the book, hosting games and giving out prizes, watching the reviews come trickling in. I almost forgot to ping you all and let you know the book is officially out there. Published. For reals. We actually ran OUT of books, if you can believe it. Multiple outlets are out of stock of the paperbacks, that’s how well today has gone. I am told that if you order them Ingram will print them to order, so if you’re looking to get a physical copy, ordering from Amazon or walking into a brick and mortar store will probably be your best bet.

And once you have read the book, please consider leaving a review. That would be super cool. So far readers are loving the book. It’s got five stars on Amazon and Goodreads, but the more the merrier, so please consider taking the time to toss a review up on your platform of choice.

I’m beat. It’s been a long, amazing day. I love you all.

May the Code replicate Eternal.