Hi everyone! This note is going out through Inkshares, specifically to backers and followers of my novel The Seclusion.
Thanks to you, The Seclusion, which has been out less than a year, has sold over 3,400 copies, is available in bookstores and libraries across the world, and was recently named a Foreword Indies Award Winner in Sci-Fi.
Pretty awesome for a crowdfunded book, yes?
Some of you are on my general mailing list, but I know that emails from third parties often get lost in the shuffle. I wanted to let all of you know that the campaign for The Seclusion Part 2 is live and more than a third of the way to its goal of 750 preorders!!!
If you have already supported - THANK YOU. If you haven’t, your support would mean the world to me and is instrumental in making the sequel a reality. Patch’s story isn’t over, and the conclusion is one I’m eager to share with you. So, please take the time to check out the campaign page.
If everyone who preordered The Seclusion participates in this campaign as well, we will reach the goal in no time and be well on the way to getting book two into your hands!
I have some great perks I’m offering to liven things up this go-around - including a free copy of book one(to keep or pass to a friend), opportunities to take part in behind-the-scenes polls on story development, and cross promotion on my twitter account and in my newsletter for other authors and artists!
If you haven’t checked out the campaign page yet, please do. If you have already preordered, can you let a SciFi, Dystopian-loving friend know? Each time someone refers a supporter, they are entered into a raffle for a $100 Airbnb gift card(unlimited entries).
So, one last time, please head on over and give it a looksie.
Thank you again for your continued support, and always know you can reach out to me directly - JacquiCastle@gmail.com
The seals for the Foreword Indie Awards have arrived! Check it out! To those who supported the journey of getting The Seclusion out in the world, I couldn’t have done this without you!
Since the last couple updates have been all about crowdfunding, today I wanted to fill you in on what I’ve been working on.
Along with campaigning for book two, I’ve been, well, working on the actual book! So far, the manuscript sits at about 60K words, with a goal of ending up with a story around 85K to 90K.
I’ve recently taken a step back from writing to focus on outlining for a week or two before I continue. Anyone who knows me or my writing style knows this is not my strong suit. I’m more of a write whatever comes to mind and sort it all out later type. While this is cathartic, especially with a series such as this, it does tend to create more of a headache in the long run. Here’s to writers evolving!
I’ve been spending my spare time with books on structure, such as Save the Cat and Wired for Story, and it’s been incredibly helpful and eye-opening. I have also been going back and reading old emails, and referencing some of the advice received from my editor on book one. Hopefully this will all culminate in a solid jumping off point once the editorial process begins.
The story is developing nicely and I think you will all enjoy it. While Patch Collins is still the main protagonist in book two, we also get a glimpse of this world in the year 2090 from a few other perspectives. As promised, below is a short blurb for the book that hopefully will not spoil the story for those who have not read book one, but is also intriguing for those who have:
If you haven’t read book one, let me take a moment to emphasize that this series is for fans of books such as 1984, The Handmaid’s Tale, or Divergent, and draws from current events.
If that sounds up your alley and you are thinking of ordering a copy of The Seclusion, hang on a second. Let me reroute you.... check out the campaign for book two and note that every preorder comes with a free ebook of book one(or a paperback of you preorder three or more copies). There are also options for displaying your name in the back of the book, access to exclusive behind-the-scenes polls related to story development, and a personalized thank you in the acknowledgement section for top supporters.
I’m going to continue to campaign until the goal of 750 is reached, but I won’t lie that it’s emotionally draining and I would much rather be working on getting the story in your hands! The sooner the goal is met, the sooner production can begin. So please - tell your friends, neighbors, and random people you encounter on the street - and in the meantime I’ll be here working diligently to make this the best version of the story possible.
If you have any questions at all, I’m happy to answer them personally - you can email me at jacquicastle at gmail.com
Until next time,
Jacqui