5 months. 392 books ordered. Syndicate Pick. #1 reviewed Funding project. All characteristics that I’m sure had a part in me receiving this e-mail at 4:23pm today from the CEO of Inkshares:

“Ricky,

Great campaign.  We will push your book into production.  Tell your backers.  

Adam.”

Translation, Showtime is going to be published! More thank yous, screams (and tears) of joy, and info. when I have it—and when I’ve fully comprehended what this means on so many different levels.

Thanks everyone for being part of making this happen. You all rock.

Ricky

2 days left remain in Showtime’s pre-order campaign! TWO! After that, I will thank you for your support once more, retreat back to the shadows with a slab of coconut cake (either for celebration or sadness--but either way I get cake), and never bother you again to buy another copy of this book for as long as you live. (Actually, I can’t promise that at all...but I have good intentions!)

So, for the almost, almost final time: if you’re feeling generous, have some extra change you found in the couch while you were eating Doritos, or in the mood to support books and writing, please consider ordering another copy--either for yourself or someone else. Unlike coconut cake, they won’t go bad. In fact, I’ve heard book’s age like a fine wine the longer they sit on your shelf. (Actually, I’ve never heard that. But it sounds good, right?)

As always, reviewing, following, or reading my sample pages is always a help.

Since I’m not asking for another extension, we’re so close to the end. We’ve been a Syndicate Pick, crossed multiple 100s thresholds, met and surpassed the halfway point, been the #1 reviewed Funding project, and have bounced around the Top 3 for trending books...all of these cool achievements since January when getting to this point seemed so far off and nearly impossible.

Thanks for sticking with me this long and reading my updates. And even if you see them in your inbox, roll your eyes while exasperatedly grunting, "Ugh. Another one?" well, at least you haven’t done it to my face! :)

Ricky

Hey everyone! I just wanted to swing by and give you guys the basic update:

BLIND ISN’T EXPECTED TO BE RELEASED UNTIL OCTOBER OF 2020. I know that sounds like a long wait, but this is a common practice for traditional publishing. The manuscript will be going over a large overhaul with the help of my amazing editing team. It will be redesigned visually, and marketed to reach the masses... so be patient. It will happen! As a token of my appreciation, I hope to have 3 novellas that are available for FREE to everyone that pre-ordered a copy of Blind. It’s the least I could do.  

Here is the link to subscribe to my email list and get your free novel! 

https://mailchi.mp/4baeacf5bf49/dthsignup

Thank you everyone, I seriously appreciate everyone’s help!

5 days left and so close to the end!

We’re nearly to the halfway point (which I’m hoping will be enough to show that there’s enough reader interest to publish) and since I’m not asking for another extension, this really is the final countdown. If you’ve been thinking about ordering another copy, reading, reviewing, or referring a friend, there’s only a few more days left to do so. After that, everything is in the hands of the people at Inkshares, so we’ll see what happens. Fingers crossed!

Tomorrow is also my birthday so if you wanted to order another copy, that would be a great present…just saying (wink, wink; nudge, nudge). Or you can buy me a slice of chocolate cake. Or a donut. All options are good options.

Thanks again to everyone who has already supported me in buying a book without having it in your hands yet, and to everyone who has expressed excitement to read Showtime in full. It means a lot, so I’m hopeful that you’ll be able to!

Hoping we can get a couple more by Friday!

Ricky 

P.S. Here’s some updated stats:

Copies ordered: 373 | Followers: 299 | Unique readers: 292 | Days left: 5 | People bothered: 7,577 | Number of copies sold since last extension: 73

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Howdy, Folks. It’s been six weeks since I announced the success of the campaign for Bane of All Things and I finally have an update to share. 

The next step in the process is the Editorial Letter. This will be an exhaustive evaluation of the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses in all dimensions – character, plot, pacing, tone and all that subtle stuff that most readers probably don’t want to know too much about because it’s kind of like pulling back the curtain on the Wizard in Oz. But damn, doesn’t a story sing when the author gets it right. 

I found out yesterday that my Editorial Letter will be coming in mid-August. Once I have this in hand, the revision process will begin in earnest.

Not that I have been sitting on my hands in the meantime. On the suggestion of Inkshares CEO Adam Gomolin, I have been digesting two classic works on the craft of writing that I hadn’t yet added to my reference library, John Gardner’s The Art of Fiction and Madison Smartt Bell’s Narrative Design. Taking the time to reflect on the current draft of BoAT will reading through these has given me some ideas for tweaks and refinements. I have until mid-July to make those changes and resubmit the manuscript to Inkshares so that only the latest best version goes under scrutiny for that Editorial Letter. This will certainly keep my nose to the grindstone!

Those giveaways and prizes I promised

Now I must apologize for being slow with those campaign mementos and prizes I had promised – the signed posters and canvas prints. I have started getting those out, so if you were a prize winner for a canvas, or a supporter who qualifies for a signed poster(s) for having pre-ordered multiple copies of BoAT, rest assured they will soon be on their way. If you live in the Ottawa area and I haven’t asked for your home mailing address, it’s because I plan to either mail to your workplace or drop by and deliver in person.

Other great Inkshares projects you may want to check out

Lastly, I want to give a shout out to a few fellow Inkshares authors currently in funding:

Ricky Ruzin has only nine days left on the campaign for Showtime! and is hoping that getting past the 400-pre-order mark will be enough to earn a publication offer from Inkshares as I did. Showtime! Is a spooky tale about the boob tube described as “America’s Got Talent meets Timeless with a dash of Carrie.”

Jacqui Castle is already a published Inkshares author and has launched her campaign for the second book in her series, The Seclusion. This is one of those cautionary tales about a dystopian future under a total surveillance state that’s looking all too likely these days.

And then there is Allison Basile’s The Little Book of Bad Intentions, described as Jane Austen meets The War of the Roses, in which an aging playboy races against the clock to murder his ruthless trophy wife—before Alzheimer’s sets in, and he can’t remember where he’s stashed the body.

And, again, thanks much!

Once again, my deepest thanks to each and every one of you for making all this possible. 

Cheers

Leo