Happy Independent Bookstore Day! I’m so grateful for all of the support I have been shown by indie retailers over the past few months. If you’re looking for something to do today, pop into your local store—there’s a lot going on!

I was recently interviewed about Up to the Mountains and Down to the Countryside by Jocelyn Eikenburg on her website, Speaking of China. We discussed how I conceived of Guillard and Daniel as well as the central themes of the book. Jocelyn’s own writing has been featured in two anthologies about expat life in China (Unsavory Elements and How Does One Dress to Buy Dragonfruit?), and she’s currently working on a memoir, Red All Over.

I’m still waiting to hear the results from the INDIEFAB Book of the Year Awards, for which UMDC is a finalist in Literary Fiction, but they’ve just announced that there will be another medal this year: The Readers’ Choice. The title with the most comments on its finalist page will receive this award, so I’m hopeful that UMDC will do well, given my wonderful network of backers (read: YOU). To post a short endorsement of UMDC, click here and scroll down.

UMDC currently has 48 reviews on Amazon! I went to a wedding in Santa Barbara recently and sat down next to a woman who turned out to be one of the site’s Top 500 Reviewers. In an incredible act of kindness, she bought, read and reviewed the book in under a week. Just goes to show you (or, in this case, me) that you never know who’s out there willing to help. I would love to get to 50 reviews. If you haven’t left one yet and would be willing to do so, the link can be found here. Thanks!

Happy Geeky Saturday, Space Crew!

Today is Tabletop Day and Independent Bookstore Day! I don’t know about where you all live, but the sun is shining here. It’s a good day to go hang out with some fellow nerds. 

Those of you sitting at home like me (for now), get the pleasure of reading some book spam. 

So here’s the deal. I want to make sure I have a solid contribution to give to BuildOn, the charity I’ve partnered with. In order to pledge them anything significant, the pre-order train cannot stop here. 

I have some things in the works that I hope will help, but if that doesn’t work out we’ve got 5 days remaining to fund this project as much as we can. Help me help others by picking up extra copies as gifts, or if you’re a fellow author, your shout-outs are much appreciated!

Next Saturday is a geeky Saturday too. Free Comic Book Day is back, and that means I’ll be releasing a digital 5-page spread sharing a scene from our beloved story. Here’s a sneak peek of the line-art, and you can expect more this week.

I also want to shout-out some authors who are funding right now that I’d like to see doing better. 

George Pitre’s The Girl Who Blinked seems to have gotten buried among so many space operas. I’d like to see this guy funded, and he’s running out of time. So check out some of his work and see if it resonates with you. 

RF Martin’s Pixelated Obsidian Roses is described as "an experimental dark fantasy, in the vein of Lovecraftian Cosmic Horror". If that doesn’t make you pick it up, maybe the blurb will. 

Patrick who needs no last name isn’t yet funding, but has pitched the idea of Brobots. I’m so excited I can’t stop thinking about this pitch. Check it out, and follow and support him, because this story is going places. 

Now Your Noodle of the Day

Your Loyal and Indebted Space Noodle,
-AC

QUILL ACHIEVED, SPACE CREW. 

We hit 250 last night, which means this book is going to be published. Let’s take a moment to breathe. This was made possible by all of you (our relentless Crew), with the last Quill order going to our honourary Quill Captain, Micah Baker. 

If you want to pick up his intriguing book, which is a sinister sort of space opera, you can do that here.

So What Happens Now?

First, the good. 

• Once the campaign ends I’ll be working with the crew at Inkshares to talk deadlines and a publishing schedule. This is happening!
  
  
• I can now officially pledge funds to BuildOn, the literacy charity I’ve partnered with. They’ll be getting 25% of my profits. 
  
  
• Your prizes are guaranteed. All the prizes that don’t rely on numbers of pre-orders will be happening. 
  
  

And the reality: 

•  This is where we are right now. Yes, The Traveller’s Cup is getting published, but it’s not fully funded
  
  
• Fully-funded means that Inkshares will take care of a lot of the publishing "dirty work". Editing, marketing, distribution, etc. 

• Since they’ll take on those services it frees me up to give more time to producing a solid book, and leaves me with more funds to give to prizes, and to increase my BuildOn donation from 25% to 50. 

So while we hit a major milestone, you can’t expect the ship to stop here. 

If you’re a member of this Crew, I need you to make it your personal responsibility to help me boost this to 750. Tell a friend. Order a copy for your mom. You can make a huge difference. 

Your Cautiously Celebratory Space Captain,
-AC

With hundreds of Facebook Shares, numerous recommendations from my  fellow Authors and friends on Inkshares (I will be more supportive to you guys soon, just stuck in go-mode right now), and who knows how many word of mouth recommendations...WE HAVE REACHED 400 PREORDERS! 

This is a huge testament to the power of YOU, the followers of this book. We could have thrown in the towel with a week left and said "There is no way we can get 450 preorders in one week". That would have been the easy thing to do. 

This book isn’t about taking the easy route. It is easy to NOT sell everything you own on Craigslist and travel the world. It is easy to NOT to leave your "Netflix after work until bed" lifestyle. It is easy to NOT tell your comfort zone to kiss your A**. It is awfully easy NOT to jump. 

That isn’t who we are though.

I KNOW we can get to 750 if we build on this momentum! Please do not be afraid to ask people if they would consider preordering this book for $10. That is only ONE less drink this weekend in NYC, ONE less trip to Bojangles in the South (Huge sacrifice... but it is worth it I promise), ONE less herbal remedy in Denver, and ONE less coffee in San Francisco. 

Let’s pull the biggest upset in Inkshares history and sell 350 books in these last five days. All it takes is YOU convincing a few people to preorder and it will happen.

Readyyyyyyyyyyy BREAK

-KJ

Psst...this message is to all those who have preordered DHM.  

Chapter 5 is now available for your consideration. Your codes for chapter 4 will give you access to the chapter, just follow the instructions in the email Isidore sent.

And for those just following the book with interest, you can get access to the full first draft as it’s being written. All you need to do is preorder the book and sign up for my email newsletter so that I have permission to send you email updates like the one that contains instructions on how to read the book. You’ll want to read chapter 5, trust me, if only for the chimichangas.

I’ve just started writing chapter 6, but I’m hoping to have it done either today or tomorrow. I really want to see how close to done I can be with the draft by the end of the month. Trouble is, more cool stuff keeps getting added to the book, so the length has so far expanded by two chapters. Like the chimichangas. Did I mention the chimichangas?

Have a great Tuesday, and feel free to let me know what you think of the book in the comments here, or on Facebook, Twitter, or hit me up via email: amanda [at] goldleafbooks [dot]com.  

Okay, back to writing!  

Asteroid Made of Various Information