Craig A. Munro liked an update for LandFall

So I have some news.

http://blog.inkshares.com/post/153308043055/the-2016-list

LandFall has been nominated for ’The 2016 List’, which is Inkshares’ new (and inaugural) end-of-year contest to highlight ’the top-voted projects that haven’t reached full Inkshares.’ What that means is that, should I enter (which I probably will), I’ll be starting a funding campaign up for that in the coming days.

What it also means, is that I have to do a lot of work fairly quickly. 

I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t expecting this, like, at all. The original plan for this was to start a campaign around June next year and to have a pretty big chunk of the book written before I even started. But this is an excellent opportunity to secure full funding for the book, something it needs to satisfy the vision in my mind. And it’ll be a long campaign, reaching well past the contest and into my originally intended timeframe to give it the right attention.

When the announcement came this morning I had maybe 5% of the story outlined thoroughly, and another 10% vaguely bullet-pointed. LandFall’s page had a 10 line description. 
I didn’t have much. 
I had a general idea of where it started and where I wanted it to end, but nothing in the middle. At the same time though, it was obviously enough to garner some attention. 
But I need more. Clearly.

So, this afternoon I sat down, fired up ’Hamilton,’ and churned out a little over 1000 words of notes and scribbles that seem to have come together to be at least 3/5’s of a story. And it’s one I think I kinda like. It’s still all pretty general, and there are holes...chasms even...but things are a lot further along than they were yesterday.

Any progress is good progress.

Over the next couple of days, a campaign will likely launch, and it might be a bit bare in here for a little while, but I’m hoping to have that first chapter written this week. Or a version of it at least.

Keep an eye on that horizon.

You never know what you might see.
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    Craig A. Munro liked an update for The Last Faoii

    Greetings, Faoii!

    We did it! We survived the campaign, we picked up our blades, and we hit Quill. The campaign has officially ended and The Last Faoii WILL be in your hands. Let me hear your victory cry!



    Since we’ve hit Quill, the price for The Last Faoii has dropped. If there’s anyone out there who was waiting or unable to join the fight earlier, you still can. Your blade is waiting for you On The Last Faoii’s Page.

    For editing updates--I’ve heard back from the last of my betas. I have two spots that require a little more tweaking and am struggling to make them perfect. One is a complex bit of thaumaturgy that I’m having trouble explaining. I know how I want it to work, but the wording alludes me. Detailed magic only shows up in a couple of places in the book, and most of it is learned through battle training and cast during fight scenes-- so it is best explained through action. After all, why tell when you can show?  But the part I’m struggling with requires more explanation. If anyone has experience with this and would like to help me edit a few paragraphs (we’d end up going over 2 pages or so to make everything make sense) please DM or e-mail me. It’s one of the things that makes Inkshares special. Let’s make this book perfect together! 

    The second part that needs revising is simpler. I moved things too quickly through a scene and its climax will be more impactful with added suspense. I’ve already started rewrites on this part and find the changes delicious. You’re going to like them. ;P

    Okay, Faoii. That’s it for now. Contact me if you want to help with the thaumaturgy scene. Or find me a soldier with experience there and I’ll make her/him one of my generals. 

    Good work, everyone. You’ve made me proud. Dismissed.

    Faoii-Tahani

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      Craig A. Munro liked an update for Kingdom of Dreams

      Happy Autumn KOD Supporters,

      Who thinks this is a good week to give away things that might help you escape or give you something to look forward to? Me too. Welcome to the Raffle-a-rama update! 

      1. 56 pre-orders away from publication! 
      2. RAFFLE-A-RAMA
      3. Happy Birthday, Dad!
      4. NEXT UP: Guest Blog, My Indoctrination into the Reddit World, School Visits, New Chapters

      1. 56 pre-orders away from publication! 

      This post is dedicated to the raffle, but I couldn’t help but get excited about the developments of the past week regarding Kingdom of Dreams. As of this update, we are 56 pre-orders away from our book becoming reality! There are about 70 of you following KOD that haven’t pre-ordered. So if you’ve been waiting around to see if this project is worth your hard earned cash, or maybe you just want to jump up the scale as a key Inkshares influencer of books that go on to get published--now’s the time to pre-order, because this book is getting close!

      2. RAFFLE-A-RAMA

      I thank everyone for your patience. Well, my newest illustration is complete. Here is the picture along with the accompanying speech from the novel as told by Francis the cat. And the winner of this original signed print is... Rebecca Getzinger! "Even I don’t understand cats...

      The fickle, mysterious (and sometimes) infuriating nature of a feline is often overstated, but also accurate. When a cat runs from one room to the next for no reason whatsoever, it isn’t as mindless as it seems: we can see spirits. We’re simply spooked. I know I am. I blame my Egyptian forefathers for getting too involved in the affairs of the dead.

      Worse, because rookie spirits once depended on felines to be their spiritual guides into the afterlife, they still have a nagging habit of following the likes of me around. Now without fail I can spot the spirits of corpses slobbering and lingering around me like lost tourists. I doubt I could lead a dog to a fire hydrant, let alone the eternal to an unknown plane."

      -Francis the cat, excerpt from Kingdom of Dreams. 

      Next up for my Excel Randomizer to pick is the winner of the POP Ash Evil Dead figure as signed by Bruce Campbell. It goes to... 
      Rick Heinz! 

      Congrats to Rebecca and Rick. I’ll be in touch! 

      3. Happy birthday, Dad! 

      Thanks so much for your awesome support. You’re a huge part of why this project continues to progress. ;-)

      4. NEXT UP: Guest Blog, My Indoctrination into the Reddit World, School Visits, New Chapters

      • More details to come in my next update, but I’ve agreed to be the guest blogger in a well respected fantasy blog. 
      • On November 23rd I will be the featured fantasy writer of the day on Reddit’s fantasy blog! 500,000 members, gulp. If anyone has any experience with Reddit, please, please reach out to me, because other than what I’ve read, I’m a total newbie. 
      • I’ve also started to accrue some school visits. Again, I’m new to this as well, but looking forward to it! 
      • New chapters are still being revised and going well. I hope to have the revised Chapter 1 up very soon for starters.

      Stay well, stay tuned, and keep the orders coming!

      Kevin

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        Craig A. Munro liked an update for Witherfist

        We did it! Witherfist has hit it’s light publishing goal! 

        Yes - we’ve reached 250 preorders. This means that the book will be published as part of the Quill imprint on Inkshares. 

        How? Yesterday, the Staff syndicate made Witherfist their pick for November, adding their preorders to the three (!!!) other syndicates who have supported Witherfist this month. The amount of support the book has received from the community this month is just astonishing, and I’m so grateful  Five syndicate badges are now displayed proudly on the books page.


        What does all of this mean? 

        Witherfist will be published - but right now it is still in ’funding’ and will be until 31st December. You can continue to preorder ebooks and signed paperbacks as often as you like - and in the confidence that you will get a book in exchange for your support. 

        I’ll be continuing to send updates out throughout the funding period and beyond, to keep you posted on what’s happening. Once the funding period is over, I should hopefully be able to give you more details on when you can look forward to receiving your copy of Witherfist.

        In the meanwhile... thank you all for your support!

        If you haven’t already done so, please consider leaving a review and sharing the book with your friends!

        ~ Jenny
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          Craig A. Munro liked an update for Human Resources

          Good evening everyone!

          Another week of the competition is drawing to a close. The Launchpad Competition is fierce, but we are holding on to our place! There is now one month left until the crowdfunding competition closes, and I’ll be campaigning until the last second - I’ll need to, as I know the talented authors nipping at my heels won’t ease up.

          Thank you again to all of you. Incredibly, Human Resources now has 231 pre-orders, from 201 separate readers! Another nineteen orders and it will qualify for Inkshares Quill publishing. That’s right - nineteen to go and the book is guaranteed to be published. We won’t stop there, but that is a huge milestone and it is in striking distance!

          Why not relax at "Quill?"

          If Human Resources qualifies for quill (receives at least 250 pre-orders), it will be published. However, at this level, Inkshares only provides a copy edit, the book is print-on-demand (as opposed to mass production), and it doesn’t get actively marketed to book stores. It’s still an amazing opportunity, but if we win the competition, the book will get a lot more love... 

          If we win the competition (or if HR receives at least 750 pre-orders), it will also receive developmental edits (super important), tailored design, mass production, and marketing.  I will be ecstatic if we qualify for Quill publishing, but that won’t stop me from setting my sights higher (and ensuring you receive the best possible book I can give you).

          I have something special planned for next week’s update, in the meantime keep being awesome :)

          Goodnight!

          Robert

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            Craig A. Munro liked the forum thread, Ask Questions about The List 2016 here

            Dear Inkshares Community,

            We’re excited to announce what we hope will become an annual Inkshares tradition.  

            Each year in Hollywood, industry insiders vote for the best unproduced screenplays of the year.  The list of nominees forms The Blacklist, which was originally established (and is still operated) by Franklin Leonard.  Past nominees include Argo, Slumdog Millionaire, The King’s Speech, Juno, Spotlight, and The Revenant, just to name a few.  

            Revisiting amazing stories that may have gotten lost in the melee is important to Inkshares.  Accordingly, we’re excited to announce our own version of The Blacklist—simply The List, because we couldn’t decide on a color.

            The 2016 List will form the basis for the final contest of the year, focused on the top-voted projects that haven’t reached full Inkshares.  This includes: drafts that have not yet gone into funding; Quill projects that haven’t reached 750 and also haven’t gone into production; and still-funding projects.  As it’s the final contest of the year, projects that are funding in another contest are eligible as well.

            We collected and tabulated votes from funded authors, producers, and the Inkshares staff.  The nominations are in, and we’ll be announcing the 25 nominees for The 2016 List tomorrow at 5 pm PT.  And to add an additional level of excitement, there will be three Guest Judges, to be announced on December 1st.  

            Yes, really. Each of these judges will be able to select a book for publication—including a book outside the top 3, so as many as six books may end up being selected.  We know, it has us too all like:

            Jokes aside, this has been an amazing year at Inkshares, with strong successes—from starred reviews to six-figure TV and film deals—for new author voices.  We’re excited about The List as an amazing way to work hard in the last six weeks of the year.

            Cheers,

            -The Inkshares Team

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              Craig A. Munro liked an update for The Living God


              Good morning everyone! 

              I have some really awesome news! The Living God was the Break the Bechdel with Strong Female Characters Syndicate’s November pick! I’m truly honored that they see Saran as a strong female lead worthy of their Syndicate. Thank you so much for believing in Saran as much as I do. 

              Kaytalin Platt’s The Living God may very well be an epic in the making. The first line starts with a sense of something great and the narrative picks up right from there. Saran is witty, sharp, and compassionate--even to her own detriment. She’ll lose her magic, but I sense that won’t stop her. We can’t wait to see where this strong female lead takes us!

              As a young girl, I was constantly looking for strong female characters to look up to and identify with. Later, when I was older and really developing my passion as a writer, I knew for certain that I wanted to write strong female characters. To make the Break the Bechdel syndicate’s pick really solidifies in my heart that I’ve achieved that goal. I promise I won’t let you down, and I won’t let you be disappointed! 

              An update on what I’ve been doing: I’ve been knocking out a few covers for my supporters and I’ve been trying to focus on content editing. I’m toggling back and forth between the two, but I’ll be honest I took last week off to rest my brain. There was just too much rattling around in it with the election and all, and it made it hard to focus. 

              In the next month or so I’ll be looking for beta readers. I’ve had a few beta readers, but I’m looking for fresh eyes to read over it after this last round of content editing that I’m doing. I’m thinking I’ll just pass it out to two, so if you are interested in being a beta reader let me know with a DM. 

              Thanks guys! You are a fantastic group and I could not have done any of this without you. 

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                Craig A. Munro liked an update for How to Get Run Over by a Truck

                Dear Sweethearts,

                 I hope that you are doing well and that you are having a lovely Tuesday! I wanted to reach out to you to give you a few updates and also to ask you for one small favor. So I want to share the coolest update first - we have sold over 3,000 copies of this book!! Can you believe it?!  I know that I couldn’t! I sat staring at my computer blinking long and hard to make sure I was seeing the numbers correctly! You all made this possible, so thank you so much! 

                Recently “How to Get Run Over by a Truck" was reviewed by Her Agenda. The reviewer was kind enough to  say: ”The memoir is beautiful—it’s shocking, heartbreaking, funny, dark, and brutally honest. It’s a must read for everyone.”  Which was so incredible to hear! I also recently wrote an article for Amendo Magazine entitled “What Not to Say to Someone Who Has Been Through a Trauma", I was delighted that they asked me to write this piece, and I am so hopeful that it will be helpful for others when finding the right words can be really challenging. 

                 In publishing news two awesome things have happened: the audiobook of “How to Get Run Over by a Truck” has just been published by Audible! I was so excited when I found out that they were going to let me be the voice actor for the audiobook, but I couldn’t have imagined what a meaningful experience it was going to be. Reading the entire memoir aloud made me relive the experience in a way that I didn’t when I just read in the book. While I was reading I was humbled by all of the love and support that had brought me to this beautiful and unlikely place. Here I was sitting in a recording studio, reading a book that I wrote, that only came into being because of all of your love and support! We had to stop the recording like 10 times because of my spontaneous weeping (I am the consummate professional!) You can listen to a snippet of it here, and if you are so inclined, you can buy it and hear me talk to you for over 8 hours ☺ The other awesome thing that has happened is that the short story that I wrote “The Gift of Hope” has been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Angels and Miracles Edition, which is such an honor! 

                 I also have a small favor to ask you all – so many of you have been kind enough to reach out and let me know your thoughts about the book, what you liked, what made you laugh, what made you cry – and it has been one of the best experiences of my life to know that something I wrote made you feel something! I was wondering if I could ask you to take that feedback one step further, and write a short review on Amazon. I currently have about 34 reviews, which is awesome! But I recently learned that if I was able to get over 100 reviews of “How to Get Run Over by a Truck”, it would increase the visibility of the book on the site dramatically, and bring more potential readers to the book! Which would be so amazing. It doesn’t have to be a super long review, just a few sentences would be so helpful! And a huge thank you to those of you who have already written reviews – you are wonderful!  

                Also, if you are in the New York City area and are free on Monday night, I am going to be doing a book event for "How to Get Run Over by a Truck" on Monday November 21 at the Cobra Club in Brooklyn! All of the information you’ll need is here. I would love to see you there for hugs, a reading, some storytelling and also Q & A where I would be happy to answer any questions you might have! I hope to see you there! 

                Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, and for being incredible people. I am so grateful for you! 

                Heart, 

                Katie   

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                  Craig A. Munro liked an update for The Talkers are Talking

                  Hello everyone!! 

                  I hope you are doing well and recovering from this crazy election! I also hope you had a wonderful Halloween and that all those participating in NaNoWriMo are having a good time of it! I’m doing my best to complete revisions of the second draft an am writing under jliggan if you want to add me there. 

                  Lots of good news on the book front- had some great feedback from betas and hope to get the second draft out to some new ones within the next month. If you are interested, I will be paying a thank you fee of $50 to all betas. 

                  Next, we have had major advancements towards finalizing our cover and are trying to decide pen names. So, in the meantime, I want to share it with the working pen name of the moment. The talented artists are a husband/wife duo (he’s an artist and she’s a graphic designer and they are both crazy talented) who are always looking for new clients. I can’t say enough about how professional, skillfull and just all-around wonderful they are. Their names are Annika and Ben and their website is: http://www.trustfundart.co.uk/

                  Without further ado- here are the two new covers we have been choosing between (leaning very heavily towards the one on the left, but open to opinions--please email me at jliggan@gmail.com or DM on Inkshares):




                  And finally...I got married a few weeks ago and thought you guys might like to see a pic from it! And maybe even more importantly, I was Dr. Alan Grant and my husband was Dr. Ian Malcolm for Halloween, so I’m throwing that in for good measure. Thank you all, as always!!

                  Best,
                  Janna



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                    Craig A. Munro liked an update for Weaponized

                    My head is spinning. I can’t believe it, Weaponized is part of the CryptTV collection.

                    I’ve been looking to bring this book to audiences for a long time. I purposely threw as much insanity on the pages as I could and it seems to have paid off. With being part of the CryptTV collection, we have the opportunity for Weaponized to become a movie, a tv show, or any other type of media. As a screenwriter, comic book writer, and now a novelist, I can’t tell you how this prospect excites me. Horror is my life and this news is beyond imagination.

                    Being part of the CryptTV brand is super meaningful to me. I have a great respect for what they’re doing in the horror community. I’m honestly in shock that I’m now part of the #CryptFamily.

                    To everyone who helped make this possible: thank you from the bottom of my twisted heart. You have no idea what this means to me. 

                    Next: I deliver to manuscript to Inkshares to review. Everything is completed and pending a read over from editorial. I’ll do my best to update you on that process as it continues to develop. In the meantime, I’m off to finish another horror novel. Weaponized certainly isn’t the last time you’ve heard from me.

                    Cheers,

                    Zac

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