Hey there, it’s been a while. Well, that was intentional. I grew tired of never having meaningful updates, promises for the future and how great things were going to be, blah, blah--bleh! So I wanted to wait until something worth reporting actually occurred. 

Here’s one: I turned in my manuscript to Inkshares today! So, to clarify:

• No, the book isn’t lost in the mail and you missed it.
• I haven’t abandoned the project. Quite the opposite. 
• I will now await marching orders and proceed accordingly. 
• There will be an honest to God actual timeline popping up of where the book is, and when it will be coming out.
• Welcome, and thank you to my new supporters!

That’s it. Stay well and stay tuned. Have a great weekend!

Dream on,

Kevin

Happy Friday, everyone. As promised, today I announce the winners of our various draws.

But first, allow me to re-emphasize that this campaign is not yet over. We do need to keep driving that pre-order total up! It’s been quiet since Monday ... too quiet.

Inkshares editors want to see that pre-order total continue to rise as they review the manuscript. Should Bane of All Things be chosen for publication, that pre-order revenue is used to offset the production/marketing/distribution costs, which allows Inkshares to pay me, the author, higher royalties than the industry norm once the book is out there. 

This campaign could not be where it is without each and every one of you. Many of you have exceeded my expectations by ordering five, six even 10 copies of BoAT. That might leave the rest of you wondering what on earth can one person do with more than copy of a book. The answer is easy – gift them.

Books make excellent gifts, especially signed by the author. Inkshares e-books make convenient gifts, too. When a title on Inkshares publishes, anyone whose pre-order includes ebooks will receive an email giving them the option to download the digital file in whatever format they prefer. This makes it easy to pass ebook copies on to friends and family.

Remember, if BoAT is chosen for publication, everyone who ordered two or more copies will get a signed souvenir poster. And I am thinking there will be something extra for everyone who has ordered five or more copies, too.

Now for the prize draws

DRAW #1 – $50 gift card: On Feb. 18, we were still looking to cross the 300 pre-order mark. I announced at the time that anyone who referred a new supporter between then and when we hit 301 (which happened on March 4) would be entered in the draw. And the winner is … Iris Cox!

Draw #2 – $50 gift card: I then announced another draw for existing supporters who pre-ordered additional copies between March 4 and March 17. And the winner is … Yves Beauchamp!   

Draw #3 – $50 gift card: Then came last weekend, with the clock ticking on what I expected to have been the final deadline for this campaign. I called on you all to help me drive past 400. Anyone who brought in a new supporter or ordered additional copies on or between May 30 and April 1 qualified for this draw. The response blew my expectations. And the winner is … Megan Alink!   

Draw #4 – Crossing 300 Pre-Orders: Back in February, I promised a draw for The Sword & The Skull artwork on canvas, signed by me and the artist, Dominic Bercier, should we cross 300 pre-orders. Anyone who had pre-ordered as of March 4 was entered into this draw. And the winner is … Sandra Markus!   

Draw #5 – Crossing 400 Pre-Orders: And I promised another draw should we pass 400, though I didn’t specify what the prize would be. Let’s go for another piece of artwork because you can’t keep a dead demigod or a sentient sword down. And the winner is … Debra Ford!   

Congratulations, all! I will be reaching out to our five winners to sort the details. 

Onward and upward! 

Cheers

Leo

Good morning! No, this is not an April Fool’s joke. Thanks to Linda S., Ian G. and Peter B., we reached 401 pre-orders last night.

And here we are, the last day of the campaign. What will happen next? I don’t know. Nothing is certain. If you still intended to place another pre-order or nudge a friend or family member to do so, please do. The campaign ends this evening, so don’t wait!

As I said in my updates over the weekend, there will be an additional prize draw now that we have reached 400. And there will be an additional thank you souvenir for each and every one of you who pre-ordered two or more copies and/or referred someone else, if  Inkshares agrees to publish Bane of All Things.

That’s all for now. Fingers crossed!

Cheers

Leo

Howdy, folks. A quick addendum to my update from yesterday. The 400+ pre-order mark is a lot closer than it was 24 hours ago. Thank you very much for the new and additional orders from Colin G. (and Tara C.), Megan A., Dr. Andrew N., Debra F. (and Kevin F.), Howard C., Brian and Eve-Ann R., and Ashley N.

Now, for everyone – an added bonus. If this campaign succeeds (meaning Inkshares agrees to take Bane of All Things into production for publication) there will be an extra thank you for everyone who a) pre-ordered two or more copies, and/or b) enlisted a friend or family member to join the cause.

That bonus will be a 12x18 poster, featuring that custom Sword and Skull artwork that I commissioned for this crowdfund from award-winning Ottawa graphic artist Dominic Bercier. Each poster will be personalized and signed by yours truly – it might actually be worth something, someday (my signature, I mean, Dominic’s work already is :).

Once again, my sincerest thanks to each and every one of you for all that you have done to help me get this far. 

Cheers

Leo

Have you ever been so close to achieving a goal or dream you could almost taste it? Straining and stretching to reach something that you can almost touch … with your fingertips … just a little more …

When I launched this campaign over five months ago, I had no idea how it might turn out or where it would lead. All I knew is my gut told me to give this a try. Inkshares is not the only way to get a novel published, but it seemed like the right way for me. Seeing my name on the cover of a published novel has been my dream since high school.

At several points since the new year, it seemed this campaign had run out of steam. I was ready to pull the plug. But each time came a reason that gave me the motivation to catch a breath, dig in my heels and keep pushing.

And here we are, with just a couple of days left and the 400 pre-order mark in sight. We are close – I can tell you that for a fact. But the jury is still out on whether Bane of All Things has made the grade. That’s why it is so important to drive that pre-order total as high as possible in the time that remains.

The end of the road: I can tell you with all honesty that at this moment in time, I don’t see a reason to again extend the campaign. Unless something unexpected happens between now and Tuesday morning, the crowdfund for BoAT will end as scheduled. Monday is the last full day.

Allow me to ask one more time: I have asked you several times before I and will humbly ask again. Please consider pre-ordering an additional copy for a friend or family member. Get it as a gift. What have you got to lose? If Inkshares agrees to publish BoAT, you will get your copies. If it doesn’t, you will get a full and unconditional refund. if you have followed but not yet pre-ordered BoAT, you know what to do.

New prize draw ... with a catch: Anyone who does order an additional copy of BoAT (or bring on board a new supporter) between now and the deadline will be entered into a draw for another $50 gift card (Amazon or your choice). BUT … there is a catch. This draw will only take place if we hit 400 by the deadline. And if we shoot past 400 … well, let’s see how it goes.

Again, my sincerest thanks to those of you who have already pre-ordered additional copies or recruited a friend or family member. Those prize draws previously announced will take place and the winners announced on Friday, April 5.

Let’s make this happen!

Cheers

Leo

Good morning! Thanks to a Super-Reader pre-order by Hala H yesterday afternoon, we reached 375 pre-orders.

Why is that number significant? It is 50 per cent of the default pre-order goal of 750.

But as I have said, 750 is not our goal. Some titles published by Inkshares have reached it. Others have achieved success through a combination of other factors. Bane of All Things’ fate now rests on total pre-orders to date plus the overall support and interest it has also garnered on Inkshares.

Remember, this campaign ends on April 1 -- hopefully the joke won’t be on me :). Any and all last-minute support does matter as I wait to hear what BoAT’s fate will be. If you haven’t already, please pre-order another copy as a gift, or recruit that friend or family member. Let’s get to 400!

Cheers
Leo

Good morning, everyone! In the past 10 hours, we have shot past the 350 pre-order mark thanks to the support of old and new. A shout out to our new supporters: The TIE Ottawa crew (Bharat R., Sanjeev S., Kevin F. and Bernie F.), as well as Julian M., Greg M., Janet F., Jantine V., Cindy P., Ricky R., Samantha G. and Rosemary S.

This already-extended campaign is due to end this Friday evening -- the Ides of March, no less. Hopefully this date proves more auspicious for me than it did for Julius Caesar!

Achieving 356 pre-orders is an amazing milestone, but still not a guarantee that I will earn a contract offer from Inkshares. As I announced last week, Bane of All Things was Inkshares Staff Syndicate pick for February. I have also been asked about the state of my manuscript. These are both very good signs that have my fingers crossed.

Now more than ever I need your help to finish strong. Any and all last-minute support matters. I also want to give a shout out to existing supporters who have stepped up in recent days to pre-order additional copies or enlist others to the cause: Francis M., Ian G., Bryan Y., Howard C., Megan A., Yves B., Elle P. and Jacqui C.

If you haven’t already, please lend me your support with a pre-order. If you have a few dollars more to pre-order another ebook copy, please do. And if you have anyone in mind you could also recruit to the cause, now is the time. Those prize draws I promised last time are still pending!

This whole endeavour wouldn’t be anywhere without you. I am truly humbled by the support and encouragement you have all so graciously given.

Cheers

Leo Valiquette

Good morning, folks. Notice how more frequent these updates have become as we get down to the wire? (I can practically taste that wire, how about you?). 

No word yet on whether or not Bane of All Things has made the cut. The good news today is that the deadline has been extended a few more days. We are in bonus over-time now. If you or anyone on your contact list is still on the fence about pre-ordering, it’s time to commit.

And again, a sincere and humble thanks to all of you who have undertaken this journey with me and supported as best you can.

Cheers

Leo

Hey, folks, some fantastic news to share! The clue is in the screen capture above from my campaign page -- that sticker that reads "Syndicate Pick."

What does this mean? BoAT has been selected as the Staff Syndicate pick for February. It is a huge endorsement for which I am immensely grateful. A sincere thanks to fellow author Chip Colquhoun for putting BoAT forward for consideration. Check out his novel, Ripe for Execution. 

For those of you who don’t know what an Inkshares Syndicate is, this is a group of people who contribute $10 or $20 a month to a pool and then use that to back a title in funding each month with a gift basket of pre-orders. There are and have been many syndicates over the years, for fantasy, science fiction, stories with strong female characters and other themes. The Syndicate that has chosen BoAT as its February pick is the Staff Syndicate. This is, as the name suggests, led by Inkshares staff. Anyone can opt in, including other Inkshares authors. (I am part of this Syndicate myself and cast the deciding vote on the January Syndicate pick.)

What does earning this distinction mean for BoAT and this campaign? Frankly, I don’t know yet, but with only two days left, the answer to that question is going to come soon. So, as I said on Monday, help me finish strong -- keep those pre-orders coming by ordering another copy for a friend or family member, or even better, by prodding those friends or family members to pre-order their own.

And if you have followed BoAT but haven’t pre-ordered yet, please, take the plunge!

Cheers

Leo

Good morning, everyone. Just a quick heads up that only five days remain on the campaign for Bane of All Things. At present, we stand at 295 pre-orders. 

As I said in my previous update, Inkshares decides which titles in funding to publish based on campaign metrics beyond just pre-orders. Will driving past 300 pre-orders in the time that remains land me a publishing deal? It just might. 

So, if you have spoken with any friends or family who may have said "Yeah, I’ll check it out" but haven’t, now is the time to give them a sharp poke.

Also, many of you have followed Bane of All Things but have not pre-ordered. If you have any interest in doing so, now is the time.

It’s been quite a ride since October. Driving this campaign makes actually writing a book seem like a walk in the park. But one way or the other, the end is at hand. Thanks again for all your support and patience.

Happy reading.

Cheers

Leo