August!

I’m still working on the latest rewrite but I’ve been able to get through a chapter a day by writing before the kids wake up and in the afternoon while they relax with a TV show. I got ten chapters edited/rewritten on the writing retreat Jared sent me on for Mother’s Day! You can read about that and my tips for planning your own DIY retreat on the Writing Bloc blog. I am hoping to finish this draft by September 8! 

Speaking of Writing Bloc, there’s a new podcast episode up-- this one is on world building and features hosts Christopher Lee and Jacqui Castle along with guest author Rachel Sparks. I’m on the next one, which is about crowdfunding and should be up soon!

Jacqui Castle is currently crowdfuning the sequel to her award winning speculative dystopian novel The Seclusion, which has won a bunch of awards, and is timely and important. If you’ve got $10, consider supporting it-- you get a free copy of the first book and it helps bring new relevant literature into the world.

What else are you reading right now? I’ve been devouring novels on immigrants’ experiences:
Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue,
Speak No Evil by Uzodinma Iweala, and
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez are all fantastic. 
I think that even if you really want to be a good person, it can sometimes be hard not to let hateful rhetoric seep into your brain. Fiction is a powerful way to hold onto empathy and compassion.

Thank you for your support!

Thanking new Followers Matt Farley, Fulton Ross, and Jacqui Castle.

I am excited to report my target for Young Donald pre-orders was 400 by August 1, and (as of noon EST on August 1) the pre-order total stood at 440! Thank you so much for your pre-orders and support!

I am now targeting 500 by August 10. To get there, it’s PROMOTIONS PROMOTIONS PROMOTIONS!!!

(1) Secret Pre-order Number Promotion! There is a secret number between pre-orders 441 and 500 - the person responsible for that secret number pre-order will receive a $50 Amazon gift certificate!

(2) Pre-order number 500 Promotion! Whoever makes pre-order number 500 will receive a special gift!

(3) The "Henry Coyle" Promotion! One beer bought for you by the author for every additional order after your first (offer redeemable in Washington, DC only and capped at 7 beers in any one day for health reasons)!

(4) Big Gift Card Drawing Promotion! (A) If you are responsible for 3 or more orders, you are eligible for a $100 Amazon gift card drawing (13 eligible to date); (B) if you are responsible for 6 or more orders, you are eligible for an additional $150 Amazon gift card drawing (2 eligible to date - with Aki and Thinn both one order away from joining this elite group!).

Thanks so much again for your support! Please tell a friend, sibling or co-worker about the book today!

Michael

Here’s to thanking you all for liking and following me and Mina Harker. I’ve been adding chapters and have a lot more to offer. Thanking you all for your kind words and encouragement.

Hi all! I know you’ve not heard from me for yonks, but that’s because I’ve been busting a gut to rewrite The Unforgiven Dead. And I’m pleased to announce it’s now done! Finished! Over! Well… not quite. In fact, there’s still a way to go - feedback to take on board, tweaks and revisions to be made, and many, many more cappuccinos to imbibe before the book is ready for your delectation. Early 2020 is the likely publication date. I know, seems ages away, but I turn 40 tomorrow and I’m not sure where the last ten years have gone - lost down the side of the sofa, like loose change perhaps? Anyhoo… it won’t be long until The Unforgiven Dead is unleased on the world (cue evil laugh). I’d like to thank everyone who has supported the project thus far. You are literally helping my literary dream become reality. (Try saying that after a few beers! Slainte!) 

Hey backers,

Been awhile. This mostly due to my embarrassment that IN BETA is still not out yet. Originally it was slated to go into production this previous winter, for a spring release. Then it was going to go into production this spring, for a Winter 2020 release. More recently I’ve been assured that it’s going into production in October, to come out Spring of 2020.

Trust me when I say no one is more ready than I am for this thing to reach completion. I had a brief convo with Inkshares this week, and they are in the process of selling audio rights to Audible, so it will be an audiobook, which is cool, and gives me hope that there is, in fact, an end game.

So come October, be ready for my signal. If publication date pushes again, let’s all bum rush the fence, k?

Much love,

P

Young Donald reached a very exciting milestone today - the 375th pre-order was made (half of the required 750)! Thank you so, so much for your support!

 To commemorate this important milestone, I have released the third chapter. Just go to "Read" on the Young Donald page on the Inkshares website, and you can now see draft chapters 1-3.  

Now, if everyone who pre-ordered would introduce just one friend to the book, Young Donald would go into production!

The Amazon gift card promotion continues: (a) everyone responsible for 3 or more pre-orders is eligible for a $100 Amazon gift card drawing (8 people eligible to date); and (b) everyone responsible for 6 or more pre-orders is eligible for an additional $150 Amazon gift card drawing (1 person eligible to date).

Finally, there will be a Thank You Party for Young Donald supporters in DC on Saturday, August 3. Invitation coming soon!

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

All edits are completed, and info/images for the book cover is ready to go. Inkshares is telling me that backers should be getting their copies of Under The Rug by early fall—fingers crossed. I more than thank you for your patience. I know it’s been a long road. Thanks for sticking with me on this arduous process. Talk to you in the fall.