And now for the update I most like writing: the one that’s NOT focussed on me and my works! That’s right, it’s all about the fourteen of you presently following me!
To kick things off, David Michael Olsen, author of Striver and leader of the Literary Fiction Syndicate, has reached 78 followers for his work and 12 recommendations!!! Congratulations to David. If any of us was a fan of The Wolf on Wall Street, we should follow his draft to show our support and if any of us (like me) liked Wings of a Pirate, we should definitely keep an eye on his syndicate!
Anna Jane Knight , I am glad that you are following me but I don’t know a lot about you. Instead, I’ll give you the gift of a picture of Etta. 
I volunteer at the SFSPCA and this wonderful lady (with the floppy ears) is working on her trick “Find My Keys.” She was an absolute pro at it and was happily adopted about four years ago and has remained in her forever home ever since. (In fact, when they opened their car door, she jumped right in and chose her seat! When they sent pictures a year later, she was proudly nestled that same place with a bandana and her human kid draped comfortably around her neck.) Thank you again for following me!
Joni Dee, one of my first supporters on InkShares, is just two pre-orders from 750! His book is already in production but enough hype and sales could well mean that it is bumped to the elevated package, so much love and support to And the Wolf Shall Dwell. I’d like to offer special accolades on the grounds that he has also written a review for this exceedingly rough draft of Sweet Harvest!
Special Kudos to Kelsey Rae Barthel for successfully reaching Quill with Beyond the Code. This wonderful tale of a intrigue and martial prowess, of morality and the price of upholding honor. She is also a member of Break the Bechdel with Strong Female Characters Syndicate lead by our Jenna Grace. As a wonderful touch, her book is a perfect candidate for such a Syndicate, and she also promotes Andre Brun’s Quill Brotherhood Syndicate. Absolutely worth checking out everything to do with this ebullient and truly joyous soul!
Ah, Christopher Lee, I have long held you in high esteem. May your kind words and community building endeavors ring ever outward. Your weekly updates about the Ao Si are ever a pleasure and your work, The Lore of the Aos Si, is a true delight. Honestly, I love just about everything to do with Norse Mythology and the Dagda, so it’s already got me hooked. Additionally, he curates the fledgeling Indie Authors Collection. Good luck funding! 68 in ten days is GREAT!
I follow myself because no matter where I go, there I am! My in production work is Borehole Bazaar and I’m very satisfied with the tuna sammitch I just ate.
Benjameen, thank you for following me! I know literally nothing about you, yet still you are wonderful in my eyes.
One of the first to sell me on a story through an email chain, is Eric H. Heisner, author of Wings of the Pirate and a member of the Staff Syndicate, which backs underdogs that catch the eye of Avalon Merissa Radys (syndicate lead), a member of the InkShares staff. His book is just 19 Pre-Orders from achieving Quill. Congratulations and I know you can make it! The action-adventure story is quite delightful.
Bryn Hagan, your memoirs touched me deeply, especially The Bully Book. This is a talented author with a gift for creating talented young adolescents in his works. I have not investigated his other piece, Confessions of a Ski Instructor, but expect it will be just as good. He is a member of The Idiosyncraticate Syndicate, a group dedicated to supporting odd-ball stories, with an emphasis on humorous, quirky, and autobiographical works.
Jayna Grace has a book that is AVAILABLE NOW!!! Congrats, Jayna! I’m super impressed. The book is called The Battle for Oz and has glowing reviews from Young Entertainment Magazine! Way to go! She’s currently funding The Slave Prince, which is frankly a riveting tale. It absolutely requires “out of the box” thinking to make a familiar story enchant us anew!
Karen Kenyon is an award winning screenwriter currently funding The Legend of Madog, a new perspective on the happenings of King Arthur. She’s also got a thriller and suspense title up called The Silence of God which follows a mathematician and her musician husband. There aren’t any excerpts up presently, though I like the characters already!
Nicole R. Locker, I’m glad to see another animal lover! Oh how I love the pitties! I use dead sharpie pens, y’know, the ones that are also clicky pens, to train all sorts of behaviors! Nala, one of my many favorites at the shelter, used to have little blue marks on her tan coat because she liked to spontaneously do that jumping rolling thing when we were working and would always get herself inked! Don’t worry, she found a home a few years ago with a little girl who just adores her! OH! And she still “bows” when people curtsy to her, which makes all the little blue splatters totally worth it! (They washed off, like, a day later. Still, I cannot think of her without imagining the little blue lines and dots!) But to business, your draft of Tragedy and Desire has ten chapters up for perusal, which I find a very reassuring sign. I can hardly wait to sit down and read them!
J. R., Thank you. You’ve asked for privacy and so I respect that, but know also that I respect and treasure your support.
Brenda Ratnoff Lindemann, you’re my mom. What can I say more than that? You hear all the things I write, whether you wish to or no. You’re more patient than any soul out there and even when you can’t understand what I’ve seen, what I’ve been through, you always know just what flavor of tea will make me feel better or calm the shaking and furious tears. I’m a little surprised that you’re following a romance novel of mine and it made me blush when you critiqued a few of my scenes *ahem* but how much I love and respect you, well, we both know that now, don’t we?
A resounding hand of applause to all y’all! Seriously, go and check each other out! I am inspired by each and every one of you, and each for different reasons. Writing is easy until it’s hard, and then it can often seem impossibly difficult. Funding is the same. I love the community that has grown here and wish us all every possible success, a friend who “gets it” when the stress is too much, and the inner strength essential to pick up and carry on after the days, weeks or even hours of frustrations and lack of success knocks us to the ground.
