Surveys Coming Soon (how to confirm your pre-order)
over 4 years ago – Wed, Jul 31, 2019 at 01:19:16 AM

BackerKit Surveys

As with our previous campaigns, we will be using BackerKit to manage everything necessary to deliver your rewards. Later this week, you should receive an email with a link to your Backerkit survey*.  (*We've had some confusion with the term "survey": It's essentially a checkout, and it's necessary for us to complete your order.) Thanks for keeping an eye out.

Your survey will allow you to:

• Provide any required shipping and reward info.
• Download your digital rewards.
• Change your pledge level (for example, if you'd like to upgrade to a limited-edition hardcover).
• Select and purchase add-ons (these are fully optional).
• Sign up for our email list (we don't spam!).

Anthology Shipping

If you backed at the "Indie Publishing Supporter" levels (or choose to add on the Atthis Arts anthologies in BackerKit), the anthology e-books will be available to you as soon as you complete your BackerKit survey (look for the link that says "Get Your Digital Downloads" on your survey confirmation page). Print copies of the anthologies will ship out about a week after the surveys go out—so please complete your survey right away if your reward includes the anthologies.

Gen Con

Be on the lookout for social media updates from Greg [Twitter, Twitch, Website], Emily [Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Website] and me (Chris: [Twitter]) this week at Gen Con. If you are going to be there: you'll see Greg and me at the Writers' Symposium—we'll be at several panels and also out talking to people. And I really hope you'll visit Emily, who will be hanging out in Authors' Avenue in the Exhibit Hall (table AI, near the outer corner). 

If you are getting the Atthis Arts anthologies (in print) through this Kickstarter, Emily is happy to sign your copies to you in-person. And while you are there, check out her epic fantasy fiction novels and novellas! (You can also see her new bookmarks, featuring art by the one and only Áthila Fabbio.)

Diamondsong - Live Now

And a friendly reminder—Emily's fantasy novella serial Kickstarter is live now, I hope you'll give it a look. She's offering art prints, a hardcover limited-edition addendum, and custom in-world flash fiction—all on top of offering the whole 10-book serial (or just the first book, to try) in e-book and paperback. She made an unscripted video for the campaign: with her anxiety disorders (and me popping in unannounced!), that's really hard for her to do, as you'll see in the video. But she loves this project a lot, and I couldn't be more proud of her.

Backing Diamondsong helps us a great deal with our bills! (As I mentioned in an earlier update, we aren't making any direct profit from the Icarus & Jellinek campaign, after keeping the funding goal as low as possible in order to give the project the best chance of funding.) And thank you again for making that happen. I'm really excited to help produce these cool graphic novels. 

Here's Emily's fantasy novella campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/atthisarts/diamondsong 

Thanks - and I really hope to meet some of you at Gen Con!

Chris

And we're live again!
almost 5 years ago – Sat, Jul 27, 2019 at 12:46:23 AM

Emily here. Thanks again for supporting indie fiction. We've got a campaign going live right now, and I'd really love your support to this project: my own high fantasy novella serial, focused on compassion and non-violence and individual freedom. It's different, it's so close to my heart, and I need help to pay the editing bills. I've promised to keep this campaign low-key, but please know how important this is to me, and how much it means for you to give it a look.

I'd very much appreciate you checking it out and sharing the link. And please drop me a note if you have any questions. Thank you so much for your time and consideration! I'll leave it there other than to say - this is so personal, so special to me and to the team that has worked for years, now to develop it, and, well, anyway here's the link:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/atthisarts/diamondsong/

Thanks!

- Emily.

P.S. Next week is Gen Con - Chris, Greg, and I will be there - we'll be sure to update you from the event!

Pre-Order Link and Next Steps
almost 5 years ago – Tue, Jul 16, 2019 at 09:02:51 PM

Next Steps

Hello! Emily here again. We almost can't say how good it feels to be on the other side of this, knowing these books are going to be produced and that the obstacles: contractual, financial, and otherwise are now cleared. We'll be back along the way, with updates on progress and more content from the creative team. We hope you'll enjoy!

Surveys* for backers will go out in about two weeks. Keep an eye out for your BackerKit email, and remember even though they are called "*surveys" it's really a checkout process. You tell us where to send your stuff. There isn't a survey, like you're rating us. 

As for our small press, we'll be back on Kickstarter real soon (hey! I was on the schedule first!) with my own novella serial, which is very personal to me and very close to my heart. I'll be setting a minimum goal (no stress!), but I could really use the funds to complete the rest of the editing. I've got some fun rewards, including custom art by Michigan illustrator and colorist Joel Bartlett, custom stories by me, and what I think will be a very special hardcover addendum. We'll be back to let you know when that's up. (Or you can sign up for my email list at edebell.com - just make sure you click that confirmation email or it won't take.)

New Releases

First, we sent an email today with our new releases, including one today! I hope you'll give it a look and procure some great indie fiction while you're waiting for your winged man. ; )

Atthis Arts New Releases and Catalogue Links

Also, friend of the team Amar El-Mohtar has a new release today, written with author Max Gladstone: This Is How You Lose the Time War. I honestly have to say: I am personally thrilled to read this and can't wait for my copy to show up. (Keeps checking porch. Especially since it's raining and the sad old roof doesn't cover it.) This really wonderful-sounding story is about time-traveling warring agents and you should go give it a look.

Pre-Order Link

Because we've succeeded, the project is a go (for real, right?): and people can still pledge to the campaign. The Icarus & Jellinek campaign pre-orders are now up (made possible only because of you!) - so if you know anyone who would like to join us, please use this link. Campaign pre-orders have the same benefits (e-books included with print, and the ability to purchase the limited edition and/or original art) and these new orders continue to pay the creative team, so it all helps us support art and artists.

(Just note: this is not where you, as backers check out. Same idea, but that will be separate (~2 weeks), and pre-populated with your pledge. This is the link you should share for anyone wanting to start a new order. Thanks!)

https://icarus.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders

Thank you so much - we do appreciate you.

- Emily.

FUNDED
almost 5 years ago – Fri, Jul 12, 2019 at 10:20:59 PM

Wow. What a rally. What a reaction in the stream-a-thon. We're all still breathing. (Take that two ways.)

Thank you to every pledge. Thank you to every share. To every well-wish. And thank you to those big backers at the end - what drama and excitement.

Still more than two hours left. Now we can relax, enjoy the stream-a-thon, and hope we can get a few more pre-orders to pay for this art and get this amazing storytelling into your hands.

We're a little worn out. We'll be back soon with something more coherent.

Thank you, thank you, thank you again.

ICARUS LIVES.

Because of you.

♥♥♥  - Emily.

Optimism (and nerves) as we approach the deadline.
almost 5 years ago – Fri, Jul 12, 2019 at 09:00:39 AM

From Author Gregory A. Wilson

Hi all,

Well, we’ve arrived at the final stop on this incredible journey with Icarus and Jellinek. We’ve been slow but steady, stalled out at times, and gotten some big boosts along the way (from celebrities to Kickstarter itself, plus all the various pledges). Before I say more, let me just get this out of the way: thank you. You’ve all made it possible for us to be in striking distance of funding, and I couldn’t be more grateful to all of you for believing in this project.

We’re about 70% funded from 150 backers—which is a real indication of the support there is for Icarus/Jellinek. The not-so-good news is that despite everyone’s support and the incredible work from the entire team, we’ve only got about a day and a half to get the rest of the way—between $3.5 and $4k. That’s a lot. But it’s not impossible by any stretch, for two reasons: First, Kickstarter has now sent its 48 hour reminder e-mail to everyone (indeed, some of you may be here after having received it—welcome!), and since it went out late last night, some may still be getting that notification today. And second, because we’re close, we will show up on a lot of the “almost funded, almost out of time!” places which should help drive more traffic and pledges.

So there’s reason for optimism. But the optimism won’t fund the project by itself. So we need the help of those who have already shown their amazing commitment to this project: you lovely folks! Please spread the word to friends and family, especially if any of them are into good stories, wonderful art, and a commitment to compassion and community, and please encourage them to come over and do what you’ve already done—support Icarus and Jellinek.

Beyond that, we’ll have our big wrap-up streamathon on my Twitch channel this Friday the 12th, starting at 1 p.m. EDT and finishing after the Kickstarter does, at 11 p.m. EDT. We’ll be doing an awesome tabletop experience, where a group of players will play a TTRPG—but every $500 milestone the Kickstarter hits, the systems will switch completely, with only the characters remaining the same as they “morph” into the new world. It’s basically Into the Spiderverse: The RPG Experience, and it should be a blast. :D  Please stop by www.twitch.tv/arvaneleron starting at 1 p.m. EDT so I can thank you in (virtual) person!

And finally, a special personal thanks to the others on the team—especially Kris for the amazing lettering, layout, and Facebook promotion, Keith for his great script, Emily and Chris from Atthis Arts for believing in this project and doing so much to make it a reality, and of course Áthila for the extraordinary art which has done so well in bringing my words and world to visual life. I can’t thank them enough for their commitment to Icarus and Jellinek—and can’t thank you enough for the same. Let’s all pull together in this last day and a half to fully realize that commitment.

With gratitude and love,

--Greg

Notes from Emily:

Hi, it's me. There's not much else I can say other than to echo Greg's sentiments. We believe in this project, and our hearts will be glued to the ticker for the next day and a half, hoping people will support and share, and hoping too, for some exposure from the "ending soon" algorithms - as well as the "trending" ones if we can get a stream of pledges. Every pledge of any size helps build that momentum and exposure. So please, let people know. Shares are great, and also private notes to people you think would like it. We think this project would appeal not just to comic enthusiasts, but also as an introduction to graphic storytelling. It would be a lovely gift, also - for adults and children too. So let's do this. The art community is so passionate, and...oh, enough from me. We believe! And if others do too, we can get there.

Here's that link to copy and share: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/atthisarts/icarus-0

I think you know I like to share projects, especially ones I believe in, too. Sometimes creators coordinate to share each others' projects (this is wonderful), and sometimes I just see one I love and want to share, because I believe so strongly in indie art and the art community. 

So I've got a couple of really special projects. I hope you will read my summaries below, and give them a look.

With that, we're signing off for now. You'll next hear from us once Icarus' fate is decided. If you've got a helping hand to lend these last few hours, spreading the word and the enthusiasm, we'll take it. I've personally seen how hard this team has worked: Greg, Chris, Kris, Keith, Áthila, Trendane, and everyone else - along with the Arvan Eleron community, my readers and friends...all to do this beautiful story justice and to share art and light with the world. Everyone's heart is now attached to this and...we'll see. I'll be here, watching and doing what I can.

See you on the flip side. - Emily. ♥

A unique project ending in only hours:

A very interesting publishing project is ending today, and moving toward some cool stretch goals. It's an Afrofuturistic novella trliogy, published in phone-sized print (!), by author and Afrofuturism theorist Ytasha Womack. We've backed for our copy:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mousebooks/a-spaceship-in-bronzeville

A very special project that needs help:

We've been enjoying talking with Adan Avila Arredondo, a lifetime teacher, volunteer, and expert in Hispanic Education, who is hoping to fund this sweet children's book about responsibility told through a story about taking care of a dog, and the love between the dog, Selena, and the girl who loves her. This project is especially meaningful to Adan Avila, because it is inspired by his own dog, Selena, who he brought into his family after losing his leg in the Aurora theater shooting. He was not in a good place then, but taking care of Selena saved him. Our author, Gregory A. Wilson has been vocal in advocacy for the critical issue of Gun Violence prevention, and Animal Welfare is very important to myself, as a vegan, so we are touched by Adan Avila's journey and passion. We've backed, and we hope to help this project succeed.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mydogselena/childrens-book-my-dog-selena-is-always-running-away