Shipping update
almost 3 years ago
– Sat, Jun 05, 2021 at 11:40:37 PM
Hi!
It's been a couple of weeks, and I hoped to get this out sooner, but I have been told by the printer that the books are bound and we should be getting a final date for shipping soon. I was told that they were making the arrangements last week.
I will be honest. I am frustrated. Last year we got the files into the printer two weeks later, and they were already on the ship. This is why I always tell people that while I have done this a lot of times, nothing is certain, and things change all the time.
Hopefully, I will get the mass production samples next week, and the books will be on the boat by next weekend, but until they are through customs and on the open sea, I have no idea when they will come. I am still confident they will come and be able to be shipped in July, but probably toward the end of July instead of the beginning.
Once I have the mass production samples, you'll be hearing from me again, and hopefully by then I will have a final date for the book to be on the boat.
Just know, I'm working on it, and I'm frustrated just like you might be, but we will get these books out to you ASAP.
Meanwhile, if you're hankering for some new books from me, then I do have a new Kickstarter live right now. I know it's a bit crass to market a new campaign before the old one is fulfilled, but since you're reading this I thought I would take the opportunity anyway.
This is a new novel book series called The Obsidian Spindle Saga, which is a combination of fairy tales, mythology, and portal fantasy.
Kickstarter link
Unlike this campaign, we are printing these POD, which means I have a better handle on when they will come in and expect them to arrive and ship by early July.
Fairy tales are real.
Rose Briar is a diabetic college student without insurance.
She’s been scraping by through a combination of maxing out credit cards and relying upon the kindness of strangers.
Unfortunately, she’s spent every dollar at her disposal. There’s no money left to buy her life-saving insulin.
Without her medication, Rose falls into a diabetic coma. She tumbles into a deep slumber and wakes up in a fantastical place called the Dream Realm, where fairy tales and legends of old are still very much alive.
She has one chance to wake up.
She must trek across the world, visit the most powerful object in the land, the Obsidian Spindle, and entreat with the fates; the only beings powerful enough to send her soul back to Earth.
But evil forces don’t want her to leave.
They will stop at nothing to capture her and make sure she never goes home again.
Now, with the help of her half-gorgon girlfriend and a mysterious red rider, Rose must race across the land fighting dragons, monsters, and the forces of the Wicked Witch, Nimue, in order to reach the Obsidian Spindle before her body dies on Earth and she’s trapped in the Dream Realm forever.
Will she be able to wake up? Can she survive? That is the genesis of the Obsidian Spindle Saga (TOSS), and the first book The Sleeping Beauty.
This is my most ambitious project ever, and represents the last three years of my creative effort. Every moment I wasn't working on The Godsverse Chronicles or Ichabod Jones was spent inside this universe.
For backing this series early, everybody who backs the campaign by Saturday night gets some amazing digital books, absolutely free, and included in your pledge.
All backers who pledge by tonight (even for $1) get Lady Serra and the Draconian by Cat Banks, School for Dragons by Amy Wolf, Seeking the Salamander by Matt Harry and Stranger: Academy for Peculiars by Isadora Brown, absolutely free!
Kickstarter link
I am so super excited for this series. I spent the last three years building up the universe and writing these books. I can't wait to share it with you.
Thank you so much for your support.
You are the best.
Russell
Book plates are signed!!!
almost 3 years ago
– Sat, May 15, 2021 at 01:11:13 AM
ZOMG!!!
The book plates are in and I've been signing them all afternoon.
That's the closest my signature has ever been to Renzo's!!!!
These came in with the original art, which I packed up and shipped this morning. This was the thing I was most worried about because I've never shipped anything from Argentina, but it all went as smoothly as possible.
I also shipped everything that didn't have volume 3 in the order. So, if you ordered anything either digital or books that weren't ichabod volume 3, your books should be in the mail.
For the rest of you, I should be getting an update on the mass production books any time now. I can't wait to see them.
Meanwhile, I'm working on my next Kickstarter, which launches on June first.
I don't like to launch books before others have fulfilled, but I have pushed this one as far as it can go, and now it's in the hands of the book gods. Once the final piece falls into place, I will get them out ASAP.
This Kickstarter is for novels, not comics, so it might not be your jam, but I am super, over the moon, excited for this project. It's the first truly new series I've launched since, well, I started launching series. I know many people just want me to make comics, but I absolutely love the work I am able to do in novels. It's different, and wonderful, and I hope you'll give it a chance.
If you were ever to give a novel of mine a chance, I would tell you to back this project.
I've launched a lot of single books, but for series, all of my work has been inside the Godsverse or Ichabod really since I started making books in 2010.
This series is called The Obsidian Spindle Saga, and the Kickstarter will bring the first four novels into the world.
Notification link
The Obsidian Spindle Saga started with a simple premise. Knowing everything I knew about writing after finishing over a dozen novels, if I could go back and design my perfect series, the one that would stand the test of time and encapsulate everything I loved in the world, what would it be?
I've been developing this series for THREE years before I finally wrote the first book in the 2018, pouring everything I ever wanted to say into it, and spilling everything I loved onto the page.
I absolutely adored the book. I'm not the type of writer where things fall out of me easily. It's always a struggle to get a book on the page, and then I have to manhandle it to cooperate. I love all my book babies, but they are stubborn as a mule and twice as ornery most times.
That's not the case with this series. The Sleeping Beauty slid out quickly and without much struggle, almost exactly has I imagined it in my mind.
Then, over and over the people who read it said it was my best work ever, and even now, several dozen books later, they still mention The Sleeping Beauty, and the whole Obsidian Spindle Saga, as among their favorite series.
Here is the set-up for the first book, and the whole universe.
Rose Briar is a diabetic college student without insurance. She’s been scraping by through a combination of maxing out credit cards and relying upon the kindness of strangers.
Unfortunately, she’s spent every dollar at her disposal. There’s no money left to buy her life-saving insulin.
Without her medication, Rose falls into a diabetic coma. She tumbles into a deep slumber and wakes up in a fantastical place called the Dream Realm, where fairy tales and legends of old are still very much alive.
She has one chance to wake up.
She must trek across the world, visit the most powerful object in the land, the Obsidian Spindle, and entreat with the fates; the only beings powerful enough to send her soul back to Earth.
But evil forces don’t want her to leave. They will stop at nothing to capture her and make sure she never goes home again.
Now, with the help of her half-gorgon girlfriend and a mysterious red rider, Rose must race across the land fighting dragons, monsters, and the forces of the Wicked Witch, Nimue, in order to reach the Obsidian Spindle before her body dies on Earth and she’s trapped in the Dream Realm forever.
Will she be able to wake up? Can she survive? That is the genesis of The Obsidian Spindle Saga, and the first book The Sleeping Beauty.
Click here to be notified when the Kickstarter launches.
I hope to see you once again behind the backer wall.
More cool Kickstarters to check out
Here are some new comics that I've backed from creators I really love and respect.
JOYSTICK ANGELS: A NEW YA SPACE OPERA COMIC SERIES
Kickstarter link
My amazing and talented friend TJ Sterling is running a very cool campaign for his new book, and it looks awesome!
Joystick Angels is a comic book space opera that takes place post-Earth after an evil alien parasitic empire, the Eukarya, destroy the planet. The last of humanity settled on the satellite space vessel, The Libor Space Station, and now must defeat the alien menace. The story follows a squadron of five teenage space pilots, Fox, Deuce, Tank, Dragonetti, and Legz, called the Angels as they seek retribution.
The series was co-written by RAE Comics President and Founder T.J. Sterling and his brother, music producer Spenser Sterling, who composed the OST. Their collaboration blends their creative skills and serves as a love letter to 90s comics, mech anime, and video games they both were fanatic about as kids.
SMOKE WEED, SEE THE FUTURE - a graphic novel
Kickstarter link
I love many comics, but there's not a series I love more than Destiny, NY. I have every volume of the main storyline and all the tangents as well. I am firmly Team Logan, and I think her best girlfriend in the series by far was Taylor, star of the new book Smoke Weed, See the Future from Space Between and Pat Shand.
Taylor Hart was born a seer, which means that she can look at a person and see their future. All of her life, it's been both a gift and a curse. She wishes she could control it... but now, she's found a way to use her gift to help others.
While attempting to grow a strain of marijuana that could help her control her visions, she ended up creating a strain that helps regular people see what she sees.
The future.
BUDDY #1 - "Milo & Otis meets The Exorcist"
Kickstarter link
The first time Terry Mayo pitched me this book as Milo and Otis meets the Exorcist, I was sold, and seeing it come alive proves I was right to be excited.
BUDDY follows the misadventures of an utterly unassuming hero named BUDDY. Buddy is a simple Pug who is content to Wake up - Pee - Eat - Chase Birds - Fall Asleep... REPEAT. That is until a doorway to Evil enters his home.
With the help of Charlie the Housecat, Buddy must find the courage to save his humans from a barrage of devilish beasts that are determined to wreak havoc on all mankind! Let's just pray that Buddy doesn't get sidetracked by something shiny first!
HEIRS OF ISILDUR vs TALES FROM NOCTURNIA Vinyl Record+ Comic
Kickstarter link
A comic and a record in one! What a cool idea, of course what else would I expect from Steph Cannon and Matt Knowles, two prolific creators and amazing humans that I respect a great deal.
...It was birthed from a celestial battle, pitting warring forces from alternate existential planes against one another, with the fate of the universe at stake...
Steampunk, comics, medieval fantasy, and METAL all collide in: Heirs Of Isildur vs Tales From Nocturnia. This campaign brings both universes into the metal music world, and lets them duke it out with 5 songs each on an album that will be available as MP3s, on CD, and on collectible colored vinyl!
The campaign also centers around the special edition comic Heirs of Isildur: Nightmare Scenariowhich will answer one of the burning questions from the previous arc, The Crossroads Conundrum, and its cliffhangers.
Legends of the Realm: Torn Soul
Kickstarter link
These are the early days of Jack Holder's new campaign, and I really want this one to succeed. I've known Jack for a long time, and there's nobody I know who's trying harder to make it work as an author. He's willing claw for every inch, and I think he took a huge step forward with his new book. I love all his work, but I really love this one, and I think you will too if you're a fan of the old sword and sorcery pulps from the 70s.
He is Camriddeon. The Torn Soul. He is the savior of Dannisfire. Overthrew a tyrant. Married a princess. Established peace throughout the realm.
He is the despot. Who killed a king. Bent the land to his rule, and watched it fall to ruin.
He is a hero. A villain. Lover, liar, mage, demon. Depends who you ask.
