A letter from Mandy's desk to yours:
Dearest Mystic Storyteller Backers,
I hope this update finds you safe and well, and I sincerely hope you enjoyed all the resources you ...
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La Panthère Studio
3 months ago
Mystic Storyteller production timeline!
Hi everyone!
We know the question on everyone's minds today (at least as it pertains to this project, anyway) is: When do I get this amazing book in my hands!??
Pr...
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La Panthère Studio
4 months ago
Thank you from Mystic Storyteller, and What's Next
We did it!
Thank you so much to you Backers, for making it possible for us to fund the Mystic Storyteller book, and companion tarot deck. Mandy, Roz and I (Stacey here) are ove...
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Amanda Hughes
4 months ago
WEEK 5: Next Steps, a Novel Planner, and your Backer certificate and badge
WE DID IT!!! The Mystic Storyteller book and tarot are happening and soon you will each get your pledge rewards! Stay tuned for an update email from La Panthère Studio (our publisher) through BackerKit that will include next steps around adding your mailing address, shipping d...
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Amanda Hughes
4 months ago
#FortuneFriYAY Divination Fun - Life Path Calculator!
This #FortuneFriYAY, discover the tarot card behind your Life Path Number and a special message to inspire you.
Download your Life Path Number Calculator resource here.
Once you’ve discovered your number, card, and message, return to this post and share!
I can't wait to s...
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La Panthère Studio
4 months ago
Time is running out!!! Let's get MYSTIC STORYTELLER Tarot over the edge... here's how
Only 48 hours left to back the Mystic Storyteller Tarot and Book, and we are still about $2,000 away from bringing this project to fruition.
Just a reminder: BackerKit is all-o...
WE DID IT!!! The Mystic Storyteller book and tarot are happening and soon you will each get your pledge rewards! Stay tuned for an update email from La Panthère Studio (our publisher) through BackerKit that will include next steps around adding your mailing address, shipping details, and more.
What's next for Camp MST?
This week, I'm giving you a Novel Planner you can use to plan your NaNoWriMo book! Download your planner here.
Starting Monday, September 9, I will be sending out weekly motivational card pulls, writing support, and more free resources each Monday to your email inbox.
Until then, if you haven't already added me as a contact, please do: Amanda Hughes [email protected].
I'd hate for your Camp MST goodies to end up in that pesky spam folder!
I hope this update finds you safe and well, and I sincerely hope you enjoyed all the resources you received during Camp MST over the past couple of months. No matter where you are in the creative process, KEEP AT IT! And let me know how it's going! I'd love to celebrate your accomplishments alongside you.
I wanted to send an update regarding where we are in the Mystic Storyteller project development, as well as share a few new festive card images - YOU are the first to see these!
Production Update
December 2024
Our illustrator, Roz, is dashing for the finish line as she's completed 75 of the 78 card designs! They are SO GORGEOUS.
Stacey, book designer and La Panthère founder, is busy adding the finishing touches to our Mystic Storyteller book design. I will have a peek in the next week or so, and we cannot wait to reveal the final design to YOU in the new year.
As for me, I am writing the "Little White Book" that will accompany the Mystic Storyteller Tarot cards, and I will deliver that to Stacey by Christmas.
January 2025 As per your previous update, manufacturing is set to begin this month, and it usually takes 4-5 weeks before La Panthère receives a sample for approval. The samples are approved, and real production begins.
Spring 2025
Surveys are sent out - I have received several inquiries about this part of the process, so thank you for reaching out. Surveys include the opportunity to finalize your shipping information to be sure the products arrive at their intended location. The survey email will go out a couple of weeks prior to shipping, so be on the lookout for an email like this one, coming through BackerKit.
Products are received and BackerKit rewards are sent promptly! Our goal is to have them in your hands by April 2025, if not sooner.
Look at these beautiful new cards!
From top left: Three of Cups, The Lovers, Ten of Pentacles, Four of Wands, and Five of Swords, all surrounded by a succulent holiday wreath.
In closing, if you are celebrating the holidays, I wish a very Mystic Holiday season to you and yours. Stay tuned for more updates to come, as we are SO CLOSE to getting these books and cards into your hands!
Please stay in touch with questions or comments here in this update or email me at: [email protected]
We know the question on everyone's minds today (at least as it pertains to this project, anyway) is: When do I get this amazing book in my hands!??
Production Timeline
Here's a peek behind the scenes to keep you all informed of the production work we're doing, and have done, thanks to your funding.
July 2023 (last summer) — July 2024 (this summer) Amanda, whose completed manuscript was ready for review last July, sends her proposal to La Panthere Studio, and gets accepted. Stacey, the Creative Director, gets to work designing the look and feel, and searching for artists. Roz Kazaz is contracted and paid to create the first 40 cards for the deck, a risk we needed to take in order to show the beauty of Mandy's creation.
(Intermission — samples are sent and reviewers give RAVE reviews!)
August 2024 — September 2024 The Crowdfunding campaign is a success! The funding has been received and 2nd payment sent to one grateful artist so she can create the remaining cards to complete the deck.
Stacey has begun the process of building the 400+ page book design file that will be sent to press to become an illustrated, complete paperback reference book. This process takes several weeks as well. About 4-5 pages can be created per work day, on average.
Some of the new cards that Roz has already created, thanks to your funding :)
September – November 2024 Roz and Stacey work hard on the production of files that will ultimately be sent to the press for manufacturing. Final edits and revisions.
(Intermission — the holidays slow us all down a bit, as we hang with our families)
Goal for delivery to press is December, but possibly January 2025 Manufacturing begins, and it usually takes 4-5 weeks before we receive a sample for approval.
January 2025 The samples are approved, and real production begins
Spring 2025 Product is received and BackerKit rewards are sent promptly! Our goal is to have them in your hands by April 2025, if not sooner.
Each month we will send you updates to let you know how well we are meeting or exceeding this production schedule! Thank you for funding this effort. We are grateful to you for bringing Mandy's dream to fruition.
Meantime, stay tuned to Mandy's channels, Haint Blue Creative and Mystic Storyteller Tarot on socials and in email, to continue your work on Camp MST, and stay tuned.
With gratitude, Stacey & the whole La Panthère Studio team
Thank you so much to you Backers, for making it possible for us to fund the Mystic Storyteller book, and companion tarot deck. Mandy, Roz and I (Stacey here) are over the moon with plans for the images on the remainder of the cards, and the printing of the book. Yay!
What Happens Now
Camp MST
You all should have received an email from Mandy, aka Amanda Hughes, on what lies in store for you as a participant in Camp MST, Mandy's free writing course for Backers. As a Backer, you are invited to continue enjoying Camp Mystic Storyteller (Camp MST), which provides weekly motivational card pulls, exercises, resources, and activities. In case you missed something, you can find all your resources here.
Production
Here are the steps we will be completing behind the scenes to make this product a reality.
The La Panthere Design team, led by me, will complete the book layout and design.... all 500 pages of it. Whoo! This is the graphic design labor that turns humble Word docs into book layouts. All in all this will take about 6 weeks.
Roselyne, the illustrator for the Mystic Storyteller Tarot, still has 38 cards to create to make our set of 78 complete. (We already have a rough sketch of the High Priestess, which she just started since the successful campaign! Cannot wait to share these with you as they emerge.)
We plan to have these tasks complete before the holidays, which means we can send to manufacturing (fingers crossed!) in December, for completion by early February. Assuming all goes well, we will have books and decks by Spring!
Risks
We know it can be nerve-wracking on the Backer end, so here is our best assessment of risk. Very low! In fact, there's just about no risk at all because we've done this many times before, and have very reliable vendors and an awesome team.
Why the risks are minimal:
The book is already written and reviewed. It wants to be in the world!
The illustrations are in progress and Roz is raring to go, already painting the new ones.
La Panthère Studio has a great relationship with our overseas manufacturing team, who have worked with us for years to produce thousands of decks and books. We rely on them and communicate at least weekly, so the lines of communication are always open. Even when things like shipping get weird and worrisome, we have points all along the way to solve problems when and if they arise.
The bottom line: We plan to ship your decks and books in the Springtime!
And speaking of shipping...
Your shipping will be charged separately, as we indicated in the campaign. The rates are tailored to what you asked for in your Rewards, as well as your location, and ours.
By keeping shipping personalized and separate, we avoid overcharging you.
Here's the graphic we made for the campaign. Why the asterisks? Because they are just estimates. To repeat, your shipping rate will be based on your Reward, how much it weighs, how much the postal service charges in future months, and where you exactly live.
Please trust that your shipping charge is correct. If it comes through and you have questions, please write to us and we will work with you to clarify or make it right.
Thanks again everyone!
We will keep you posted periodically throughout this process to keep you up-to-date.
We are so grateful to you all for making this project possible! Congratulations on being AWESOME!
