Hello Backers!

A quick(?) update for you all. 

Surveys will be sent out soon. Be sure to check your email for any The Bright Spot links. You'll be redirected to Backerkit's Pledge manager where you can confirm your addons, pay for shipping, and enter your address.

Backerkit's pledge manager is a very powerful (and quite complicated) tool, so I wanted to spend the extra time to make sure I got everything correct.

Those who are eligible for the Early Bird incentive will be able to choose one of four stickers (or get one at random) to be sent along with their physical items. If you are eligible, but made a digital only pledge, you will need to pay for shipping for the single sticker. If you live outside of the US, shipping may be pretty high, especially for one item. You should be able to opt-out of receiving the incentive to avoid paying high shipping fees.

I will be conducting a smoke test tomorrow where very few of you will receive surveys. This is so that me and the Backerkit team can spot any issues within the pledge manager and fix them before the rest of you get your surveys.

Here's a quick look at what to expect with the pledge manager.

The digital wallpapers are finally ready. There are wallpapers for both your Desktop PC and Mobile devices. There are multiple options for you to choose which one you like best!

You can download them here

In case you missed the last update, I am releasing the first few chapters of The Bright Spot periodically.
You can read it here. (The link may stop working in a week as I move over to a new domain.)

Progress is moving slower than I expected. I am rewriting the entire manuscript, cutting a ton of content, while also implementing and improving more. I can no longer write what comes to mind. Each decision made has to be carefully thought through. This takes a lot of time and energy. At the moment, the second draft sits at around 27k words at about 30%. 

A March release for backers and a June full release is still planned, but it still is subject to change. In November I will be sending off my second draft to an editor and beta readers to start the third draft in December (hopefully).

If I missed anything important, I'll probably send out another update.
Ride With The Sun!

Hello backers!
I can't believe it's been a week since the campaign ended!

As promised, a preview chapter of the first chapter of The Bright Spot has been released. I will be sharing it on a website I created 8 years ago until I figure out how to upload it to my own domain. You can read it here
https://redmatteryt.wordpress.com/2024/10/03/the-bright-spot-preview-chapter-1/

Remember, this is a preview chapter from my second draft. Things in this chapter are going to change by the time TBS releases officially. 

Your digital wallpapers are still being edited, but you can expect to see them very soon.

I am still working on surveys. I decided I am going to wait at least two to three weeks before sending them out, just to give you time to update any payment info. Within the survey, you can choose whether or not you want your paperback signed + numbered, signed only, or unsigned. 
You'll also be able to "add-on" any "add-ons." Maybe you want another signed paperback copy, or forgot to add a bookmark.


I hope you enjoy the preview chapter and I can't wait to share more with you as time continues! 

The campaign is over and we made over 300% of our goal with a final total of $1,633

On day ONE, we hit our goal of $500, unlocking digital wallpapers that you can download for your phone, tablet or computer! I will send out an update email with a Google Drive link when those are ready!

On day TWO, we hit our second goal of $1000, unlocking a fourth sticker in the sticker pack. This will also be included in the random draw for those who took advantage of the early bird incentive by backing within the first 48 hours.

The pledges tapered off until the final 48 hours when we reached our third goal of $1500. Because of this, I will be able to include a map of the world at the beginning of the book. With this map, you will be able to reference events that happen in the story and tie them to specific locations.

I am unable to express how much the amount of support means to me. It's mind-boggling that all 42 of you want to see this project succeed. As thanks, I will be posting preview chapters periodically until the novel launches in Q2 of next year.

I'll continue to chip away at my second draft until I feel like it is where I want it to be. I've already cut out nearly 30 pages of filler, so we will see how it shapes throughout October

I want to extend a very special thank you to EVERYONE who helped bring this project to life and I am VERY excited to share this piece of my heart with you all.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
We have reached our latest stretch goal with only 7 hours left.

This means I can insert a professional world map at the book's beginning. That way you can tie the events of the story with a location. I have been coming up with a concept map that I am very excited to show you all! Keep an eye out for these updates even AFTER the campaign has ended for more information and early reveals.

Our next goal

Our next goal is unlocking the HARDCOVER edition. This is for those who like having a more premium feel while reading, unfortunately, production costs are nearly double compared to paperback editions. If this pledge is unlocked, you should be able to upgrade to it in the pledge manager after the campaign is over. I don't expect that we will reach this, but as a reminder, I am offering the very special first draft manuscript for $500 which will bring us to this goal. This is the only way you can read the very first iteration of my book. It contains errors, structure problems, and flat characters, but it also contains my writing processes and how I learned to write. It's very interesting reading that manuscript and comparing it to today's work. 

If you are wondering what the pledge manager is: In a week or two I will be sending out surveys to all who have made pledges. This is where you will put your shipping address and any changes you'd like to make to your current pledge. You'll still have the ability to add bookmarks, stickers, or even another paperback copy if you'd like. Keep an eye out!

We have 7 hours left in the campaign. I will make a follow-up update once we are done!

Thank you all for being a part of this project!