Greetings Backers,

Sorry this update is a few days late, I've been kind of slammed. I'll put the details of what I've been up to down below, but first:

TL;DR: No action items for you. Thank you for filling out your surveys, if you have questions or concerns about anything relating to your order please email [email protected]. I am giving everyone access to a video of the presentation that was the source material for this book. I'm also giving you all another chapter to read. Both the video and chapter can be accessed by clicking over to Backerkit and logging in. Details below.
 

Thank you so much for filling out surveys. It really helps me to have a count of how many of each item to order so that I can plan manufacturing. I will launch manufacturing in January. I also plan to give a full status report on all deliverables with my next update. 

Some of you (particularly international customers) were surprised by shipping costs. I'm very sorry about that. I did put the expected shipping costs on the main story page, but the information was kind of hidden towards the bottom. I really wish I could make shipping cheaper, but unfortunately those are the real costs for US-based shipping. I actually expect a rate hike between now and when I send packages. Additionally the incoming presidential administration has announced potential tariffs which could launch a trade war that could further complicate international shipping.  No matter what happens, I will not increase the charges from the prices I have set right now. If the current listed costs are too high for you, please email [email protected] I am happy to adjust your pledge to be digital only or to provide a refund.  We have plenty of time to make changes. I will not charge cards for shipping costs until much closer to when I plan to ship items. 

 My original plan for this project had me recording and posting the lectures for the lecture bundle in September. That did not happen as I'd planned (because I over scheduled myself). I intend to record both Caregiver's Guide to Creative Spark and Introverts Unite: Finding and Maintaining the Creative Community You Need before the end of December. These are both ready to go with completed slide decks. The other two lectures in the bundle both need to be done and posted by end of January.
As an apology for the delayed lectures, I offer a bonus lecture to every backer. It is called Structuring Life to Support Creativity and is the seed of the book I'm writing. If you click over to Backerkit and login you can read the chapter on The Community You Need and click a link to download the lecture. 

I have less progress to report than I would like. I've finished both Changing Your Life and Goals. I'm in progress on Believing in Your Work. I simply haven't had as much time to devote to revising as I would like. What else have I been working on? Well...

Just after posting my prior update to you all where I spoke hopefully about my work schedule, I had an appointment with a new doctor about a chronic health condition that I have. We agreed that the next medical step is for me to go on a pretty strict elimination diet where I remove all of the following foods for the next three months: Wheat, Egg, Milk, Soy, Fish/Shellfish, Peanuts/Tree Nuts. So a lot of time and energy has gone into reading food labels, adapting meal plans, and cooking from scratch. I am incredibly fortunate to be married to Howard who is something of a food wizard has taken it as his personal mission to make sure that I have delicious food to eat.  The diet is the right course of action, we've got a good handle on it so food can be routine going forward, but the adjustment ate some brain space over the past couple of weeks. 

Then just as I was adjusting to changed food, a freelancing client reached out to see if I was available to pick up some work hours. I said yes because I've been stressed about finances across the holiday season. The work itself was fairly simple, but that took up about 10 hours of time that then wasn't available for other things. 

We hosted Thanksgiving this year, which is not unusual. It is an event mostly for us and our adult children + 1 grandchild. But the food preparations were additionally complex because Howard was determined to make sure that I got to feast right along with the people who were allowed to drown their foods in butter. Food prep started four days before dinner and two full days were devoted to the final stages and celebration. 

On top of all of that, we're exhibiting with a 10x20 booth at Dragonsteel Nexus December 5-7.  The logistical planning for this event kicked into full gear with planning fixtures and tables, reserving a cargo van, and stressing over all the little details that go with setting up a small pop-up retail store. (I'll spare you from the play-by-play) I have pre-planned for a pile of inevitabilities and also for some highly-unlikely contingencies. Two of my adult kids will be booth crew and so four of us will be sharing a hotel room for three days. For bonus levels of difficulty, I'm going to have to pack along all of the food I expect to eat because I can't depend on any restaurant or fast food service to be able to match my strict diet requirements.  It is going to be a lot to cope with. 

I'm going to take my laptop along with me and will try to sneak in work on this book. Once I'm done with that event, This book and recording lectures will be my first priority through the end of the year.  At least that is my plan, but as the report of the past two weeks demonstrate: life finds a way to send my plans sideways. Holiday shipping may be more involved than I expect, or more freelancing work may come my way.  My life has a lot of moving parts and I have to stay on my toes to avoid getting clobbered. 

Thank you so much for reading all of the detail and for supporting this project. Getting to work on this book is an anchor of calm joy in the middle of all of the other stuff. I keep being frustrated that I haven't finished it already. I want to be able to hold the book in my hands.  Your next update will happen the week of Dec 16-20 after I've recovered from Dragonsteel Nexus and assessed how the remainder of the year will go. 

All the best,
Sandra