Just 48 hours left to pledge to our Kickstarter

Attention friends, family and fans!


The Kickstarter campaign for my novel “The Evenarian" is rapidly drawing to a close and I want to make sure everyone who's interested gets a chance to show their support. The campaign ends midnight this Friday!

It’s been a wild four weeks of racking up pledges and talking with new fans, but now there is just a little over 48 hours left to support my project.

With more than 100 people pledging from as little as $1 to more than $500, this Kickstarter campaign has really fueled my ambition to complete my novel and share it with all of you.

If you would like to show your support for my writing, I have created various rewards levels for your pledges, ranging from a personal note and a electronic version of the book (when it is released) to your name appearing on the dedication page and a signed hardbound copy of the book.

It’s easy to pledge. Simply go to my campaign's Kickstarter page, choose the amount you wish to pledge, the reward you would like to receive...and you're done.

I'd like to extend my utmost thanks to each and every person that has helped spread the word of "The Evenarian" and to all those who have already shown their generous support. The campaign is going to be a success because all of YOU!

And remember, you have until Friday evening to pledge!


Thanks again!
-- Julia Dickinson

Meet my characters

Everyone has been so great to me and my Kickstarter as I dive deeper into the world of The Evenarian.

It is day 26 of the Kickstarter campaign and we have reached $5,159. That 103% of our goal. I’m overjoyed with the early progress of this project. In fact, the campaign has done so well that I have created a stretch goal of $7,000 to reach in the last 4 days. 

As a thank you to everyone that has helped get me this far, I wanted to give all of my fan-supporters a glimpse of some of the characters that are in my book. I hope you find them and the world I’ve crafted just as gripping as I do.

Turo:

The story's narrator and age 18 when The Evenarian begins. Turo was the youngest son born to a well-off textile merchant. He grew up in a small town outside the northern capital. 

Though the town lies along major trade routes, Turo has rarely ventured beyond the town limits. Unlike his older brothers who showed an interest in warfare or taking up

their father's trade, Turo has always been meek, quiet and bookish. 

He has an excellent memory and a talent for facts and figures. Afraid that he would be forced to become a clerk in his father's warehouse, Turo decided to join the local cloister and become a student of magic (AKA a Seeker of Truth). 

While other young seekers aspired to greatness, Turo only wanted to be left alone with his studies. His life of contemplation and study is disrupted in the late summer of his 18th year when he stumbles upon a stranger man wandering in the woods near the cloister. 

Short and a bit overweight, Turo is used to being overlooked by other and is generally subdued and withdrawn. But the stranger's revelations, coupled with his own knowledge of history and prophecy, spur Turo in to action for the first time in his life.

Josh:

A stranger from parts unknown, Josh is discovered wandering in the woods. He is likely in his mid-20s. Taller than most northern men and apparently unable to speak, Josh briefly becomes an object of fascination in Turo's small cloister. 

He is dressed unusually and has a large, strange-looking bag slung over his shoulders. Over the course of one afternoon, Josh miraculously regains the ability to speak and

soon begins asking odd questions and make even odder statements that mark him as a foreigner, and perhaps something more. 

He insists that he needs to go to the capitol to see the northern king. Meanwhile, Turo's fellow seekers argue amongst themselves: is this man trustworthy, or is he a charlatan trying to pull off an elaborate ruse? 

Turo comes to believe that Josh is the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy—that mages from magic's earliest days went into an enchanted sleep and would reawaken when the world needed them—and decides to help him. Josh also displays an impressive array of magical abilities, which help him and Turo on their journey, but also brings them a good deal of unwanted attention. 

He never claims to be a mage, or anything else for that matter, allowing other people to cast aspersions on him. As Josh becomes more comfortable in his new surroundings, he shows himself to be arrogant, harsh, pushy and single-minded in his quest to assassinate a shadowy figure known as the Evenarian.

Elena:

A young woman from the southern republic of Sone, Elena is a diplomat sent to the northern capital to negotiate a trade agreement. Although Sone and the northern Kingsrealm made peace many years ago, tensions remain between the cultures. 

Like most northerners, Turo was raised to be suspicious of Sonans and only accepts Elena's help under duress. She is not conventionally attractive by Turo's northern standards, having a dark complexion, short hair and a commanding, confident manner. 

Turo and Josh meet her on their journey to the northern capital. She sees a certain potential in Josh and eventually ropes the two young men into her entourage under the pretense that Josh is a mage from the unexplored “lands beyond the map.” 

Elena is somewhat two-faced. She is capable of massaging the thorniest sovereign’s ego. But in her private life, she is fond of gossip, especially scandalous tales of the northern kingdom's leadership, and has a sharp tongue and scheming nature, both of which she seems to delight in. She firmly believes that history is written by the victors

and intends to be on that winning side.

If you can't tell, I love crafting unique, interesting characters. I'll roll out some chapter excerpts in the near future. Stay tuned! And if you haven't already, consider pledging to the Kickstarter so you can find out what happens to The Evenarian's characters.


Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section and share this with any literature-loving friends so I can reach my stretch goal too!!!

Thanks for Giving to my Cause

As I settle around a crowded table filled with delicious treats and smiling family, I am reminded of just how lucky and thankful I am. So many friends, relatives and fans have supported me on my quest to get my first novel completed and published.

The very first day that The Evenarian Kickstarter was live I had 41 people pledge their support. And now, 22 days later more than 100 people have joined together to championed this project with their great words and dollars.

I have also found a great community in the grouping of Kickstarter campaigns -- entrepreneurs with amazing drive and mind-boggling ideas.

I now have to say that I am thankful for so many more things today than I was just a month ago and I hope that I have been able to provide some encouragement and support back to each and every one of you too.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Kickstarter Campaign -- Week 3 update

Hey compadres!
It's already week three of The Evenarian Kickstarter campaign and I am so happy to tell you all that we are at more than 100% of our goal. With another nine days left to gain more pledges, the campaign has already received $5,075 of support from all of you.
Thank you all so much for helping me get this far. But now I have set my sights just a little bit higher -- to $7,000 -- so that I can build greater buzz online and get some orignal artwork created for the fantasy world I've built.
If the Kickstarter campaign can reach this new stretch goal in its final days then I can share the artwork with all of you and even get some extra goodies out to those of you that have pledged toward the book's success.
So, if you would like to continue your support by increasing your pledge or sharing the Kickstarter page on your Facebook, blog, Twitter or other methods of communication, I would greatly appreciate it.

100% Funded and Going Strong

Image Source: Tumblr

Friends, fans and fellow authors I have great news to share with you -- The Evenarian Kickstarter campaign is more than 100% funded as of today.

It took an amazing 18 days to get $5,000 crowd-sourced and I couldn't be more excited to share the news with everyone that has helped.

As most of you are aware, this $5,000 will go toward hiring an editor to prepare the book for agents and publishers since I would like to head down the traditional publishing route. But, with another 11 days left in the Kickstarter campaign, my efforts are far from over. In order to better position the book for publishing I would like to raise some more funds to commission orignal art and get a stronger social media buzz out there about The Evenarian.

The new stretch goal set is $7,000. As I continue to get orignal artwork created I will update this blog and the Kickstarter rewards to give back to those that are supporting my writing efforts.

Stay tuned for some additional perks for being a part of the campaign and keep sharing this cause with more friends and family.

Discovery on Kickstarter

Image Source: Kickstarter

My friends and fans have heard all about how they can help support me and the completion of The Evenarian on Kickstarter, but I want to take this moment to give a shout-out to some other great projects I have stumbled upon while clicking through the crowd-funding site.

Those of you that aren't familiar with Kickstarter might be excited to learn that there are more than publishing projects on the site. In fact, there are some great technology, film, fashion and art projects kicking off in every day.

Here are some that caught my eye and I thought I'd show some love and pass on their info.

She's Beautiful When She's Angry
Mary Dore and Nancy Kennedy are working on a film that tells the story of the birth of the women's liberation movement during the 1960s.

They have already compiled a lot of archived footage and have female pioneers from then and now telling their tales.

Both documentarians are set on bringing the enthusiasm  of the 1960s back for women that are now struggling to keep the rights won for them so many years ago.

With 11 days left in their campaign, they still have another $40,000 to raise and reach their $75,000 goal. Check them out.

Downturn Abbey
Accomplished author Michael Gerber of the Barry Trotter series is running a Kickstarter campaign to fund an book-length parody of the British costume drama Downton Abbey.

As the author puts it in his blog: 

"For over 20 years, I have been producing books and magazines for myself and others, and I can tell you: Downturn Abbey is a corker. (I thought the book was going to be in every bookstore in the US for Christmas, so I really sweated the details.) Readers of the US edition of Barry Trotter know that I show a level of care with my projects almost unheard of at big publishing houses. Sad but true."

I certainly know that story but the great news is he has reached his goal -- but we all have stretch goals too.

Image Source: Kickstarter

He has just passed $5,045 of funding, surpassing his $3,500 goal.

Whooz

Image Source: Kickstarter

These are vinyl designed stickers you can apply to Apple product cords and chargers. This great idea is very close to my heart. As an Apple product user in the Apple-centric city of San Francisco, I am constantly having to keep an eye on my chargers and make sure I leave coffee shops and friends' houses with all my accessories.

Whooz not only assures that no one mistakes your cords with theirs but also gives your computer some fun individuality.

I like to think that hosting a Kickstarter campaign is about more than just using a website and its tools. Kickstarter is more like a club that supports members' creative endeavors  It's really fun to discover new ideas and even pledge some dinero to a couple that I think should see the light of day rather than later.

Inspiration is a mystical thing

Image Source: Freelance Fodder

Writing depends heavily on inspiration.

Whether it is a painting you saw, a movie you watched, a dream you had or a song that won't stop running through your head, inspiration makes the creative process smoother.

These little moments or images can help bring about a perfect single sentence or even become the fodder for volumes of books. And this is why I am so happy to be joining the novelist club in the age of the Internet.

Writers of generations past relied on their memory or filled up journals and camped out at a museum or along the Seine to leverage their inspiration into words on a page. As enticing as that sounds, I am provided the comfort and ease of opening a browser and finding the exact song I need to complete a chapter or find the obscure painting I saw 10 years ago that will help me craft a new character.

Imagine what kind of novels we would have now if Earnest Hemingway or Mark Twain had been able to see even more nooks and crannies of the world.

Marathons of the creative kind

It's day 13 of The Evenarian's Kickstarter campaign and I'm so very, very grateful to the 91 people who've already pledging over $4,000 to my project. I am inspired by all of the well-wishes and interest in my upcoming novel.

Simultaneously writing the book while spreading the word about the Kickstarter has presented me with some interesting challenges. I am reminded that as I draft emails, manage social media pages and call everyone I can think of, that marathons come in many forms. With this particular marathon I've embarked on, I've had to set goals that are challenging (yet attainable). Eventually, all those mile markers add up to something amazing.

While it took a lot of preparation and energy to build the Kickstarter campaign and get it approved by the admins on the site, once I pushed the "launch" button, I felt so much satisfaction that helped fuel me to my next goal.

And to my astonishment, just hours into the campaign, I felt the exhilaration of seeing the next mile marker: getting my first 25 backers. Next, I was excited to reach the half-way point of fundraising by getting $2,500 from friends and fans. Once the campaign reached that point, I opened up a new reward level so my backers could essentially pre-order the print or e-book version of The Evenarian.

My next goal is to hit the $5,000 marker, where the campaign will be officially funded and I'll open up even more fun reward levels. And just like a marathon, I am looking to friends, family and the larger literary community to help keep this momentum going until the finish line is in view.

Another Kickstarter project that we love

Barnaby and I came across a beautiful children's book on Kickstarter called "Vicki's Wish". The campaign has four days left to go and it needs your help to reach it's goal. We immediately identified with this one because it's done by a couple, and we know what it's to do a creative project together. The ups and downs of driving daily funding while still working actively on the project can take over a relationship. But we also know that the stress will be worth it in the end.

The book illustrations are really cute, and when you watch the video you can't help but imagine the joy in a little kid's face when they interact with it. We immediately wanted to help. We contributed, tweeted, and now we're sharing it with you because we want to see Vicki's Wish do well.

If nothing else, check out the hilarious out-take at the bottom of their Kickstarter page, where they try to keep a straight face as the cat walks into their screen while they are recording. We got a good laugh out of that.

Kickstarter is a great community, and it helps people reach for dreams that they couldn't fund otherwise. Let's mobilize and help Vicki's Wish go from 54% to 100% in their remaining 4 days!

Week One Success!

Image Source: All Posters

I'm seven crazy, fun days into The Evenarian's Kickstarter campaign and I am overjoyed to report that we are 65% of the way to our funding goal of $5,000. A staggering 71 friends and fans have pledged just over $3,400 to help get my book into print.

In order to increase the value going to my current supporters and future backers, I recently unlocked a new reward level on Kickstarter. For $41, anyone can get the regular or e-book version of The Evenarian, plus have their name printed in the book's thank-you page and get a thank-you postcard and social media kudos from me.

I want to continue offering new reward levels with each funding goal we cross. The next reward level I will unlock will be when we break the $5,000 funding goal. But until then, it's a secret. If you have already pledged and like the sound of a new or different reward level, you can always adjust your pledge amount at point before the end of November.

I am so excited to make it through the first hurdle with such a boom, but now comes the challenge of keeping up the momentum and finding people outside my close circle who will support this creative cause.

So at this point, I am asking all those that have already been kind enough to pledge to share my campaign with others - especially people I may not already be connected to. Share Evenarian-related posts on Facebook, tweet about the campaign or tell your friends in person - whatever works for you.

The campaign has 22 days to go. I can't wait to see where this adventure takes me!

Pledge early, pledge often!

The Evenarian's Kickstarter campaign started with a bang on November 1st and lasts until the 30th - all the way through NaNoWriMo.

Kickstarter is a way for everyone to share in the novel's success. Just like a presidential election, you are taking part in a huge endeavor that cannot succeed without individuals coming together to act. In return for your support, you get rewards, including manuscripts, one-on-one phone calls with the author, signed copies of the book, and invites to the eventual launch party. But you only have one month to get in on the action.

You may be wondering, "How can I help?" Well, you hopefully have already shared the Facebook page with your friends, or told your family coworkers about it. Keep doing that. But the most critical thing you can do is to show your support on Kickstarter.

Remember, if the project does not meet its funding goal, then it doesn't get any of the money that has already been pledged to it.

So if you were going to wait until the end of the month to make your pledge, don't. Pledge now - or at least, pledge this week. Showing your support is easy, and no amount of support is too small. I can't do this without you.

Your pledge is a vote for The Evenarian's success.

Halfway on the second day!

Thank you EVERYONE for your help thus far! We're already past the halfway mark for the campaign's goal of $5,000. Your contributions will help make publishing The Evenarian a reality. To show my deepest thanks for your overwhelming support, I want to give something back.

I was hesitant to offer a reward level that basically amounts to pre-sales of the book because negotiating with publishers is notoriously difficult and because, as Kickstarter has stated, this website is not a store.

But with this much support already, I am prepared to buy the books from the publisher and mail them to you my making a new pledge level of $41. If you've already pledged at a lower level, you can still adjust your pledge amount.

With this new funding level, I hope we will be able to reach $7,000. So tell your friends that they can pledge and "pre-purchase" the book for $41. And if we reach this second push goal of $7,000, then I will add a very affordable level where I mail you a map of The Evenarian's world. So after all is said and done, you'll get a little tube in the mail with a map that you can hang on your wall - but only if we can reach that second push goal.

I love you guys. No, really. Everyone who contributed, even at the $1 level. Your support means everything. I hope you will share this Kickstarter campaign with your friends and ultimately enjoy my book.

Click here to make or adjust your pledge.

Also, I'm going to post another excerpt from the book on my blog shortly. So stay tuned for that!

Kickstarter campaign is LIVE

Image Source: Twabbit.wordpress.com

Come one, come all! The day I've been telling you about is finally here. No, the book is not yet complete, but I have shot past the half-way point, for those of you keeping track. Today The Evenarian Kickstarter has launched and you are cordially invited to check out this crowd-sourcing campaign and make your pledge.

As I have been hard at work banging out gripping pages for my upcoming fantasy novel, many of you have asked when you can contribute to the cause. Today is the day you finally can.

Since success on Kickstarter is closely tied to a campaign's starting momentum, I'm asking for contributors to make their pledges on Day One for maximum impact.

How to pledge:

1.              Go to this link

2.              Choose the level of support you wish to give.

3.              If you are new to Kickstarter, you can create an account or link it to your Facebook account for speed and ease.

4.              Then click on the “continue to Amazon” link to complete the payment.

5.       Once you have pledged your chosen amount, you can share this pledge via Facebook or Twitter. I would greatly appreciate everyone spreading the word!

Remember that the campaign runs for just 30 days (the month of November), and if the $5,000 goal is not reached, then we don’t receive any of the pledged funds.

I will keep all of you apprized of the campaign's progress throughout the month. If you haven’t done so yet, join the Kickstarter Facebook event page, check out my blog, Kickstarter profile, Facebook and Twitter where I will be sharing this experience and the process of creating a novel.

Stay tuned, because in coming days I will be sharing some sneak peeks into some elements of the novel that I can’t complete without your support.

Thanks again!

Kickstarter campaign is live!

The Kickstarter campaign has gone live!

If you're reading this just after midnight on November 1st then you can be among the first to contribute, right here: ow.ly/eVVLL