Products have flooded in!
about 1 year ago – Tue, Apr 04, 2023 at 03:29:08 PM

I finally have a long awaited update for all of you that's more than me say "just waiting for the mail". And boy, is it a much bigger one than expected. Everything just came in all at once.

Standard Print

The hardbacks have joined the party! Along with them the paperbacks I ordered also showed up. I don't know what's up with my printer but they've been really slow to process books right now. So if you were waiting on a signed copy of these editions, you won't be waiting much longer. (pictures below aren't great quality, sorry. Took them quickly and at night, in a house with poor lighting)

Art Prints

Not only did the books come it, but after some weirdness with shipping, all prints and posters have arrived! Take a look at these:

With these here, there are a lot of orders that can be fulfilled. So you'll be getting notifications from Backerkit soon about your pledges.

Special Edition Print

I had some issues with the formatting, requiring some slight changes, but everything is doing great now, and I'm just waiting on proofs to come in. Fingers crossed they don't take forever to show up.

Limited Edition

I've got something back from my formatter, and that thing is: a completed formatting! It'd planned to show off progress pieces but after I approved the drafts, my formatter practically snapped her fingers and everything was done. Take a look at these!

That they amazing? I'm so excited. We're wrapping up this week getting the formatting to my printer's specs and then I'll be able to work with the printer to get a proof copy worked up (it won't have all the bells and whistles, but it'll have most, enough to make sure this printer is up to snuff as they're new to me) then we'll be off to the races with this edition.

That's all for now. There is still some time to update your Backerkit pledges if you want anything extra. Once your pledge is locked, the key is thrown away. And don't forget to let others know so they can get in on some last minute items through the pre-order store!

'Til next time!

Audio is complete and one print edition is in!
about 1 year ago – Fri, Mar 03, 2023 at 07:21:54 AM

This is a big update, so buckle up!

Audiobook

I finally got through all of the audio for the AI narrated version of Valkyrie Lost. It took a lot of figuring out, and a great deal of tweaking, but we finally have an audiobook. It's not perfect, as AI is no human, but it's a step closer in that direction and opens accessibility.

For all tier backers who were slated to receive this, you should have received an email from Backerkit late last night with the ability to download. This version of the AI narration with the included bonus chapter, is only available for you backers. Another version of this AI book will be made public in time, but it won't include the extras.

Standard print

I've got good news on this. I received all the updated files for the hardback and I'm submitting them to my printer. Fingers crossed we don't have anymore issues and they'll process the book this time.

As for the paperbacks...

Look!

Isn't it pretty?

Sorry for meh lighting. My house is not great for taking photos. But I promise this book looks amazing in person and I'm so excited.

This means we're moving forward with the tiers containing this edition. Backerkit will start closing up surveys for those who snagged unsigned versions so we can get shipping payment, allowing me to get these to you. I'll be ordering up a batch of books for signing, and the same will happen for you when everything in your signed orders are here. Still waiting on posters and art prints to arrive, so that will hold a few up until then.

If you had added anything to your pledge that was a last chance unlock and we didn't meet the goal to unlock that product, that item will be removed from your pledge and you won't be charged for it.

Special Edition Print

The layout is complete! It's so pretty, I love it. Take a look.

I've contacted my cover designers so they can finish making the edition covers, and then this will also go off to the printer.

Limited Edition Hardback

We're moving along with this edition. It's gone off to the formatter for it's special makeover. That's all I have for that update really. We're still on schedule with this edition, so we just have to be patient (as hard as that is).

That's all I have I believe (I hope I'm not missing anything). There is still some time to update your Backerkit pledges if you want anything extra. Once your pledge is locked, the key is thrown away. And don't forget to let others know so they can get in on some last minute items through the pre-order store!

Note: Retail edition and AI audiobook are no longer available to be purchased in the preorder store.

'Til next time!

Overdue update
about 1 year ago – Thu, Feb 16, 2023 at 03:17:12 PM

Hello my lovely backers. I'm sorry I've been so quiet. I've been trying to get a million things done, which has kept me quiet. I appreciate your patience while I work through this. Being my first Kickstarter, I'm learning a lot when it comes to all this fulfillment stuff and balancing it all around other deadlines. I've been making all kinds of notes to make this process a million times smoother the next time I run one.

Bonus Chapters

I've gotten the bonus chapters for the limited edition finished and sent to my editor. That process will be done soon, and then the manuscript and bonus material will be going to the formatter the beginning of next month.

Print Editions

The proof copy of the standard paperback edition for Valkyrie Lost is finally on order. I had some file issues for both the hardback and paperback I had to work through with my printer and designers that held this up. The hardback edition I'm still working on. One of my designers for that format is technically on maternity leave and works for a select few number of days each month right now. So I'm just waiting for the next opening to come up so we can fix the file, then we'll be off to the races.

As for the special edition, the formatting is still in progress. That stalled a little because of me, but things have started progressing again. Once that's done (I'm hoping the next few days), I'll be able to get with my other designer to finalize the covers and get the proofs printed.

AI Audio

This is almost done! I've been playing around with some features and trying to get some of the AI's pronunciation better before saying it's done. Hoping to be done with it within the next week.

Art

All art is done! Julia got me the final files for the art prints and the limited edition undercover. Take a look!

I'm so happy with how this image came out, and I can't wait to see it printed. As a reminder, the image on the right and the image on the left are available seperately as print editions. If you're seeing these (and other items I've shown in updates) and want them but didn't grab them during the main campaign, you can snag them by updating your Backerkit pledge! The image on the left will be under a limited run, for the art prints, posters, and foil prints. The image on the left will have a limited run for the foil prints. They may be available in future Kickstarters or signing events as leftovers, but once those run out, there will be no more printings.

With these done, for those who backed at the hardback LT Ed bundle and higher, you'll be getting a notification soon from Backerkit that you'll be able to download your final phone wallpaper.

I'm working on finalizing the the foil files for art prints and bookmarks and ordering those immediately after that's done. The standard prints and posters are on order, so just waiting for those to arrive.

Everything else  (pins and stickers) I've got on hand, waiting to be shipped.

And that's it for my update. It may not be the one you were hoping for (things are shipping!), but we're very close to that point. While you wait, I do have some Kickstarter projects listed below that I think you should take a look at by other authors.

Art updates + Print edition updates + Retail e-book release
over 1 year ago – Tue, Jan 17, 2023 at 10:52:49 AM

Hello! I have a nice beefy update today for you.

Art update

All the art by Polar Engine is complete! The NSFW art has made it to me, and as of a little bit ago, I added it to backerkit for download to those who pledged at levels where that was a reward.  Here's the [censored] preview of the art you'll get ;)

Something to note: if you selected "no" to getting NSWF art on the survey, I made a mistake with the survey and didn't set it up to exclude you from the digital distribution, only the physical. Sorry about that. So you will get the files, but as you may surmise, you can easily ignore the download.

That's not the only art update I received. The Limited Edition undercover art has had progress that I also want to show you! I've been rather quiet about this art as it's gone through a lot of changes, so I wanted to wait until I had something more concrete before I did any reveals.

I'm so happy with how this is turning out. We're so close to completion I can taste it.

As a reminder, this art will be used as the undercover artwork for the limited print hardback, and have a limited print run for some art prints and bookmarks (particularly the foil editions).

e-Book update

I've made some changes to Valkyrie Lost. These changes included some typo and grammar fixes, as well as fixing a few scenes. For the most part, these are minor, and the edition you have is perfectly fine to continue reading/keep. However, for those who want the most updated version of the book, I pushed the update to Bookfunnel. If you downloaded the file instead of read it on their built in reader app, you'll need to download the book again to get those changes.

Print update

I've finally gotten the standard edition files off to the printer. Once they accept the files, I'll be ordering up proofs and I'll show those off once they arrive. The special edition is still in progress, but should hopefully be following the standard edition files to the printer soon.

Retail release

Today is the e-Book retail release of Valkyrie Lost! I'm so happy. If you know anyone who was looking to get their hands on this edition of the book, they're now able to on all major retailers. Here's the link!

If you've already read Valkyrie Lost, I would be so appreciative if you left a review at your favorite retailer (or more than one if you feel so inclined). Reviews are so incredibly helpful for a book's success, so any additional support is greatly appreciated.

Enamel pins are here! Plus other updates
over 1 year ago – Sat, Jan 07, 2023 at 07:20:35 PM

Happy new year everyone! I hope yours is getting off right.

Mine is. I came home from work last night to a very special box that arrived early. Here's a little video of what was inside.

Yup, the enamel pins are here! And they came much earlier than anticipated. I expected later in January, so this was a much loved surprise. And they are stunning. The video doesn't do these justice (I've got crappy natural lighting in my house, and extra lights were making it worse so I didn't use them, sorry).

It's a bit surreal having them in my hands. The amount of time I spend on designing them and then going back and forth on proofs with my manufacture did not prepare me for the end product that I now hold.

If your pledge didn't come with these, and you want them now that you're seeing them, you can update your Backerkit survey to include them.

This checks off one more finished product off the list. This does lead me into talking about what's going on with the rest.

The computer death I updated last about did a number on me. It took me 2 weeks to fix it. Luckily, I was able to grab finished digital files from the hard drive a few days after the initial computer crash after obtaining a few external devices to assit me, and I upload those to Backerkit from a spare computer almost on time for my promised delivery date. So everyone who finished their surveys now has everything except the AI audiobook (still in production), the NSFW digital prints (art not finished), digital phone wallpaper: LTD undercover art (art not finished). If you haven't finished your survey, once you do, Backerkit will provide you with all downloads.

As for everything else... that two weeks really messed up my schedule. My backup computer was my laptop, which can really only handle my word processor and a few Google Chrome tabs being open. It definitely couldn't handle any intensive designing programs I needed to get the physical books formatted, or the AI audiobook worked on. It also put me in direct conflict with my January deadlines, making sure Valkyrie Lost was ready for e-Book retailers, and a deadline to finish the draft of Valkyrie Renewed.

As a result, I haven't quite finished formatting the standard edition of Valkyrie Lost, and I definitely need more time for the special edition. And the AI audiobook still needs some more time as well. I am working on them, just very slowly around my other non-negotiable deadlines. I hope you can forgive me for these unexpected issues, and I promise the wait for these items will be worth it!

Anything else is still waiting on art from my artists. I'll update you on those when they're done.

~Shannon