Books: Printed! And other Cascadian developments.
over 1 year ago – Tue, Aug 08, 2023 at 03:00:11 PM

Today, notice arrived from Gorham that the books are printed. After paying the final invoice, they'll be shipped from Centralia by Old Dominion. I expect to receive them, at the latest, either late this week or early the next. 

Now I feel a little like an avalanche is coming.

Addresses needed!

Speaking of that avalance, 77% of you have filled out the BackerKit survey which provides us your shipping address for easy mailing. Thank you! 

To the remaining 23%: I can't properly send your order if I don't have your address! The easiest way to provide that is through BackerKit, but if you really don't want to sign up for an account with them, let me know where to ship your order either through Kickstarter or by email. I'm willing to track down the especially stubborn, though I'd prefer not to!

Audio editing

One rule of math for audio is that each hour of recording will require 2-3 hours of editing, and that's after you're used to it. I'm a moderately experienced audio editor, but it's kind of like guitar, where I don't play enough to pick it back up again without cobwebs. Also like guitar, I find audio editing to be gratifying work once I'm in the flow. To tidy up a series of missted takes and noise spikes and flubbed lines with a combination of visual alignment, fine motor movements, and listening skills is rewarding.

Unfortunately, I discovered that some of my recorded chapters aren't showing up, so the last few chapter may need to be read again. I still feel confident of reaching my end-of-August deadline for digital files, especially with the eBook ready to go.

(Speaking of that delivery, backer feedback said I should release them together, so that's my plan. Is it possible you'll get the print edition before then? Yes!)

The right book at the right time

I'm currently reading Shoe Dog, Nike founder Phil Knight's autobiography ghost-written by J.R. Moehringer. Moehringer is also the ghostwriter behind Prince Harry's Spare and Andre Agassi's Open, and he's widely considered to be the finest ghostwriter alive.

As such, Shoe Dog is a precisely-told tale about a wild-eyed SE Portland kid-turned-entrepreneur with a uniquely Oregon-centric dream, and how he brought that dream to life. Knight's dream is personal to many of us who live here since we wear his shoes and the company he built sustains our state, and many folks we love. His story is a fiery distillation of what it means to be an Oregonian, and reading it alongside launching my own PNW-based product is a major jolt of inspiration.

Reading Shoe Dog now also reminds me of an idea I heard: The right books reach us at the right times. This is an incredible comfort, both as a writer (because it relieves me of anxiety over who who reads what when) and as a reader (because I don't have to feel so guilty about all those stacks I haven't got to yet).

The second book

Speaking of more books, this week I charted out a loose weekly word count target for Book 2, and wrote some scenes in the early chapters. While the story is still extremely early in the process, it's fun to get back to these characters, especially since editing The Blue Beacon has them fresh in my mind. I know some arcs, but what makes a story great are the details, and there are so many small ones left ahead to uncover.

But before that, I gotta get you Volume 1! The wait won't be long now.

The books are ordered.
over 1 year ago – Wed, Aug 02, 2023 at 03:10:25 PM

On Monday, I received files for the final draft of the First Edition of The Blue Beacon. After checking them over, I sent in my order for 315 copies. Today that order was confirmed with the fine folks at Gorham Printing in Centralia.

After the shipment of ten boxes arrives in a couple weeks or so, packing and shipping will begin. Until then, I'll turn attention to the audiobook, yet there's actually one aspect of the project which I'm ready to deliver right away: the eBook.

So here's my question: do you want the eBook now or should I wait until the audiobook is complete and deliver them together? Chime in on the comments if you'd like me to just get on with it already!

Speaking of getting on with it already, I'm also focusing on Book 2. Last Saturday I took a scouting trip up the Willamette River to chart out one of the plot threads (you can see pics from that adventure here) and later today I'll work on a game plan to ramp up my writing schedule.

So that's the update today. We're trucking along like this thing's got its own momentum. Let me know on the eBook file! I'll check back soon.

- Jordan 🦝🦡🦌

An unexpectedly full heart from editing, and guidance from Rick Rubin.
over 1 year ago – Thu, Jul 27, 2023 at 11:47:56 AM

You guys I'm in the throes of adding my edits to the final manuscript and probably distracting myself a little by sending this because this work is on the more tedious end.

Before I start this update, just a reminder that you can still pre-order The Blue Beacon or change your order through BackerKit, and if you haven't filled out the survey, please do so! It's brief!

Now back to what I wanted to tell you. Yesterday, I spent some time copying the names of Kickstarter backers into the back of The Blue Beacon and I found myself deeply moved to read so many familiar and fresh names all at one time. My gratitude for your support of this book grew, like the Grinch's miserly heart, three sizes that day. (Which, again, was yesterday.)

Thank you.💚

Regarding those credits, in most cases I will be using the name you filled out when you supported! If you'd like another name listed, please let me know.

Editing

All in all there were about 50 changes to be made to the manuscript, little layout errors and typos and wording changes to make for easier reading. In fact, I'm sure there are more I'm missing, and if you find them, let me know! But as a wise woman told me the other week, a painting is never finished. At some point, the final edition must go to print.

Audiobook

There are only about four chapters left to read, then editing, then whatever else it takes to make the files into an audiobook.  The August delivery date for digital files is definitely solid for the eBook, and 97% solid for the audiobook. I'll let you know if there are issues.

Rick Rubin is an art guru

This weekend on a drive to and from Seal Rock, I listened to Rick Rubin read his new book, The Creative Act, so I'm appreciating the chance to share my work with you anew. After 8 or 9 reads, I'm moved each time by fresh scenes, at little homages woven in, at the way the characters develop into their own beings. The further I go into editing, the more satisfaction I find in experiencing this story outside myself, because I believe, like Rubin, that characters and worlds like this arrive from both within and outside of us. It's a gift to bring them to life, and Rick Rubin gave us a great gift in articulating his thoughts on artistry. The Creative Act is 100% recommended.

Alright, I hope you are well and enjoying your summer! It's a gloriously smoke-free one here in the Willamette Valley, so we'll take the relatively fresh air hope for more. Now back to edits!

A video of Lily (and the upcoming survey)
over 1 year ago – Thu, Jul 20, 2023 at 03:45:33 PM

The above video is of our cat, Lily, getting some scratches. Lily is the inspiration for Councilcat Lilyan, a character who shows up in The Blue Beacon's later chapters.

Today's update is I'm recording/editing more chapters and the first batch of Eola and Bajo stickers are now ordered. Sadly, I already ordered one batch of mediocre Eola stickers so I'm seriously hoping these orders were legit.

The point of this email, however, is to inform you I will very shortly be sending you a survey from BackerKit.

BackerKit is a company set up to facilitate the post-campaign process, since Kickstarter doesn't offer much once a campaign ends. Through BackerKit, The Blue Beacon now has a Pre-Order Store where you can add to your order, and where newcomers can get in on the novel's First Edition. BackerKit also gathers all the pertinent info I need to properly send you this book.

Basically I'm sending this as an alert to expect that survey! Even though it's a new company, that's coming from me, and the faster that's filled out, the sooner I can ship!

That's all for today. Thank you very much for helping me along.

Jordan

Fulfillment Begins
over 1 year ago – Wed, Jul 19, 2023 at 03:31:07 PM

We're back, backers! And The Blue Beacon is winding up for delivery!

Where we're at

On Monday, my company, Green Words LLC, received a deposit of the funds we raised together from Kickstarter. So far those funds have paid for an order of large postcards from Moo featuring a full color map of Cascadia and two celebratory Mexican lagers.

The next step is to order books and stickers, and then deliver it all to you. There are two good reasons I haven't ordered yet from Gorham Printing, however.

•  Reason 1: To give you a chance to add to your order, and to give newcomers a shot at their First Edition. There is now an open pre-order store on BackerKit, which is a well-regarded and super helpful resource for successful Kickstarters. Click that link above to find and add to your order today!
•  Reason 2: Real quick before I get to the second reason, I have a confession. There was one aspect of this campaign which was not complete: The Blue Beacon's audiobook. At launch, I only had about a third read and recorded. While I'm still on track to deliver all digital goods by my August target date, this impacts the printed book's timeline because I'm actively re-reading the book aloud and making minor edits as I go. This will result in a tidier First Edition for you all.

So that's where we are, flush into the Fulfillment Stage of The Blue Beacon's development. As we near the delivery date, I'm still hoping this story resonates with readers, and I have optimism to that end! Over the 4th of July in the Wallowas, one of the cleverest and most gregarious middle schoolers I know, Aidan, gave me a seal of approval after reading the first couple chapters. He also had a lot of ideas about how sea life could fit in. 🐋 To get that sort of excited feedback was altogether thrilling.

So that's where we're at and I'm having a blast sorting everything out. I'll keep you in the loop as we get nearer to production!