We did it again! Thanks to the amazing 29 of you, we reached our first stretch goal of me sharing which actors and actresses played the characters in my mind when I was writing. And you don't even have to wait for the campaign to be over, I included it below ;) (for backers only, of course!)

I am so grateful to everyone who has contributed, followed, shared, or just been encouraging during this crazy process. Booktopia has been an exciting adventure, and I am learning so much about what you guys are interested in and how to use crowdfunding platforms to not only make the best book projects, but also to build the strongest connections with those who would like to read the books. (I'm also always open to suggestions if there are swag items or stretch goals you'd like to see, maybe even characters you want to hear more about)

Our next achievements are twofold, which gives us a better chance of hitting more stretch goals before the campaign ends in a little over a week (eight days, if we're being specific).

First, once we reach 35 individual backers, I will include the book's timeline in the duet. Since Alison and Tristan aren't always together, it might be helpful to have a reference of what happens when, and for anyone who read the Owens Chronicles (Prophecy, Destiny, and Legacy) this is a way you can figure out how much time has gone by since we last saw Lucy, Gabriel, and everyone else ;)

Second, once we hit 1250$, the Duet will get awesome chapter headers (one for Alison and one for Tristan) from @mynameisjehhtattoo <3 So far they look really cool!

Once, thank you all for being here, and if you have a chance, you can check out all the other incredible booktopia projects here.

Happy reading!

Amanda

.

Booktopia (and the First Life Duet campaign) ends in seven days. Just one week left!

But that doesn't mean it's over ;) We still have two active stretch goals (chapter headers at 1250$ and the book's timeline at 35 backers), and I would love for us to get to an illustrated case laminate cover before the campaign is up. Do you think we can do it? (I definitely do!)

If you want to hear a little more about the characters in mine and a few other Booktopia books, check out our livestream on Saturday morning at 10 am (EST). Claudia and I should both be there, and I can't wait to introduce you to Tristan and Alison <3

Also, if you happen to have kids in your life, here are two awesome kidlit projects from Booktopia. They are nearly at their funding goals, and each helps kids be more understanding and accepting of differences, which I thing is great. Check out My Body Beeps and If Shapes Could Eat :)

My Body Beeps
Follow Katie in MY BODY BEEPS! as she navigates hide and seek while managing diabetes, teaching lessons of self-care, empathy, and embracing differences.

If Shapes Could Eat
The TASTIEST campaign you've ever tasted! But it's a picture book... about trying new foods and having a good relationship with food. The tastiest kind!

We are just over a week into Booktopia and things are going swimmingly! 42 of the 59 booktopia projects have funded and First Life Duet is one of them! As a quick recap, everyone who pledged in the first 48 hours got an adorable sticker (which is now available as an add-on), while everyone who also backed The Owens Chronicles Anniversary Edition gets The Decoys in Florida bonus scenes, and those who backed both me and Claudia Blood - at a physical tier - will receive three oracle cards and a box that can hold the entire deck!

There's also a tally at the end of each pledge, so you can see how many Booktopia projects you've backed, and once you hit five, you get a sleek metal bookmark straight from Backerkit. I am so excited for all the cool swag I will be getting in the coming months. But even more thrilled that First Life Duet is doing so well, thanks to my 18 wonderful backers!!!


I'll be working and attending birthday celebrations this weekend (one of them an Abracadabra-themed children's party - very exciting) so I won't be as glued to the campaign as I would like to be, but I think it would be really cool if we hit our first stretch goal by Monday...If we do, I'll not only release my fan casting of the characters, I'll also include some character bios ;)

Hope you all have an amazing weekend!

Amanda

P.S. If you want a taste of the content, I've been embarassing myself by reading chapters online, so you can find First Life Chapter 4 here, and Tristan Chapter Nine here. And if anyone replies to this update asking for more, I just may release the one with Tristan's inciting incident...