Greetings everyone!
Before the noise of Black Friday gets here I wanted to write you with a note of gratitude. There's always a little risk that comes along with pre-o...
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Leia Barrett
about 2 months ago
Project Updates, Odd Dog Updates, and MORE!
Greetings gentle readers!
I have no idea how awake everyone will be during this message, but I hope your October was WONDERFUL!
We're finalizing The Odd Dog, the first boo...
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Leia Barrett
3 months ago
THANK YOU! We did it! Here's what happening next
Good evening everyone!
What a whirlwind this campaign has been. Thank you all for your incredible support for both my campaign and others in Booktopia!
Here's what you can ex...
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Leia Barrett
3 months ago
It's Fall Y'all, Winner from the $2,500 Achievement, and more!
Hello everyone!
I hope you're having a wonderful Monday and a fantastic fall! A few weeks ago, I was inspired to create some t-shirts for myself starring everyone's favorite Od...
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Leia Barrett
3 months ago
TWO achievements unlocked with a few days remaining. You guys ROCK!
Hi everyone!
I'm rushing to attend an event benefitting Lucky 13 Rescue, one of our PAWtners for this campaign. This is my first time, but apparently there will be magic, live ...
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Leia Barrett
3 months ago
We're THIS close to an achievement I just made up! Let's hit $2500 for a PAWSOME surprise!
Greetings everyone!
I'm a little embarrassed at how long it's been. To be honest, I've been ill for over a week, so I hope you'll forgive the radio silence!
I will say- it's b...
Before the noise of Black Friday gets here I wanted to write you with a note of gratitude. There's always a little risk that comes along with pre-ordering. You are putting your trust in me to create a story that you've never seen. Your faith in this book keeps me going on the days when things are tough. So-- thank you for your support!
We just put The Odd Dog, the first book in the series, in the hands of our fantastic printers. This means we can begin to focus on The Odd Dog's Guide, and we're SO excited!
We'll be putting it through the editing process and begin work on the illustrations after that, likely in the new year. I'll be reaching out soon with instructions for those of you who are getting your dogs in the book, so stay tuned!
I have decided to extend the time to get your dog in the book a little longer; that is still available as an add-on if you're looking for a really unique holiday gift!
Here are a few additional updates and things you might want to know:
1) Smoke tests are coming- I finished the survey, so Backerkit will be sending out a 'smoke test' soon. This means that a small percentage of you (randomly chosen) will receive an email. This helps us work out any issues before the survey goes out to everyone. Be on the lookout for that please, and if you receive it early, please take the time to fill it out!
2) Pawliday Bundle- Since The Odd Dog is not ready in time for the holidays, I'm offering a really unique opportunity. I'm introducing a Pawliday Bundle in The Odd Dog Shop that includes the following:
A holiday letter from Odd letting the recipient know they'll receive a copy of the book. If you order before December 1st, I can even personalize it and will make sure it's received before the holidays.
I thought I'd introduce a few of the projects coming down the line in addition to The Odd Dog and The Odd Dog's Guide to Making Friends
Coming in January- Odd Dog Enamel Pins! I'm SUPER excited to this project because I love enamel pins. We'll be starting with three designs, two of which are Odd and one is Waylon, the winner of our 2024 Odd Dog Photo Contest.
In addition to these three designs, I have several more pins that we're hoping to unlock. If you back the campaign, you'll get to help choose the next pins!
I'm also excited to partner with Flair Fighter, a seasoned pin creator, who is running an adorable Pomeranian campaign. Since we're cross-collaborating, Flair Fighter is designing a version of Odd in their style, and I'm going to design a limited edition pin featuring a Pomeranian.
I even found the perfect model: Ghost-- a blind Pom who is being cared for by Pawportunities, a wonderful rescue in Kansas City. If you back both campaigns you'll receive both pins for FREE!
The pins will be designed by another pin vet, Therena, who I first found during her Derpy Dragons campaign. She'll be running a campaign at the same time for Bookish Derpy Dragons that looks fantastic, so please check her out as well!
That about sums it up for today. I'd like to wish you and your family a restful holiday season with lots of dog kisses and cuddles!
I have no idea how awake everyone will be during this message, but I hope your October was WONDERFUL!
We're finalizing The Odd Dog, the first book in the series, and it's absolutely stunning. Here's a video from our printer of our proof:
We're focusing all our energy on The Odd Dog, and once that is in the printer's hands, here's what comes next:
1) In November/December, we'll be working with the editor for The Odd Dog's Guide to Making Friends. The editing process usually takes about a month or so, with illustrations taking a few months.
I'm looking for some help with my launch team (getting the word out) and with beta readers. If you're willing to help, please fill out these 3-question form: https://form.jotform.com/242929120280048
2) Once the editing is done, Shannon gets to work on the illustrations. This usually takes a few months. Our hope is to have the book to the printer in January, just prior to Chinese New Year.
It's our hope that the 2nd book is available in April/May, and we're already planning some amazing events with shelters and rescues.
Now that you know the timeline, here are a few quick announcements:
I'm wrapping up the survey; I'm hoping to make that available in the next week. The survey allows you to finalize your order. One of the reasons I've delayed it is I've created some fun add-ons that you may enjoy.
The Pre-Order Store is officially open, so if you'd like to peruse your options ahead of time feel free!
You might notice that I've kept the "Get Your Dog in the Book" option open. I decided to open that up to a few more people while I'm editing. It'll be open for another month or so if you must have your dog in the book.
That's about it for now. I will be publishing a SPECIAL PAWLIDAY ANNOUNCEMENT this week about The Odd Dog, so stay tuned!
Thank you, as always, for your incredible support.
What a whirlwind this campaign has been. Thank you all for your incredible support for both my campaign and others in Booktopia!
Here's what you can expect next:
Pledges will be billed- now that the campaign is done, Backerkit will be billing you for your pledge. You will have an opportunity to add additional items later on during the survey phase
Surveys will be coming soon- I'll be putting together the surveys in the next few weeks. The survey is your opportunity to provide additional information or add anything you might've missed. Since this book won't be out until the spring, I will keep the survey open until December 1st.
My hope is to have the book ready to print in January, with delivery in March. I will let you know how everything develops and if that timeline changes.
Important note: if you anticipate your address changing in the next 5-6 months while we're working on the book, don't worry! Even if you fill out your survey now there will be time to modify your address as we get closer to shipping.
Just remember: this is not goodbye! I'll be providing updates as we go. As a backer, you'll still get to provide feedback throughout the process and share victories with me. Without your help, this project could not have happened!
Finally, I just want to share that, thanks to your generous support, we will be donating more than 50 books to rescues and shelters throughout the country. My hope is to deliver many of these personally, and I cannot wait to bring you along for that ride! Remember that if you want to donate additional books you'll still be able to do that during the survey phase.
Thank you for believing in this project, Odd the Dog, and all the incredible rescues looking to find where they belong.
You are so appreciated!
Leia B
PS-- if you get a chance, check out my new website that just launched a few days ago! StoriesbyLeia.com
PPS-- Congrats to WAYLON for winning our opening day poll! As the winner, he'll be one of our recurring characters! If you love adorable cardi corgis, I highly recommend following him on IG for a daily dose of cuteness.
I'm rushing to attend an event benefitting Lucky 13 Rescue, one of our PAWtners for this campaign. This is my first time, but apparently there will be magic, live music, and PUPPIES. Seriously, why do anything without puppies?
I just wanted to take a moment and thank you SO MUCH for getting us past the $2,500 and $3,000 mark! Here's what we've unlocked:
1) For reaching $2,500 I'll randomly pick one of our current backers TOMORROW and you'll get your dog (or a dog of your choice) in the book as an extra character!
2) For reaching $3,000 we'll be creating a fun 3/3/3 poster with kid-friendly language. Not only will this be available as an add-on but I will also print it on the back of the dust jacket! I'm also planning to donate copies of the poster to our rescue and shelter pawtners.
I'll announce the $3,500 achievement when I announce the winner, but if you want something to be an achievement, put it in the comments and you might see it appear in the next few days!
Thank you, as always for your support. There are going to be some big announcements in the next few days, so share the campaign and stay tuned!
