Well, here's to another huge milestone. Last night I finally locked in and edited nearly a third of my novel, pushing it past 100%. I know I'm a month late on this deadline, but a few breaks were needed throughout this. In each draft, I noticed that the first half of the book is a nightmare. Usually, because each time I have to learn a new editing style I'm not familiar with. Once that 50% mark is hit, things fly by quite quickly.

The release timeline is still looking like Q1 2026, BUT there's a good chance I can get it by Christmas. A line editor will review my manuscript over the next 4 weeks. Then I'll determine if I need (or can afford) a copy editor and a book format editor for printing. Though I feel like Draft 3 ARC came out very well, formatting-wise, I might not even need one.

I'd really like an updated map, since the one available is one I created using Inkarnate. I unfortunately have zero geographical knowledge on how rivers flow and how mountains form, so if I can get a hold of a real map designer, that would be epic. If you or someone you know makes maps, email me at [email protected]. 

One thing I've been thinking about for a while is the availability of The Bright Spot. I've accepted that it won't be on store shelves or in most bookstores. People would have to order it from Amazon or some other retailer in order to read it. To me, people actually reading and experiencing my book is more important than money. Which is why I'll be releasing the entirety of The Bright Spot on my website for free.

Now, to not lessen the exclusivity for my backers, the novel will be posted one month after fulfillment. This will also be a web exclusive, that way if people want to check it out without forking over $25 for a paperback, they can read it. If they like it and want a more convenient option, the paperback and ebook will be available for purchase on redmattercreations.com and other online retailers. 

As you may know, The Bright Spot is the first in a series. I wanted this novel to be a standalone, but its ending demanded a sequel. Blight Eater, book two of The Bright Spot series, is in production. More than likely, I will do another crowdfunding campaign to help fund the development of that book. However, I will not run the campaign as early as I did with the Bright Spot. I'd like to have finished draft 2 or draft 3 by the time I start the campaign. That way, I can get the book to you all quicker. No one likes waiting a year for their items to come in the mail. (Can you believe I thought I'd have the book in your hands by Christmas of last year? I truly had no idea what I was getting myself into.)

I should remind you all that I'll be preparing for fulfillment soon, so if you recently moved to a new location, you'll need to update your BackerKit shipping address. Email me at [email protected] for help, and I'll get you updated. Once the orders are locked and we are preparing to ship, your cards will be charged for postage. You'll receive a few pre-emptive emails from Backerkit before this happens.