Bring UNRELENTING to life as an audiobook. The authors of the award-winning, fantasy thriller are seeking your support for this new, more accessible format.
Bring UNRELENTING to life as an audiobook. The authors of the award-winning fantasy thriller are seeking your support for this new, more accessible format.
Let’s transform Unrelenting into an accessible, engaging format for audio listeners.
Your pledge will turn Unrelenting—an award-winning novel featuring an asexual protagonist, a desperate hunt for a missing sister, and age-old magic—into an audiobook narrated by the acclaimed Mary Robinette Kowal.
In the book, Bridget’s search for her sister leads her to confront ancient, hidden magic. Delving into this new underworld, she must face an even more insidious threat: her own obsession and grief. As she races to uncover the truth about her sister’s disappearance, can Bridget avoid falling victim to her single-minded focus?
Unrelenting is the award-winning Book 1 in The Grigori Cycle by Jessi Honard and Marie Parks.
Fans of MAGIC FOR LIARS by Sarah Gailey will enjoy this fantasy thriller about sisterhood set in modern-day Cleveland, with a magic system that combines elements of AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER and Brandon Sanderson’s ELANTRIS.
We’re Jessi and Marie, co-authors of Unrelenting, an award-winning supernatural thriller debut. Here’s what some of our readers have to say:
Ever since Unrelenting was published in 2022, readers have been asking for the audiobook. Audiobooks are a growing part of the book market, plus they improve accessibility for readers. We don’t want to leave our story in the hands of automated text readers or AI narrators, neither of which can truly convey the emotion on the page.
With the support of your pledge, we’ll finally be able to make a well-produced audiobook a reality.
High-quality audiobooks are complex and require a significant investment. In reality, neither we (the authors) nor our small, independent press (Not a Pipe Publishing) can make the Unrelenting audiobook a reality on our own. We need your help.
If we’re going to produce an audiobook, we’re going to make the best audiobook we can. That means hiring a professional narrator and sound engineer. (We’ve heard ourselves talk, and while many authors have the narration and acting chops to record their own audiobooks… we don’t, and we know it.)Â
All of which adds up.
With your help, we will produce the audiobook version of Unrelenting featuring the incredible narration skills of Mary Robinette Kowal and a professional audio engineer and proofer to complete the mastering process.Â
The new audiobook will be available to BackerKit supporters first before being released to the general public via all the usual platforms (Audible, Spotify, etc.).
We have set up the campaign to feature incremental goals.
This is our primary goal: Raise $3,000 to help defray the costs of producing a high-quality audiobook of Unrelenting.Â
We’ve also created additional milestones: If we pass the initial $3,000 goal, here’s what will happen.
At $5,000, we will fully cover the costs of narration by the incredibly talented Mary Robinette Kowal, along with the costs of audio engineering, studio space, proofing, and mastering.
At $6,500, we’ll fully break even, compensating for creating your pledge perks and covering BackerKit and Stripe fees.
Any additional funds over the break-even goal will go towards funding the audiobook for Unrelenting’s sequel, Undeniable, which is fully drafted and tentatively scheduled for a 2025 release paperback, hardback, and ebook from Not a Pipe Publishing.
Unrelenting is Book 1 in The Grigori Cycle. It’s an award-winning paranormal thriller published by Not a Pipe Publishing, a small, independent press in Independence, Oregon.Â
A glowing symbol painted on a crumbling wall.
Sentient smoke that chokes and burns.
An ancient magic, long hidden from the world.
Bridget’s most important job has always been protecting her younger sister, Dahlia. But as adults, their relationship has become strained.
Then, Dahlia vanishes.
Nine months later, everyone has given up hope. Everyone except Bridget, who launches an amateur investigation in the hopes of finding her alive and restoring their relationship.
The search leads Bridget to something far more sinister than a typical missing persons case—a carefully-guarded plot tied to powerful, age-old magic.
To uncover the truth of what happened to her sister, Bridget must confront this dangerous world, even if it means putting her own life on the line.
We’ve put together various ways you can support the audiobook campaign, whether you already have a copy of Unrelenting or are new to the story!
$20: Audiobook Tier
Audiobook
You’ll receive the shiny new audiobook of Unrelenting with narration by Mary Robinette Kowal before it’s released to the public.
$30: Audiobook + Paperback (Donated or Sent to You)
Audiobook + Signed & Personalized Paperback
In addition to receiving the audiobook, you can choose whether we send a lovingly signed and personalized paperback copy of Unrelenting to your home or donate it to a library or LGBTQIA+ non-profit.
$50: Audiobook + Hardback (Donated or Sent to You)
Audiobook + Signed & Personalized Hardback
In addition to receiving the audiobook, you can choose whether we send a lovingly signed and personalized hardback copy of Unrelenting to your home or donate it to a library or LGBTQIA+ non-profit.
$75: Unrelenting: The Immersive Experience
Unrelenting: The Immersive Experience Box + Audiobook + Ebook
A box will arrive on your doorstep. Inside will be a signed and personalized hardcover copy of Unrelenting filled with easter eggs. As you read, you’ll receive secret instructions to interact with sealed envelopes within the box, bringing your reading experience to life with never-before-seen clues that expand the story.Â
You’ll also receive a voucher to schedule a Meet the Authors private 25-minute video chat with Jessi and Marie. Ask questions about the book, chat about writing, or discover our publishing journey.Â
Finally, you’ll receive the ebook in PDF, EPub, and .Mobi formats.Â
$100: Tuckerization Package: Your Name In The Book
Your Name as a Character in a Future Book + Chat with Authors + Audiobook + Name in Acknowledgments + Ebook
We’ll Tuckerize you, immortalizing you forever! We’ll name a character in Books 2 or 3 of The Grigori Cycle after you, so all of our readers will know just how awesome you are.
Plus, you’ll receive a voucher to schedule a Meet the Authors private 25-minute video chat with Jessi and Marie. Ask questions about the book, chat about writing, or discover our publishing journey.
Finally, you’ll get the audiobook of Unrelenting with your name in the audiobook acknowledgments, as well as the ebook in PDF, EPub, and .Mobi formats.
$150: 5,000-Word Critique for Writers
5,000 Word Story Critique + Audiobook + Name in Acknowledgments + Ebook
One of our co-authors will provide a close reading of 5,000 words of prose, an editorial letter, and an annotated digital file of your piece with specific constructive feedback to help you polish your writing.
Plus, you’ll get the audiobook of Unrelenting with your name in the acknowledgments, as well as the ebook in PDF, EPub, and .Mobi formats.
$200 Author Marketing Package
1-Hour Author Marketing Consulting Call + Audiobook + Name in Acknowledgments + Ebook
We’ll lend our 16 years of marketing experience (including working with bestselling authors) to your professional writing journey. One of our co-authors will hop on a 1-hour call with you to discuss your next best steps with marketing your book(s), whether you’re preparing for a book launch or selling your backlist.  Plus, you’ll get the audiobook of Unrelenting with your name in the acknowledgments, as well as the ebook in PDF, EPub, and .Mobi formats.
$500 Full Manuscript Critique
Full Manuscript Critique (up to 120,000 words) + Audiobook + Name in Acknowledgments + Ebook
One of our co-authors will read a full manuscript (up to 120,000 words), write a detailed editorial letter, return to you a marked digital file of your manuscript with specific constructive feedback, and offer a 30-minute call to answer your questions. Plus, you’ll get the audiobook of Unrelenting with your name in the acknowledgments, as well as the ebook in PDF, EPub, and .Mobi formats.
$1,500 3-Day Writing Retreat
Ticket to Sandia Starforgers SFFH Writing Retreat + Audiobook + Name in Acknowledgments + Ebook
Please read these details before you back this tier. Join co-author Marie Parks, audiobook narrator and Hugo-Award winning author Mary Robinette Kowal, and NYT bestseller Rebecca Roanhorse for a 3.5-day in-person Sandia Starforgers sci-fi/fantasy/horror/speculative fiction writing retreat in Albuquerque, NM, the evening of Friday, May 2 through the evening of Monday, May 5, 2025.
Your ticket gets you access to the in-person event, a 5,000-word critique by one of our instructors, classes, a recritique session for 1,000 words of edited manuscript or a query letter or synopsis, a small group worldbuilding workshop, a 15-minute one-on-one session with an instructor, and all meals and snacks. Plus, you'll enjoy networking and quiet time for writing.
This ticket does not include on-site lodging or transportation. It represents a $200 discount from the usual ticket price. You are responsible for your own transportation to and from the event venue, as well as your own lodging.
In addition, you’ll receive the audiobook of Unrelenting with your name in the acknowledgments, as well as the ebook in PDF, EPub, or .Mobi format.Â
$5: Build Your Own Pledge
Want very specific perks? Back the campaign for $5 and then choose whichever add-ons you desire. You can choose to have us donate a book to an LGBTQIA+ non-profit, add on a pack of Unrelenting-themed stickers, and more. Click "Back It" to browse all available add-ons!
Add-Ons:
$5 Ebook in PDF, EPub, and .Mobi Formats
$10 Sticker Pack of 5 Unrelenting-themed stickers
$20 Audiobook Before It's Available to the Public
$20 Signed Paperback We'll Donate to a Library or LGBTQIA+ Nonprofit
$20 Signed, Personalized Paperback Sent to You
$35 Signed, Personalized Hardback We'll Donate to a Library or LGBTQIA+ Nonprofit
$35 Signed, Personalized Hardback Sent to You
$40 Unrelenting: The Immersive Experience - Secrets Only (No Book Included)
$60 Unrelenting: The Immersive Experience (Signed, Personalized Hardback + Secrets)
UNRELENTING won its first award before it was even published, as a finalist in the Book Pipeline Unpublished Manuscript contest. Since then, the fast-paced, supernatural story about a grieving woman on the hunt for her missing sister has continued to gather accolades.
What People Are Saying About UNRELENTING:
Awards for UNRELENTING:
Winner, 2022 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards, LGBTQ Category
Finalist, Book Pipeline Unpublished Manuscript 2020 Contest, Science-Fiction/Fantasy Category
Finalist, 2022 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards, Fiction – Sci-Fi/Fantasy Category
Finalist, 2022 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards, First Book – NM Category
Unrelenting has a 4.6-star rating on Amazon and 4.4-star rating on Goodreads.
As for Mary Robinette Kowal, who will lend her voice to the audiobook project, she’s narrated titles by Seanan McGuire, Cory Doctorow, and John Scalzi. In addition to being a Hugo Award-winning author, she’s a SAG-AFTRA member with a lifetime of involvement in theater and publishing.
Digital products will all be delivered via the email address on file with BackerKit and incur no shipping fees.
For pledge tiers and add-ons that include physical products, we will ship via USPS. The prices listed do not include shipping or VAT, which will be applied within the Pledge Manager after the campaign. Additionally, you will be responsible for any import taxes your country requires of recipients. Shipping will be charged separately when we’re in fulfillment mode.
Final rates will be calculated based on actual weights and postage rates at the time of campaign fulfillment. Here’s an estimate (in $USD) for the cost of one paperback book, based on today’s rates:
Domestic United States: $5-7
Canada/Mexico: $20-30
EU/UK: $26-36
Australia/New Zealand: $32-46
Central/South America/Caribbean: $20-35
Japan/China/Asia: $28-36
Middle East: $25-$35
Africa: $30-$40
If your region is NOT listed above, it doesn’t mean we can’t deliver to you. We’re simply accounting for the most likely regions. For a full list of countries and localities USPS can deliver to, please click here.
Paperbacks are 18 oz, plus the weight of shipping materials. Lighter packages will cost less. Heavier packages (such as hardbacks, which are 22 oz, or Unrelenting: The Immersive Experience, weight TBD) may cost more. We will do our best to offer the most reasonable rates available at the time of fulfillment.
If we discover we cannot ship to your location, we will refund the amount of your shippable items and the cost of shipping, if already paid, after the campaign.
To us, getting Unrelenting into more hands (and ears) is about more than increasing our readership. It’s about contributing to queer voices in fiction and putting more asexual representation into the world. An estimated 0.5% of books published in the US have confirmed ace representation, which is less than half of the (probably extremely underreported) number of ace Americans. No matter how you slice it, there’s a disproportionate lack of representation for ace folks in books and media.
As queer authors who are also both on the asexual spectrum, we’re contributing to a small but growing and important body of work. And we’re having a blast in the process.
We love how enthusiastic our readers areabout Unrelenting. We are thrilled to announce the sequel, Undeniable, is wrapping up final beta reading revisions and will be sent to our publisher during this Backerkit campaign, anticipating a 2025 publication date. We are grateful and humbled by how many awards we’ve won as early career authors, and we’re eager to continue sharing The Grigori Cycle with more readers.
JESSI HONARD
Jessi Honard (she/they) is a queer sci-fi/fantasy writer and professional coffee inhaler. When not writing, Jessi loves to hit the hiking trails, find inspiration in travel, and hit the climbing gym. An Ohio native, Jessi currently lives in Kalamazoo, MI with her partner Taormina and their cats, Obsidian and Roving.
MARIE PARKS
Marie Parks (she/her) is a fantasy author living in Albuquerque, NM with her rescue dogs and cat. She loves hiking, camping, gardening, playing music, and traveling. She was a finalist for the 2021 Futurescapes Award for Most Promising New Author.Â
The Narrator: Mary Robinette Kowal
When Mary Robinette Kowal (SAG-AFTRA) read our book and told us she’d be happy to narrate, we about fell out of our chairs. Mary Robinette is an acclaimed sci-fi/fantasy author and winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards. She’s previously lent her narration talents to stories by Seanan McGuire, Cory Doctorow, and John Scalzi.
We love Mary Robinette Kowal as the narrator for this project, not only because she will be able to bring the cinematic aspects of the story to life, but because she’s from North Carolina, just like our main character, Bridget. Her voice is a dead ringer for this story.
The Publisher: Not a Pipe Publishing
Not a Pipe Publishing released the print and eBook editions of Unrelenting in 2022, and they will be publishing the sequel, Undeniable, in 2025. Not a Pipe Publishing is a small, independent, activist publishing company located in Independence, Oregon. They have been supportive of our work and are excited to share the universe of The Grigori Cycle with readers in every way they read books.
