🌟⛵✨ Happy New Year!✨⛵🌟 Payment plans update & surveys✨⛵🌟Timeline update - possibly a delay
Greetings Star Seekers,
Before I get into the full update, I wanted to wish you all an amazing new year! Thank you for helping make 2024 an amazing year!
I know it's a lit...
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Therena Carlin
about 1 month ago
New art & editing update. Warning: Story spoilers in art. TL:DR - things are coming along, and there's more art ^_^
Greetings Star Seekers,
In my last update I told you about the delay in editing due to my original editor being ill. I also implied that there may be new art in the nove...
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Therena Carlin
about 2 months ago
🌟⛵✨ Great news!✨⛵🌟
Greetings Star Seekers,
I just wanted to share some exciting news!
I just finished the developmental edit for Star Awakened and submitted the manuscript to my edi...
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Therena Carlin
about 2 months ago
⛵✨🌟 Editing progess, more art, and an apology 🌟✨⛵
Greetings Star Seekers,
To start, I want to thank everyone who has completed their surveys. It's helped immensely in determining whether to do a print run or...
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Therena Carlin
3 months ago
✨⛵Surveys are coming⛵✨Plus new art!
Greetings Star Seekers,
Great news, I just finished the final illustration for Star Awakened! Presenting the back endpaper illustration:
Surveys coming your way
Starting t...
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Therena Carlin
3 months ago
✨💫⛵Star Awakened update⛵💫✨Editing, new art & important information✨💫⛵
✨Greetings Star Seekers,⛵
I trust you are having a wonderful October! I thought I would stop by with some important updates about the campaign.
Funds have now arrived and I a...
Before I get into the full update, I wanted to wish you all an amazing new year! Thank you for helping make 2024 an amazing year!
I know it's a little early, but had a few backer questions I wanted to address instead of waiting till the 31st.
Payment plans & surveys:
To those who completed the payment plans and are only now able to do suveys, you can rest assured that your pledge are secure. Since I was able to count those books (only book boxes qualified), they weren't as critical to get done by Nov 30th.
That being said, since there has been a delay due to editing, there's still time to complete your survey to anyone else who hasn't done so yet. But please do so as soon as possible as I'll be adding the names as soon as I can format the book.
Possible delay:
I had hoped to have my manuscript back the week before Christmas, but due to health & family reasons, my new editor still hasn't sent me the line edited copy back. 😞 To say I'm dissapointed and frustrated is an understatement as this means there's a very real chance I might not be able to deliver the eBook by the end of January.
She promised that I'll have it by Jan 1st, but until I have it in my hands I'm not holding my breath. Once I receive it, there's 3 rounds of proofreading and formatting left. I don't want to rush it (since that's how mistakes happen) so for now I'm not going to put a definite date on delivery. But my optimistic self still hopes for late January/early February.
I am really sorry for this delay. But unfortunately these things are out of my control. But as soon as I get the manuscript I'll let you know.
Going forward I'll definitely wait to run book campaigns until after all edits are done as I normally do. But alas having been one of the people who encouraged Booktopia, meant I didn't follow my own rules so I could participate. 😅 Lesson learned.
Book printing update
The deposit for the books have been made. And signed tip-ins will be mailed now that Canada Post is no longer on strike.
Unfortunately, due to the delay in editing, the final order won't be placed until after the big new year holiday in February. Which will mean that there's a good chance that the physical books will also be delayed. But I'm still hoping for a late spring delivery timeline.
While you wait:
Just because there isn't much I can do for the novel while we wait doesn't mean I'm idle. I have 3 derpy dragon campaigns planned for 2025!
In less than a month my Bookish Derpy Dragons pin campaign launches as part of Pintopia! And there's a lot of new dragons who just joined the designs!
Naturally this past month had me in a festive mood. And I had promised my derpy backers a Christmas in July campaign.
Well, the first derpies have been revealed and you can follow the Festive Derpies here. And as all adventures tend to go, one thing leads to another and I ended up with another side quest, the Dungeons & Derpies campaign!
While these will be spread out throughout 2025, you can follow all the campaigns now to get notified when they launch!
Alas, I don't have new Star Awakened art this time around. But with yet another delay, you never know what might happen between now and the book formatting.
If you like to see more of my art, you can check out my Patreon. You can follow for free, or I currently have a 25% off your first month sale running!
Hopefully the next update will show more progress for the novel! And as always if you have questions, the best way to reach me is via email at [email protected]
In my last update I told you about the delay in editing due to my original editor being ill. I also implied that there may be new art in the novel due to the delay while I wait my new editor to work through the manuscript. And behold, my Muse delivered!
This illustration will be added to the deluxe edition of Star Awakened, as well as all backers will receive the high resolution digital .gif I created as a thank you for your patience while I get the book edited.
Editing update:
The editor should finish the line edits this week and I will start going through them as soon as I get my manuscript back. Once that is done we have 2 rounds of proofreading, between both my editor and another proofreader. While that goes on, I will order my author proof as well, so I can mark up anything I personally catch before I send the final files to the printer.
The end is in sight. But, part of me is grateful for the delay as it meant 3 brand new illustrations, which wouln't have been in it had I finished formatting when I planned. So there is a silver lining in the delay ^_^
We are up to 12 interior illustrations, and 2 different end paper illustrations. Which is almost twice as much as I though I would have ^_^
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Yours in art, Therena
PS: while you wait, you can follow my next Bookish Derpy Dragon campaign! It'll be full of derpy dragon delights!
I just wanted to share some exciting news! I just finished the developmental edit for Star Awakened and submitted the manuscript to my editor. The book has grown from 86,000 words to 114,670!
That makes it officially bigger than Star Found!
And it'll be worth the wait for each of those words!
Next I wait for my editor to do the line/copy edits which is basically spelling, grammar, etc. I don't have an exact date yet, but I am hopeful for the 1st week of Dec to get it back if not sooner.
Once I get it back it's a matter of going through suggestions, accepting them and sending the manuscript to my proofreader. My editor will also do 2 proofreads.
Unfortunately, this might mean that we are still destined to finish it late Dec/early January. But we are working hard to get it done sooner.
On the plus side, the longer it takes, the more likely it is there might be more art while I wait for the editor and proofreader!
And while I want this book in your hands as soon as possible, I won't settle for less than perfection, or as close to it as possible.
While you wait:
In the meantime, if you like bookish things, I have two exciting campaigns for you!
The haunted dragons pre-order store just opened and we added 2 new pins which were just unlocked! Bringing the total to 15 pins!
Including "Spells" - the hexed bookish derpy and "Hektor" - a custom pin commission by a backer! And we are really close to unlocking the weirdling tribe collector pin!
While there's naturally a chance for skulls, these bookish derpies are more curious about life as a reader. From "one more chapter" to "TBR piles".
Until next time
Hopefully my next update I'll have more information on the expected finish date. Until then, have a most wonderful week, and check out my other campaigns 🥰.
To start, I want to thank everyone who has completed their surveys. It's helped immensely in determining whether to do a print run or print on demand.
But, I also come with both good and less good news.
I'll start with the good, because well, I'm really excited to share it with you guys!
New art, featuring Evie & Cain:
This illustration was completely random and born while I was anxiously awaiting the first feedback from my new editor. It's not a described scene in either of the books, but does capture the emotion I feel when I think of them.
(I might write a bonus scene with this art in mind! But no promises, yet - it'll likely be in book 3...)
Anyway, this leads me to the bad news.
TL:DR, the eBook & official retailers release has been delayed by a couple months.
After a long time thinking about it, I have decided to officially delay the book release because it's not ready yet. When I first created the campaign (in Feb) things were supposed to be fully edited and done in time for Booktopia. (Since I usually like to have things done before I launch)
I had paid my deposit to Star Found's editor in November and the first draft was written by January. That meant I had a lot of time...or should have had a lot of time.
Unfortunately, my editor ended up gravely ill and hospitalized for 2 months. Things got pushed back again and again due to his health. I wasn't idle, or worried, as I turned my focus on the art and everything else. And come August, he assured me he was well enough to edit in time for an end of Sept deadline.
Needless to say, Sept came and went without any progress and all communication ended with delays being due to his health.
So in the first week of Oct, I made the hard decision to find a new editor despite the loss of the deposit. (Fortunately, I had already scouted one out for my other books.) And I was thrilled that she had immediate availability. But as this was her first time with the series, she had some catching up to do.
About a week ago, I received the first developmental edit back. And while it's mostly positive without major disbehaving plot bunnies, there were a couple chapters that required extra love.
Which brings me to the delay. While I would love to rush and get the eBook to you by the first week of Dec, I don't think it's possible. I want this book to be as beautiful and perfect as I promised. And to do that, I need more time. The editor's suggestions will make the book even better than I imagined. (I already added 7k words to the manuscript just based on her feedback) Plus, I want you to be happy with the result as well.
So there's a new timeline for the eBook. I moved the retail release back as far as I could, which is March 3rd. And barring any other unforseen circumstances out of my control, I will aim to get Star Awakened to you sometime in January, still a whole month before the official release.
This gives me enough time to do the developmental edit, line edits, and 3 proofread runs, and final formatting.
What does this delay mean for the print books?
I had originally given myself a huge buffer for the print books, and there's still a good chance we might hit the projected fulfillment by June. But, until I have the final format in hand, I can't give an accurate date. To make sure no extra errors in formatting sneak through, I will order myself a paperback to read through and mark up before placing the final order with the printer.
My goal is still to do all of this before January.
But I will communicate as things progress.
What does this all mean for fulfillment?
🌟 Pin tiers will still lock & ship this month, with digital rewards being delivered once it's ready.
✨ EBook tiers will lock at the same time so I can deliver any other eBook add-ons (Blood & Scales & Flesh & Fur). Star Awakened will deliver as soon as it's ready, but Star Found should go out after I lock & charge additional add-ons.
🌟 Hardcover tiers - dates will be determined once eBooks are done.
My apology
I am really sorry for this delay. I had been optimistic about dates, but circumstances beyond my control proved more powerful than my hopes.
While I can't rush the process, I decided to add both these new illustrations to your digital rewards as a high resolution wall paper.
I know it doesn't get you your books sooner, but hope you will like it nonetheless.
And, on the positive side, perhaps between edits while I wait for my editor, maybe I'll get even more interior art for Star Awakened. I'm feeling particularly inspired as I'm going through the story and editing once more 😊.
I'll update you when I submit the edits and with any new art.
Great news, I just finished the final illustration for Star Awakened! Presenting the back endpaper illustration:
Surveys coming your way
Starting today I am sending the surveys to you guys. For today and tomorrow just 5% will go out to make sure there aren't any issues. Once I know all is good, I will send the rest. Please complete it as soon as possible so I know how many of each book to order.
Digital/Pin only tiers: Fulfilment will start next month. eBooks will be delivered in Nov once Star Awakened has been edited & formatted. These tiers will be locked early next month. Shipping will be charged soon after as I want to fulfill these asap.
Hardcover tiers: Tiers won't lock until late November/early Dec when I order the books.
