Shan L. Spyker's Blog, page 5

the Shop is Open!

The Way of the River is now available, as are signed copies, stickers, bookmarks, Tillie’s Satchel messenger bags, collectible pins, illustrated character card sets, and more.

The Way of the River is also available from Amazon and Barnes and Noble in the US, Amazon UK and Amazon Canada!

Visit the shop now!

Cover reveal…and first copies on the way!

This will be a short and sweet entry to share some exciting news! FINALLY I can say the book has been completed and the digital proofs have been accepted! You can get a first glimpse at the final cover as it was sent to the printer. I can also confirm that the very first copies are on the way! These will used as hard copy proofs, to be scrutinized closely to make sure everything is as it should before placing the first bulk order to fulfil Kickstarter backers’ orders and to have extra stock on hand for pre-orders.

Preorders you ask? Why, yes! That will open up in just a few weeks! More details to come how to go about that (hint, check the shop, but I will also be posting here and around social media with details soon!)

And now, without any further fanfare…here is the cover reveal for Kellandale Wood (Book One): The Way of the River!

In production!

The proof is in the…pudding? Sitting on my lap? Here’s proof that the book is on the way? Monday punnies. Basically, I have sat down with the proofs for the full book and will be poring over them this week in preparation of sending the final files to print! Proofrect! The Way of the River is coming soon!

I also wanted to check in to make this the very first post on the brand new website! More updates are coming soon, including information regarding the book’s release, which will follow the completion of the Kickstarter campaign (hint, backer items are being produced, and the book is still on schedule for an April 2021 release!) Check back here, sign up for email updates, or follow me on social media (most active on Instagram @shanlspy)! See you here and there, and everywhere!

Campaign update

December 14, 2020 1 Min Reading

Updated: Campaign is now at 84% ! Thank you all for your enthusiastic support and for making this project sing! At the moment The Way of the River is trending at #16 of 9,400+ in the children’s book category on Kickstarter!!

Book interior design has begun! I’m just beginning to test out a few layout ideas and choosing typefaces. Funding is currently at 75% with only $777 left to go to reach goal! Funds will only be released if 100% is reached so I am working hard to get the word out before the January 16th deadline.

If you know anyone who might be interested or who has a young reader in their life that would appreciate a fantasy/adventure novel (approx 350 pages), please feel free to share the project link. Your help is appreciated so very much!

Become a Backer of The Way of the River on Kickstarter!

More about that Early Backer add on

December 3, 2020 2 Min Reading

It’s almost here! In just over 24 hours the Kickstarter campaign will be launching! While the book is scheduled for release in April 2021, the Kickstarter will include a special add on reward that will make it possible to give The Way of the River as a holiday gift! The add on is unlocked for early backers when pledges (at any level) are made within the first two weeks of the campaign launch. I’m really excited to be able to announce this addition, for, in order to be able to offer an add on reward, The Way of the River project had to undergo review by Kickstarter and be accepted as a beta tester for this new feature!

Curious how it works? The early backer add on is an optional upgrade which provides backers with a gift announcement card (choice of a digital format, or a physical, printed announcement card) that can be given to recipients over the holidays letting them know of their forthcoming gift. In addition, to make the gift very special, the names of both the backer and the gift recipient will be included in a special thank you section for early backers within the book!

This add on is only available through December 12th for the printed gift acknowledgement (available to US residents only due to shipping time constraints…these will be sent via Priority Mail upon the competition of a pledge transaction with this add on), and December 18th for digital gift acknowledgements (available world wide, and will be delivered via email to the backer upon completion of a pledge transaction with this add on).

If you’re looking for something unique to gift this holiday season to the reader in your life who loves tween fantasy adventure stories, The Way of the River Early Backer Add On might be just the ticket!

The Way of the River Kickstarter  launches December 4, 2020 at 12 midnight EST and runs through January 16, 2021

Kickstarter launch on the horizon!

November 18, 2020 1 Min Reading

Watch this space, follow via the Shan Spyker author Facebook page, and add yourself to the e-mail list to get notification of the pre-launch and launch!

HEADS UP! A special Early Backer perk will be available to anyone who pledges support between December 4 and December 12 at any level!! To unlock that option, pledge your support within that time frame and the Add On will be made available to you!

This perk is the perfect option for anyone wishing to gift a copy of The Way of the River to the young reader in your life, or for yourself! While the book will not be printed until Spring of 2021, this option will provide a gift card option you can give away for the holidays to let your gift recipient know of their gift, and the important role they are playing as an early backer! An extra special perk will also be given with this add on backer perk…check it out on the Kickstarter page when it launches!

Excerpt – chapter one

October 16, 2020 1 Min Reading

Happy Friday! To give you another peek into the story, here is a short passage from chapter one, where fifteen-year old Elinora has been talked into exploring the centuries-old tower room on their property by her mischievous younger sister, Ottilie.

I will continue to sporadically post passages until the Kickstarter campaign is launched. To stay in the loop when that will be, be sure to click the Sign Up button up top, which will take you to the form on the home page of this site. Fill it out, and you will receive periodic updates! (Note: I will only send 1-4 updates per month, they will come directly from me, I and will never, ever sell or give out your email address to anyone!)

Now for a glimpse into that tower…

Dotting your i’s and crossing your t’s

September 24, 2020 3 Min Reading

As I wait for my editor to finish the first pass of the second half of the manuscript, I find myself looking for other ways to occupy myself with the story. One to do is finishing changes to the first half. But as the completion of the story gets closer on the horizon, and since I have decided to proceed with self-publishing, my list of to do’s has grown considerably. This is not a bad thing, and in fact, one of the reasons I did choose to self-publish—to make this a writing and art project of epic proportions. The single most enjoyable to do, besides the writing itself, is working with my illustrator as we hash out artwork.

However, there is another very important, practical aspect that needs addressed, which is the topic of copyright and protecting work. As it happens, last summer I attended a writer’s conference and joined a very helpful session presented by legal expert on creative copyright/lawyer/writer/publishing agent, Jacqueline Lipton. Not only is she deeply knowledgeable in all of these arenas (a former professor of law at a nearby university, she is also the founder of Raven Quill Literary Agency), she is also funny, approachable and warm. During her presentation I learned of her then forthcoming book the title of which I jotted down and have been eagerly awaiting for it to be released since. You can read more about Law and Authors, A Legal Handbook for Writers here in this interview via another great resource (not to mention, inspiring) Luna Station Quarterly. Just last week I, with great excitement, finally was able to purchase a copy. It has quickly shot to the top of my “homework” sub category in my grand book-creation to-do list.

If you are a writer seeking resources and information and have stumbled upon this post, welcome! This is the first in what I plan to one day expand into a series of posts focusing on helpful resources for fellow writers new to the publishing realm (particularly those who are considering or have decided to self-publish). Eventually these resources will also find their way into a dedicated page—cleverly called Resources—that I am currently developing. I have found the writing world to be filled with such welcoming, helpful folks, and I hope to to contribute a little back in the way that others have so greatly helped me. So stay tuned! And sign up below if you wish to receive alerts when new posts are made so you don’t miss out!