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[crowdfunding now!] "Over The Stars," a sci-fi novel by (me) Russell Zimmerman

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Critias

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« on: <02-21-16/1054:22> »
Hi guys. I'm getting off my butt and getting started on my very own kick-ass sci-fi universe, for ongoing fiction tomfoolery: https://www.inkshares.com/books/over-the-stars

Over the next 90 days -- but especially over the next few weeks, since that's when a "got me off my butt" contest ends -- I'm eagerly hosting a crowdfunding page at Inkshares.com, to get me started in the wide world of non-franchise fiction. I love my RPG freelance stuff, and it kicks booty, and I'm'a keep plugging away at it, but it's time for me to do my own thing, too.

"Over The Stars" is a long-simmering sci-fi tale I've had cooking on a mental back burner for a while, fueled by many a wargame and RPG session. A friend recently posted a link to a Nerdist.com contest based on Inkshares products of an appropriate category, and that got the ball rolling...so here I am, not putting it off any longer, and working to drum up interest, chop-chop. If I'm in the top three pre-order list (which ends on March 15!), I get all kinds of neat additional support for winning the contest. Even if I'm not, if I get 750 preorders I need in the next 90 days, this will get me off my butt and writing my own, personal, sci-fi universe.

So help me out, folks. If you're a fan of my work, you're gonna dig "Over The Stars." It's an ideological clash sparked by my real-life history degree and the stereotypes different ideologies have about one another's best and worst qualities, it's a thrilling space yarn told by a diverse cast of military cadet type characters, it's an action-packed, starship battling, plasma-rifle toting, mono-combat-knife using, down and gritty, clunky, sci-fi action tale.

Oh, and it's very much just the first story planned for these characters, and this universe.

It's gonna be sweet, and it'll be even sweeter if I get my foot in the door by way of this kick-ass contest. Right now the numero uno, top dog, man to beat in this contest has about 150 readers backing him. I think I've got a real shot at this.

So please spread the word, please make a pledge, and please spread the word some more: https://www.inkshares.com/books/over-the-stars

It's much appreciated.

Sendaz

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« Reply #1 on: <02-21-16/1154:07> »
Throw in Fancy Derek the Ninth (Great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandson to that smooth talking, hard loving, straight up bad ass street hustler of legend) following the family traditions running his stable of galactic beauties of the evening and we can talk. ;)

Don't see an option for international shipping, if we went with the solid book option would they be willing to invoice me for extra international shipping? 
Otherwise sort of limiting me to just the E-reader option.
Do you believe in a greater WIRELESS, an Invisible(WiFi) All Seeing(detecting those connected- at least if within 100'), All Knowing(all online data) Presence that we can draw upon for Wisdom(downloads & updates), Strength (wifi boni) and Comfort (porn) or do you turn your back on it  (Go Offline)?

Critias

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« Reply #2 on: <02-21-16/1318:07> »
Throw in Fancy Derek the Ninth (Great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandson to that smooth talking, hard loving, straight up bad ass street hustler of legend) following the family traditions running his stable of galactic beauties of the evening and we can talk. ;)

Don't see an option for international shipping, if we went with the solid book option would they be willing to invoice me for extra international shipping? 
Otherwise sort of limiting me to just the E-reader option.
I don't mean to be evasive, but the truth is I have no idea.  Inkshares handled all the pricing and promises to handle all the shipping and stuff, all I did was put in an estimated word count and it did literally all the rest of that without any input from me.  I don't want to lie to you, so I won't try to answer.

I will take a look around their sight and try to find out, though, because it's a good question.

AJCarrington

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« Reply #3 on: <02-21-16/1452:05> »
Thanks Crit for the heads up...will check this out. I have no experience with Inkshares...what is the typical timeframe on projects like this?

Sendaz

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« Reply #4 on: <02-21-16/1727:44> »
Thanks Critias, if you can find anything out let me know.

Was going to call them tonight to talk directly, but just remembered it's Sunday so they are probably closed. ;)

While trying to find more about Inkshares, I did come across a nice article written by an author using Inkshares to explain a bit more of what they do here which I thought was very interesting.

« Last Edit: <02-21-16/1730:36> by Sendaz »
Do you believe in a greater WIRELESS, an Invisible(WiFi) All Seeing(detecting those connected- at least if within 100'), All Knowing(all online data) Presence that we can draw upon for Wisdom(downloads & updates), Strength (wifi boni) and Comfort (porn) or do you turn your back on it  (Go Offline)?

AJCarrington

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« Reply #5 on: <02-21-16/1951:12> »
Thanks Sendaz, very interesting article.

Critias

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« Reply #6 on: <02-21-16/2100:57> »
Yeah, I didn't have much luck poking around their FAQ, unfortunately.  The closest I could find was an announcement from a blog post in October of last year, that said "We will begin charging a $15 fee for international shipping across all Inkshares titles. Domestic shipping will remain free."   http://blog.inkshares.com/post/131749557025/inkshares-funding-goal-announcement

But I'm not finding official confirmation anywhere, so I dunno.  I don't want to lie to anybody about what sort of shipping prices to expect, but I'm failing my Computer rolls to navigate their system and find out anything official.

Critias

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« Reply #7 on: <02-22-16/0001:36> »
Thanks Crit for the heads up...will check this out. I have no experience with Inkshares...what is the typical timeframe on projects like this?
Sorry AJ, I was bouncing from Sendaz post to Sendaz post and just totally overlooked this earlier.  At the risk of sounding utterly unprofessional;  I honestly don't know that, either.  I know that they encouraged me to pick the "90 day" limit when I created the campaign (in retrospect I would've loved to do something shorter, especially with March 15 being the cut-off for that contest), but I can also tell you that I fully plan to have -- and prior evidence has shown me fully capable of having -- a solid first draft done in about 1/2 of that time.  Now that I have an excuse to knuckle down and write, I'd really like to even have a draft largely finished by that March 15 cut-off, to try and get as many preorders as possible (and then let the rest of their 90 day window be however it is they handle editing and layout and stuff).

I plan on several updates in the next few weeks -- not least of which one with some cover art, I've got a buddy working on that already -- but all the stuff on their end, with Inkshare itself, I'm afraid I'm pretty clueless about, sorry.  This is my first time interacting with them, it was kind of a spur of the moment thing once I read up on that contest at about 4:00 this morning.  I mulled it over during my drive home from gaming, caught a cat nap, then got up and got to work, I haven't really researched Inkshare too much, sorry man.  :)

AJCarrington

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« Reply #8 on: <02-22-16/1737:49> »
No worries...focus your efforts on the draft ;)

Critias

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« Reply #9 on: <02-22-16/2021:17> »
I'm up to 13 preorders in the first couple of days.  I can crack into the top ten contest folks with ~40, and the number one guy has ~150.  Things are off to a strong start, and it feels like the contest goal may be pretty dang do-able if we can keep it up.

So thanks for any clicks, shares, and (especially) preorders, folks!

If you've liked my SR stuff, I bet you your $10 ebook price you'll also like Over The Stars;)

The Tekwych

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« Reply #10 on: <02-22-16/2143:13> »
I'll jump on but not till the weekend. Hope that helps.

Critias

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« Reply #11 on: <02-23-16/0129:13> »
I'll jump on but not till the weekend. Hope that helps.
Of course it does, man!  Every preorder/reader is a win.  I'm not focusing on the "750" requirement right now, I'm working on the race for the contest, so every new reader gets me closer to breaking the "top ten" (which, again, is only 40something) and closer to getting into the winner's circle of the top three (third place in this contest has just under 100).  I'm at 14-15 or so in two days, which I think is a pretty great start, y'know?  So thanks!  And please also spread the word, talk to your fellow geeks, all that good stuff.  :)

In related news, if you check out the link now, you'll see it's been updated with some cover art!  My buddy and collaborator on my last crowdfunded project, Strays, knocked it outta the park with a rush job for me;  the cover art will be changing in coming weeks, but what's up there right now is pretty great for him doing it after his day job in just the last day and a half, and I'm glad I can present a little more professional-looking project, in the meantime.

More updates to come!  Thanks, everybody!

Zweiblumen

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« Reply #12 on: <02-23-16/1557:17> »
Ordered and shared :)  Good luck man!  Love your writing.
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« Reply #13 on: <02-23-16/2353:25> »
Thanks a lot, Zweiblumen!

We're up to over 20 preorders, which is pretty awesome for just a few days of spreading the word.  Y'all have been great, and it's much appreciated. 

I've got a couple new covers (we're revising until we like it!) up on the page, there, if anyone wants to take a look and share their thoughts or anything.  Don't hesitate to swing by and leave a note, the more the merrier!

cantrip

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« Reply #14 on: <02-26-16/1602:53> »
Ordered - word spread.  8)