Writing & Publishing
Trending Projects
Words of Radiance Leatherbound by Brandon Sanderson
Words of Radiance, the second in Brandon Sanderson's epic series The Stormlight Archive, arrives in leatherbound! You can also join in for a New Secret Project, Dragonsteel Prime, The Way of Kings Prime (Second Edition), spren plushies, and more!
The Sum of All Writers
Discover an amazing book for Sci-Fi and Fantasy enthusiasts and aspiring writers. This collection features captivating stories, as well as expert teaching commentaries designed to help writers hone their craft.
A Dream & Goal Setting Workbook for adults and teenagers
A dream & goal setting workbook for adults and teenagers focused on removing blockages and becoming a magnet for their dream life. All your dreams, goals & WINS in one portable, compact book!
New Edge Sword & Sorcery 2024
Sword & Sorcery magazine featuring short fiction, non-fiction, and gorgeous art. Made with love for the classics, and an inclusive, boundary-pushing approach to storytelling! Luxurious hardcover, classic softcover, and accessible digital formats.
Colorful Explorers: World Countries Coloring Adventure for Kids and Adults.
A Bilingual 230-Page Coloring Book: 200+ World Countries Flag and Info + Robust Offline APP. A captivating blend of education and creativity for both kids and adults alike! Personalize it with your own TITLE, NAME, or kid's NAME including Author
TEGN - Redux
TEGN - Redux is a new way to experience the trilogy by Even Mehl Amundsen. We added new art and stories, combined the three books into one big volume, and rearranged and reduced the existing content in a more cohesive way. TEGN, as it was supposed to be!
Womens Wheel
Women's Wheel is a personal and community enrichment oracle deck and tool kit designed by the Heart Temple and Chain Assembly. These tools unmask the feminine archetypes and inspire women by engaging awareness of their cyclical nature.
Mothersound: The SauĂştiverse Anthology
This is the first short story anthology set in a shared fictional world based on a blend of African cultures. Edited by Wole Talabi with authors from around the African continent and diaspora, the SauĂştiverse is filled with wonder, mystery, and magic.
DEATH IN THE MOUTH: Original Horror from the Margins
DEATH IN THE MOUTH: Original Horror from the Margins is an illustrated horror anthology showcasing BIPOC and other ethnically marginalized writers and artists from around the world.
Horror Classics by Georges Bess: DRACULA and FRANKENSTEIN
Bram Stoker's DRACULA and Mary Shelley's FRANKENSTEIN are faithfully adapted into spectacularly illustrated premium graphic novels by internationally-renowned artist GEORGES BESS.
Cthulhu is Hard to Spell
The critically acclaimed anthology series is back in softcover format with NEW STORIES ADDED! Each volume contains ~20 stories by diverse creators all around the world about the gods and monsters of Lovecraft.
Winchester Mystery House: Centennial Edition
This officially licensed Backerkit-Exclusive Centennial Edition features wrap-around cover artwork by Joshua Werner celebrating the upcoming 100th anniversary and features extensive bonus content.
On Its Way
Mothersound: The SauĂştiverse Anthology
This is the first short story anthology set in a shared fictional world based on a blend of African cultures. Edited by Wole Talabi with authors from around the African continent and diaspora, the SauĂştiverse is filled with wonder, mystery, and magic.
New Edge Sword & Sorcery 2024
Sword & Sorcery magazine featuring short fiction, non-fiction, and gorgeous art. Made with love for the classics, and an inclusive, boundary-pushing approach to storytelling! Luxurious hardcover, classic softcover, and accessible digital formats.
Colorful Explorers: World Countries Coloring Adventure for Kids and Adults.
A Bilingual 230-Page Coloring Book: 200+ World Countries Flag and Info + Robust Offline APP. A captivating blend of education and creativity for both kids and adults alike! Personalize it with your own TITLE, NAME, or kid's NAME including Author
TEGN - Redux
TEGN - Redux is a new way to experience the trilogy by Even Mehl Amundsen. We added new art and stories, combined the three books into one big volume, and rearranged and reduced the existing content in a more cohesive way. TEGN, as it was supposed to be!
Words of Radiance Leatherbound by Brandon Sanderson
Words of Radiance, the second in Brandon Sanderson's epic series The Stormlight Archive, arrives in leatherbound! You can also join in for a New Secret Project, Dragonsteel Prime, The Way of Kings Prime (Second Edition), spren plushies, and more!
Highlights
Project Update: Welcome to Space Wizard Science Fantasy!
There's some exclusive content already posted, but you have to click through to the launch party to see it. So what are you waiting for? Dive into Space Wizard Science Fantasy Year 3!
Project Update: Surveys Going Out!
It includes the brand new third edition in full color, the 2nd editions in gold or silver foil as reprints, and the 1st edition deck! Get all your Normal Tarot goodies at the link below, we're aiming to ship in or by October!
https://the-return-of-the-normal-tarot.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders
Note that the above link should NOT be used by backers, as it will create a whole separate order for you, so you'll be charged shipping a second time. It's ONLY for people who missed the campaign.
Thanks!
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Project Update: IT’S MANASSALINE’S MY BIRTHDAY!
What a journey it has been so far!Â
We have 6 more days left!
All I want for my birthday is to reach our goal of $35,000 to self publish THE DREAM CAPSULE!
I believe in miracles and I know we can do this.Â
We have 6 more days if you haven’t already backed the project THIS IS YOUR TIME.
Thank you so much for your unwavering support!Â
Project Update: UPDATE: Behind the Scenes, Archetypal transitions.
It seems like forever since we've given you an update on what's going on behind the scenes...
I thought it would be relevant to share with you some BIG NEWS! I have ungone some huge internal and external transitions as I step into (for the first time) my literal Mother Archetype energy! That's right, I'm pregnant!!! This will be my partner Ryan and I's first living born child come September! We discovered the pregnancy near the completion of the Kickstarter funding. So synchronistic!
I felt like in many ways I continue to nurture this creative project as the symbolic expression of the Mother Archetype. Now, as this project comes to full fruition, I begin my Homemaker energy of becoming a nester before baby Clover Dean Meadows comes to be. This means I wrap up all my unfinished projects (including this one) and I create the spaciousness for ease of birthing this baby boy into the world!
Wowee!!!
So just know... although my energy has been diffuse to address some logistical transitions with my personal life, it is my priority to complete all the editing and polishing of the book (that is coming along beautifully with Nick's help) which honors our original estimated time of completion for you! As I continue these edits and have more time with sisterhood using these cards, these archetypes and the deck continue to give me golden nuggets of wisdom to weave into the final project. It's been really lovely to see how these archetypes weave themselves into the web of life in subtle and more obvious ways.
Don't forget you have access to use the digital deck until (and after) you receive your material set! If you haven't checked it out yet, then please do! If you've gotten to explore it a little bit, tell us...Â
what have you discovered?Â
what works or doesn't work well for the digital version?Â
what are you most excited about with the material version?Â
Blessings to you and yours,
Melissa
Project Update: The Forging of the Sword Lumiere
How many of you have seen The Lord of the Rings movies directed by Peter Jackson?
A great many of you, I bet. If you are like me, you've seen them hundreds of times. And love them. From the faithfulness of the adaptation to its adult themes to its acting performances, dialog, and CGI. Jackson and his team managed to produce Tolkien movies that will withstand the test of time.
About a decade ago, when friend and author Terry Brooks began writing the climax story for his Shannara series, I wrote swordsmith Peter Lyon with a question. Peter produced the weapons used in The Lord of the Rings movies, and I asked him if the original Hildebrandt Bros. design for the Sword of Shannara could be produced as a congratulatory gift to Terry. While Peter informed me that the Hildebrandt design would be very difficult to produce and I decided on a different gift for Terry, Peter and I became online and email friends.
Then two years ago, when I was writing The King-Killing Queen, I received that book's cover art from artist Magali Villeneuve and absolutely fell in love with it. I also loved her design of the sword Lumiere so much that I forwarded it to Peter, hoping it was something that could be forged.
Peter wrote me back, asked some clarifying questions, and then accepted the project. He doesn't do a lot of commission work as Weta Workshop keeps him quite busy, so I was absolutely befuddled to learn The Lord of the Rings swordsmith would be forging a sword based on an idea I created.
Here is the Magali Villeneuve cover that inspired Peter's hand-drawn designs for Lumiere:
To view over a dozen photos of Peter's work as he forged and put together Lumiere, be sure to follow this BackerKit project. And if you already follow it, the photos should be below!
If you have any questions, I'd love to answer them. This process was super fun! A big thank you to Peter for his work and professionalism!Â
With Magic,
Shawn Speakman
Project Update: Backer Surveys Have Been Sent!
Attention ALL Backers–Important Survey Information Below!
Reminders
Project Update: Welcome to the Secret Community
Welcome to the inaugural post for The Dark Thorn Preferred Edition crowdfund project!
THANK YOU for joining me here. I am truly excited to bring the first book in the Annwn Cycle to everyone via a new edition. As I've shared recently, The Dark Thorn was never professionally edited. I published it originally as a way to learn how to design a book, print a book, bind a book, and fulfill a book in a preparation for the Unfettered anthology. I had no idea that it would be reviewed so well. But now that I'm close to finishing The Everwinter Wraith and I've tied The King-Killing Queen to Annwn, I thought it wise to edit the book that started it all to bring it more in line with these other titles.
And it's drastically better for it. I can't tell you how much better. While the story itself isn't changing, the editing effort is yielding a much better read. A big thank you to former Del Rey Books editor in chief Betsy Mitchell for bringing her expertise and red pen to The Dark Thorn Preferred Edition!
This community is going to be used in a variety of ways. I will share news and write updates here, true enough. But I will also unveil art and tiers and polls here too for people who are following the project. And not only that, but I'll post dedicated content for those who BACK the project right out of the gate. In this way, we will have a vibrant community where you get to interact with me and vice versa.
And finally, with this first welcoming update, I'm asking you to help spread the word about The Dark Thorn and this BackerKit project. Do what you can! Every little bit helps.
And if you have any questions, comment below. I'm always around.
Best Wishes,
Shawn Speakman
Project Update: The Sum of All Writers - Stretch Goal #2
And in the spirit of a Treasure Hunt, we have a special “hunt” for you! We are designing an exclusive puzzle hunt inspired by each story in the book.Â
There’s a little something for everyone–word, variety, and logic-based puzzles.Â
As you solve each puzzle, you will unearth a clue word that will ultimately lead you to a final answer. If you figure out this final answer in the time allotted, we will have an extra secret reward for you!Â
When we reach our third stretch goal, we have a most exceptional treasure waiting for you. You don’t want to miss this one: it’s from the “Wizard of Storytelling” himself.Â
We’ll tell you exactly what it is once we reach the goal. To help us get there faster, please continue to support our project by sharing it with your friends and family, especially those who love to read and create stories to share.
Again, thanks for all you are doing to support our mission. You, indeed, are a treasure,
The Sum of All Writers Team
Project Update: The Sum of All Writers - Stretch goal #1 reached
Thank you so much for seeing our vision and jumping on board the backer train to help us bring more light and magic to the world.Â
We are happy to announce that we have unlocked our first stretch goal! We will be helping everyone “mark their journey” with us by creating a memorable set of printable bookmarks commemorating this project inspired by stories in the anthology.Â
We have now cruised past our first stretch goal and are quickly zooming in on our second.Â
Our second stretch goal reward may be one you will find “puzzling” at first, but we think you will have a lot of fun with it!
Supporting this project aids us in helping more writers create incredible stories to share. This is our primary mission for this project: As students and friends of David Farland, AKA The Wizard of Storytelling, we want to illuminate his teaching methods and “Pay forward” the gift he has generously shared with us.
We appreciate your support.
Thanks again! You are the BEST!
Project Update: Let's Talk About Unlocking Your Dream Life, SERIOUSLY!