It Never Was You will be released some time in April. Yep, that's a month later than previously announced, but having looked at the lead times, I realised I was being a little hasty and have had to put it back by a few weeks.
I know that will come as a blow to many readers who are waiting patiently to read it. However, there is a way to get your hands on a copy early. Want to know how? Then read on...
In order to give It Never Was You the launch it deserves, I've put together a crowd funding campaign on indiegogo.com.
indiegogo is a great place where all sorts of people from around the world are raising money for all kinds of concerns. From film makers trying to get their latest project off the ground to charities raising awareness of their cause, it's full of inspiring stories and projects and well worth a browse.
Publishing the Cypress Branches trilogy is a labour of love for me, and it's something I do without the aim of making a profit - in fact, I've ploughed a lot more money in than I've got out. The reason I do it is because I'm determined to see William's work in print. That vision, and this project, costs money, and that's where this campaign comes in.
Last year I was able to fund a print run and the beginnings of a marketing push for Pegasus Falling using my own funds before selling one book. This year, I was facing the possibility of having to launch It Never Was You without any funding available. Whilst I would have been able to launch the books by making them available as an ebook and via print-on-demand on Amazon, I would not have been able to distribute them to a wider audience. That would mean that I would not be able to supply the shops which stock Pegasus Falling with stocks of its sequel, or send copies to journalists, reviewers and bloggers. Not the best way to keep the momentum going! By creating this campaign, I should be able to give It Never Was You the push it deserves.
So why indiegogo?
One of the great innovations of the site is something they call "perks". Perks are rewards which people can claim in exchange for a contribution. Film makers provide anything from a DVD of their finished movie to the chance to go on set during filming. Charities offer a warm fuzzy feeling or priority booking on fundraising events.
I've made one of the perks of contributing to the Cypress Branches campaign being able to get your hands on an advance copy of It Never Was You. Depending on your budget (or your preference!) you can request an ebook or paperback copy as a perk, sent to you as soon as the files are ready / the books are printed in mid March, and before they appear on Amazon or in the shops. By grabbing one of these perks, you'll get a copy at the same time as the review copies go out, and be amongst the first to read it.
It's the perfect solution, I think. I can raise funds to ensure that I can give It Never Was You the perfect launch, and also make sure that all you lovely lot who have supported me over the past year or more get the chance to read the book sooner. (And enjoy the bragging rights!)
If you're feeling generous and fancy treating yourself to an extra special perk, there is also the chance to own a copy with a personal handwritten note from me inside, or a rare copy of the hardback edition featuring the original manuscript we printed back in 2009 or even get your name added to the acknowledgements page.
Whatever way of contributing you choose, you can be sure that every penny raised will go towards getting William's books into print. I've set the target at £2,000. This will pay for an initial print run of It Never Was You, a second run of Pegasus Falling and a big marketing push to get sales going.
The great thing is that we can keep raising money, even if we reach the target before the end of the campaign. If we can smash the target, I'll plough all the extra money straight back into the project, starting work on Part Three of the trilogy as soon as possible.
If we don't reach the target, I will still receive around 90% of the funds pledged (indiegogo raise their fees to 9% if you don't reach your target). Whilst this would be less than ideal, it will still mean that I can go ahead with launching It Never Was You - but the print run may have to be postponed or curtailed and the marketing will be much scaled back. This would be sad. Let's not think about it.
Spread the word...
The success of the campaign very much depends on how far we can spread the word. If you'd love to see William's trilogy taking a significant step closer to completion, then please help get the word out there by heading to the campaign page and using the "share this campaign" tools. You can "Like" it on Facebook, send a tweet, do whatever you do on G+, share on your blog or website, send your friends an email or do all of the above, all from within the campaign. You can also post comments, check for updates and brag to your friends that you're helping William get his books printed.
And the cool thing is that the more of us who share, the greater chance we have of raising the profile of the campaign on indiegogo itself! They use an algorithm which measures a campaign's success and attributes it a "gogofactor". The higher the gogofactor, the higher up the campaign goes in the listings, and the better chance it has of being spotted by others using the site.
I won't be releasing any copies of It Never Was You to general buyers until the official launch date. The only way to get a copy before then is to contribute to the campaign and request the perk. Then you'll not only get that warm fuzzy feeling from knowing you're helping me get William's books out there and into the hands of the audience we all know will love them, but you'll also be able to read them before anyone else! Now there's bragging rights!
As ever, happy reading, everyone and thank you all for your continued support!Labels: book launch, campaign, Crowd funding, ebook, gogofactor, indiegogo, It Never Was You, paperback, publishing, spread the word
