Pre-order for The Death of Dulgath by Michael J. Sullivan

Lots of news
over 8 years ago – Fri, Feb 26, 2016 at 06:43:17 PM

Hey all,

Robin here.  Sorry for not updating in a while. Things have been crazy busy here.  I got a bit derailed because the final proof came in for Age of Myth and reviewing it was under a deadline constructing so I've not shipped in a few days. But I put it in the mail yesterday and I expect posters to start shipping today.

In other news, we went through a bit of an issue with The Jester comic.  Here's the deal.  I hired a artist and worked with him on the script. The script wasn't perfect, but generally good and so I needed to do some tweaking on it and I kept putting that on the back burner while I shipped.

Anyway...in the meantime a comic producer came to us wanting to sign The Death of Dulgath for a graphic full blown graphic novel adaptation. Which to me is too exciting for words.  We've been working with them to do character sketches, more work on the script and also an image for a limited edition print they'll be producing.  Eventually they'll have 12 of these limited edition prints and turn it into a calendar, which would be really cool.

So...I thought it would be good if we used the same artist that they were using for the graphic novel to do the comic of The Jester.  I'd already paid the first artist for his work, so he is compensated for his time.  I had budgeted about $2,000 - $2,500 for the production of this comic (based on the first artist's estimate.  Well, the new artist is a major "name" in the industry and his prices are quite a bit higher. When we got the final estimate it was going to be about $8,000!!  Ouch!  A lot more than what I intended to spend, so I was going bak to plan A - using my original artist.

That was sad to me, because I really though having both the comic for this KS and the final longer graphic novel having the same look was going to be the way to go, but I just couldn't justify the additional cost.  Anyway, I and the publisher put our heads together and we worked out a deal where we were going to shift some of our initial profits of some of the additional perks (like the Limited edition print) to the artist first and then I would kick in my original money as upfront payment.  So...it looks like we are going to get a significant upgrade in The Jester Comic, and between us and the comic book producer we have the script finalized and work has begun.  I think this is REALLY going to be an amazing reward for people, and of course all backers get the digital copy so it's good for every backer.  

By the way, if you didn't order a print copy of the comic, and want to add that on...there will be a way to do that in the future. I've spend numerous hours talking to the graphic novel producer about the benefits of using Kickstarter and they will be doing a Graphic Novel KS in the future. I'll make sure there that the printed copy of the Jester will be available through there Backer Kit pre-order so that even if you don't contribute to that KS you can buy a copy of the Jester "on the side."

I'm waiting for their official press release and then I'll show off some of the cool artwork they've done.

Last and not least...Michael mentioned the winner of Rhune hadn't been announced.  I wanted to make sure that the winner had been announced.  In checking, I realized to my shock that a few of the winner's emails were still sitting in Michael's draft box - Doh!  (Not Michael's fault, it was I who made them and for some reason didn't hit send).  In any case, two of the people were already notified and got their book and I've just send out the emails to the other three so here is the complete list:

• Peter F. - Germany
• Bekki D. - Kansas, USA
• Mike P. - Colorada, USA
• Cindy R. - Virginia, USA
• Stephanie M. - California, USA

An early opportunity for The Death of Dulgath Backers
almost 9 years ago – Fri, Feb 19, 2016 at 04:56:21 PM

Hey all,
As many of you probably already know, I have a new novel coming out in June. It's called Age of Myth, and it's the first book in a new series, The Legends of the First Empire.

This book is based in Elan (the setting of the Riyria novels), but it occurs 3,000 years in the past and tells the story about the founding of The First Empire.  For those who have read The Death of Dulgath you may have noticed some seeds to that other series planted within its pages.

Anyway, Robin really wants to have the ability for people to get signed copies, but because the book is released through a traditional publisher (Del Rey, a fantasy imprint of Penguin Random House), that's not as easy to do as when we have a Kickstarter.  Anyway, she's come up with a system to do so. We are going to be limiting the number of signed copies to 250, and as they are likely to go quickly, we wanted to make sure backers knew of it first. This way, you'll have the best chance on getting them.  So here's how it goes.

• There is currently a sign-up form, and if you sign up, you'll get early access to the order pages before it's announce publicly to the rest of the world.
• Robin has made arrangements with Del Rey to have 250 copies of the book shipped to a fulfillment house in Michigan.
• We'll drive there, and I'll sign all the books, and Robin will use the cool little emboss we used for the Death of Dulgath to press them and she'll also add a date.
• The fulfillment house will take care of all the boxing and shipping, and because they have a full team, the shipping will go much quicker than when Robin was the only one. (Not to mention it'll save her back and give her more time to edit stuff). They should able to ship them all in 1 - 2 days.
• Hopefully, but not guaranteed, Del Rey will let us start sending these books before the June 28th date, so you can get your hands on the book before anyone else.  That'll be cool if Robin can pull that off. A lot more will be known once (a) the books are printed and (b) they are at the fulfillment house.

Here's a bit more about the book (taken from the back-of-the-book copy that Del Rey wrote.

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Michael J. Sullivan's trailblazing career began with the breakout success of his Riyria series: full-bodied, spellbinding fantasy adventures whose imaginative scope and sympathetic characters won a devoted readership and comparisons to fantasy masters Brandon Sanderson, Scott Lynch, and Tolkien himself. Now, Sullivan's stunning hardcover debut, Age of Myth, inaugurates an original five-book series--and one of fantasy's finest next-generation storytellers continues to break new ground.

Since time immemorial, humans have worshipped the gods they call Fhrey, truly a race apart: invincible in battle, masters of magic, and seemingly immortal. But when a god falls to a human blade, the balance of power between men and those they thought were gods changes forever. Now, only a few stand between humankind and annihilation: Raithe, reluctant to embrace his destiny as the God Killer. Suri, a young seer burdened by signs of impending doom. And Persephone, who must overcome personal tragedy to lead her people.

The Age of Myth is over; the time of rebellion has begun.

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In other news,

Robin tells me all the maps, are shipped and the last of the bags will be going out today.  That just leaves cups, posters, and the bookmarks/postcards to those without other physical rewards. Also the shirt situation is being straightened out and it wasn't nearly as bad as we originally thought (or people just aren't watching these updates).  Either way, we should have new shirts shortly so we'll be winding down the shipping aspect and she'll be turning her attention full-time to the edits for "The Making of The Death of Dulgath.

As always, thanks for the support, and we'll keep plugging away.

Please check your t-shirts and contact me if they are wrong
almost 9 years ago – Tue, Feb 16, 2016 at 08:54:50 PM

Hey all, Robin again.  Well another milestone has been reached.  The T-shirts are all shipped (or at least 99% are).  When doing the shipping I realized I messed up the SKU codes between Riyria shirts and Rose and Thorn shirts so if your shirt was shipped before I discovered what was going on, it's possible you got the wrong one. I've already been in contact with a few people and got their shirts straightened out.  So, please check your shirts and if it looks like you got the wrong one, let me know ASAP. I'll ship out the right one and give you a shipping label to send back the wrong one.

Now...because of my mix ups, I'm short on a few shirts, so I'm going to make another order with the t-shirt company.  I'll be sending emails to all the people who are effected (it's a small number) so your shirts will take a bit of extra time. But rest assured we'll make sure you get what you were looking for.

Sorry for those whose orders aren't quite right. Having gone through this process, I had WAY too many SKU's for the shirts - with 3 different designs, up to 9 different sizes and 3 color choices for 2 of the designs meant A LOT of combinations. In retrospect I should have made all the packages at once and as I ran out of a certain shirt size/color I would have realized it was in the wrong package - but it is what it is.  Anyway, here's my current plan.

• I'm waiting on the return of a few shirts that I've already sent labels for
• I'm going to give it a few ays for the mass shipment I've done over the long post-free weekend to get to their owners and have a chance to look at them.
• I'm going to place an order for the "missing shirts" - Some people might not even realize they got the wrong one.
• I'll fix up the orders for those few people who don't have their shirts yet.

As I said, I'll be contacting people via email if they are effected. But if you look in your Backer Kit and see "Need shirt" as a status for your shirt shipment - you're one of the unlucky few. As soon as I get the shirts, it'll change to a tracking number.

In any case...while I wait for the shirt thing to straighten out.  I'm moving on to shipping the mugs, bags, maps, and posters. My big storage "cube" has now been exchanged for a "very little cube" which is big for me as it means I'm finally getting to the end of the mammoth shipping. 

The only other item from a physical standpoint is the Comic. We finally got a script nailed down  so the artist is moving ahead on it.  I'll have an update on the comic in the next few days.

I've also started editing The "Making of" - which many people have been asking about. It's going well...but now the proof of Age of Myth has come in from the publisher and I have to go through it as it's on deadline.  So the "Making of" is once again on hold. But it should only be in that state for a few days. Busy, busy. But at least I feel like I'm finally seeing real light at the end of the shipping tunnel - and it's not even a train!

Thanks all for your patience, and understanding. I'm back to it.

A look at the Rare Edition
almost 9 years ago – Wed, Feb 10, 2016 at 10:54:50 PM

Michael here. Thought it was important to say that as Robin has been doing all the posting as of late. Elsewhere on the Internet, some people have been asking about the Rare edition and what it looks like.  Well, I did a picture so you all can see.

 If you like the way it looks, there will be a project to do similar editions for the other Riyria Chronicle books and a full set for Riyria Revelations.

Drawing time!!
almost 9 years ago – Thu, Feb 04, 2016 at 07:50:52 PM

Now that Robin and I have time to think and handle other aspects of the Kickstarter it's time for one of our drawing.  This one will be for a copy of Rhune  - Book #1 of the First Empire.  For those that don't know, this was the original name of Age of Myth.  This is a very early  (and really rare) advanced reading copy. In fact, it is one of only 25 copies from the February 2015 printing.

 To be honest, I'm not even sure how close or far away it is from the final version that will be released in June. If I ever get a few minutes I might break it out and give it a read, just to see for myself.  It definitely was a version pre copy edits and either just before the last beta or just after.  In any case...it's a rare beast indeed.  

Oh, and while I have you and we are looking at covers, here is the latest iteration of the cover that Rhune turned into. (We've been messing around with the font treatment for some time.  I "think" this may be the final version - and you all are seeing it before it goes public.

In other news, Robin is moving out the books and boxes for books and moving in t-shirts so I think we are moving on to the next stage in shipping.