Off to the Editor, and a Peek at the Cover
over 6 years ago – Tue, Aug 15, 2017 at 03:59:48 PM

Rewrites Complete

I went through more than a few pens in those pages, but they died for a good cause.

The rewrites are now complete, and the manuscript has been submitted to the editor. Once those notes come in, we’ll knock out a final round of rewrites, and then the novel will be off to copyediting, layout, and printing. We’re definitely on track for delivery by the end of the year, likely this fall.

If you haven’t done so already, please take a moment to fill out the BackerKit survey. 94% of you have already done so—this is aimed at you foot-dragging six percenters. I know you can hear me! Don’t roll your eyes.

Oh, I can’t stay mad at you. Reminder emails are en route.

A Peek at the Cover

One final bit before I sign off: here’s the artwork for the cover of the novel, by the clever and talented Jacob Blackmon.

Enjoy! And thank you once again for bringing this project to life!

—Matt

Draft Complete
almost 7 years ago – Mon, Jun 26, 2017 at 11:54:20 PM

We have a draft!

It's a rough one—this being that phase of the process and all—but it's done. And while there's still a ways to go—the hacking and honing of the rewrites, the spraying for typos, submitting it to the editor for a meticulous de-suckening—this is the first and single biggest milestone, and we've hit it. Face first, at a dead sprint. (Actually finished Friday evening, only just woke up.)

As writing continues, we'll also be gathering information to make the shipping process as smooth as possible. To that end, BackerKit surveys will be arriving soon, so be on the lookout for an email from BackerKit. On our last project, a number of backers reported these emails landing in their spam folders, so if you don't see yours after a few days, that's where I'd check. Once you have the email, please confirm your shipping information is up to date. Otherwise, I'll have to guess were you live, which involves bourbon and firing the Shipping Catapult in a random direction. It's accuracy and range are abysmal—the catapult's, I mean; less so for the bourbon—so the surveys are your best bet.

Thank you once again for making this project happen. On to rewrites!

—Matt

Success!
almost 7 years ago – Thu, May 11, 2017 at 06:07:36 AM

It's been nine years since Hopjockey last took a step forward. Nine years since the agent called to say the network had passed, and we’d had a good run, and thanks for the fruit basket, but Hopjockey was, for all intents and purposes, dead in the water. Which is where it's stayed, bobbing along, occasionally pooped on by seagulls, until tonight.

Because tonight, thanks to you, Hopjockey is funded. It’s really happening! I'm out of superlatives. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart and to the ends of the Omniverse. Which is, incidentally, where we’ll all be heading in just a few months.

But that’s in the future. Tonight, we celebrate. Tomorrow, I shall pour myself into an approximation of an upright posture and get back to work. Tonight, however, I shall pour myself another. For it’s glasses in the air time, friends, either of the eye or drinking variety. Either result in blurred vision when misused. I shall demonstrate how here shortly.

Thank you, one and all, for this opportunity. I won't let you down.

—Matt

Funded!
about 7 years ago – Sun, Apr 09, 2017 at 07:26:22 AM

The Portal Has Opened

WE MADE IT! A heaven-shaking thank you! to everyone who’s pledged, shared, and helped push this project over the finish line. You’ve made Hopjockey a reality.

At the risk of sounding effusive, you've just given me the greenlight on a project that's been bubbling beneath the surface since I first started hacking away at a blank page. I can’t thank you enough. But I'm gonna try.

Thank you, one an all, so much, for your support, camaraderie and trust. I can't wait to show you where this little hole in the universe leads. I’ll see you on the other side.

—Matt

80% Funded with 5 Days Left
about 7 years ago – Sat, Apr 08, 2017 at 04:16:05 PM

So close! With 120 hours to go, we are over 80% funded—82% as of the time of this writing. Thank you one and all!

Our trajectory is strong, but we’re not there yet. If you've already pledged and would still like to help, there’s no better way than boosting the signal. You know the drill: share, like, town cry. Erect billboards. Etch its likeness in stone. Knock yourself out! There’s no real wrong way to do this, aside from the things I just said.

A Little Help from My Friends

A special thank you to everyone who's been spreading the word about the project across social media. It's led to a steady pickup in pledges, and has gotten us that much closer to the goal.

If that's a wagon you'd like to jump on (there's room), here’s a kickassin’ graphic we’ve been sharing around to get the word out, put together by the inimitable Brian S. Lewis. Feel free to take it down and pass it around.

Additionally, here’s some less-than-helpful promotional copy from Not Matt Vancil, who may or may not also be Brian S. Lewis. Refrain from sharing this at all costs.

"Heya everybody! I whisper into my compo-poohter and stories come out! I got one now in my think sac about someone who hops around to other worlds... with a coat! There's also a bad guy, who's a sleep! And let's see.. maybe a anthropomorphic homicidal tree, who the actual #@$ knows! I make great word music. Pop in your spender bucks to help me make my story chowder, I mean a book!"

Yes, he actually wrote that. No, I don’t know why I shared it. Probably just lost a few pledges.

We're in the home stretch, gang! Thank you so much for bringing us so far. With any luck, in five days I’ll be harvesting story chowder from my think sac. Yep, just lost some more.

—Matt