At present, I am moving forward on a second draft of my new novel, The Fifth Man. I have completed the first draft, which is at the moment about 80,000 words. In addition to rewriting the early middle part of it, I am also working on the early chapters in order to make it available to my editor, who corrects my continuity errors and ensures a good quality product. This is the same editor I employed for my works How to Run, How to Play a Character and the Dungeon's Front Door.
The novel is a fantasy tale that takes place in an imaginary world called Fallow. A young man, Herzog, discovers that his father may, or may not, be acting as a traitor against the King of Fallow.
Throughout the novel, the protagonist is compelled to defend his father, never quite knowing if his father is a traitor or not. As the plot unfolds, his father seems uncomfortably involved in sedition, espionage, conspiracy and assassination. As Herzog gets in deeper, he finds himself taking a part in these doings, pressing him to evaluate what sort of man he is becoming. Not only does the book question whether Herzog’s father is a good man, but whether Herzog is himself.
Most of my readers know well my skills at piecing together complex ideas in an easily understood and opinion-altering fashion. I have written strong books on role-playing, game design and the art of presentation. I have put together an ongoing project filled with images and intriguing concepts in the form of a gaming wiki for D&D. I have written a prolific and community respected blog that will soon be moving into its 9th year. I don’t think anyone who has read my blog, Tao of D&D, believes that I can’t write or create imaginative, believable characters.
It is only that, at the present, I find myself in a position of financial difficulty, making it hard to complete this book I have planned. Therefore, back against the wall, I am turning to my readers to help me get over this troubling time.
In return, I intend to offer rewards to those who would be willing to support me, to motivate readers to back my project. I have given this much consideration and have been careful to choose rewards that will give a personal touch. These rewards should contribute to the quality of games run by my readers, while not distracting me from the work my novel requires.
My goal is to raise enough money upon which I can live and focus for a three-month period: $6,200. The rewards I’m offering for donations from my readers are as follows (all prices in Canadian Dollars):
In return, I intend to offer rewards to those who would be willing to support me, to motivate readers to back my project. I have given this much consideration and have been careful to choose rewards that will give a personal touch. These rewards should contribute to the quality of games run by my readers, while not distracting me from the work my novel requires.
My goal is to raise enough money upon which I can live and focus for a three-month period: $6,200. The rewards I’m offering for donations from my readers are as follows (all prices in Canadian Dollars):
- For $10, I will provide an online copy of my latest gaming adventure, Ternketh Keep.
- For $15, Added to the above, I will also provide plans to the Airship I've created.
- For $25, Added to the above, I will also give as a bonus an 80-page preview to my book, no less than two weeks prior to the official publishing date of the novel.
- For $50, Added to the above, I will handle the purchasing and sending of the book as soon as the book is published.
- For $75, Added to the above, the copy received by the reader will be personally signed by me, along with a gamer girl t-shirt (as long as supplies and sizes last).
- For $100, Added to the above, I am prepared to work the reader's name into the novel, promising at least one story significant line (as long as unused characters remain).
I would ask that all donations be made through the donate button found on my blog's sidebar.
Please allow me to share a piece of my project with my community, enabling you to take part in a great experience that will enable me to produce the best of all possible creative works.
See comments below for further details regarding the rewards offered.
