Another Batch is Heading Out Today!
about 1 year ago – Tue, Sep 05, 2023 at 03:38:58 AM

Another Batch

Greetings, fellow fiends! 

Another batch of books is heading out today, and as soon as I have tracking numbers, I will send them to your inbox. 

The next batch will head out on 18 September; a few days later, everyone will receive their tracking numbers.  🙌 

Volume 2

This volume is looking to be around 110k words, and our new artist is working ahead on all the NEW cryptids so we don't have the same delays that messed us up with Volume 1. We will have new and returning authors but with fewer stories -- the word count of Volume 1 killed us a little with the thickness of the book and the shipping weight. 😂

More news will be shared with the mid-month shipment! 🙌 

Thank you all so much for sticking with us 

Things blew up so wonderfully with Volume 1 that we were given a wealth of new things we had to learn on the fly -- and much of it we learned the hard way. 

Now that we have the experience, we have a proper fulfillment plan for Volume 2 so the ebooks will be delivered as soon as surveys are completed, and all physical copies with physical rewards will be delivered before Christmas! 

Instead of trying to do it all by myself, I have drawn together an excited and dedicated Darkest of Dreams team to help me ensure that fulfillment is on time and seamless. They are already deep in their work to make sure that Volume 2 will be far more resistant to any unforeseen issues, delays, or problems.

Thank you for giving us the grace to learn how to do better. 🙏

August Update
over 1 year ago – Sun, Aug 06, 2023 at 08:40:55 AM

Happy August, fellow horror lovers!

I have a quick update for you this morning simply to keep communication ongoing and open. 😊 

About half the batches of books have been sent out. I am halfway through a three-week work/business trip, and physical goods are piling up back at home, awaiting my return so I can sort and pack them, and send them on to all of the physical reward backers. 🥳 

Thank you!

Massive thanks to everyone who has gotten their books and left comments about how much they love them! This makes all the hard work and anxiety worth it 100%!

Alien Invasion?

I also wanted to give a quick shout-out for my friend Conor Malachi. He's a pro at the fulfillment part already, and his campaign for his LitRPG book is in its final stretch! 😱 

To me (and I've backed it too), it sounds like an alien invasion meets Mortal Kombat with dark humor! How wildly cool is that?

Check it out HERE! 

There are lots of cool rewards, and you could even play a One Shot adventure with the author and experienced DM from Penny Dragon Games! 🤯 

🌊 July Update: The Books are looking great!
over 1 year ago – Thu, Jul 06, 2023 at 09:09:23 AM

The Results So Far

So far, all of the early-batches' recipients have said their books arrived in perfect condition, and they "look and feel great!" 

The results are consistent, even after sending out three more batches of paperbacks and hardcovers. Plus, we have almost all the goods ready to ship for physical backers (less Bare Bones tiers)!

The stickers have probably been my favorite thing so far, and I hope you love them when you receive them.  Although I also geeked out and got branded packaging tape and mailers, which turned out amazing! A couple of the anthology authors who live near me are coming by as soon as we have it all, and we're going to have a packing party! I'll be sure to share pictures from that little get-together when we do 😁

When you receive your book(s), be sure to leave a comment and let us know how it turned out! 

I'll share another full Status Report mid-month, which will be right before the packing party.

With so little remaining, I can share that the Cryptid Hunter's Journal and the Cryptid Party Crasher's Guide to Halloween are in the final editing stages and will be available to download from Backerkit by the mid-month update. 🙌

Alright, it's back to work on our end. Catch ya later, friends!

June Update
over 1 year ago – Sat, Jun 03, 2023 at 06:25:42 PM

Test Batch Results: ✅ 

I've been receiving reports over the last few days as the first test batch of backers opens their paperbacks, and the reviews are stellar! 🥳

Next: Test Batch of Hardcovers ✉️

My next step is to send out a test batch of hardcovers. I will send out shipment tracking links via Kickstarter messages.

Once the first hardcover recipients let me know they are happy with the copies they receive, I'll schedule sending out all of the physical copies.

Darkest of Dreams, Volume 2: New Cryptids, New Artist

Work has already begun on Volume 2. This time I've already found the artist, and he's already working on the cryptids for the stories that have been accepted. I can't wait to introduce you all to him! 🤩

Volume 2 Submissions: Since I've been working so hard on the first volume, I haven't had time to share much about the submission window for the second volume, so I've extended the submission deadline to June 30th. This is the one and only extension though, as we won't be repeating the situations that contributed to last year's delays.

Status Report

Status Legend:

• 🟢 The reward is completed and shipped, or in your Backerkit and ready for you to claim
• 🟡 The reward is in progress
• 🟠 The reward is stalled or awaiting another step

Rewards Ready and Waiting for You

•  🟢 Cryptid Club Invite: Sent - check the updates here on Kickstarter, and I've also distributed the link to your Backerkit
•  🟢 DoD Anthology Spotify Playlist: check the updates here on Kickstarter, and I've also distributed the link to your Backerkit
•  🟢 Darkest of Dreams eBook: Ready and waiting inside your Backerkit account 🥳
•  🟢 Darkest of Dreams Digital Wallpaper Bundle: Ready and waiting inside your Backerkit account
•  🟢 The Complete Sundown Series ebook Boxset by Courtney Konstantin: Ready and waiting in Backerkit for eligible pledge levels
•  🟢 Stretch Goal 2 - Fence Rail Dog story by Russell Nohelty: Already completed and included in the anthology
•  🟢 Stretch Goal 3 - Audio Commentary: Ready and waiting for you in Backerkit
•  🟢 Stretch Goal 4 - Custom Wendigo Sticker and REJECTS ebook by Alyanna Poe: The eBook is ready and waiting for you in Backerkit; the sticker will be distributed after book proofs are ordered.
•  🟢 Week 1 Bonus B - Immortal Blade eBook by MT Decker: Complete and uploaded to Backerkit
•  🟢 Week 2 Bonuses - CLOWN audiobook by Rod A. Galindo and Hunting the Undead eBook by Tina Glasneck: Ready and waiting for you in Backerkit
•  🟢 Week 3 Bonuses - Alone eBook with new cover by Courtney Konstantin and Burning Bright eBook by Nan Sampson: Ready and waiting for you in Backerkit
•  🟢 Week 4 Bonuses - When I Wake From Dream eBook by M.T. Decker and Insanity eBook by Andre Gonzalez: Ready and waiting for you in Backerkit
•  🟢 Individual Cryptid Wallpaper Bundles: Designed the trios, bundled, zipped, uploaded, distributed in Backerkit.
•  🟢 Backer Credit: Completed as part of the formatting process
•  🟢 Darkest of Dreams full-color PDF: Complete and uploaded to Backerkit

Rewards in Progress

•  🟡 Darkest of Dreams paperback: Test batch successful; will continue after test batch of hardcovers
•  🟡 Darkest of Dreams hardcover: Test batch in progress
•  🟡 Wendigo Pin: In production
•  🟡 Cryptid Party Crashers Guide PDF: Re-designing for optimal sizing.
•  🟡 Bookmarks - Designs complete, digital versions uploaded and available in Backerkit, physical orders in progress
•  🟡 5x7 Art Prints - Design completed, digital versions uploaded and available in Backerkit, physical orders in progress (includes Stretch Goal 7, additional prints)
•  🟡 DoD T-shirts for Master Summoners - awaiting custom art
•  🟡 Stretch Goal 5 - Author Chat Logs: Assigned to a team member for further editing
•  🟡 Stretch Goal 6 - Cryptid Hunter's Creature Files: Two team members are working together on finishing this.

Rewards in Queue

• 🟠 Creepy Cryptid Sticker Set - ordering and fulfillment should be quick and easy on this part.
• 🟠 Week 1 Bonus A - Disappearance at Sleepy Creek audio edition by AK Hughey: Production
• 🟠 Bonus 'Thank You for Your Patience' Surprise Gift: Production

Have a great week!

I'll report on another update again as soon as I hear from the first test batch. I can't wait to finish all of this up! 😁

~ Audrey & the DoD Team

Update on Physical Copies
over 1 year ago – Fri, May 19, 2023 at 12:38:40 PM

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