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Star Awakened

Created by Therena

An epic romantic fantasy: deluxe gold foil edition with illustrated dust jackets, illustrated end papers and interior art. Signed & numbered by author/artist.

Latest Updates from Our Project:

🌟⛵✨ Great news!✨⛵🌟
3 days ago – Wed, Nov 20, 2024 at 07:52:11 AM


Greetings Star Seekers,

I just wanted to share some exciting news!
I just finished the developmental edit for Star Awakened and submitted the manuscript to my editor.
The book has grown from 86,000 words to 114,670!

That makes it officially bigger than Star Found!
And it'll be worth the wait for each of those words! 

Next I wait for my editor to do the line/copy edits which is basically spelling, grammar, etc. I don't have an exact date yet, but I am hopeful for the 1st week of Dec to get it back if not sooner. 

Once I get it back it's a matter of going through suggestions, accepting them and sending the manuscript to my proofreader. My editor will also do 2 proofreads. 

Unfortunately, this might mean that we are still destined to finish it late Dec/early January. But we are working hard to get it done sooner. 

On the plus side, the longer it takes, the more likely it is there might be more art while I wait for the editor and proofreader! 

And while I want this book in your hands as soon as possible, I won't settle for less than perfection, or as close to it as possible. 

While you wait:

In the meantime, if you like bookish things, I have two exciting campaigns for you!

The haunted dragons pre-order store just opened and we added 2 new pins which were just unlocked! Bringing the total to 15 pins!

Including "Spells" - the hexed bookish derpy and "Hektor" - a custom pin commission by a backer! And we are really close to unlocking the weirdling tribe collector pin!


Halloween and skulls not your thing, no problem!

The bookish derpy dragons campaign will be returning with Pintopia 2025 in January!


While there's naturally a chance for skulls, these bookish derpies are more curious about life as a reader. From "one more chapter" to "TBR piles". 

Until next time 

Hopefully my next update I'll have more information on the expected finish date. Until then, have a most wonderful week, and check out my other campaigns 🥰.

Yours in art,
Therena






⛵✨🌟 Editing progess, more art, and an apology 🌟✨⛵
12 days ago – Mon, Nov 11, 2024 at 02:11:21 PM


Greetings Star Seekers,

To start, I want to thank everyone who has completed their surveys. It's helped immensely in determining whether to do a print run or print on demand.

But, I also come with both good and less good news.

I'll start with the good, because well, I'm really excited to share it with you guys!

New art, featuring Evie & Cain:


This illustration was completely random and born while I was anxiously awaiting the first feedback from my new editor. It's not a described scene in either of the books, but does capture the emotion I feel when I think of them. 

(I might write a bonus scene with this art in mind! But no promises, yet - it'll likely be in book 3...)


Anyway, this leads me to the bad news. 

TL:DR, the eBook & official retailers release has been delayed by a couple months.

After a long time thinking about it, I have decided to officially delay the book release because it's not ready yet. When I first created the campaign (in Feb) things were supposed to be fully edited and done in time for Booktopia. (Since I usually like to have things done before I launch)

I had paid my deposit to Star Found's editor in November and the first draft was written by January. That meant I had a lot of time...or should have had a lot of time.
 
Unfortunately, my editor ended up gravely ill and hospitalized for 2 months. Things got pushed back again and again due to his health. I wasn't idle, or worried, as I turned my focus on the art and everything else. And come August, he assured me he was well enough to edit in time for an end of Sept deadline.

Needless to say, Sept came and went without any progress and all communication ended with delays being due to his health.

So in the first week of Oct, I made the hard decision to find a new editor despite the loss of the deposit. (Fortunately, I had already scouted one out for my other books.) And I was thrilled that she had immediate availability. But as this was her first time with the series, she had some catching up to do.

About a week ago, I received the first developmental edit back. And while it's mostly positive without major disbehaving plot bunnies, there were a couple chapters that required extra love.

Which brings me to the delay. While I would love to rush and get the eBook to you by the first week of Dec, I don't think it's possible. I want this book to be as beautiful and perfect as I promised. And to do that, I need more time.
The editor's suggestions will make the book even better than I imagined. (I already added 7k words to the manuscript just based on her feedback) Plus, I want you to be happy with the result as well.

So there's a new timeline for the eBook. I moved the retail release back as far as I could, which is March 3rd. And barring any other unforseen circumstances out of my control, I will aim to get Star Awakened to you sometime in January, still a whole month before the official release. 

This gives me enough time to do the developmental edit, line edits, and 3 proofread runs, and final formatting. 

What does this delay mean for the print books?

I had originally given myself a huge buffer for the print books, and there's still a good chance we might hit the projected fulfillment by June. But, until I have the final format in hand, I can't give an accurate date. To make sure no extra errors in formatting sneak through, I will order myself a paperback to read through and mark up before placing the final order with the printer. 

My goal is still to do all of this before January. 

But I will communicate as things progress. 



What does this all mean for fulfillment?

🌟 Pin tiers will still lock & ship this month, with digital rewards being delivered once it's ready. 

✨ EBook tiers will lock at the same time so I can deliver any other eBook add-ons (Blood & Scales & Flesh & Fur). Star Awakened will deliver as soon as it's ready, but Star Found should go out after I lock & charge additional add-ons. 

🌟 Hardcover tiers - dates will be determined once eBooks are done. 



My apology

I am really sorry for this delay. I had been optimistic about dates, but circumstances beyond my control proved more powerful than my hopes.

While I can't rush the process, I decided to add both these new illustrations to your digital rewards as a high resolution wall paper.


I know it doesn't get you your books sooner, but hope you will like it nonetheless.

And, on the positive side, perhaps between edits while I wait for my editor, maybe I'll get even more interior art for Star Awakened. I'm feeling particularly inspired as I'm going through the story and editing once more 😊. 

I'll update you when I submit the edits and with any new art. 

Yours in art,
Therena




✨⛵Surveys are coming⛵✨Plus new art!
about 1 month ago – Wed, Oct 23, 2024 at 11:56:14 AM


Greetings Star Seekers,

Great news, I just finished the final illustration for Star Awakened! Presenting the back endpaper illustration:

Surveys coming your way

Starting today I am sending the surveys to you guys. For today and tomorrow just 5% will go out to make sure there aren't any issues. Once I know all is good, I will send the rest. Please complete it as soon as possible so I know how many of each book to order. 

Digital/Pin only tiers:
Fulfilment will start next month. eBooks will be delivered in Nov once Star Awakened has been edited & formatted. These tiers will be locked early next month. Shipping will be charged soon after as I want to fulfill these asap.

Hardcover tiers:
Tiers won't lock until late November/early Dec when I order the books.

Pre-order store is live!

Did you miss the campaign? The pre-order store is now open. You can order pins, books & more!

Well, that's all for now. Have a wonderful day!

Yours in art,
Therena


✨💫⛵Star Awakened update⛵💫✨Editing, new art & important information✨💫⛵
about 1 month ago – Wed, Oct 16, 2024 at 02:00:34 PM


✨Greetings Star Seekers,⛵

I trust you are having a wonderful October! I thought I would stop by with some important updates about the campaign.

Funds have now arrived and I am getting everything ready so I can place the order from my printer. I have received the tip-ins and now it's time for me to sign them all.

Once I have signed it, I will mail it back to the printer. As there are 300 tip ins to sign, this may take a few weeks! 😅 In the meantime, I am finishing the final art for Star Awakened.

In fact, I just made a completely unplanned interior illustration yesterday! Inspired by a scene with Evie and Cain. My family says I am cruel to my characters, but I think it just makes for more emotional art. 😅


I still need to finish the back end paper as well. Once that is done, all the art is complete. 

Now some sad news. My manuscript editing has been slightly delayed. My original editor has some serious health issues, and so I made the decision to hire another editor.
 
Fortunately, I was able to secure one I have considered before, and she was able to take my book in on short notice. Unfortunately, the series is new to her, so she has to read Star Found first. She hopes to have the first round of editing done by the end of the month. 

Which means that my final editing, and proofreading won't hapen until November. It still puts me on the timeline I anticipated to get the eBooks to you by the first week of December if all goes well. If for some reason we don't finish it by then, I will delay the official retail release date so that you can still have a month of early access. 

In the meantime, I will have everything ready, including the art and signed tip ins. 

My plan is still to have everything ordered by November/December from my printer. Printing will take about 3-4 months to print and ship to me. 

Surveys:

I will put together the post-campaign survey over the next two weeks. Hopefully by next week. As this will help me know how many books to order, please fill it in as soon as you receive it. Shipping won't be charged until I ship the books (early next year) to get the most accurate shipping rates.  

Failed Pledges:

There was a fair number of failed pledges in the campaign. However, fear not. Your pledge will be imported to the survey, and you will still have the opportunity to claim your rewards! Simply complete the survey when it comes your way ^_^

Payment Plans:

To those who are on the payment plans, your next payment will be processed in a week or so by Backerkit and every month until 4 payments have been collected. So please make sure the credit card you have on file is up to date. 

While you wait:

I have two dragon pin campaigns which you may be interested in if you love derpy dragons!

Haunted Dragons is currently live, and we are only a few backers short of unlocking the next stretch goal!

So if you, or someone you know loves dragons and halloween, go check it out!


Halloween not your thing? No problem! In January I am launching a Bookish Derpy Dragon pin campaign as part of Pintopia! 

Bookish quotes, dragons, and all the derpy fun! In fact, I am partnering with my son who is also running his very first campaign, and together we have designed these two derpy dragon sets! Meet Inky and Mushy. These are only the early sketches. I did the dragons, and my son drew the mushrooms.


Bookish dragons will feature derpy dragons with bookish quotes like:
"Just one more chapter"
"Waiting for the next book"
"So many books, so little time"
"Out of control TBR pile"
"I'd rather be reading"
"Book worm? No! book dragon!"

and many more!

You can follow the bookish dragon campaign here: (Ignore my placeholder banner - the official one will come soon - once I finish the haunted Dragons campaign!)

And my son's Mushroom Hunt campaign here:


Well, that is all the news for now. 

I would like to invite all of you to join me on a livestream over on Haunted Dragons this Saturday at 2 PM PST. I will be chatting with backers, answering questions and drawing a derpy dragon illustration! Early visitors will even have a chance to help me decide which dragon to draw ^_^ 


Until the next update, have a wonderful rest of the day!

Enjoy this little dragon illustration I just finished, perfect for the spooky season!

Yours in art,
Therena

We did it! What's next?
about 2 months ago – Sat, Sep 28, 2024 at 09:19:51 PM


Greetings Star Seekers,

We did it! You guys have blown this campaign beyond my wildest dreams! Thank you! 

You may be wondering what is next. So I'll cover that in this update. 

Over the next week or so Backerkit will charge your cards. And around October 10th I will start receiving those funds. 

Depending how many pledges succeed/fail, will determine whether we can do a print run or if I have to order the books as print on demand. 

What this means for you: 
It's the exact same book with all the same features, so nothing will be different for you. (Other than the ribbon will be black with print on demand). The biggest difference is whether I will have stock left over (if I do a print run) or not. 

We are right on the threshold for a print run. So I will keep you posted. 🤞🏽 Please double check your payment information, especially if you backed multiple campaigns. Sometimes payment will not go through if you backed multiple campaigns due to fraud triggers. Sometimes Backerkit will have expired cards on file (it's happened to me), so make sure you have a current card on your profile so payments go through. 

Timeline:

Tip-ins are on their way to me, and once I receive them I will sign them. If we do a print run, they will be shipped back to the printer and inserted into the books. If not, I will add them to your books as a lose signed print.

October:
I'm waiting for Star Awakened to be finished editing. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks I'll get it back to go over edits and final proofreading. My personal deadline to have the final manuscript is October 31st.

All interior illustrations are finished for both books. The only illustration left is the back endpaper for Star Awakened. Once again, my personal deadline is October 31st.

Surveys will be sent sometime in October.

November:
All digital eBooks will be delivered. Ideally early Nov, but no later than Nov 30th, 1 month before retail release.

Finalize & format the hardcover & send to the printer/order the books.

Order book boxes.

December/January/February

We wait... Book printing/production happens. There's nothing we can do but count the days.

December 30th Star Awakened releases on retailers.

February/March:

Books arrive, I sort & sign, and ideally ship them to you no later than late March/Early April.

Shipping will be charged when I receive the books.

April/May:
Your books arrive!

There's a lot happening behind the scenes, but much of it is just waiting. So, enjoy this little illustration of Menos, Evie's little sidekick, in the meantime.



And while you wait for things to happen with the books, I would love to invite you to join my next campaign, which launches Oct 8th!

Coming soon:


On October 8th my Haunted Dragons pin campaign launches, and there will be many more derpies and gilded dragons joining the hoard!

In fact, I just sketched 7 brand new designs this past week! (Keep in mind these are rough sketches and not the final designs) Plus, I just received the first renders of the finished Haunted Dragon pin designs I had already drawn!


I will also have a limited edition 3D pin this time. With stained glass and 3D 'metal' in antique bronze.


Once again backers will determine which designs unlock first, though it is my plan to unlock all of them!

It's my hope that you will join in the exciting adventure and fun with me once more as I create more Derpies and dragons for your hoards!

Oh, I almost forgot the most important part! The haunted dragons campaign is part if Pintober. Like booktopia, a group of pin makers came together to offer you FREE pins when you back 3+ campaigns!

And I just finished this adorable "decorated cookie" for my freebie treat (ok... it's a skelly dragon, but we were supposed to make a treat, so I'm rolling with cookie...)


Isn't he cute?

I could almost see him as a stuffy 😅. But for now he's a little pin. So forget the tricks and come get your treats with this spooky dragon campaign.

For returning backers, I will once again send you an early bird invitation to back 24 hours before launch. With early access to the best prices. So keep your eyes on your emails October 7th.

I will leave these super early bird tiers open for 1 hour into the campaign for anyone who follows the campaign to also get a chance at the early bird tiers and rewards.

Will you join the derpling tribe again and make history with me?

Follow it today!



Well that's all for today. 

Have a wonderful weekend,

Yours in art,
Therena

PS: I like to create a thank you gift for returning backers. It's been a postcard so far, but I have found that you guys also like stickers. 

Please vote in the poll which you would prefer as a thank you gift when you back the haunted dragons campaign!