#someday someone will give me money to rewrite the whole show (i have THOUGHTS) and ill do it in some kind of 100k epic or something

[sollucets]

see this is why i was supposed to keep this light and fluffy and about pda because if i start seriously trying to seriously deal with the ramifications of the eclipse’s post e10 plot ill go insane :(

[strangevoyages]

Very cool of you to start this! I was wondering... as someone who would like to publish a traditional novel someday (romance, if that helps) and was wondering if you could outline the publication process for novels? It's a little intimidating for someone like me and I would really appreciate the clarity. Thank you!

Hi there, thank you so much! :) And okay, I’ll do my best to outline how it generally works:

Traditional Publishing

Step 1) Complete your novel.

Step 2) Edit and revise your novel to the best of your abilities! You only get one chance to impress an agent (the next step) and you want to start with your best foot forward. Do not send an incomplete or unpolished manuscript: it must be as close to the finished product as you can get on your own! If you feel you need help, shop it around to people you trust (friends or family, creative writing workshops, writing partners, mentors or professors, etc). Professional and freelance editors (like me!) are also always an option if you need an experienced second pair of eyes!

Step 3) Find agents whose work you love. The best way to do this is to go to your favorite novels (preferably in the genre you want to publish in), turn to the back of the book, and find the agent of that novel’s name in the “Acknowledgements/Thanks” section. Look them up and read carefully to see if your story fits the kind of work they read and are looking for. 

Step 4) Write a query letter. This is possibly the most intimidating aspect of the publication process because many authors love to write fiction, but don’t love to write about themselves and their work. The query letter is essentially the marketing or elevator pitch to give an agent a preview of what to expect in your work (and is your chance to intrigue them). There’s a wealth of resources out there on how to write a query letter, and here are some of my favorites:

How to Write a Darn Good Query Letter

How to Write the Perfect Query Letter

Query Letters

Samples of Query Letters

The long and short of it is, query letters contain your book’s introduction and stats (what its word count is (), what its genre and title is), its summary (picture what its blurb would be on the back of the hardcover copy and write that), your credentials as an author, and why you’d like to work with that particular agent. 

Some other tips: don’t let the letter extend beyond one page. Agents (and editors) appreciate conciseness, not least because they’re busy and it shows your skill as a writer when you condense important information into a small space. Don’t oversell your work. NEVER describe your book as “the next Harry Potter” or “the masterpiece of our time” or whatever. Let the agent decide that for themselves! But don’t undersell or self-deprecate, either (“you probably won’t be interested in this, but I thought I’d give it a shot...”). It can be hard to have confidence in your writing, especially when entering the pro arena, but you need to inspire an agent’s faith in you as much as in your work (without exaggerating or boasting!)

Step 5) Send your query letter and manuscript to the top 5 agents you’ve been looking at. Sending too many will be overwhelming (and many agents hate “simultaneous submissions,” where you send copies to multiple places at the same time) and sending too few would be putting all your eggs in one basket. 

Be careful to read exactly how each agent would like to receive your manuscript! Some only accept physical copies in the mail, in manila envelopes; some only accept attachments by email; some only accept PDFs and not Word and vice-versa! If you don’t follow their submission guidelines, you often won’t get a second chance or a courtesy reminder. 

Oh, and format your manuscript according to their instructions. If there are no specific instructions, it’s always best to have your novel in standard manuscript format. Shunn’s guide to story formatting is a bible in this industry, so following those guidelines will make you look professional. Please avoid kooky or unique fonts as well: you may think it helps you stand out, but speaking from experience, most agents/editors really hate this!

Step 6) Wait. 

Some agents have a projected time of response to get back to you (“if we don’t get back to you within 8 weeks, we are declining to represent your work”) on their website. Some don’t, and you’ll just have to wait (sending a follow-up query 6-8 weeks after sending your manuscript can be reasonable unless their website asks you not to do this). 

If those top 5 agent don’t get back to you (or decline to represent your book) don’t be discouraged! All the greatest writers of all time struggled to find their agents and publishers at first. J.K. Rowling suffered through “years” of rejection from agents before she finally found one to represent Harry Potter, and even after that was rejected by 12 publishers (many very rudely!) before someone wanted HP. So send your manuscript out to the next five and keep going!

Step 7) An agent wants your manuscript. 

Ideally, they’re over-the-moon in love with it: you want an agent who’s passionate about your work and will shop it tirelessly to their connections in the publishing industry. 

(I feel I should add: do not send your work to or proceed with any agent who wants to be paid to represent you, or who charges a fee to read your work! This is a scam! Like sports agents or real estate agents, literary agents only take a cut of the profits after they’ve sold your book to a publisher. (Usually around 15%, though this could be higher or lower depending on the agent). This way, they’re motivated to sell your book for the highest rate possible, because they only make money from it then, too! If they want you to pay them out-of-pocket for anything, be extremely suspicious!)

After you’ve met with your agent, agreed to work together, and signed a contract (always read these carefully or get a lawyer to look over them), your agent will probably give you some tips or requests to polish your manuscript up even further before sending your work out. After this is done, they’ll shop your manuscript to the publishers they think will be the best fit for it!

Step 8) An editor at a publishing house reads your manuscript and falls in love with it. 

This is the dream! There will be some negotiation, and this is where your agent comes in: they will protect your rights and negotiate with the publisher on your behalf to get as high of a selling price for your novel as possible. The publisher will often pay you an advance (an initial lump sum for the book) and will then usually offer you a percentage of the first sales after tax (say 10%, though depending on your publishing history or type of book or a whole slew of factors, you may get a higher/lower percentage or none at all). Your agent will guide you through this process and explain everything, so I won’t get into much more detail beyond that. 

Step 9) You accept the terms of agreement with a publisher, and the book goes to their editing team: AKA your new editor. 

You will likely go through several months or even years of editing with your editor’s feedback. A good editor won’t change your vision of your work drastically, but you may have to rewrite whole sections of your book to improve pacing, cut out unnecessary plot lines, and etc. Be patient with this and be flexible: your work isn’t perfect (no one’s is, not even after publication) and your editor knows what they’re doing. However, you do also have power here and can push back if there’s something you feel extremely strongly about changing. 

Step 10) Your book is on the way to publication.

Now it’s just a waiting game. Your agent (or you) might ask other authors to be advance readers for your edited manuscript: these are the people who give the quotes and blurbs on the back of the books--the ones with glowing praise!

Depending on the publishing house, you may get some input on the cover and design of your book, or you may not. Your agent/publisher may also talk to you about foreign translations and licensing, etc.!

Step 11) Your book is published!

It took a while, but you made it, and now your book has hit the shelves (or the Internet, or both). Not counting the time it takes to find an agent, the whole process takes a minimum of a year to... well, I won’t regale you with the authors who took ten, fifteen, twenty years to get to publication, but needless to say, it’s a slow-moving process. 

Getting an agent is arguably the hardest part (once you get one, they really do most of the work for you), and if you’d like to skip this hurdle, there’s always chancing submitting your work straight to the publishers. However, for the big publishing houses, this option has an extremely low chance of success, to put it bluntly. Unless you’re submitting to a very small independent publisher or what’s known as a “vanity press”, almost all major publishing houses nowadays don’t even look at books without agents, and those submissions get lost in slush pile hell.  Agents are the first barrier to publication, and once they’ve vetted your book and found potential in it, publishing houses are more comfortable with reading a manuscript that they’re more sure won’t “waste their time.”

Of course, if you don’t want to split your profits with an agent, there’s always self-publishing! But since this post is getting so long, I figure I’ll talk about that another time. Thanks for the great question, and I hope this helped! (And good luck with your romance novel(s)!)

[cosmosbv]

Cosmos Market

Hi All

It has been a little over a month since I started this project. 

The first Kickstarter was unsuccessful. I will be setting up a new one next week after I sit down to talk with the investor and after my meeting with the realtor. It took a while, mostly because phones and I are not friends, along with my dyslexia screwing things up, but I got through. 

I am leaving the GoFundMe up and running, because I am going to open a bookstore. I feel one step closer now then last week. 

Goal

I am going to crowdfund to open a small store. It will be a combination of a second hand and indie bookstore, farm market, and artisan crafts store. I already have seven farm market and artisans ready to work out contracts for spacing to sell their wares, more then a thousand used books boxed up and ready to go, plus several boxes of crafts.

Why a bookstore?

Prior to the car accident I wanted to open a bookstore. Then the accident occurred, and that was not an option at the time because of health problems. I didn’t stop collecting books for that purpose, with the thought that someday I would return to that goal in order to open that second hand bookstore like I wanted.

Now I write books to publish and thought: wait, what if instead of just a second hand bookstore, I make it an indie bookstore and secondhand store? Perfect idea! I can sell mine, and other indie authors books.

Why a farm and artisan market?

The idea of the market has two different sources.

The first is when I studied our community and realized there is nowhere besides the farm market to sell handmade crafts that are not paintings. That gave me the idea to combined my bookstore with an artisan craft store.

The second is when I was speaking to a vendor at the farm market, one who makes both artisan crafts and farm market foods. She made a comment about wishing to have somewhere she could rent a space for a reasonable price. that gave me the idea to work with the farm market vendors.

Thus far all but two have committed. Those two stated that they would consider it if I successfully acquire the building. There are still more to be spoken with.

Why both GoFundMe and Kickstarter?

GoFundMe - I am familiar with it, there is no time limit, and goals can be adjusted as needed. Beyond that, the GoFundMe is for individuals who would like to give to the project now, because they don’t know that they will have the money later. All money from it will go towards the goal of opening the store in some form, whether in advertising, product, or bills.

Kickstarter - it is an all or nothing funding. If I hit the goal, I have to open the store. Which if I hit the goal, I will definitely open the store because I will buy my building to do so. Yes, the time is getting close for the first one, perhaps I will change programs or goals.

There was some confusion with an individual earlier about how I would give the money back if the store failed. They didn’t seem to comprehend that is not how Kickstarter works. With Kickstarter, if I hit the goal, and I open the store, I have done as promised, no refund needed. If I hit the goal but don’t open the store, that’s when I have to issue a refund.

What if you are unable to get the building in the image?

That’s when I move on to plans B or C. In other words, that’s when I buy one of the other buildings I have picked out, those that might not be as great for the goal but would work over all.

What makes building one better then two or three?

Location! It’s in a great spot for my needs.

Size, it is three times bigger then building two and four times bigger then building three.

Apartments in the upstairs. That means I can update them sooner then later with any extra money after stocking the store and rent them out. Renting just one of them out would make the buildings monthly mortgage with the amount of money I have planned to put down, renting out both would also pay the electric, gas, and trash removal.

Extra rooms beyond the store that can be rented to artisans who might wish to have a new space or bigger space to work in.

Some of the extra rooms can also be used to host various classes, either by artisans, tutors, or even myself for creative writing.

Three to Five are part of Six: renting out the spaces and offering classes will make it so all the stores profits go into further stock and employees. Insuring that there is plenty to sell and that it continue on.

Then why have plans B and C if A is so good?

Someone else might buy A. In that case it’s a good idea to have a plan B and C. There aren’t a lot of buildings for sale in the area, and I would rather not rent or lease, as I want control over the building, that only happens if I own it.

Plans B and C are also for if the first doesn’t work out for a different reason. For instance, perhaps I have a investor who is willing to back purchasing a smaller building.

Investors

I am reaching out to various angel investors as well. Yet another way to try and fund this. There is a long list of individuals for me to contact who help small businesses get off the ground.

Depending on investors, I may change building plans if one is willing to work with of the smaller ones. Would it be as profitable as the larger building? No. However, I would be able to build up the smaller store, then either try again to get my plan A building if it is still on the market, or find a different bigger building. After all, the real estate market is always changing.

If you would like to be an investor, even a small one such as fifty dollars, please use my Contact Me form. It’s primary purpose is for commissions, but it also covers other questions and communications off this website.

Loans

Why don’t I try getting a business loan? That requires a decent credit score, which I would need a job to get. It is the lack of job due to my disabilities that has caused me to take this route.

Do you have a business plan?

Yes, though it’s hand written because that’s how I roll. Actually, I have several, because I kept redrafting it as I considered new details and points. It evolved!

I keep each to make sure details that are needed are not lost in the rewrites.

Do you have a budget?

Why yes I do! Checked multiple times, to make sure the math isn’t off. It is based on building costs, bills (gas, electric, trash, accounting), employee pay, advertising prices, permits, equipment, and stock.

A basic form of it can be found at the bottom of my first Kickstarter. If you’d like to discuss it, I am open to doing so. I have a projected finances excel, I will be creating a google sheets version as well, and will be updating it as I receive new information.

You have several disabilities, how are you going to do this?

With help. That’s why there is employee pay as part of the costs. I know I physically can’t do it alone, so I will pay someone to help me. I’ve already spoken to that person, we have an agreement set out and a pay schedule.

Why should we back you?

At the end of the day, I can’t tell you what to do, nor would I. What I can tell you is this:

I managed to get my family from 50k in debt to 10k in debt in 4 years (love the parents, they’re not the best at finances, plus there was that entire stroke that just added to the mess of bills) - so I know how to balance a book and raise money.

That does not count the times I asked for help for myself, only the family as whole’s situation. After all, hard to balance my own books with no money coming in during those months I did not have any commissions or ghost writing.

I was trained as a store manager

I have a bachelor’s degree in business administration

I’m a fast study

If you are an indie author, I’ll sell your books. That means I buy several copies to sell, so you automatically get paid, and then if they do well, I buy more copies to sell. 

You’ll be helping a small business get started You get a personalized signed copies of my book, yes they are digital copies but I will still be making the signing for each personal, scanning them in, adding them to the file and sending them off. 

You help a disabled writer stop living with the constant worry of how to pay the bills and when will the next need to ask for help happen. Thus I stop needing to ask for donations every time life goes sideways because I barely have enough to live before that happens.

I am also a firm believer in paying it forward, so once I am no longer stuck in the cycle of I have no money, I am barely paying the bills, and I have to ask for help, I will be able to help others who may need it. 

You’ll get updates on the business, what the current specials are, and even coupons for online purchases from time to time. 

For those who do more then the twenty five dollar pledge, they will get signed copies of more then just my first two books. Every five past twenty-five will get one more book, unless told to stop. Example: If you do fifty dollars, you get the initial two plus five more personalized signature books. 

I have done a lot of research, this isn’t just a whim, it’s not a lark, while most my notes are hand written, they are repeatedly checked as I wish to make sure that I am successful. Once it is open I do not want to have to ask a second time for help with it. 

It’s a New Year, if you are feeling generous, consider helping someone start it differently then years past.

All I can ask is you take a chance. Money is important, as it funds everything. Sharing the GoFundMe is just important as it shows it to new people. All I ask is you take a few moments to share this, or the GoFundMe. I understand however, if you are not willing or able to.

Thank you all for reading this,

Jaimi

1/5/19

[nuclear-reactions]

Fo4 companions react to discovering that Sole has been a synth the whole time and didn't know it??? (p.s. I really love your writing and I think you should like write a book or something because I'd definitely read it and pay good money for it.)

(It’s funny youshould mention that anon, because I actually am in the process ofwriting the second draft of a novel. It’s partially the reason Idon’t post much these days; along with being a sad flake of a person,most of my free time is spent on rewriting the same paragraph fifteentimes. I’ve mentioned the book before here, but if you enjoy mywriting you can follow my newest side blog @toogaytowrite where I’ll beposting all the drabbles I write that I can’t find a home for as wellas updates on the book and excerpts. If you just want fanfictionstuff you can check out my AO3 too/shameless plug

Codsworth is aplot hole in this kind of theory so he, Strong, and Dogmeat areexcluded )  

There’s the truth,in the black and white ink of the Institute’s documents. Their truename is a number and their memories are lines of coded heartbreak.None of it was even real. Somehow it makes sense- the first real,clear memory they have is of the day the bombs fell. If there was alife before that, their creators didn’t deem it necessary to theexperiment. Sole is a synth. Manufactured. Inhuman. An researchproject to see how a synth would act under the outlandish parametersthey’d set. Shaun, their spouse, their memories of their parents,their entire life, all fabrications. Holding the proof with shakinghands, they turn to their companion.

Hancock- He prideshimself on being good with words, on always knowing what to say,whether or not it was exactly the ‘right’ thing to say. Very rarely,pre-ghoul or after, has John Hancock ever found himself at a loss forwords. Yet here is. He had to hand it to the Institute- they reallyoutdid themselves with Sole. They completely convinced him Sole was areal person. The moment that thought crosses his mind, he feels hisstomach bottom out. What the hell was he thinking? Of course Sole isa real person. He built an entire town to shelter people that otherssaw as subhuman, and he had to scold himself for entertaining theidea, even for a moment, that they were anything less than anexemplary human being. More human than most of the people who wouldlaud their humanity as a virtue. “Hey.” He tips their head up alittle. “Look at the bright side- I ain’t gonna outlive you now,and you get to keep all of your skin. We can raise hell forcenturies.” A hollow huff of laughter escapes them. He fixes themwith a steady gaze. “You’re still you, Sole. That might be hard tobelieve right now, but its true. You’re the same person that waltzedinto Goodneighbor and turned my world upside down. And I’ve still gotyour back, whatever you’re made of.” He chuckles, “Tinman.” andknocks his knuckles against their chest.

Nick- He put ahands on their shoulder. “Easy there, kid. This is a lot to takein.” He knows too well the way it feels to have the world pulledout from under you in exactly this fashion. It’d been a long timesince he woke up in a dumpster with a head full of stolen memories,he knows better than perhaps anyone in the Commonwealth, or at leastanyone in the room, what Sole is going through. Yet, he still findsit unimaginable. His memories are real. They’re not his own, but aman named Nick Valentine had existed once. To realize every face inyour head, every ghost haunting your dreams, was just a part of yourprogramming, it was unfathomable But just as he understands thefeeling of realizing you aren’t really you, that your identity is alie, he also knows what it means to break free of the preconceivedtemplate the Institute laid out for you. “They didn’t make you,understand? Everything you are, everything you’ve done, those gotnothing to do with anything they did to you. Whatever they made youfor, you made yourself, without their help.” He pulls them into anembrace with one hand and pushes the paper away with the other. Theyhelped him accept this same simple truth, the least he could do wasmake them see it too.

Curie- She is onlyjust beginning to grapple and understand her own newly foundemotions, and all the knowledge she has on the subject are frompurely clinical standpoints. The wisdom of old dead men on how totreat someone who is suffering from something impossible to healthrough conventional means. She knows this discover must come as ashock to Sole. She knows there are things she should do to comfortthem. But she’s unsure of where to begin. “Do you need to sitdown?” No response. They merely stare blankly at the paper in theirhands. “It is… fascinating a synth could develop such complexemotions as you have, non? If this is true, that is.” She takes afew cautious steps to their side. She tries smiling at them. “Youare all the more incredible. To have gained the autonomy… thehumanity you have gained. Ah, you are a miracle.” It maybe isn’t ascomforting as she might have hoped, and it doesn’t seem to lift theirspirits much, but they thank her anyway. It’s the truth really. Thisdiscovery just proved how extraordinary they truly were, even morethan when she thought they were human. They were a machine thattranscended beyond what they were designed for. She hoped to be likethem someday.

Danse (pre BlindBetrayal)- His mind whirls into a tail spin, his breath quickens. Asynth? He had been lied to this entire time by some synth plant inthe Brotherhood? He almost feels light headed. They had been privy tosome of the Brotherhood’s most guarded secrets- they had infiltratedthe Prydwen with such ease! They stood ten feet away from ElderMaxson. They could have killed him, could have killed any number ofhis brothers and sisters, and no one would have been quick enough tostop them. He put them all at risk by trusting a complete stranger.How could he have been so blind? He levels his weapon against theirhead. “Did you know about this?” he demands. He shouldn’t begiving them a chance to justify this, to lie to him even further. Heknows he has orders to kill synths on sight, but his need for answersin this moment eclipses his training. The shell-shocked look on theirface almost makes him flinch. “I didn’t… I swear, I didn’t.” Hegrips tighter to his weapon to calm the tremor in his hand. Thethings he had trusted them with… He had told them about Cutler.Suddenly the gun feels to heavy to keep aloft. He lets it fall,turning sharply away from them. He couldn’t, not again. It had takeneverything he had to put Cutler down when he found him, it had tornhim open. Even if they were a synth, he couldn’t be responsible forthe death of another person he considered a friend. “I never wantto see you again, do you understand? When I report this, you will bean enemy of the Brotherhood of Steel, and if you show your faceagain, I will have you shot.” He leaves them alone in that crampedoffice and doesn’t look back. Next time, he won’t be so weak.

Danse (post BlindBetrayal)- He wouldn’t wish this fate on anyone. His identity, hismemories, his very essence ripped away, through no fault of his own.It had been almost too much to stand. If Sole hadn’t have been therefor him, he knows he wouldn’t have been able to take it. He wouldn’tbe standing here with them now. Maxson would have had him destroyedif not for Sole, and if not Maxson, then… he remembers the way hehad admired his gun after his secret had been exposed. There was nodoubt in his mind that he would be dead either way. “I know itfeels like the world is coming down right now. Nothing I can say ordo will make that feeling go away. It takes time.” He took a deepbreath. “But it gets better. Even when if feels like it won’t.”He gingerly rests a hand on their back. “And I’ll be here.” Theyhad been his anchor to humanity. He’s almost grateful he has thechance to pay them back for that.

MacCready- Hedoesn’t know what to feel. Like he’s been lied to, by someone he’dnever met, didn’t even know the name of. More than anything, he hatesthe people who made Sole, who gave them such a good heart, and madethem suffer. His loss of Lucy and Duncan’s sickness had just beenlife being unfair and cruel, but someone made the conscious decisionto do this to Sole. Some shithead sat at a computer and mapped outeach heartbreak in their life. To give them a spouse and a child,make them feel that overwhelming love, and then to take it away. Forwhat? To test them? How cruel could a person really be? Machine ornot, Sole is his friend, they’ve proven that time and time again, andhe has nothing but hate for the sick bastards that toyed with themlike this. He takes their hand gently in his, coaxing the paper fromtheir shaking grip. “This doesn’t mean anything, hear me? Itchanges nothing.” He tears the paper in half, in thirds, into bitstoo small to put back together, and scatters them across the floor.He cradles their neck and the back of their head to force them tolook him in the eye. “This changes nothing.”

Deacon- He’d seenit before- a lot, actually. He was there when several synths came tothe realization they were constructed. The confusion and hurt was tobe expected. He hates to think there had been a time when he wouldn’thave accepted Sole, the person he had come to trust the most, whenthis news came to light. But more than anything, he feels suddenlymore protective of them. The Commonwealth was often cruel to thingsit didn’t understand, none more so than ghouls and synths. How manypeople, who once hailed Sole as a hero, would turn their backs onthem if this came to light? How many would do worse than that? Peopleturned on their own families if they thought they were synths,whether or not they were dangerous. He pushed his sunglasses off tolook Sole in the eye. “Nobody has to know about this,” he says,voice low, “We can just pretend we never saw this.” He cracksinto a smirk. “I mean, what super secret Institute document? Neverseen one of those!” They don’t look convinced, but he isn’t reallysure what could convince them. “You know I’ve got your back.Partner.” They finally look up from the paper to him. He flashesthem a smile and holds eye contact only for a moment, long enough toprove himself, before pushing his glasses back up the bridge of hisnose.

Cait- “Shite…”It’s all she can think to say. She never had much of an opinion aboutsynths- she thought the Institute was scummy, but before Sole broughther on board, she never got involved in the politics of theCommonwealth. If the Brotherhood was out of line, if the Railroad’scause was just, if the Institute had to be stopped- she never gave itmuch thought. They were all mad bastards as far as she was concerned.She never had to give much thought even to the concepts of synthetichumans. But this same attitude meant that, in the face of thisrevelation, she didn’t feel betrayed, or suspicious. She just saw afriend in need of comfort. She placed a hand on their shoulder. “Youalright?” She can feel them shaking ever so slightly, and squeezesthem a little harder. “Bastards, messing with people like this.”A smile plays on her lips, and she claps them on the back. “Youknow, I didn’t give my father nearly the beating he deserved. What doya’ say we rectify it with yours?”

Piper- One of herbiggest fears, the night terror she had for countless nights, was theInstitute replacing someone precious to her. She often dreamed of Natcoming home one day different. The difference that came when someonewas replicated. It filled her with dread and made her hate and fightthe Institute all the harder, knowing it could happen, that it hadhappened to people she knew- brothers, mothers, friends, all takenand never returned. She might not know them as intimately as she didNat or Sole, but she felt their grief. It feels… wrong, somehow.Even knowing the Sole she knows is the same one she has always known,the discovery of their origins sends chills down her spine.  Lookingat them now, it was like looking at a stranger with a familiar face.All the confusion and traces of fear of having someone close to herreplaced with none of the replacing. She never thought she hatedsynths as a whole,- she hated lies, she hated the Institute forplanting synths and spreading uncertainty, but now she had toquestion her own feelings. This feels like one big lie. They turn toher with a lost look on their face. “Piper, I…” Their voicecracks. The ice she felt creeping into her heart melts. She has toremember her own words; whether they’re born or built, a person is aperson. She’d be the worst kind of hypocrite if she said such things,then turned around and gave her own friend the cold shoulder forthings beyond their control. She sighs and steps forward, twines herfingers around their wrist. “I know. We’ll… we’ll figure thisout, Blue.”

Preston- Hefidgets with the strap of his rifle, his hands restless. He wantsnothing more than to pull them into a hug. He can’t imagine what theymust be feeling. To wake up one morning and realize everything youthought you knew, everything you are, everything you’ve done, all ofit was unreal, it was beyond comprehension. He isn’t sure if he wouldbe able to handle it. But he’s always known Sole is strong, strongerthan him in a lot of ways. That’s what he’s always admired aboutthem. “General.” It’s just a simple word, he’d called them by thetitle a thousand times since he’d bestowed it on them, but saying itnow almost makes them jump. “I’m not-” they almost say. “Youare,” he interjects. “The Minutemen will still stand behind you.I know I will.” They start to turn away and he captures them by thefar shoulder, coaxing them back. “Whatever you were, you’ve provenyourself time and time again to be the kick in the ass theCommonwealth needs. You’re more than what you were made for.”

X6-88- They werenever meant to see these documents. He realized too late what theyhad stumbled across, and can only stare blankly at them when theyturn to him with accusations in their gaze. Father had personallybriefed him on this experiment, it was his job to observe them, neverletting on that he knew what he knew. Now they were compromised. “Isthis true?” they ask in a shaking, yet commanding voice. “Youweren’t supposed to-” They push past him through the door, clutchingthe paper in their fist. “Sir/ma'am, just wait a moment. Allow meto explain-” “This explains it perfectly well!” He sighs,watching their back retreat. “Beta 0 9 volaris,” he calls out,and they stopped dead in their tracks. Their grip on the documentwent slack, their head drooping as every tense muscle in their bodywent limp. He’d been advised only to use their recall code in extremesituations, otherwise it would be weeks, maybe even months ofInstitute’s work down the drain. If any situation called for it, thiswas the one. He crosses to them in a few long strides. “For whatit’s worth,” he says, though he knows they can’t hear him in thisstate, “I have never considered anyone remarkable until I met you.”He relays to the Institute and hands them in to be reprogrammed.

[cosmosbv]

Cosmos Market

Hi All

It has been a month since I started this project.

The Kickstarter is getting ready to expire. Will I renew it or set up a new one? I don’t know. I might, I might not. It depends on whether I change my goals and how I change them. That will be discussed further below.

I am definitely leaving the GoFundMe up and running, because I am going to open a bookstore, it’s simply a matter of finding the way. 

Goal

I am going to crowdfund to open a small store. It will be a combination of a second hand and indie bookstore, farm market, and artisan crafts store. I already have seven farm market and artisans ready to work out contracts for spacing to sell their wares, more then a thousand used books boxed up and ready to go, plus several boxes of crafts.

Why a bookstore?

Prior to the car accident I wanted to open a bookstore. Then the accident occurred, and that was not an option at the time because of health problems. I didn’t stop collecting books for that purpose, with the thought that someday I would return to that goal in order to open that second hand bookstore like I wanted. 

Now I write books to publish and thought: wait, what if instead of just a second hand bookstore, I make it an indie bookstore and secondhand store? Perfect idea! I can sell mine, and other indie authors books.

Why a farm and artisan market?

The idea of the market has two different sources. 

The first is when I studied our community and realized there is nowhere besides the farm market to sell handmade crafts that are not paintings. That gave me the idea to combined my bookstore with an artisan craft store. 

The second is when I was speaking to a vendor at the farm market, one who makes both artisan crafts and farm market foods. She made a comment about wishing to have somewhere she could rent a space for a reasonable price. that gave me the idea to work with the farm market vendors. 

Thus far all but two have committed. Those two stated that they would consider it if I successfully acquire the building. There are still more to be spoken with. 

Why both GoFundMe and Kickstarter?

GoFundMe - I am familiar with it, there is no time limit, and goals can be adjusted as needed. Beyond that, the GoFundMe is for individuals who would like to give to the project now, because they don’t know that they will have the money later. All money from it will go towards the goal of opening the store in some form, whether in advertising, product, or bills.

Kickstarter - it is an all or nothing funding. If I hit the goal, I have to open the store. Which if I hit the goal, I will definitely open the store because I will buy my building to do so. Yes, the time is getting close for the first one, perhaps I will change programs or goals. 

There was some confusion with an individual earlier about how I would give the money back if the store failed. They didn’t seem to comprehend that is not how Kickstarter works. With Kickstarter, if I hit the goal, and I open the store, I have done as promised, no refund needed. If I hit the goal but don’t open the store, that’s when I have to issue a refund.

What if you are unable to get the building in the image?

That’s when I move on to plans B or C. In other words, that’s when I buy one of the other buildings I have picked out, those that might not be as great for the goal but would work over all.

What makes building one better then two or three?

Location! It’s in a great spot for my needs.

Size, it is three times bigger then building two and four times bigger then building three.

Apartments in the upstairs. That means I can update them sooner then later with any extra money after stocking the store and rent them out. Renting just one of them out would make the buildings monthly mortgage with the amount of money I have planned to put down, renting out both would also pay the electric, gas, and trash removal.

Extra rooms beyond the store that can be rented to artisans who might wish to have a new space or bigger space to work in.

Some of the extra rooms can also be used to host various classes, either by artisans, tutors, or even myself for creative writing.

Three to Five are part of Six: renting out the spaces and offering classes will make it so all the stores profits go into further stock and employees. Insuring that there is plenty to sell and that it continue on.

Then why have plans B and C if A is so good?

Someone else might buy A. In that case it’s a good idea to have a plan B and C. There aren’t a lot of buildings for sale in the area, and I would rather not rent or lease, as I want control over the building, that only happens if I own it.

Plans B and C are also for if the first doesn’t work out for a different reason. For instance, perhaps I have a investor who is willing to back purchasing a smaller building.

Investors

I am reaching out to various angel investors as well. Yet another way to try and fund this. There is a long list of individuals for me to contact who help small businesses get off the ground.

Depending on investors, I may change building plans if one is willing to work with of the smaller ones. Would it be as profitable as the larger building? No. However, I would be able to build up the smaller store, then either try again to get my plan A building if it is still on the market, or find a different bigger building. After all, the real estate market is always changing. 

If you would like to be an investor, even a small one such as fifty dollars, please use my Contact Me form. It’s primary purpose is for commissions, but it also covers other questions and communications off this website. 

Loans

Why don’t I try getting a business loan? That requires a decent credit score, which I would need a job to get. It is the lack of job due to my disabilities that has caused me to take this route. 

Do you have a business plan?

Yes, though it’s hand written because that’s how I roll. Actually, I have several, because I kept redrafting it as I considered new details and points. It evolved! 

I keep each to make sure details that are needed are not lost in the rewrites. 

Do you have a budget?

Why yes I do! Checked multiple times, to make sure the math isn’t off. It is based on building costs, bills (gas, electric, trash, accounting), employee pay, advertising prices, permits, equipment, and stock.

A basic form of it can be found at the bottom of my Kickstarter. If you’d like to discuss it, I am open to doing so. I have a projected finances excel, I will be creating a google sheets version as well, and will be updating it as I receive new information. 

You have several disabilities, how are you going to do this?

With help. That’s why there is employee pay as part of the costs. I know I physically can’t do it alone, so I will pay someone to help me. I’ve already spoken to that person, we have an agreement set out and a pay schedule.

Why should we back you?

At the end of the day, I can’t tell you what to do, nor would I. What I can tell you is this:

I managed to get my family from 50k in debt to 10k in debt in 4 years (love the parents, they’re not the best at finances, plus there was that entire stroke that just added to the mess of bills) - so I know how to balance a book and raise money.

That does not count the times I asked for help for myself, only the family as whole’s situation. After all, hard to balance my own books with no money coming in during those months I did not have any commissions or ghost writing.

I was trained as a store manager

I have a bachelor’s degree in business administration

I’m a fast study

If you are an indie author, I’ll sell your books. That means I buy several copies to sell, so you automatically get paid, and then if they do well, I buy more copies to sell. 

You’ll be helping a small business get started

You get a personalized signed copies of my book, yes they are digital copies but I will still be making the signing for each personal, scanning them in, adding them to the file and sending them off. 

You help a disabled writer stop living with the constant worry of how to pay the bills and when will the next need to ask for help happen. Thus I stop needing to ask for donations every time life goes sideways because I barely have enough to live before that happens.

I am also a firm believer in paying it forward, so once I am no longer stuck in the cycle of I have no money, I am barely paying the bills, and I have to ask for help, I will be able to help others who may need it. 

You’ll get updates on the business, what the current specials are, and even coupons for online purchases from time to time. 

For those who do more then the twenty five dollar pledge, they will get signed copies of more then just my first two books. Every five past twenty-five will get one more book, unless told to stop. Example: If you do fifty dollars, you get the initial two plus five more personalized signature books. 

I have done a lot of research, this isn’t just a whim, it’s not a lark, while most my notes are hand written, they are repeatedly checked as I wish to make sure that I am successful. Once it is open I do not want to have to ask a second time for help with it. 

For those that indulge in the season: it is the season of giving.

All I can ask is you take a chance. Money is important, as it funds everything. Sharing the GoFundMe or Kickstarter is just important as it shows it to new people. All I ask is you take a few moments to share this, the GoFundMe or the Kickstarter. I understand however, if you are not willing or able to. 

Thank you all for reading this,

Jaimi

12/21/18