Today I'm talking reading slumps. I've been stuck in one for awhile and recent studies have been pointing to a reason why. See the video below. If you have any suggestions on what might help, please share in the comments!

On the campaign front: With only two days left to go, we've managed to reach 33%. It won't be enough to get the publishing all the way there, but it gets the ebook started and that's most of the battle. Not reaching my goal certainly slows things down, but its not the end of the world. I'm a determined person and I WILL find a way to get The Beauty published in every way possible. I'm also considering a "soft release". Which is to say that I might publish the book early without all of the fancy formatting that I had with The Beast. Once I earn enough money with those sales to pay for the fancy stuff, I'll update the file with the finished product. But I've never done this before and I don't know anyone who has. It's just an idea that I've been working on. Let's just hope I get a couple more contributions before the end.

Help publish THE BEAUTY: https://igg.me/at/thebeauty/x/7583467
Author YT Channel: youtube.com/AuthorLindsayMead
My Vlog YT Channel: youtube.com/LindsayMeadDailyVlog

Last week I posted a reminder that my campaign to publish The Beauty was ending in 2 weeks (1 week now!). In that same post I talked about what my options are if I don't reach my needed goal. Somehow that resulted in confusion. So I sat down and tried to better explain it in a video. Posted below.

This video also marks my return to my author channel and sorta BookTube. I'll be posting every Monday about one topic or another. My hope is to keep the videos short and casual. I just want to have fun with it. Please subscribe!

Author YT Channel: youtube.com/AuthorLindsayMead
My Vlog YT Channel: youtube.com/LindsayMeadDailyVlog



If you want to help me publish The Beauty, then click here and check out the campaign. All contributions of any size are helpful. So is sharing! Let your friends know about the series and if you run a blog or YouTube channel, I'd appreciate a post and would be happy to answer questions or anything you think your readers/viewers might enjoy. Let's go out with a bang!

Good news! The Beauty is almost here! I know many of you have been eagerly awaiting its release. That's nearly about to happen! Aggghhhh, I'm so excited!! Who's ready to pre-order?

I've officially launched the indiegogo campaign to help me cover all of the costs needed to publish a book. I want The Beauty to be as nicely put together as The Beast was, so I'm sparing no expense--at least that's the plan. It really depends on if I get the finding or not.

As there always is with crowdfunding campaigns, there are great perks to be had. You can get the book signed in paperback or you can get an early ebook copy before anyone else. Most of the perks are variations of that. However, there's one that I would like to put a spotlight on. I'm calling it...the Fanatic Fan Perk...Or Pack...I change my mind on that all the time.
This perk was originally developed for those people who had bought the entire series in my first campaign. Of course I want them to have a reason to come around, I like these people ;P However, after I came up with the idea, I decided to include an add-on option. That's when I realized what a great deal this was. You get the t-shirt, the book bag, the early chapter from book 3, thirty minutes of one-on-one time with me, AND you can add-on The Beast and/or The Beauty for only $10 each. That's freakin half off! It's a good deal. While there are many other perks to look at, I think this one is worthy of everyone's consideration.

I'd also like to point out that there are lots of chapters available to read on the campaign. There are 2 chapters from The Beast (book 1) and 2 chapters from The Beauty (book 2) available. All you have to do is share the campaign on either facebook or twitter and you'll be granted access. I really hope you guys enjoy them and I absolutely hope they convince you to contribute.

CLICK HERE FOR THE CAMPAIGN! 

On January 1st, 2015, at 10:30pm--I did it. I did something that many set out to do, but few actually complete. I myself was one of those many for a long time. I was always the "aspiring author", or just "the one writing a book". Now, I've written a book. In a matter of months, weeks, or even days, I will be an author. There is no "aspiring" about it.

As we speak, the book is in the hands of some highly intelligent literary friends of mine. One is reading the final pages as I type these words. Their goal is to check the story. They're watching for continuity errors, places where things might be lacking, themes that perhaps might not have been fully realized, and the like.

Assuming I don't have to do any major rewrites, I should be diving into heavy edits in about a week's time. My intention is to barrel through. Get it done and get it done fast. I want it in your hands so bad, it might start to cause me pain lol.

To my INDIEGOGO CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTORS, thank you for your patience and your unwavering faith. You. All. Rock. As I draw nearer to publication, you guys will receive more updates. You'll get updates when the t-shirts are made, when the book trailer is done, and when any little thing worth noting comes along.

Also, to EVERYONE READING THIS, Barnes and Noble has opened a print division. This print division does not sell to the public. However, they allow me to order hardcovers of my book. I order from them, they ship to me, and I sign and mail to you. At some point I would like to set up pre-orders for signed hardcovers. For those who have already pre-ordered signed paperbacks through my campaign and would like to upgrade to hardcover, I'm gunna see about making that possible too.

So The Beast is coming and coming soon. Are you excited? Cuz I am. I don't intend for The Beauty to be far behind (Already at a 23k word count) either. To stay completely up-to-date on everything, I mean more up-to-date than anyone else--subscribe to my daily vlog on YouTube. My subscribers are the first to see and hear everything.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and a good New Year. Now get ready cuz it's time to kick some 2015 butt!

This was my second attempt at crowdfunding a book. My first attempt had been for a fantasy novel, EXAULTA, and the goal had been set way too high. On that campaign, I'd managed to raise a healthy $500, but it was still only a drop in what I'd asked for. Being that it was on Kickstarter, I didn't get any of it.

So when it came time to fund THE BEAST, I dropped my goal. I asked for the bare minimum and added an unofficial "stretch goal". I also didn't put all of my hopes on it. I didn't want to be let down like before.

As you can see, by the photo in this post, I was not let down. Not even by a little. But let me not get too far ahead of myself.

THE BEAST's campaign started off with a soft bang. Right up front I received 6 contributions totalling $180.  At least 3 of these funders had contributed to my Exaulta campaign.

Then there was a whole lot of nothing for awhile. Entire weeks went by where the campaign went unnoticed. From what I've read, that's normal. Then about 2 weeks before the end of the campaign, a trickle started. A donation here. A donation there. Just enough to give me hope.

I'd imagined what it would be like hitting goal. I saw myself smiling, jumping up and down, showing my excitement in a vlog, and blasting it all over the internet. That's not what happened though.

In the last few days of my campaign, I got sick. I had planned on sending out loads of emails, reminding people to contribute. Instead I was bedridden. Worst cold I'd had in years.

While I was in bed with a cold pack on my head, surrounded by a field of tissues, a flood had started-- and I'm not referring to the flood coming from my nose. Contributions were hitting my campaign left and right. I'd made goal and didn't even know it.

When I finally did realize that I'd made goal, I was too sick to even react. But the contributions kept coming and soon I'd made my stretch goal. Which I am super thrilled about because I'd basically given up hope on getting the funding for the book trailer.

Thanks to all of my supporters (friends, family, and subscribers) for making this happen. Even when I couldn't pull out all of the stops to motivate people, you all still came through for me.

To show my thanks, every contributor will get their name in the acknowledgements and I'll send them one of my custom postcards when the book releases. If you want to get in on this awesomeness, there's still time. About 8 hours left to get those last minute contributions in!

This campaign ends Sunday at 11:59pm. If you want an early copy, a signed copy, or just to help, click the link below.



THE BEAST CAMPAIGN: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/th...

Here's a silly video where I tell you the campaign is ending...and other things...



---- MY LINKS ---
Main YouTube Review Channel: http://bit.ly/1ag5dGm
Daily Vlog Channel: http://bit.ly/14IH76t
Website & Blog: http://lindsaymead.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Lindsay_Mead
Google+: http://bit.ly/qmtx7P
Instagram: http://bit.ly/M9agTT
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/lU0rlI 
Business Inquiries & Review Requests email: exaulta@hotmail.com

Music Performed By Bradfield Dumpleton and Blue
http://bradfielddumpleton.bandcamp.com/

Every now and again I swing over to goodreads and check on my book. After that major glitch where the star rating only reflected one bad review, I feel the need to keep a bit of an eye on it.

I checked last night and found a wonderful cover reaction (shown below) that had me rolling. The first sentence made me feel a bit like a celebrity. She knows who I am, probably watches my videos, and is excited about something I'm doing! Woohoo! The middle section made me smile. She loves my cover!!! Woohoo again!


Then I read the final sentence and nearly died. I felt like it was a threat lol. Like she was standing before me, bubbly and gushing over my cover, then suddenly she whips out a knife and issues that simple warning.

Do not worry, Geisha Cielos (loquaciousreaders), I have zero intention of ever changing that cover. I love it too :)

If you guys are as excited as Geisha and I are about this book, you should consider checking out the book's publication campaign-- Only 17 days left! Read the first two chapters OR pre-order yourself a copy!

I have been talking about THE BEAST for a very long time. It's almost ready! It kills me that I won't be able to pay for the publishing costs. It's so stupid that, of all things, it's money that's standing in my way.
     However, now is your chance to read at least the first TWO chapters for FREE! I'm trying to raise money and to show people that this book is worth funding, I've made the chapters available. All I ask for in return is for you to share my crowdfunding campaign on Twitter or Facebook.
     If you like what you read, please consider making a contribution. Without help, it's going to take a long time to pay for publication. This book is counting on you guys.