AMA: So What Is This Kickstarter Thing I Keep Hearing About?

I’ve been talking about Kickstarter a lot lately (sorry but it’s tragically important 😅), especially with Moon Over Marisol and our upcoming Spooky Season project.

So here’s the plain-English version.

First, one important thing:

If money is tight, there is absolutely no pressure to spend anything. Please, if that’s the case don’t spend a dime.

Following the Kickstarter is free. Reading the updates is free. Sharing a post is free. Simply enjoying Marisol and Tibby counts plenty.

We love all of our readers. And there’s plenty of more free stuff down the pipe. ❤️

Think of it like a special book event.

For a short time, I open a page showing one new Marisol project, the books involved, the prices, and the different editions available.

Someone might choose an ebook.

Someone else might want a paperback.

Someone might want a signed or special edition.

Kickstarter calls those choices rewards, and the people who choose them are called backers.

For my books, it feels a lot like a special preorder.

Every Kickstarter has a funding goal.

If the campaign reaches that goal, the project moves forward and the pledges are collected.

If it falls short, the pledges are not collected.

Then the money that does come in helps pay for printing, shipping, packaging, fees, and everything else involved in getting the books made and delivered.

Publishing costs money and Kickstarter (kick starts the process) making it such an easier process.

Because I want Moon Over Marisol to keep growing.

More stories.

Seasonal adventures.

Special editions.

Collections.

More Marisol and Tibby getting themselves into strange situations.

Earlier this year, a Moon Over Marisol Kickstarter reached $3,110 with 25 backers.

That showed me how much a small group of readers gathering around one project can accomplish.

So instead of quietly putting every new Marisol book on Amazon and hoping somebody finds it, Kickstarter gives each project its own little moment.

This next campaign is basically Marisol having her own Halloween season.

I’ve been writing a collection called Moon Over Marisol: The Spooky Assignments.

There are pumpkins.

There are Jersey tomatoes.

There are odd little missions.

There is Tibby.

There is plenty of Marisol trouble.

The Kickstarter lets me turn all of that into a proper seasonal book event.

Before the campaign begins, Kickstarter has a preview page with a Follow button.

Following costs nothing.

No purchase.

No commitment.

It simply means Kickstarter will send a reminder when Spooky Season begins.

Those free follows also help the campaign because they show that people are interested before opening day.

So even with a budget of exactly zero dollars, hitting Follow is a lovely way to help.

There is a Marisol project.

There are several ways to get the books.

There is a deadline.

There is a free Follow button.

And there is never any reason to feel guilty about sitting one out financially.

I’m simply trying to build Marisol’s little world, one good project at a time, with the people who enjoy being here.

And that’s what all this Kickstarter talk has been about.

Much love,

Dennis