It seems like the holidays are happening earlier this year as we all look for ways to make this current global season a little bit brighter! Christmas lights are going up, carols are playing in the grocery store, and masks are starting to sport festive patterns. Calls to shop local and support small businesses are ringing loud and clear all over social media.
If you know a person who makes things and sells them, consider supporting them this season! If you have a favourite local shop, consider picking up something – many places have curbside pick-up or delivery options available. There are also many free ways to support local artists and businesses alike! Share their work on social media (make sure you tag them!), leave a review online, or send them an encouraging message!
What are some of your favourite local businesses? Do you have a local artist or creator to recommend? Let’s share our resources and support in the ways that we can so this can be a wonderful time in a year that really needs some holiday cheer.
Thank you so much for everyone who submitted a question during the Facebook event! There were so many, I had to make this into a blog post!
Janine asked what surprised me the most during revisions for this edition.
I was really surprised by how prevalent of a character Ed was! Working on the sequel, I kind of focused on May and Pinot’s role in the first book more, so it was a surprise to go back and realize that Ed’s story is a huge focus in The Patch Project.
Joe asked on Instagram: Ever wonder what writing will be like in a post-pandemic world? Are all things changed?
Writing in sci-fi and post-apocalyptic genres, the future, and the way that the future might and will change, is an integral element to the stories we want to tell. I think all things are changed, and we won’t know how until we’re through this and can look back on it. Hopefully, we’ll change how we treat the Earth on a large scale, we’ll write about human connection in a way we couldn’t have imagined before. The global event has touched us all individually, and writers can hopefully voice some of those perspectives to help heal the post-pandemic world.
Elly asked, what reader feedback surprised you the most?
I think the reactions to the different characters! May and Ed are pretty polarizing characters it turns out! Some readers find May bland, while others find her fascinating. Some people like Ed’s arc, some don’t like him at all haha!
Nico (and Owen!) asked what I learned the most between editions.
Probably how important and difficult it is to market a book to a wider audience! The whole world that opens up after a book is published – it continues to be a lot of work. Writing the book isn’t enough it turns out in most cases, which is sobering and also exciting – the book is constantly gaining new life from new readers.
Hanan asks the hardest question: what is my favourite cover of my three books?
Can I say all of them? I really like this reimagining of The Patch Project, I think it and the sequel cover really compliment each other.
Caitlin asks: how did Peter make the cover?
I’m not entirely sure! There was a computer involved, and we talked about what kind of image to include. Then he did some design magic, and there it was!
Jennifer asked about an audiobook or movie.
I would love for this book to find another iteration as a movie or animated show or audiobook! Maybe after the pandemic, we can get some actors together and make one happen!
Thank you so much, everyone! Your support tonight was so appreciated! Hope that you enjoy this new edition of The Patch Project, you can find it on the Adventure Worlds Press website or on Amazon!
Welcome to the humans behind Adventure Worlds Press, Ben Van Dongen and Christian Laforet! I’m going to be asking them some questions about publishing and how the new edition of The Patch Project came to be!
Ben Van Dongen is the author of The Thinking Machine, The Neon Heart, and Broadcast Wasteland and co-authored the books No Light Tomorrow and All These Crooked Streets.BenVanDongen.com
Christian Laforet lives in LaSalle, Ontario with his wife, Lady, and his two girls, Lelaina Blue and Delilah Sunshine. When not writing books, he spends an exorbitant amount of time watching horror movies and playing video games. ChristianLaforet.com
1. What was your first contact with The Patch Project? Did it leave an impact, or how did the book strike you?
Christian: The Patch Project came across my radar fairly quickly upon its release. Being that the book was post-apocalyptic (a genre I enjoy), and that I knew the author, it became must-read material.
Ben: If I remember correctly, my first contact with Patch Project was hearing that it had been picked up by your first publisher (EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing). I have a memory of you talking about the story that you had in a shoebox that you had started in university and had decided to finish it, but I’m sure that the story was done and the project was far along by the time I heard about it. Maybe I’m making up the memory or confusing it with a dream. It wouldn’t be the first time.
2. Why did Adventure Worlds Press release a revised edition?What was it like preparing this book for release?
Ben: I find your ideas and perspective compelling. We write in the same genre but you come up with very different stories and I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read so far. So, I liked the story. Not just that, but I personally was interested in reading more and since we were able to help you publish the connected story, A Place That Used to Be, I was eager to see both books together in a similar format and available to the public.
Christian: With Adventure Worlds Press releasing the companion book, A Place That Used to Be, and with you regaining the rights to The Patch Project, it sort of felt like a no-brainer to release a revised edition of the first book. The nice thing about prepping The Patch Project was that it had already been through the editorial wringer with the previous publisher. Everything was quite clean. And with a fantastic cover design in place (thanks to Peter Brinn), we were off to the races.
3. Do you have a favourite character or part of the book?
Ben: While Pinot is fun and becomes more interesting as the story goes on and we learn more about her, I was always fond of May. Her quiet strength, desire to keep going despite the difficulties in her new life, and her reluctant leadership felt very central to the story.
Christian: My favourite character is the first we meet in the book: May. Her journey resonated with me on several levels. Having to face both the near-end of everything, as well as her relationship with Isak (which is full of its own hardships. Read the book, you’ll see what I mean!), May keeps on going. She sees the beauty in a world decimated.
4. Anything else to say about The Patch Project or Adventure Worlds Press?
Christian: I am thrilled to have The Patch Project under the AWP banner. Your writing is both beautiful and haunting. The Patch Project and A Place That Used to Be are exactly the kind of stories we (at AWP) love to read.
Ben: I’m so glad to see a new perspective coming from Adventure Worlds Press. For a while, it’s been mostly Christian and me. You are fantastic to work with and have been as helpful to us getting our books out as I hope we were to you. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
A book event from the past, featuring Christian Laforet, Elly Blake, Brittni Brinn, and Ben Van Dongen. [Image description: four authors stand in front of a bookcase, each holding their books and smiling at the camera.]
Thanks so much to Christian and Ben for the interview! And thanks to everyone who participated in the online launch event!
Copies of the newly released edition of The Patch Project are available on the Adventure Worlds Press site or Amazon!
It’s here! The Patch Project has a new look thanks to Adventure Worlds Press and cover designer Peter Brinn!
A couple things to note about the revised edition:
1. If you already have a copy of The Patch Project, you do not need to buy this one as well – the story is exactly the same, I’ve just tweaked a bit of the grammar and sentence structure to enhance the reading experience!
2. If you’ve discovered A Place That Used to Be and want to get to know the characters and their backstories, The Patch Project takes place earlier in the timeline, but can be read afterwards! I’m starting to think of them as companion books, rather than as a first novel and its sequel.
3. The book will be available on Amazon and through me on November 17th! Join the Facebook release event for a chance to win a free copy!
And without further ado, here is the beautiful and mysterious cover of The Patch Project!
[Image description: A copy of The Patch Project (Revised Edition) surrounded by fall leaves. The book cover features an evergreen forest, the top half of which is swathed in mist. The cover text reads: The Patch Project, Brittni Brinn]
I absolutely love the cover! If you want to see more of the book in all its glory, stop by my YouTube channel after 12:15pm today, as I’ll be posting a video showing off the back cover and a sneak peak of the interior as well!
So excited for the release on November 17th! Hope to see you all there!
It’s that time of year again! It’s day 4 of NaNoWriMo, a month-long writing extravaganza! I’ve set a goal of 20 000 words for the month, trying to hit 1000 words per day. It’s lower than the 50 000 words most NaNoers strive for, but I’m finding it manageable so far. I’m hoping that 20 000 will be enough to finish off a space novel I’ve been working on for about a year!
[Image description: Woman wearing glasses and a sweater drinks from a coffee mug. An orange cat sits on a dresser in the background.]
I’m also posting daily updates on Instagram to keep myself accountable and excited about writing. So far, it seems to be working!
Some exciting Adventure Worlds Press news! The revised edition of The Patch Project is set for release on November 17th! Stay tuned for news about an online launch event! I’ll be revealing the mysterious new cover design by Peter Brinn here on November 10th.
Also, you should check out Shelly Campbell’s upcoming book, Under the Lesser Moon! It’s a grimdark fantasy novel featuring dragons! The Facebook launch event is November 7th.
Hi friends! I have a few important updates about The Patch Project for you!
[Image description: four copies of The Patch Project are fanned out on a quilt.]
The Patch Project is on sale for $10 CAD until October 30th, 2020. This includes shipping to Canada and the US, so if you’ve been waiting to pick up a copy, the best time is now! (This sale only applies to copies I am personally selling. If you’re interested, please comment below or contact me through my Facebook page.)
[Image description: Graphic of grey concrete with a patch of green growing from a crack. Text reads “The Patch Project: Audio book read by the author, July 28, 2020.]
The free audio book version of The Patch Project is available for a limited time on bandcamp.com. Listen on the website or download before November 2, 2020 – after that, the audio book will no longer be available.
I’ll have more exciting news about The Patch Project next week!
Image: First edition copies of The Patch Project fanned out on a quilt
SALE ALERT!
Original printing copies of The Patch Project are on sale for $10 CAD (includes shipping to the US and Canada). This sale is only for copies I am personally selling. Limited copies are available.
Sale ends on October 30th. Comment below for more details, or contact me through my Facebook page.
The Patch Project is a post-apocalyptic novel about five strangers who develop strange new abilities in the wake of a mysterious global event. An introspective, character-driven story about the search for connection and purpose in an unforgiving world.
Mirror World Publishing has announced the winners of their Far, Far Away Anthology contest – and my story “Field Notes from the Unknown Planet” made the list!
The stories that will appear in the upcoming anthology! (Image from Mirror World Publishing)
I’m so thankful and honoured to have a story featured in a sci-fi/fantasy publication! I also want to express gratitude to the judges who read all of the entries – I know from experience how much time and work goes into reading submissions. So thanks to them, and thanks to Mirror World for providing this opportunity! I can’t wait to read all of the stories in this anthology!
Although it’s going to be a bit of a wait for the anthology (which is expected to come out next summer), the tentative release date for the revised edition of The Patch Project is mid-November 2020! The fantastic folks at Adventure Worlds Press have finished layout, and we’re just waiting on the cover design to be completed.
Stay tuned for updates on that, including the cover reveal! Peter Brinn is designing it, and it’s going to be quite different from the last edition!
Oh, hello! It’s been awhile since I’ve blogged. Partly because although there is a lot of stuff going on with A Place That Used to Be and writing in general, most of it’s every day tasks like putting together spreadsheets and mailing out orders. Part of the process for sure, but not super exciting for you to read about!
So this post is going to be more of a mini-photo album of what I’ve been up to the past couple of weeks!
A box of A Place That Used to Be
A new batch of books arrived! It’s such a thrill to receive these deliveries from the printers and wrap up each book to send off into the world!
Afternoon writing session in the backyard!
I’ve been working outside a lot, which has really helped with the social distance blues. The weather’s been perfect for walking by the river and finding a bench to sit and write on (or sketch!). I’m currently picking away at a 30 000 word space novel but am actually kind of stuck. Hopefully, the next couple of weeks will bring some new inspiration!
Artist Trading Card by Dawn Supina
Speaking of inspiration, I’ve been getting back into visual art as a way to relax and be creative! I’m part of an art swap group, and we’re currently trading circus-themed ATCs. I’m also participating in an online workshop series featuring various artists and styles, and I try to doodle daily pictures based on Inktober prompts.
Inktober, Day 2 Prompt: Wisp
Working through my to-read list, I finished The Black Veins by Ashia Monet, a YA urban fantasy about magical Guardians on a road trip rescue mission! It was wonderful to read about an ensemble of LGBTQ+ characters who had well-defined personalities and goals. The character interactions are by far my favourite part of the novel and I highly recommend it if you like YA fiction! “It’s the “no-love-interest”, found family adventure you’ve been searching for.”
The Black Veins by Ashia Monet
Although I am inconsolable about Dune’s release date being delayed until next year, I’m enjoying the book. I can’t help but imagine the David Lynch film (which I love in the way great bad movies should be loved) while I’m reading, but the world and the characters are way more fleshed out. I have thoughts, but I’m going to wait until I finish the book to discuss 🙂
Sci-fi classic Dune
Although our household is staying pretty close to home, we occasionally venture out to pick up coffee from The Green Bean Cafe (which is now open limited hours)! Here’s a picture of me wearing a mask and holding a View-Master from my friend Sarah!
Hope you enjoyed this brief overview of what’s going on in my creative life! Some days, I feel like I get nothing done and I’m definitely feeling the self-quarantine cabin fever – probably why I’m trying to get outside as much as I can before winter arrives. Trying to listen to what my creative self needs, and stay connected with people. I would love to hear about the everyday things you’re doing to stay creative and stay grounded!
Thanks for reading!
Did you like this post? Many of these photos were featured on my Instagram account, if you’d like to read more!
Follow me on Goodreads to see what I’m reading and share what you’re reading! What should I read next?
If you’re interested in a signed copy of A Place That Used to Be (or its companion book, The Patch Project), let me know! Copies are also available at Juniper Books, Biblioasis, and on Amazon!
Mirror World Publishing released the short list for their anthology contest! I’m thrilled that “Field Notes from the Unknown Planet” made it this far!
Image by Mirror World Publishing
I usually don’t have much success with short stories, so having a sci-fi piece recognized in this way is a wonderful confidence boost. Submitting “Field Notes” was a good challenge, and I feel more open to sending out short fiction in the future.
But for now, just waiting for the final stories to be announced (by the beginning of October), and imagining what kind of worlds the titles on the short list may lead to!
