I am on my way to kill a man. But I am not going to murder him. That is the distinction that keeps me from becoming the villain everyone already thinks I am, or at least the villain they’re waiting for me to become. 

That is the opening to my new story “Ferryman.” It’s about a man with the supernatural ability to kill with a touch. As the opening says, he doesn’t want to be a villain, but when everybody already hates or fears you, being a good guy isn’t exactly easy.

So what to do? Hide his powers and deny his power? Shout “Screw the rules” and kill whomever he wants? What’s more important? Acceptance or freedom?

To find out, you’ll have to read the book…which means I need to publish the book…which is why I started a Kickstarter campaign to get the book off the ground. And for as little as $10, you can find out how the book ends.

Bleck, still sounds like a rotten sales pitch…

Why?
Why self-publish instead of going the traditional route? For one thing, this book is short, only 38,000 words (66 MS Word pages). That’s novella length, and not many publishers spring for novellas.

More than that, though, I don’t have the same publishing goals as most publishing houses, at least not for this book. A traditional publisher sees the book as the end goal. But for me, “Ferryman” isn’t the final step, it’s the first one.

The book’s short length makes it ideal for promotional material. I can sell it for less than a regular book and potential buyers would be more inclined to read something short. It’s a sort of sample for my writing. This blog also showcases my voice, but a fiction work would better display my book style.

So I don’t care if “Ferryman” never hits the top of the charts or doesn’t make a ton of money. It’s not supposed to. It’s supposed to whet the appetite of readers everywhere and make them hungry for more.

That being said, this is not a “cheap” book. I didn’t slap it together over a weekend and say “Oh, well, it’s just a promo.” This book is me putting my best foot forward, so I’ve written and rewritten for months and I’m still going to edit it further. I’m crazy about this story and heartily believe in it.

Publishers want writers to make a big sales campaign and make good money for their investment. I want to do that, too, just not with this book. This book is a tool, but I need your help crafting it.

How much?
$3000. That buys cover art, a second editor (I’m an editor, but I’m not that stupid), formatting, an ISBN, an author website so I can move everything you see here into a more customized domain, and enough money to buy the rewards for supporters.

Oh, speaking of which…

What’s in it for you guys?

For $10-30, you’ll receive a copy of the book once it’s funded and published. I’ll be putting it in e-book and print format, so just sign up for whichever format you want.

Or, just give what you heart tells you to. Donations start at just $5, and that gets your name in the acknowledgements section of the book. $5 here and there really adds up fast, so even if you can do this amount, I’d be eternally grateful.

FOR WRITERS, I have editing packages ranging from $250-$1000 for ANY length work. Yes, even your gargantuan, Harry-Potter-4-size book can be edited for as little as $250 depending on what you want. You’ll also get a copy of the book in your chosen format.

Where?
Click on this link right here (Mike’s Super Awesome Kickstarter Campaign) to go to my campaign and donate. It runs through July 30, so that’s just 30 days to raise $3000.

Thanks
To those of you who choose to donate, you have my thanks. I cannot do this on my own, and even small donations help. I hate asking for money, especially from strangers or near-strangers, but I have no choice.

I believe in this book. I wouldn’t come to you if it wasn’t good. I believe it is of good quality and I believe it will work as a promotional material for further books I already have in the works (click here to see the extensive list).

So thank you for your generosity. I’ll never forget it.