Update-Monday, Nov. 4: WE HAVE COLOR! Stretch Goal #2 has been funded, and the hardcover will now include a color illustration of The Prathamaja Nandana by the fabulously talented Ed Binkley. Chapter headings and other embellishments will be printed in color as well. I’m so excited I can barely stand it. This book will now be everything I ever wanted it to be, and that all of you so much deserve. Thank you everyone! What’s next? A new short story set in the world of Paternus! (see Stretch Goals below for details).
MANU level update: While working on the Backerkit and survey, I realized I had failed to list the exclusive limited edition Rise of Gods alternative cover paperback as one of the rewards in the Manu pledge level, which is supposed to include all the rewards (except Critiques and the Con Hangout) as well as all the currently listed add-ons. I can’t fix that on the Kickstarter page, but please know that it has been included in that pledge level in Backerkit and all Manu backers will receive it as part of their pledge package. Sorry for any confusion!
Hello everyone, welcome to my very first Kickstarter! I’m Dyrk, and I’m thrilled you’re taking time out of your day to check this project out. The goal of this Kickstarter is to fund production of high quality hardback copies of Paternus: Rise of Gods, the first book in The Paternus Trilogy.
The book is already written, published, and available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook formats, so there’s no risk that it won’t be completed. All that’s missing now are really nice hardbacks. With your help, together we can make that dream come true.
In addition to classy hardbacks of Rise of Gods, there are a bunch of other really cool rewards – like early reader eBooks of War of Gods (Book 3 in the series), War of Gods advance review copy paperbacks, signed Rise of Gods paperbacks, gallery quality posters, and exclusive items only available to Kickstarter backers,including limited edition alt. cover Rise of Gods paperbacks.
It’s always been a dream of mine to have hardbacks of Rise of Gods made, and readers have been asking for them since it released in 2016. Unless you’re a traditional publishing company, though, or have the cash to purchase thousands of copies at a time on your own, hardbacks can be very expensive to print. A large purchase also means all of those books have to be warehoused, and there’s always the risk of having too many books – books that may not sell.
Another option is to use a large POD (print-on-demand) service such as Ingram Spark, but I wanted the best books I could get – for me and for my readers. That means having printing done by a printer with numerous options for cover stock, slip-cover style and design, paper type, and foil stamping, and that also provides one-on-one, personal service. Mass production companies such as Ingram Spark simply don’t do those things. There are boutique POD printers that do, but the cost is much higher per book.
The best bet for me to get the classy hardbacks that readers and I would both like to have is to do a small quantity print run, in this case 200 to 300, at a real print house that does runs of that size. I looked into quite a few printers and found one in the U.S. that can print high quality hardbacks with all the best features, in smaller quantities, and at a reasonable cost. Bonus – they’re also wonderful to work with. Now we can get the books we all want at the same price that could be had from someone like Ingram.
This still requires an up-front investment that’s difficult for an author on my level to justify without knowing if there are enough people who actually want them. That’s where this Kickstarter comes in. If it funds, this really is a win-win situation for everyone. And if that happens, I fully intend to launch hardback Kickstarters for books 2 and 3 in the series, with new and exciting rewards in those as well.
Described as American Gods meets The Avengers and Supernatural meets The Lord of the Rings, Paternus combines myths from around the world in a modern story of action and intrigue that is “urban fantasy on the surface, but so much more at its core!”
Even myths have legends. And not all legends are myth.
When a local hospital is attacked by strange and frightening men, Fiona Patterson and Zeke Prisco save a catatonic old man named Peter—and find themselves running for their lives with creatures beyond imagination hounding their every step.
With nowhere else to turn, they seek out Fi’s enigmatic Uncle Edgar. But the more their questions are answered, the more they discover that nothing is what it seems—not Peter, not Edgar, perhaps not even themselves.
The gods and monsters, heroes and villains of lore—they’re real. And now they’ve come out of hiding to hunt their own. In order to survive, Fi and Zeke must join up with powerful allies against an ancient evil that’s been known by many names and feared by all. The final battle of the world’s oldest war has begun.
You can read a sample of the book using the “Look Inside” feature on Amazon. If you have Kindle Unlimited, you can read the eBook for free.
The Paternus Trilogy has been called epic urban fantasy as well as mythic fiction. I always wanted to write novels incorporating elements of all my favorite things: mythology, ancient history, fantasy, science fiction, graphic novels, and both art-house and superhero movies. With Paternus, I was able to do just that. Writing these books has been a lifelong dream come true. Some people even like them, which is even better. I can’t thank my readers enough!
BOOK TWO
Paternus: Wrath of Gods, released last year. Much to my surprise, relief and incredible delight, it was received even better than the first.
Wrath was named one of the best fantasy books of 2018 by Fantasy-Faction, Fantasy Book Critic, The Fantasy Inn, Novel Notions, You and I Books, Superstar Drifter, The Weatherwax Report, and Ciaran Reviews. It also won Best Self-Published Novel in the 2018 Booknest Fantasy Awards.
On the run from an ancient evil and his army of terrors straight out of myths from around the world, Fi and Zeke aid Peter in his globe-trotting quest to seek out the remaining Firstborn, uncover the enemy’s plans, and gather the warriors of old for what may become the final battle in the world’s oldest war. Along the way, Fi and Zeke discover they, too, have strengths of their own—though they come at a cost neither may wish to bear.
You can read a sample of the book using the “Look Inside” feature on Amazon. If you have Kindle Unlimited, you can read the entire eBook for free.
BOOK THREE
The final installment in the trilogy, Paternus: War of Gods, releases May 19, 2020.
Let slip the gods of war…
If you’d like to follow updates on War of Gods, you can mark the book as “To Read” and friend me on Goodreads, or sign up for my Paternus Books Media Newsletter.
Reward tiers have been kept simple, with other cool stuff made available as add-ons. Several of the main tiers have Early Bird discount levels as well.
PATERNUS: RISE OF GODS HARDBACKS
These high quality collector’s item hardbacks with slip-covers, foil stamping on front cover and spine, and a signature page signed by the author, are being offered to Kickstarter patrons for less than they will be sold at retail. Books will be numbered, and if this Kickstarter does well and others are launched for books 2 and 3, every effort will be made for backers to match numbers in those. The hardbacks will also include the Paternus short story, “Berserker,” which will be the first time it has ever appeared in print. Backers of hardback levels will have their names listed in the back for having been part of making this dream a reality. Since this is the first book in the series, the slip-cover just says “Paternus,” as seen in the mockup above. Cover illustration by John Anthony Di Giovanni, design and typography by STK Kreations.
SIGNED and DOODLE-STAMPED PATERNUS: RISE OF GODS PAPERBACKS
The paperback is currently available on Amazon, but rewards copies will be signed as well as stamped with one of the character doodles shown.
PATERNUS: WAR OF GODS eARC EBOOKS
The epic conclusion of the trilogy, War of Gods will be released on May 19, 2020 – but you can read it a month before release with an Advance Release Copy eBook!
EXCLUSIVE RISE OF GODS BOOKMARKS
Composed with images from the current front cover and spine, these are exclusively for backers of this Kickstarter. All bookmarks will be signed by the author.
To keep from over-complicating the pledge levels, this Kickstarter will make use of BackerKit Add-ons. Through BackerKit, you’ll be able to customize your pledge by adding reward items after the campaign ends. Want more than one signed Rise of Gods paperback or bookmark? Need to add something to your pledge? Want extras not offered in the pledge levels? You’ll be able to do all those things with BackerKit.
All pledge level rewards except Critiques and Con Hang Out will be available to add to any pledge. All books will be signed by the author, and Rise of Gods paperbacks will also be doodle-stamped as described in the paperback pledge levels.
PLUS, we’ve got three extra, all new, and exciting rewards!
SIGNED PATERNUS: WAR OF GODS ARC PAPERBACK
These advance release copies are the same as will be received by reviewers and bloggers. They’ll have the same cover as retail copies, but will have “Advance Release Copy” on the front. I cannot guarantee how “advance” these will be, but I’ll do my very best to get them to you before the release date of May 19, 2020.
GALLERY QUALITY RISE OF GODS POSTERS
Keeping with this Kickstarter’s mission of quality, these posters are high resolution, archival Giclee prints, and they are absolutely stunning. Printed with a 1/4 inch white border outside of the dimensions to facilitate framing (or sticking tacks in the corners, I suppose). Art by John Anthony Di Giovanni, title logo by STK Kreations. Available in 3 sizes: 11×17, 18×24, 24×36.
EXCLUSIVE LIMITED EDITION RISE OF GODS PAPERBACK
With all new interior formatting, signature page (which will be signed), and gorgeous alternative cover art by John Anthony Di Giovanni. Title logo by STK Kreations. These will be signed by the author, and backers of this add-on will have their name in the back of the book! Exclusively available to Kickstarter backers.
How do I get Add-Ons?
There are two simple ways to do that:
What is BackerKit?
When the end of the Kickstarter campaign is reached and the dust settles, all pledge info will be transferred to a platform called BackerKit, a service that streamlines and facilitates the handling of fulfillment, information gathering, distribution, and shipping. You’ll get a login for your own private portal from which you can:
ALL ABOUT THE ART – The Rise of Gods hardbacks will now have a black & white illustration by award winning artist Ed Binkley inside the front of the book! This is incredible. I’ve been a fan of Ed’s work for years, and if you haven’t seen his art before, I think you will be too. I mean, just look at it:
You can see more of Ed’s amazing work on his website and ArtStation.
The illustration will be of a favorite character from the Paternus books, The Prathamaja Nandana, in Trueface. Beautiful, truly ancient and powerful, she is The First Daughter. In various places, times, and guises, she’s been known by many names, not the least of which being Kali, the Dark Mother.
COLOR! The hardcover will now include a color illustration of The Prathamaja Nandana by the fabulously talented Ed Binkley. Chapter headings and other embellishments will be printed in color as well. I’m so excited I can barely stand it. This book will now be everything I ever wanted it to be, and that all of you so much deserve. Thank you everyone!
If we fund this stretch goal, I will write an all new short story set in the world of Paternus. I haven’t decided exactly what it will be yet, but most likely a backstory piece about Pratha or Myrddin Wyllt (another readers’ favorite character) based on my (literally) hundreds of pages of Paternus world history notes.
I have to tell you, though, because of day-job commitments, those of the day-to-day-activities of self-publishing, and a looming release date of May 19, 2020 for Book 3, Paternus: War of Gods, I won’t be able to write this until next summer, 2020. It will then be delivered to all backers as an eBook. It will also, however, be included in the hardcover edition of Book 2, Paternus: Wrath of Gods, which I will definitely be launching another Kickstarter for next year.
Why is this stretch goal dollar amount set so high, you may ask? Fair question that deserves an honest answer. I am a very slow writer, and with all my other commitments I get only a few hours to write each day. This short story will take at least a month of my writing time, maybe even longer. During that time I also won’t be able to work on my next planned writing projects. Those are my excuses, anyway, and I’m sticking to them :) Thanks again everyone, you are all the very best backers I could have ever hoped for.
Dyrk Ashton is a Midwestern boy who spent some time in Hollywood. He teaches film, geeks out on movies and books, and writes about regular folks and their troubles with gods and monsters.
You can also find Dyrk on these fine social media establishments: Twitter (@UnDyrk), Facebook (Dyrk Ashton), Facebook Biz Page (Paternus Books Media), Instagram (@UnDyrk).
I think it’s important for you to know where your hard-earned cash is going. I’ve added up the costs of producing the hardback to the quality level it deserves at a reasonable price, and broken down the numbers based on a minimum pledge level estimate that will provide the base funding needed:
Shipping is possibly the most complicated part of the Kickstarter process. In fact, it can easily turn into a nightmare for both the person running the Kickstarter and backers alike. After doing a lot of research, and talking to quite a few folks who’ve run successful Kickstarters, I think I have a reasonable solution.
All print books and posters will be shipped together, saving on shipping costs as well as fulfillment logistics and labor. Production of hardbacks will take the longest, projected to be completed in January/February – however, estimated delivery in the pledge levels is being set to March, just to be cautious. If they are completed sooner, they will be shipped sooner, and I will provide updates throughout the printing process.
Also, packaging and shipping will be charged after the Kickstarter period ends, all pledge rewards and add-ons have been tallied up, and exact mailing address details have been collected and confirmed via a BackerKit survey. The benefits of shipping books together and charging shipping after the Kickstarter ends are significant, the most important being that flat estimated shipping rates can be avoided and real rates estimated more closely, helping lessen the possibility of charging too much or too little.
In the U.S.: All rewards of more than a single book (paperback or hardback) going to backers within the United States will be shipped USPS 3 Day Flat Rate Box Priority Mail—and the same price applies to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This will help ensure you have a good idea of the cost and your packages arrive in a safe and timely manner once shipped. Backers receiving a single book will have the choice of priority mail or media mail. Media mail is the most economical, but arrival times can range from 3 to 16 days or more, depending on location.
Posters: unless posters are 11×17 and included in a box with your books, they will be shipped separately in mailing tubes via USPS Priority Mail. Cost will range from $7.00 to $35.00 depending on where you live in the contiguous 48 states and size of poster. If your pledge or pledge + add-ons includes more than one poster, the posters will be shipped together.
Local Pick-up: Free pick-up of your rewards will be available for folks in the region of NW Ohio/SE Michigan. If you choose this option you will be notified of dates and locations. Local pick-up will most likely take place in Perrysburg, OH.
International: This is the really tough one. I wish it wasn’t so, but international shipping is expensive and very difficult to estimate. Some Kickstarters don’t offer international shipping of books because of it, but I don’t want to do that to my international readers. At the end of the Kickstarter campaign, you will receive a BackerKit survey to confirm your pledge items and mailing address. The best shipper for your location at the most reasonable cost for the quality of service will be chosen, and you will be charged that amount. Example estimated costs of packaging and shipping a hardback and paperback together via USPS: Canada, UK, and EU $30.00; Brazil $40.00; Indonesia $40.00.
Even if you don’t find something to your liking here, I greatly appreciate your taking the time to peruse my Kickstarter. If you do pledge, I can’t thank you enough for supporting the Rise of Gods hardback cause. You are the best!
The greatest risks with book projects are whether they’ll actually get written, and when, and whether they’ll be any good. In this case, the book is already completed and has been well received. The challenge with this project will be coordinating the production of the hardbacks and other rewards so they will be completed properly and in a timely manner. Since I’ve already done the research, lined up all vendors, and done this kind of production many times before, I feel very confident things will go smoothly. There is always the risk of a hitch in the process at some stage, but if there are any problems, they should mean delays of weeks or a month at the most rather than anything that would scuttle the project.