TWO YEARS ON...

Two years.

That's startling, and sort of humbling, for me. For two years, most of you have stuck around, supporting my writing, my dreams, and to an extent my family with constant contributions. It's a tremendously gratifying and touching thing to contemplate, and a wonderful statement to me that my writing has somehow been enough, at least for all of you, to make it worthwhile. 

Last year I made a big fancy video; I had originally thought of doing that this year, but a combination of factors made me decide that the many hours of effort that this would take would be better focused on writing more and on making things with your resources that might help actually push that writing forward. 

This year, then, what did YOU accomplish with me?

Well, let's see. You made it possible for me to attend Heliosphere this year (April 4-6) as the rooms I paid for in advance, using some of those funds. You produced numerous illustrations for my work, ranging from Princess Holy Aura to the stars of the Balanced Sword trilogy. You gave me the covers for three books, professionally done -- Demons of the Past: REVOLUTION, Demons of the Past: RETRIBUTION, and LEGEND. Through this, you also helped me get a somewhat better deal on my new publishing contracts with Ring of Fire Press. 

You gave me the resources to be able to be ready to sell my books when I go on the road -- and I'll be doing that quite a bit this year compared to others, especially later on.

And what did I do, with that help?

I completed and submitted the third Castaway novel, originally called Castaway Peril, now Castaway Resolve or Resolution. I published no fewer than three books: Demons of the Past: REVELATION, Demons of the Past: REVOLUTION, and -- with my wife Kathleen -- French Roast Apocalypse, the first in Fall of Veils. I also completed -- this past week, and thus almost entirely within our last year of Patreon -- the first volume of Godswar, so new that I haven't decided on a title for that book. We will also begin the new year with two MORE books, Demons of the Past: RETRIBUTION and LEGEND, being published later this month.

This despite encountering, as most of you know, a lot of personal and financial hardship. 

This is all ONLY POSSIBLE because of your constant support. The money from the Patreon is kept separate from my regular finances, because I use it for its intended purpose: to support and hopefully promote my career as an author. That may change if for some reason my Patreon suddenly grows -- it might then become, itself, the income that helps change me from a part-time to full-time author -- but for now it is reserved income that specifically and solely goes to make it possible for me to write and publish -- which is, of course, why you've all come here.

And this past year I've also done what I could to give you some interesting material of your own. I started a new category of public posts, made when inspiration struck: A Musical Note. I've previewed all or part of 5 novels in the Early Access category, shown many sketches as well as final images in Sketchy!, provided glimpses of old drafts and my writing process and worldbuilding in both the All-Patron and World and Writing sections, and recorded no fewer than FORTY EIGHT chapters of two novels, having decided to double the pace when I started the new year. 

As always, I welcome comments from any and all of you. If there's something else that you would like to see, questions you want answered, pictures you think should be made... let me know.

And know that every single month, every time that I begin this process of delivering what rewards I can, I am indescribably grateful for your continuing support.

Thank you.

Ryk E. Spoor