March update! Interior illustration preview!
5 months ago
– Fri, Mar 27, 2026 at 03:40:54 PM
Hi everyone,
Hope you are enjoying the first few days of spring! Copy edits to the book are ongoing and taking a bit longer than anticipated, but I estimate that they will be done by early April.
Fran is also hard at work on the interior illustrations! Click here for a sneak peek at the first illustration (or don't if you don't want to be spoiled! The illustrated scene takes place in the first third of the book).
Also thanks to everyone who filled out their Backer Name survey! We are at 93% complete! If you haven't filled it out yet, you'll see a red bar at the top of your browser window when you go to the Kickstarter web page.
I'll be back with another update in mid-April with the status of the ebook.
Have a great weekend,
Jon
Gauntlet editing update and check out my new comics campaign!
6 months ago
– Fri, Feb 20, 2026 at 03:36:24 PM
Hi everyone,
Thanks for your patience as I finished my editing pass on the book. All told, I added 6 new chapters to the end, to give the book an epic finish. I am currently going back through the book for a copy editing pass, which I hope to finish by the first week of March.
In the meantime, Francine Delgado is working on the interior illustrations (you unlocked three of them during the campaign!).
Next week, I will be sending out a Kickstarter survey asking for how you would like your name to appear in the back of the book. This is not the fulfillment survey (that will be done through BackerKit when the digital copy of the book is ready), but just an easy way for me to get your names quickly.
Blood of Atlantis Issue 3 Campaign
The Kickstarter campaign for the latest issue of my fantasy comic series, Blood of Atlantis, is now live! If you're new to the series, we have discounted catch-up tiers where you can grab all three issues. Plus, there are some fun crossovers between the comic and The Gauntlet that discerning readers will be able to uncover!
Back the campaign here.
Happy 2026!
8 months ago
– Fri, Jan 02, 2026 at 11:06:49 AM
Hi everyone,
Can't believe 2025 has come and gone! It was a productive year in the ARC Worlds universe, with comics and prose aplenty. You can check out my year-in-review here.
On the Gauntlet front, I am still working on edits to the manuscript. After getting to the end, I felt that the last several chapters could use some fleshing out, and that necessitated expanding what was supposed to be 1-2 chapters into probably double that. And that also necessitated going back and introducing some plot threads earlier in the book. On the plus side, you're now getting a longer book! I expect to finish editing in the next several weeks, with the goal to get the ebook out to backers by the end of January.
I am also working on the design briefs for the three interior illustrations to get to Fran Delgado, so she can get started (She is currently working on the banner art for the next Blood of Atlantis KS campaign, but will start on the illustrations right after that). Depending on timing, I may release a text-only ebook version so you can start reading sooner.
Finally, I will be sending a Kickstarter survey next week where you'll submit how you want your name to appear in the back of the book (or opt-out if you prefer). I'll be using BackerKit for the traditional post-campaign fulfillment survey, which will be sent out closer to fulfillment.
Thanks again for backing the campaign, and I look forward to getting you your book!
Happy reading,
Jon
Thank you for a great campaign!
9 months ago
– Fri, Nov 21, 2025 at 11:11:45 AM
Hi everyone,
We've reached the end of the Guild of Magic: The Gauntlet campaign!
Thanks to your support, we unlocked six stretch goals, crossed the $7500 mark, and finished with 180 backers! We unlocked the sixth stretch goal, which means the book will feature three interior illustrations from Francine Delgado. We're very close to unlocking the last set of flash stories, and if we manage to get there via late pledges, you'll get 12 bonus stories featuring every member of the Guild.
So what happens now?
Kickstarter is processing payments now, and it will take a couple of weeks for Kickstarter to transfer over the funds to me.
If you received an email saying that your payment couldn't be processed, please follow the instructions, as you only have a limited amount of time to fix your payment information so that your pledge can go through. You'll also see a red banner at the top of the page the next time you visit Kickstarter.
In the interest of expediency, I am going to be sending out a post-campaign survey via Kickstarter to collect the name you'd like to appear in the back of the book. I'll then be sending out the official post-campaign rewards survey via BackerKit, most likely next month.
Through the BackerKit survey, you'll provide your email address for digital item delivery and your shipping information (if you are a physical tier backer).
In addition, you'll be able to buy any of the add-ons that were available in the campaign.
I’ll give you a heads-up before we send the survey so that you can watch for it.
Surveys will remain open for about a month, at which time they will be locked down - except you will be able to update your address right up to a week or so before rewards are shipped.
Again, I'm so grateful for your support and for your enthusiasm and can't wait to get you the book!
All the best,
Jon
5th stretch goal unlocked! Final hours!
9 months ago
– Thu, Nov 20, 2025 at 11:27:47 AM
Hi everyone,
With about three hours to go in the campaign, we've unlocked the fifth stretch goal! That means that all backers will get 9 bonus flash stories, each starring one of the Guild's members.
We're currently less than $20 away from hitting the 6th stretch goal: a third interior illustration from Fran Delgado! Woo!
Voting is currently tied for which Tables should be featured in rounds 2 and 3 of the bonus stories. However, if we hit $8000 before the campaign closes, then it will all be moot, because you will have unlocked all 12 flash stories. So please keep spreading the word!
Thank you as always for your support, and I'll see you on the other side.
Happy reading,
Jon
