Victory Achieved!
11 days ago
– Tue, Jan 07, 2025 at 08:04:05 PM
Hello Defiant Ones,
When we started this journey seven days ago, we set out to defy expectations, break boundaries, and forge connections across realities. What happened next wasn't just a successful campaign—it was an act of collective defiance that echoed across every universe we've explored together. Thanks to each one of you who chose to be part of this rebellion, who saw these stories and said "yes, this is my path of defiance."
[🐉 The massive dragon materialises, his scales shimmering with reflected timelines. 'For once, I'll admit... you humans exceeded even my expectations. Although, I guess it's not hard, considering what I have to compare you to…' His gaze slides towards the Author.]
Oh, —BLEEP— you Vren.
[🐉 A deep chuckle. 'Language.']
Our Acts of Defiance
Together we achieved something magical:
- 5 tales of defiance
- 1 exclusive preview
- 29 Limited Editions claimed by our most dedicated rebels
- 1 stretch goal unlocked, expanding the Defiant universe
- Countless connections discovered between worlds
[🐉 'And myself, of course.']
What happens next?
[🐉 Vren coils around the timeline display, tapping each point with a careful claw. 'Ah yes, the delicate dance of manifestation…']
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We are here —> The Short Bits Volume 5 campaign is done, and thanks to you rebels, it's a resounding success! Take a moment to celebrate—you've helped create something truly special.
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Kickstarter's turn (Next 14 days): Kickstarter will collect your pledges. Don't worry if there are any hiccups with your payment method—they'll reach out directly to sort things out.
-
Survey time! (Coming soon): You'll receive a survey through BackerKit where you can:
- Choose your name for the Acknowledgments (or remain a mysterious rebel)
- Confirm your shipping details
- Grab any last-minute add-ons you might have missed
- I'll send another update when these go out.
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Survey lockdown: You'll have plenty of time to adjust your choices, but once we lock the surveys, only shipping addresses can be changed. Don't worry—you'll get 24 hours notice before this happens!
[🐉 'Time flows differently in each reality, but in this one, deadlines matter.' Vren snaps his tail, and narrows his gaze at the Author. 'No matter how much you like the sound they as they whizz by.']
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Your name in print: Once surveys are locked, your chosen name will be immortalised in the Acknowledgments.
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Digital delivery: All ebooks and digital goodies will wing their way to you via BackerKit. As always, I'll send an update when this happens.
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Production begins: The books head to the printer, and the magic becomes reality!
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The great packing adventure: Once the books arrive, I'll be signing, numbering and carefully packing each one.
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Final address check: One last chance to update your shipping address before the books begin their journey.
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The grand departure: I'll be making Sam the postwoman's day with a mountain of parcels. You'll receive tracking information for your packages where applicable.
Remember, you can reach out anytime with questions. We're all in this together!
[🐉 'And some of us are watching from every possible timeline...' Vren stretches lazily. 'Just to make sure everything goes according to plan.']
Like you could plan your way out of a paper bag.
[🐉 'I got out of the Game, didn't I?']
More's the pity.
Until next time,
Belinda
Check out my next awesome campaign, coming this March.
I Am Maggie Volume 1: A LitRPG Cyberpunk Thriller. Enter a world where jet packs clash with swords, gods battle cyborgs and death is just the beginning. [🐉 'And where I once ruled.']
Day 7: It's the Final Stand! 4 hours to go.
11 days ago
– Tue, Jan 07, 2025 at 03:35:56 PM
Hello Defiant Ones,
The Final Stand!
[🐉 Vren's massive form ripples with unusual agitation, casting shifting shadows across the Hub's displays. 'The timelines are converging. In every reality I can see, we're counting down to something... significant.']
It's called a deadline, you overgrown drama lizard.
[🐉 'I prefer "convergence of destinies" myself.']
Final Countdown
- Campaign ends: TODAY at 8 PM PST / 3 PM AEDT
- Current funding: $1158 (289%)
- Total backers: 28 defiant souls
- Final stretch goal: $1500 – the holographic cover!
Your Last Chance to Choose
This is it, rebels. After today, these paths close forever:
- Digital Track – All five stories, delivered straight to your preferred e-reader
- Physical Track –The beautiful paperback edition, including all stories and the exclusive Woman in White preview
[🐉 'Tell them about the timelines, about how each choice creates new branches of possibility…']
You just want to brag about the dragon in Woman in White. You know she'll fry you before you get within half a world of her, right?
[🐉 The dragon's grin shows entirely too many teeth. 'Can you blame me? Those horns…']
Why this limited edition matters
Beyond these stories, beyond even the Limited Edition, you're becoming part of something bigger. Each tale in Short Bits adds another thread to the tapestry, another path of defiance that echoes across realities.
[🐉 Vren's form shifts, revealing glimpses of other worlds through his translucent scales. 'Every choice matters. Every act of defiance ripples. Even choosing which edition to back creates new possibilities…']
Now who's being dramatic?
[🐉 'I learned from the best. Nice boots, by the way.']
Last chance links:
- Secure Limited Edition: [Link]
- Upgrade Your Pledge: [Link]
- Share the campaign with fellow Rebels: [Link]
Until the very last minute,
Belinda
P.S. No, Vren cannot bend time to extend the campaign. Yes, we've discussed this. At length.
[🐉 'Technically, I could—']
NO.
Check out these other awesome campaigns.
Rivetingly Great Stories. 100 gripping science fiction short stories covering a thrilling range of subgenres.
Too Much Tinsel. One's a dame. One's a dragon. They're detectives. For fans of Sam Spade and Phillip Marlow. Get the special foil-stamped hardcover!!
Day 6: Just 24 hours to go!
12 days ago
– Mon, Jan 06, 2025 at 07:27:12 PM
Hello Defiant Ones,
The Final Countdown Begins!
[🐉 Vren coils around the display of timelines, his massive form casting shadows across parallel worlds. 'Time... such a peculiar concept. In some realities, they already have their copies of Short Bits Volume 5. In others, they're still deciding. But here, now? The window to choose grows small.']
Oh look who's being dramatic today.
[🐉 The dragon's eye narrows. 'Says the one who spent three hours just where to place the badge on the Limited Edition cover.']
It had to be exactly right and you know it.
Today's Victory Report
- Current Funding: $1052 (263%)
- Backers: 26 defiant souls
- Next Milestone: $1500... holographic cover!
- Hours remaining: 24
Limited Edition spotlight!
For those still choosing their path of defiance, let's talk about what makes these 100 copies special:
-
Woman in White – The exclusive preview that opens up a whole new world
- Reality bending holographic cover
- Signed & numbered (and possibly slightly singed – I saw that Vren)
- Behind-the-scenes commentary for each story
- A special note about where these stories fit in the larger universe
[🐉 'You forgot to mention the—']
No spoilers!
[🐉 The dragon's tail twitches in amusement. 'Ah yes. The one that made you spill your coffee when you wrote it.']
Speaking of surprises, let's talk about that final stretch goal...
Stretch goal unlocked! A new short story is yours
Looks like I need to get my writing shoes on! We hit stretch goal 1 which means, I'm writing a brand new short story exploring the origins of the mysterious Hub that connects all my stories, and the dragon that guards it. You’ll get the story as a Kickstarter-exclusive advanced copy waaay before anyone else.
What's next
- Tomorrow is our LAST DAY
- Stretch goal 2 ($1500) is for the HOLOGRAPHIC COVER!
- Last chance for Limited Edition copies
- The end of this campaign... but also the beginning of something bigger
[🐉 'Time grows short in this reality,' Vren muses, his form shifting through shades of teal and midnight. 'But then again, time is just another rule waiting to be broken, isn't it?']
I'm not letting you bend time to extend the campaign.
[🐉 'Spoilsport.']
Quick Actions
- Secure Limited Edition: [Link]
- Upgrade Your Pledge: [Link]
- Share the campaign with fellow Rebels: [Link]
- Join the Discussion: [Link]
Until our next act of defiance,
Belinda
Check out these other awesome campaigns.
Reign of Dragons: Illustrated Hardcover Anthology. An epic dragon themed anthology by some of the industry's favorite fantasy authors and artists.
The Wilds Exile | An Illustrated Epic Fantasy Novel. She broke a siege. Bonded a titan. Lost the one she loved most. But Leiyn must rise above her anguish, for Unera still needs a savior.
Day 5: Behind the Stories
13 days ago
– Sun, Jan 05, 2025 at 06:22:05 PM
Hello Defiant Ones,
Time to peek behind the curtain!
After four days of exploring quantum heists, virtual libraries, rural magic, and reality-bending sandwiches, it's time to share how these stories came together to create something bigger than I imagined, the Defiant universe.
[🐉 A familiar shimmer across your screen and Vren appears, the giant teal eye narrowed. 'And me.']
Yes, and you. No one's forgetting about you, or my boots, you a**hole.
[🐉 'Shall we discuss that dragon egg tart again?' The dragon pulls back and his lips curl to reveal foot-long fangs. 'You know, I've always wondered, does horse taste like unicorn?']
I've got a delete key.
[🐉 'And I've got a starring role.']
Today's Victory Report
- Current Funding: $963 [240%]
- Backers: 22 defiant souls
- Next Milestone: $1000. Still working our way to that new short story!
Behind the Magic
There are many more stories, across many more worlds than the ones shared with you so far, including Woman in White, the exclusive preview featured in this special edition of Short Bits 5.
[🐉 Vren's massive form shifts, casting shadows across timelines that stretch into infinity. 'Every story, every act of rebellion creates ripples. A heist in one world echoes as magic in another, and a simple tart holds the key to a knight's quest across realities.']
My stories have taken on a life of their own, and what started as separate events, in separate worlds, have begun to weave together in unexpected ways. Some are pretty obvious, like how the technology in So Long & Thanks for all the Diamonds flows into Bug Hunt, but a couple come out of left field, like how I discovered just the other day that the basement levels in The Deli connect to the Hub. Even Vren—
[🐉 The giant teal eye narrows. 'Choose your words carefully, human.']
He just kinda rolled up on me one day and said—
[🐉 "'Bow before me, for I am wonder.'"]
*rolls eyes* I mean, what kind of narcissistic mind comes up with that?
[🐉 'Yours, apparently.']
Tomorrow's Preview
Get ready for a deep dive into what makes our Limited Edition truly special.
[🐉 'It's a dragon.']
It's not a dragon.
[🐉 'It is.']
It's not.
[🐉 'Yes, it—.']
Hey, who wrote the damn book?!
Quick Actions
- Share the campaign with fellow Rebels: [Link]
- Join the Discussion: [Link]
Until our next act of defiance,
Belinda
[🐉 A gentle, sulphur-laden breath washes through the screen, and then a whisper… 'Dragon.']
Check out these other awesome campaigns.
The Demon Familiar. A failed spell caster. An outcast warrior. A witch society hidden in the modern world
Weird Short Stories From The Universe (And Beyond). A collection of strange tales contained within "The Book".
Day 4: Worlds Collide
14 days ago
– Sat, Jan 04, 2025 at 07:02:55 PM
Hello Defiant Ones,
Reality is getting a bit... flexible today!
After exploring rural magic (and Vren's questionable taste in footwear <—see what I did there? [🐉 'Oh, yes. Comic genius.'.]), we're sliding sideways into a place where the wrong pastry order could land you in a lunch pot. Welcome to The Deli – where your sandwich order could have disastrous consequences.
Today's Victory Report
- Current Funding: $956 (239%)
- Backers: 21 defiant souls
- Next Milestone: $1000. Just $44 until we unlock a new short story!
Today's Tale of Defiance: The Deli
[🐉 'There is a dragon in this one, a small, pitiful specimen but still… a dragon.' There is a beat, and the BOOM BOOM of a massive heart fills the silence. 'And a tart, a dragon egg tart.' A growl. 'I really should have eaten her horse.']
In The Deli we enter a magic space, where time doesn't work the same for everyone, knights in a shinning armour mix with nerdy teachers, and the scariest things lurk behind the counter.
Behind the Rebellion
I used to work in the deli section at the local supermarket, which was terrible because it was so very boring (spoiler: bored authors are dangerous). However, there were a few upsides, this story being one.
As to where The Deli sits in the Defiant universe… Vren, you haven't been to the Deli have you, because there are some striking similarities between it and the Hub.
[🐉 'I have an eighth cousin, five times removed.']
An eighth cousin, five times…? Is that even a thing?
[🐉 …]
Vren?
Vren, are you ignoring me again?
[🐉 'You wrote a dragon egg tart into the story.']
And?
[🐉 'I see no human toe taurine.']
Oh, that's just gross.
[🐉 'Exactly.']
Tomorrow's Preview
Put your cross-reality goggles on! Tomorrow, we're going to pull back the curtain and see learn a little bit more about about all these stories fit into the Defiant universe.
Quick Actions
- Share the campaign with fellow Rebels: [Link]
- Join the Discussion: [Link]
Until our next act of defiance,
Belinda
Check out these other awesome campaigns.
The Last Titan – A New Saga of Greek Mythology. Discover a Reborn World of Greek Myth and Adventure
Bright Mirror. An Anthology of Utopian Science Fiction Stories from Oddity Prodigy Productions
