Never Too Old to Save the World: An Anthology

Final Hours
over 3 years ago – Sat, Aug 13, 2022 at 07:21:49 PM

Dear Chosen Backers,

Thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. We've reached our author-raise stretch goal, and I'm so pleased that we'll be able to show our appreciation for their art and creativity with that bonus.

We're in the final 48 hours of the campaign, so your friends and family and fellow readers still have time to get in on the save-the-world action. Thanks for all you've done to share this so far!

See you on the other side.

-Alana

We did it!
over 3 years ago – Thu, Aug 11, 2022 at 04:58:31 AM

Thank you, thank you everyone for helping us reach our funding goal! You all answered the call, and I am so grateful to share this journey with you!

There's still a week left in the campaign, and I would love to see our authors get that raise. I think we can do it! 

Meanwhile, if you're at GenCon and you get this right as I send it, you've got fifteen minutes to get to Mariott Ballroom 1 to see Never Too Old author LaShawn M. Wanak on a panel! You can also catch the Outland Team in the dealer hall; stop by and say hi to the team, if you get a chance. We are in the Studio 2 aisle, row 2000.

-Alana

The end of the campaign looms…
over 3 years ago – Thu, Aug 04, 2022 at 08:32:21 PM

…but our goal is in sight! We're about $900 from making our goal, and we have 9 days left. 

Even better, I think we're within the hopeful range of our first stretch goal. Addie and I would love to give all our original authors a raise to 10 cents per word! (Our one reprint would also get an increased rate.) 

As a reward to all of you for bringing us this far, here's a new excerpt from one of our stories. (It will even be new to those of you who attended our reading last week!) 

Please continue to share the campaign with your friends and help us get the word out, so we can get these awesome stories into your hands.

-Alana

Lean In: The Lord of Hell is Coming

By Ericka Kahler

Vincent followed the man he was pretty sure was a demon into the office of the CEO of MA Culpepper, LLC. It unnerved him that they both wore similar suits, though the demon’s tie was bright crimson silk while his was a boring polyester navy blue. Vincent adjusted his tie tighter against his Adam’s apple. His fingers gripped the handle of the briefcase as he sat in the chair the demon gestured to.

Mary Ann Culpepper breezed in behind the demon. “Thank you, Dipshit,” Mary Ann said. Vincent blinked in surprise, but realized she was talking to the demon, not him. He shifted his eyes to the creature. Instead of going on a demonic rampage, it simply nodded its head at Mary Ann and left the room. She sat down into an over-sized leather chair that vaguely resembled a throne, despite being an ordinary executive office chair.

“So, Mister…” she trailed off expectantly.

“Uh, Vincent Dunferline.” He fumbled his briefcase onto the small table next to his chair. It tipped over and crashed to its side on the polished veneer. He patted it nervously before looking up at Mary Ann again. Her hand was stretched toward him, inviting him into a handshake. He took a very deep breath before reaching out and clasping it. Her hand felt warm and soft. Ordinary.

“I have a very busy day, Vincent. Can I call you Vincent?” Mary Ann asked.

This was it. This was the moment he’d been preparing for his entire adult life. He took a deep breath. “Mary Ann Culpepper, you’ve been chosen.”

She tilted her head to the side. “Wait, you aren’t the guy from the IRS?”

“Oh, I am,” he said. “But I am also a member of an ancient order that is charged with saving the human race from the demon incursions. I took your case so I could make contact with you and tell you about your sacred duty.”

Mary Ann sat up straight in her chair, then let out a huff of breath. “Well, finally.”

Vincent blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Hold on a sec,” she pushed a button. “The IRS auditor is also a member of the Order. I’m going to need you to make some more room on my schedule for him.”

“The Lord of Hell is coming,” a deep, gritty voice said through the speaker.

“I know. Today of all days, right? Thank you, Dipshit.”

Reading tonight
over 3 years ago – Fri, Jul 29, 2022 at 06:23:18 PM

Hello, chosen backers!

This is just a quick reminder that our author reading is happening tonight! Registration will close ahead of the event, so reserve your spot before 6 p.m. tonight, and we'll see you at 8 ET!

Meanwhile, I wanted to share some other Kickstarters I love that are going on now, created by backers and friends of Outland.

Our friends at Apex Magazine are conducting their fund drive to support their 2023 issues. If you're not familiar (and if you love short fiction like we do, you owe it to yourself to become familiar), Apex Magazine is (in their words) "an online and digital zine of fantastical fiction works filled with marrow and passion, stories that are strange, shocking, beautiful, and surreal." Never Too Old to Save the World's only reprinted story, "Jackelope Wives" by Ursula Vernon, was originally published in Apex. We're rooting for them to have a very successful campaign!

Jesse Cowan, one of our backers, brought this incredibly cool comic to our attention. Little Wolf is a coming of age tale set in pre-colonial North America. In this issue, he faces off against a Lhofa, who is out for blood. From the project page: "Jesse Cowan is an independent animator, graphic novelist, film maker, and member of the Chickasaw Nation. He has brought his own characters and stories to life with a series of short films and independent graphic novels known as 'Little Wolf,' which enjoys success as an underground media phenomenon." 

Thanks for all your support, and hope to see many of you online tonight!

-Alana

Meet Our Authors!
over 3 years ago – Mon, Jul 25, 2022 at 08:02:29 PM

What a great first week this has been! Thanks to everyone for your support. We're getting ready to save the world, one story at a time.

But before that, we have an event for you! The amazing C.S.E. Cooney and Carlos Hernandez are hosting several of our Never Too Old authors for an evening of excerpt reading, which will give you a first listen into the stories of this anthology. You can join us on July 29 from 8:00 to 10:00 on Eventbrite. Our featured writers include:

John F. Allen, Sarah Hans, Jim C. Hines, Guadalupe Garcia McCall, Alexandra Pitchford, R.J. Sullivan, Jaymie Wagner, andLaShawn Wanak. Editors Addie King and I will both read from the stories we're contributing as well.

Share the link, tell your friends, and join us on Friday  night!

Until the next apocalypse,

-Alana