Vi in a Shadowbox frame

Because adding fanciness is fun.
(The auctions are for the figurine only, we don’t have more shadowboxes.  )

Last notice on auctions- all three (separate) figurine auctions are now live here:

I say ‘separate,’ because the first figurine has been bid up to the point where I’m wondering if people think there are crown jewels hidden in there or something.  Just resin- and there are three chances at it!

http://www.ebay.com/sch/dreamkeeperauctions/m.html?item=221318012055&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item338794dc97&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

Thanks again to everyone for being so amazingly supportive!

Figurine auction link

Three resin figurines hand-cast and hand-painted by Liz.   We're auctioning them off on ebay- the first auction has begun here:    We'll put the other two figurines up for bid on December 2nd and 3rd.  

They were a lot of fun to craft, and we're happy they'll be finding a good home out there!

Vi Figurine Auction

Vi Figurine Auction We’re back from Midwest Furfest- thank you to everyone who made it out there to see us, it was absolutely a blast! And here’s a video: It’s another behind-the-scenes look at production of the new DK poster- plus some preliminary footage of the Prelude Collection proof copies. Both books and posters are currently being printed, and inching closer to full fledged availability.Speaking of availability- there’s our auction starting December 1st: We have three Vi figurines we’ll be selling on e-bay. Hand-cast from a silicone mold, they’re composed of resin. Sculpey clay is notoriously fragile, but not resin- these Vi’s are so durable, they’re close to unbreakable. Liz painstakingly hand-paints each figurine, starting with some deeper base coats to keep the colors intense, and finishing off with protective matte finish and glossy eyes. So why an auction instead of regular, bottomless website sales? Because we’re not making any more of these. Hand-crafting resin is tricky and time-consuming, and a few DK sculpts have already been lost due to the uncertainty inherent in the process. Therefore, the remaining 9 Vi sculpts we possess are the last there will ever be. Only three are currently painted and ready for daylight. If you’d like one of them, pop in here on the 1st, and we’ll post the auction link once it goes live. One quick note before I dash: If anyone has plans to purchase graphic novels as Christmas gifts, please order them early! International packages spend up to a month in transit, and even domestic orders take a week or two to arrive. If domestic gift orders are placed after the first week of December, they may not make the date. That’s it for now- we’ll post a link here when the Vi figurine auctions goes live!

Chicago bound

We’ll be at Midwest Furfest this weekend, sharing a table compliments of the magnificent Hopeful Monster Studios:  http://www.furaffinity.net/user/hopefulmonsterstudios/

Anyone attending, we’d love to say hi!

And after a solid three weeks of work, the new 18 x 24 Kickstarter-funded Dreamkeepers poster has been FINISHED.

I had this nifty idea to make progress video updates as I went- but, as usual, I became a hell-bent workaholic and couldn’t break focus until I had killed my mastadon.

However, I did save samples of the artwork as it was being done- so I plan to post those progress videos after all, in the next week or two.

If you pretend the poster isn’t done yet, they’ll be every bit as exciting as they would have been.

Also on the task list is to refresh our Prelude que and catch up on e-mails and commissions.  I’ll be doing as much of that as possible up until the Prelude Collection books arrive, at which point I’ll be in for about a solid month of packaging and mailing.

Last bit of news before I dash to pack-

We’ll be having our first ever Dreamkeepers eBay auction the first week of December.  Liz has some Vi figurines being polished for sale- more details on that when we return!

Happy Halloween! The results of the 8th annual Dreamkeepers Halloween Fanart contest are in! The only thing grimmer than the competition this year was judging it- but here are the winners:  Don’t miss the reason judging was such hell- visit the entire gallery for a bucket of Halloween fun! http://dreamkeepers-fans.deviantart.com/gallery/46050443 And if you dare another visit to the depths of our online abattoir, feast your eyes on this years Halloween Prelude special! Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest, I hope all of you are having a chillingly good Halloween!

Poster Video & Goodies

Poster Video & Goodies Our brand new Kickstarter-backed poster is in the works! Here’s a video update:    I’m really excited about how it’s shaping up- this poster may be the single most challenging piece I’ve ever worked on. Meanwhile, Prelude Collection 1 is FINALLY with the printers! I packed in more extras and new art than I thought, and formatting the whole thing took forever. I’m told the proof copy will be ready in four weeks, and after that it’s only a matter of time until the entire batch is headed our way. I’ve received a lot of questions about this- and yes, after I deliver to the Kickstarter backers, we WILL have plenty of Collection 1 books available to sell. Newsletter folks (you) will get the earliest crack at them. Also, don’t miss out on the 2013 Halloween Fanart Contest- going on now! There’s already dazzling spooky art on display- click on the image to see. Anyone can still enter, and a free trick-or-treat sticker goes out to every entrant. For anyone in the Michigan area, we’ll be dealing at the Youmacon convention next week! If you have the time, hop on out and say hi and we will say hi back and it will be incredible. Rounding out this update, check out some awesome stuff from our readership! At Dragoncon, we were surprised and excited to see the first ever Bast cosplayer! Recently we were interviewed by Ezio - the transcript is up in the forum, and covers a range from early influences, the pitfalls of higher education, and the perrenially controversial subject of sexuality in comics. And last but not least- have some kickass pixel art of Igrath created by Kaiseto! More in his gallery when you click the image. In closing - general David status update: Prelude Collection 1 - caught up. Poster - getting rolling. E-mails - actually pretty caught up now. Art Accounts - abysmally behind. If you’re trying to get in touch with me via the art accounts, I’m sorry for my delay- if it’s time sensitive, please send it to my e-mail instead! Thanks to everyone for hanging in there with us. 8 )

Trick or Treat!

It’s that time again- the 8th annual Dreamkeepers Halloween Fanart Contest is upon us!  

It will be hosted right here in DA:  http://dreamkeepers-fans.deviantart.com/

The rules are here:  http://www.dreamkeeperscomic.com/HalloweenRules.htm

We’re changing up the prizes this year- instead of beads, we’ll be trying Harvest-Festival themed buttons on for size.   Of course, every entry still wins a trick-or-treat sticker.

So if you’re inclined, whip up some art, and let’s all have some fun!

While I’m here, brief update:  

You may have noticed all of the crickets chirping in the DK art accounts.  I’m behind online, for two reasons.

1) - Getting a couple hundred pages of Prelude book formatted is a bigger job than it sounds.

2)- It’s an even bigger job when the computers around me are all enthusiastically exploding.  Both my workstations went down in flames this season- fortunately data was backed up, but it’s been slowing things down replacing and reinstalling everything on everything.

What to expect:  In the next couple months, finishing the Prelude collection and preparing Kickstarter deliveries will take most of my time.  I hope to get a foothold on e-mails in the inbox, but I don’t realistically see myself engaging in the art accounts.  I love the art accounts and interacting with you guys in here, but sometimes I have to shelve the chatting to Get Stuff Done- I don’t want to enjoy conversing so much that I neglect the project.

So hang tight for a few months, once we deliver on the Kickstarter I’ll be back in the swing of things.

V4 Sneak Peek #4: Prelude Book Collection! ….And Volume 4.

(PS- if you like video games, continue reading to the bottom of this blog, there are links.)

So, our Kickstarter…  Well that worked!

The backers are currently voting on design choices for a brand new DK poster, I’m creating the cover art and extra illustrations for the book collection, and we’re ordering the new merchandise- buttons, stickers, and Namah falling in 11 x 17 glory.

Some people have asked whether Prelude editions will be available for purchase to those that couldn’t participate in the Kickstarter.  The answer is yes!  After we deliver to our backers, there should be inventory leftover that I will then announce for sale in our site store.

Volume 4 is still rolling forward- it had to pull over into the slow lane so that the Prelude collection could roar towards production, but it’s still on the road.

We finished another round of script revisions for Chapters 11 and 12 last month, and last week finalized the Chapter 11 thumbnail layouts.   The closer this book gets to completion, the more exciting it is to work on!

I expect most of August to be spent polishing our Prelude edition, then we’ll be soaring off to Dragoncon.   Once we return and the collection is with the printers, V4 production will resume full steam ahead.

And before we end this update, it’s time for fun- the Reader Spotlight!

Ever wanted to see Mace’s head big, 3-D, and clay?
http://frasercartoons.tumblr.com/post/52835244172/oh-heads-are-indeed-up-there-mace-he-looks-so
Now your desires are fulfilled.

An art project by Sukotto that came out awesome!

And, yes- a reader out there has created their own DK video game.  Play for yourself!
http://game.dreamkeepers.ru/

More on their mini-game and it’s production in our forum- they have an open call if anyone would like to lend a hand with them.
http://www.dreamkeeperscomic.com/forum/?t=194

That’s all for the moment- more updates to come as summer concludes.

And for the artists in the audience, don’t forget- it’s getting to be that time of year again- the annual Dreamkeepers Halloween Fanart Contest isn’t that far off!

Kickstartered!

Kickstartered!

205% funded- this campaign has blown our expectations out of the water.    http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2083757038/dreamkeepers-prelude-collection

We're at a bit of a loss for what to say- just, thank you everyone, for your kindness, your solidarity, your help in promotion, and for enjoying our work.  We're growing to appreciate an ancient maxim that has emerged as valid:     

Never underestimate the Dreamkeepers readers.  

Thanks to our backers, the Prelude book is going to be printed in some beautiful editions- I've been drawing up extra content for it this week, and I'm excited to add some polish and flourishes to make the book as packed as possible!

In addition, we've blown past the first stretch goal- ALL backers will have a brand new DK poster added to their purchase!

In a fun twist, it's the backers themselves who get to decide exactly what I'll be drawing for this new poster.  I'll look forward to sharing the design stages in here as we create it!

Again, thank you to everyone who has helped us come so far.  It's humbling and gratifying to create work which is enjoyed and appreciated.  We're excited to continue doing our best to make this world come alive for you guys- thank you for making it possible.

-David & Liz 

One Week Left!

This is it- the final update before our Kickstarter campaign concludes!

With just under a week to go, we’re painfully near the 25K stretch goal.   Thanks to you guys, the campaign has already vaulted past the 20K mark.  If we can reach out and pull in enough new readers, we just might hit our free-posters target!

Thank you again to everyone who’s contributed to get us to this point- I’m continually reminded how fantastic our readership is.  We’re fortunate to have the interest of so many generous, engaged, and attentive people.  Thank you for helping us reach this far!

WEDIDIT

The month isn't half finished, and we've officially done it!  We've hit our funding goal!  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2083757038/dreamkeepers-prelude-collection

*Elated dance that should embarrass but too excited to care*

This means that the book we're all hoping for is going to be a shiny, colorful reality.  And it's thanks to you guys- thank you for your support, both in the form of donations, and for helping spread the word to prospective readers.  

What's Next?

Stretch Goal #1:  Free Posters For Everyone.

With most of the month left, achieving the first stretch goal is a distinct possibility.  If we can push the campaign up to $25k, I'll be working with donors to design a brand spankin' new Dreamkeepers poster that gets distributed to every backer.  

I say full steam ahead!  We're already more than halfway there, with nothing to lose- so whatever you guys have been doing to kick so much ass, let's keep on doin' it!  

Thanks again to everyone!

-David

Dreamkeepers Kickstarter Promo, a-la Leon!

KICKSTARTER GO!

It's official- we’ve launched the first ever Dreamkeepers Kickstarter!  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2083757038/dreamkeepers-prelude-collection

One step closer to overtaking earth.

It’s raising funds to print the Prelude book collection. Check out the project video, new art, and of course reward levels and stretch goals as far as the eye can see.

 It only lasts for one month- if we don't reach our goal in July, we won't hit it.  Kickstarters are all or nothing. So please hop over and check it out, and share the link with anyone who might have an interest!

If we pull together, I think we might just be able to make some amazing stuff!

V3 Reviews

DK has been making the rounds lately- we’re fortunate to receive some publicity and attention, and here are the latest reviews!

From professionals:
http://fromthetomb.wordpress.com/2013/06/25/dreamkeepers-volume-3-review/

To fellow artists:
http://funkyalien.deviantart.com/journal/DreamKeepers-Volume-3-Review-375570018

To readers promoting Dreamkeepers in general.
http://lockandstock12.deviantart.com/journal/DreamKeepers-Comic-Experience-and-Review-339326640

Even a recent Volume 1 review:
http://www.beaconcollege.edu/2013/03/why-you-should-read-dreamkeepers-volume-1-awakening-by-david-and-liz-lillie/


And speaking of DK news, big announcement coming in the next day or so…

Reader Spotlight

I’m always amazed at the sheer creativity Dreamkeepers readers exhibit-  so I figure I should start sharing the fun!

Check out the latest DK motion-comic adaptation from Darkspeeds:
http://darkspeeds.deviantart.com/journal/DREAMKEEPERS-Nainso-in-The-Job-Offer-375708703

Plus he’s holding auditions for voice talent in the next one.  http://darkspeeds.deviantart.com/journal/Oh-My-Peaks-Which-Voice-Type-To-Choose-377273178  (I’m behind in announcements, so I’m not sure if the auditions are still going on.)

Ever wondered what Grunn was like as a young man?  So has Kiyo- check out the mini-comic:
http://lord-kiyo.deviantart.com/art/Grunn-good-ol-days-373829652

And polishing off our first Readers Spotlight, I’d like to present Mr. Reaverable and his music to everyone!  https://www.youtube.com/user/MrReaverable?feature=watch

If you’ve ever wished for a soundtrack to Dreamkeepers, then you need look no further.  Reaverable has crafted full scores for every graphic novel release, and more- even creating music for Prelude.  It’s rare to see someone pour so much effort into creating while expecting so little in return.  And it’s all available for free on his you tube channel!

A big thank you from us to Mr. Reaverable, for your undimmed awesomeness.

That’s it for our first Reader Spotlight- short ‘n sweet.  No idea how frequently I’ll do these, but I hope you enjoyed the first one!

Oh, the things you'll see

Since our move to more settled lodgings, we wandered about the immediate area and documented some of the finer attractions:

Post-Apocalyptic Basketball Court

After society crumbles, this is where we’ll hold the tribunals for our neighbors.

Our Own Amusement Park

It’s got Sea- it’s got Land- what more do you want?  Free admission?  YOU GOT IT!

Tiny Runway

I presume David the Gnome became a CEO, owns a private jet, and lives nearby.  If there’s another explanation, I’d like to hear it.

Tanning Toilets

But they’re so pale, all they can really do is get burned.

Caught In the Act

This one time we walked in on two bikes having sex.

The Wanderer

This cart has cut itself free from the expectations of society, and can be seen roaming the hillsides at random.

V4 Sneak Peek #3: Chapter KO

The Chapter 10 pencils are finished!



















Lately I’ve been hell-bent on that task, so we have a backlog of other announcements.

New DK motion comics, reader creations, V3 reviews, the discovery of a tiny runway- rather than jumble it all into one pile, expect a scattering of posts over the next week or so.

Also this next week, we’ll be shifting gears to finalize the Prelude Kickstarter!  If you don’t know how Kickstarter works, check it out:  http://www.kickstarter.com/hello?ref=nav

If we hit our goal, there will be books and prizes and fun galore- but it’s an all-or-nothing prospect, so we need all the help we can get.  The campaign goes live in July- everyone prepare your megaphones in advance, please.  There will be an inspection.

Also in July, we’ll be showing up at Anthrocon- for anyone attending, we’ll be lurking in the Dealer’s Room if you want to say hi!

And without further ado, here are some Chapter 10 Sneak Peeks:

VAHVOOM

Readers who have been with us for some time may remember our old car, the 'For The Win' Escort and its Spectacular Engine Death: (click for larger pictures)

Continuing the noble tradition, we’re excited to announce the obituary for our latest and greatest vehicular diorama- the Vahvoom.




The car started out normal, and therefore impossible to find in a parking lot.  The Oldsmobile 88 was lacking neon fins or an on-command glitter cannon, we just never cared enough about cars to note their distinguishing features.

So Liz added some.  The secret to pulling off this effect?

Cardboard, duct tape, a couple pinwheels, and a few judiciously placed rhinestones.  Then you, too, can look unstable enough to ensure others let you change lanes unchallenged.

The design was inspired by the song 'Drive Like Lightening Crash Like Thunder' by the Brian Setzer Orchestra  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cA_dUGUDfE , and in due time lived up to its anthem.


Current transportation may not be as colorful, but you can’t beat a one cent ride.

Sneak Peek 2: Getting the Lead Out

Chapter 10 pencils are over halfway finished- and we just started them this month!

We’re cruising- the quality may be dipping just a tad, but I don’t think anyone will really notice.

 Nah, I kid.   V4 is moving faster because we’re able to devote much more of our time to working on it.

Back during Volume 3 production, it was important for me to spend long hours guarding parking lots from evil.  If danger ever rears its ugly head again, I may resume my duties as Parking Lot Protector- but at present, we’re burning rubber on art.
.

Liz is knocking out the character colors on penciled pages, and we're about to tap into our pool of talented freelancers to accelerate production even further.

Don't tell anyone- but Rumour has been imported directly from an old black and white film.

One bump in the road when it comes to my speed is going to be the Prelude book collection on Kickstarter- I need to shift focus to that so we can launch it this summer, and hopefully hit our goal and bring a big, beautiful, full-color Prelude collection to life.

There are some fun extras in the works for that- I’m quite excited to get things ready to unveil!

In the meanwhile, check out some recent Dreamkeepers fun!

A Mace skin for Minecraft: http://www.minecraftskins.com/skin/354062/mace/

A Volume 3 review by Fred Patten on Flayrah: http://www.flayrah.com/4977/review-dreamkeepers-volume-3-intentions-entwined-dave-liz-lillie

And another review by Jay Naylor on Furaffinity:  http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/4671010/

Much kudos to these guys for helping spread the word about Volume 3- if anyone else posts a review up you’d like us to feature, drop me a line and I’d be happy to do so!

‘Till then, strap yourself in- it’s going to be a fun summer.

You might want this.

Decadent Video Splendor

Dreamkeepers has officially earned a critical Internet Citizen merit badge- there’s a humor video / review up for Volume 3!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMqGuO2Rgoo

Complete with guest stars, cutaways, the whole nine yards!  If you enjoy the video, be sure to drop a comment for them- and from my end, boxes and cartons of thanks to the guys who went to the effort of putting this together.

As if that wasn’t enough proof that the internet is splendiforous, we’ve also been featured on the website of Custom Sticker Makers:

http://customstickermakers.com/blog/dreamkeepers-got-a-dreamkeeper-sticker-protecting-you/

Incidentally, if you want to make your own stickers, these guys are great.

Quick V4 update:  BLEEDING AWESOME.  Pencils have hit page 19 already.  We have our first Sneak Peek on the blog http://vividstuff.blogspot.com/2013/05/v4-sneak-peek-1.html  and there should be another one coming up next week.

More news tidbits to come!

V4 Sneak Peek #1!

Volume 4 production is officially underway!

Hard work and much caffeine was poured into the script and thumbnails in previous months, but none of that looks like this:

Digo has invented shorts.  Who knows what her entrepreneurial future holds- shoes?  Shirts? Shoes? 

For this update, I'll mainly shut my trap and let the art do the talking.

It turns out the shock troopers, once you peel their armor off, actually have names and families and feelings and everything.

This one is named Cal- his design was inspired by the Tasmanian tiger, may it rest in peace.  Why are the best animals are always limited edition?

Yet we never seem to run low on mosquitoes.  

More Volume 4 pics are in the future, as well as commission art I haven't gotten around to posting yet.  My productivity always seems to outpace my posting...  

Also keep an ear to the ground for our Prelude book collection Kickstarter, slated to start this summer!

Evil Lair- New Toys

You know you’re somewhere special when you see this:

We’re officially settled in our new lair- and check this out:

That’s right.

It’s a drawing desk- or as I like to call it, my own little slice of heaven.

This may not seem like a big deal to all those sane people out there, but I’ve been dreaming of having an actual real workstation for years.   We didn’t have room for one back in the matchbox.

In the old days, I’d jury-rig a sketching surface by balancing a briefcase on my lap with a dinosaur book on top for a writing surface, and carefully fan out reference papers.   After carefully constructing the teetering edifice and planting pencils and erasers about, I would then immediately dismantle all of it in order to go pee.

But not anymore.


Fully pampered with a workstation that doesn‘t fall apart when I shift my weight, Volume 4 is off to a great start!  Our next post ought to be a sneak peek of the progress.  

Conventions, Kickstarters, and Fluffy Things

If you are a killer for hire, please continue reading.

Despite soggy arctic conditions, Furry Connection North was a blast- thank you to everyone who visited us there!  You're fantastic and you know it.

Keep an eye on our accounts, we'll be posting art from the convention soon.  Speaking of cons, we have our schedule for the rest of 2013:

Anthrocon in July- http://www.anthrocon.org/

Dragoncon in August/September -http://www.dragoncon.org/


We were hoping to attend Midwest Furfest, applying the day dealerships opened- but we were still too slow!   Sold out in less than a day.  I'm looking into hit-men to clear out some space on the waiting list- If any pros (or amateurs, I do have an eye for a bargain) are reading this, please post a blurb below with your credentials and preferred assassination technique.  Bonus points for improbable mo's.

But barring Boba Fett, the above conventions comprise our 2013 schedule.

Meanwhile, check out this Kickstarter!  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/704723768/myriad-song-science-fiction-tabletop-rpg-of-10000


It's for Myriad Song, the new intergalactic tabletop rp book coming out from Sanguine Games.  We were commissioned to contribute some art to the book- and beyond the fun visuals, the idea is stellar.  If you enjoy roleplay, retro 80's sci-fi, dinosaurs, and telepathic arachnids, then you win.  Come on in.

When it comes to Kickstarters, we have some news of our own!  In our 'hardcover Prelude book versus softcover' poll, we had hundreds express their preferences.  But here's some fun- it turns out we can have both.

If we successfully raise the money with Kickstarter, our printer will be able to create both softcover and hardcover editions of the Prelude book.  Keep an ear to our blog, or sign up to our e-mail newsletter http://www.dreamkeeperscomic.com/Newsletter.htm
- more Kickstarter news in the coming months.

Before we go, stop and consider benefits of adoption:

The creative minds behind the Anduruna 2nd life have wrought ryuu-neko pets- guaranteed to be fluffy beyond reason.

Everyone needs an elemental sidekick- even assassins.

Especially assassins.

The Future of Media- Musings

Awhile back, someone interviewed me for a business class.  I thought a couple of the questions dug up some hot air worth blowing around, so here it is!

In your opinion is small businesses, including physical and online stores, growing? Also do you think they will ever grow to the point where they are a bigger and more influential part of the economy than big businesses?

That’s an interesting question- since I mostly just make a comic, my insight is limited.  I haven’t a clue pertaining to business as a whole.  Regarding entertainment media, things are moving in two starkly different directions right now, and it fascinates me.  

Corporate media conglomerates continue cannibalizing one another, growing fewer and bigger, into titanic monoliths.  Think Time Warner- or as a recent example, look at how Disney has assimilated both Marvel and Star Wars.  All those properties are now the domain of one massive corporation.  It’s unprecedented.  These conglomerates keep growing, consuming everything in their path, and solidifying their Hollywood influence over their rivals.  On the corporate side of things, it’s get big or die.  

But at the same time, the internet is giving anyone- literally any person- the ability to start their own show, and start gathering their own audience.  There are hundreds of thousands of individuals sharing their creations via platforms like Youtube.  While a lot of these efforts are of course unprofessional and poorly executed (one could say the same of some corporate-produced films) many are becoming surprisingly sophisticated and entertaining.  I’ve seen lone individuals using special effects in their videos that rival the most expensive mega-budget effects of 1980’s film.  Everything is getting cheaper and easier for a layperson to do- and people are doing it.  And more people are watching them do it, as TV ratings and film attendance steadily declines.  TV’s can now browse the internet and play Youtube videos just as easily as they can play American Idol.

So I see things polarizing at two extremes, corporate and individual.  With the internet leveling the playing field, the source of entertainment will matter less in it’s success- it will be all about whether it’s actually entertaining.  I like to think that, without the need for board-room approval, creativity will be stronger on the individual side and we’ll see the conglomerated monoliths become less ubiquitous.  But that’s wishful thinking, and historically large organizations have been able to leverage their influence to hoard power very effectively.


Also do you believe self publishing will ever grow to the point where they are just as common in stores as other published works?

Possibly…  That depends a lot on what one defines as published vs. self-published.   The line is getting blurrier, with individuals starting their own LLCs or sole proprietorships.  Individually published books can now get freelance editorial polishing and professional-grade presentation, while editing standards at large publishers tend to be dropping, as they stop cultivating talent in their search for the next overnight blockbuster.  When present and future blockbuster authors begin to question why they’re handing the fruits of their labor to a middleman, and consider self publishing themselves-   Well, amateur vs. professional publishing will be a fuzzy prospect down the road.

But stores are practical- especially when it comes to books, since physical bookstores are having a tough time surviving.  They will carry what sells, and drop what does not.   I think in the future, that will have less to do with what company is presenting the work, and more to do with whether readers actually consider the work valuable, and recommend it to other readers.

That’s the one thing that encourages me most about the influence of the internet on commerce- it puts the customers in control, and gatekeepers  lose their power.

The Demise of Tendril’s Demise

Random news- we’re in the process of moving our evil lair. I’ll be offline and disguised until we can fortify the new apartment and reconfigure the death rays.

Before we black out, have a few quick DK news bites:


Volume 3 is now available on the Kindle, and PDF downloads are also available for sale.  That’s correct- not e-books, but the much-requested downloads are now live!  http://www.dreamkeeperscomic.com/GNVol3.php


We’re launching our first Kickstarter campaign this spring / summer for a Prelude book collection.

To that end, I’m gathering printing quotes to see what our Kickstarter target should be- so do people want hardcover books, or soft cover?  If you’re interested, please hit up our poll on DeviantArt:  http://dreamkeepers.deviantart.com/

You’ll also see a poll regarding the update schedule for Prelude- if you have a preference, please cast a vote and let us know!



One last note.  Before starting V4 scripting, we worked on a lot of revisions for the overall Dreamkeepers story plan.  With the improvements I’m more excited than ever to be working on bringing the series to life- but, alas.  Some things have been left on the cutting room floor.

One of those things is Tendril’s Demise ( http://dreamkeepers.deviantart.com/art/Tendril-s-Demise-Page-1-148654793 ), a 2007 comic we had planned to fit in with the story.

After revisions, Tenril’s Demise is officially non-canon.  Now it’s only fun.

Everyone hang tight, and keep an eye out for Kickstarter news coming soon!

Ebooks vs Downloads

Quick announcement- we recently released Volume 3 as an e-book, on a bunch of different platforms.

However, e-books aren't downloadable- after purchasing, you can only read them when you're online.  I've had a lot of requests for V3 *downloads* to be available for sale.

In years past we sold V1 and V2 downloads from our site, but I had to stop.   Selling the downloads personally meant I had a myriad of technical customer service issues to solve, and it escalated to the point where I didn't have enough time to focus on making books.

However, the recent requests prompted me to seek a download-selling solution that would bypass this problem- it looks like Lulu sells pdf downloads from their site, so I'm planning to make all three volumes available there.

Between current busy-ness and an upcoming move, the pdf sales probably won't be set up this spring- probably more like this summer.  But I wanted to announce the intent early, to keep you guys informed.


-David

Daily Dose of Free!

For the first time ever, we're releasing our backlist titles online for free:  http://www.dreamkeeperscomic.com/GNSaga.php

They're on our revamped 'Graphic Novel Saga' website page.  Hop in, browse around, and have fun!

This also makes a great way to attract new readers- if you know anyone who's been on the fence regarding the saga, point them this way!

Volume 1 and 2 are online for free- but Volume 3 is currently pay-only.  We'll *probably* release Volume 3 for free online after Volume 4 is released.


Other website tweaks include revamped Store pages for the graphic novel volumes, a new FAQ, the new Forum of course http://www.dreamkeeperscomic.com/forum/, and a page to sign up for our e-mail newsletter:  http://www.dreamkeeperscomic.com/Newsletter.htm   Which I just learned to make pretty.  8 D

V3 E-books, New forum, and more!

Happy V-day everyone!  I’ve got a pile of stuff to announce, so let’s get right to it.

* Volume 3 digital sales
* Custom new Dreamkeepers Forum
* New Darkspeeds motion comics
* Youtube interview with Dave & Liz
* DA Group Valentine contest



The wait is over- Volume 3 digital sales are now live!  

Web- http://graphicly.com/vivid-publishing/dreamkeepers/v3
Facebook-  https://apps.facebook.com/graphicly/issues/16112
iBookstore- https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dreamkeepers-vol.-3-intentions/id602392118?mt=11
Nook- still processing
Kindle- still processing, it’ll take longer because I need to set up panel-to-panel viewing.
Kobo- still processing.

Three important notes about e-books before you buy.

1)- I’m not the seller- the different e-book platforms are acting as retailers, and you’re actually buying your e-book from them.  This means if you’re having technical problems or need service with your purchase, I won’t be able to help or issue refunds- you’ll have to talk to the customer service folks at the store you buy from.

2)- The stores are separate from one another.  If you buy Volume 3 for your Nook, you do not automatically have it on your ipad or your Kindle.  You would have to buy one for your Nook, and another one for your Kindle if you intended to have it on both devices.

3)- I’m considering making Volume 3 free online in a year or two.  I’m redesigning the Graphic Novel page on the Dreamkeepers site to actually show all of Volume 1 for free.  I haven’t decided yet, but I’m considering releasing all backlist editions for free.  That means since Volume 3 is available, I would put V2 up for free on our site.  And once V4 is finished (hopefully in a year or two) I would release V3 for free on our site.   I haven’t decided one way or another on this, but I don’t want anyone to buy an e-book now and feel cheated later.  

In addition to e-books, normal Volume 3 book sales are live in our site store.


On to the next announcement- if you want a place to meet ’n greet some other DK readers, we’ve just launched our brand new custom-created Dreamkeepers Forum:  http://www.dreamkeeperscomic.com/forum/
Hop on over and take a look!  In addition to the improved visuals, the user interface is designed to be intuitive and fun, with customizable profiles- for example:  http://www.dreamkeeperscomic.com/forum/profile.php?id=1

Another feature is the built-in dice roller in the RP forum.

Hop over and check it out!  Since it’s so new, if you come across any bugs please report them on the ‘BUGS!’ thread in the ‘Lookit This!’ area.

In other news, Darkspeeds is already giving voice to Volume 3!   Check out some of his brand-new motion comic projects on you tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvMaAlv5jlg&list=UUhxjIYG9SoK6Hms2aq0d0Ug&index=3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7uPE6YusXE&list=UUhxjIYG9SoK6Hms2aq0d0Ug&index=4
A word of caution on the Randy scene:  It has Randy in it.  You’ve been warned.  DON’T COME CRYING TO ME WHEN YOUR WORLD IS ALL FULL OF RANDY.

Thank you to Darkspeeds for taking the time to put together such a fun project!

And while we’re dispensing thank-yous, thank you to Isiah Jacobs for taking the time to interview us!   Liz & I chat with him during a V3 interview on his youtube channel:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGnhu410f18

Before I finish this announce-a-thon, don’t forget the ongoing DK Valentine’s Day contest happening in the DA Group:  http://dreamkeepers-fans.deviantart.com/  There’s already some darling art in the gallery, and there are still days left before the entry deadline.



…Phew!  After all of that, I feel compelled to give a brief update on what I’ve been working on lately.  
Well, mostly mailing V3 Pre-Orders.  More packages than I‘ve even seen in my life. It was both exciting and exhausting, if that makes any sense.  But at last they’re all arrived or on the way.

Next objective is, of course, Volume 4.  But before jumping into production on the script, we’ve been doing a complete reassessment of the overall graphic novel saga storyline.  I’ve learned a lot since we thought it up years ago, and it’s exciting to fix problems I couldn’t see before.  Consuming books on writing-craft and soliciting critique is helping tremendously.  With better footing, we’ll start scripting V4 soon.  However, none of this ‘writing’ business provides much in the way of enticing visual sneak peeks.  Hang in there though- we’re working hard, and the art will be here before too long!

Status Report!

First off, some fun stuff- there’s a new reader-created motion comic up!
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMdjSQH_XKg&list=UUB0f2p9TRxkt0aO2JgrkOqA&index=1

If you haven’t read Volume 1, beware- spoilers await.

There’s an open call for aspiring voice actors and artists who’d be interested in making more- the readers are recruiting here:  http://dreamkeepers.forums-free.com/dk-volunteer-army-f24.html


I haven’t been up to anything quite so glamorous- packaging books.  But even though it’s bereft of glitter and jazz solos, it’s still exciting to me.  I’ve never had so many orders to package at once before, so it’s a whole new experience- but thinking that every individual book and sticker and label is destined to launch out to someone who wants it is incredibly gratifying.

Hundreds of books have been sharpie signed & doodled, and next week hundreds of envelopes should be hitting the mail.  I’m hoping another two weeks will get all the Volume 3 fulfillment done.

Hang in there- they’re coming!

Once I deliver on Volume 3, I’ll come back in here and blather a bit about our 2013 plans.

-David