You’ve asked.

You’ve tweeted, emailed, begged, pleaded, and nagged.

At last, the moment has come…

The Dreamer’s Thread is now available in print!

That’s right! You can get yours fresh off the presses right here!

BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!

For a limited time, you can preorder a signed copy via this website! Don’t wait on this one! I’m only offering it here for a short time, after which I will close the ordering, send away for my copies, sign them per your instructions, and mail it off to your doorstep. This is very time sensitive. I am not ordering copies in advance as I don’t want to be stuck with 50 extra copies of TDT taking up space in my house.

This phase of ordering will last for about a week. If you don’t want to wait, please feel free to order via CreateSpace or Amazon.com (when it’s available there). I can’t give you the Amazon availability date as I don’t control that, but as soon as it’s there I will make it known. After I close preorders, you will have to order your own copy and mail it to me or track me down at a con for signing. I’m still befuddled that people want my autograph on anything, but it’s fantastic that they do!

Anyway, the book looks lovely and I know you’ll all be super happy when you get yours!

As a bonus, when you purchase the print version of TDT, I’ll provide you with a code for a FREE copy of the eBook! If you buy your copy via CreateSpace or Amazon or wherever, simply forward the purchase confirmation email to me (threaded(dot)dreamerATgmail(dot)com), taking out certain personal info if you prefer to not share your address, etc with me, and I will reply with a promo code for you to use when placing your eBook order! Make sure you specify if you’d rather have a smashwords.com code or just the PDF from this site.

I’ll also be announcing a contest very soon, so make sure you watch for that too! It’s gonna be AWESOME! No, really. Awesome is actually part of the contest name.

So how’s that for news? You’re welcome! LOL

x

I must admit though, I’m a little sad. This small project of mine has been one incredible adventure for me. I can’t quanitfy how much I’ve learned from this experience, both as a podcaster and a writer, but I’d like to share a bit of it.

As this was my first ever podcast, it’s safe to say that I learned the most in this respect. I started from zero and progressed far enough that I was able (with massive help from Jamie Jordan) to put together a full cast audiobook. I’m not going to thank all the people that helped me out in this post, but be sure that’s coming. TDT was truly a learning experience. Every week I felt like I discovered a new little audio trick or something that helped make each episode a tiny bit better or easier to put together. And because of the nature of a full cast production, there’s a whole other side to podcasting that I might never have discovered. The amout of people I had to network with and get to know and discover in search of the “right voice” or for promotional help is probably much greater than it would have been than were TDT a standard audiobook with a single narrator. A full cast production is an insane amount of work, but I can’t imagine this story any other way. I love my cast and the folks I’ve gotten to meet as a result of throwing myself at the mercy of voice talent. Okay, perhaps that’s a bit melodramatic. There was very little begging and/or pleading involved because everyone I contacted was just so damn helpful. You will never find a nicer community of folks than the podcast community and its supporters. Anywhere.

As a writer I’ve grown as well. Just the exposure to other writers in the podosphere opened my eyes to things I never knew. I have also learned the immense value of reading your work aloud. It’s amazing what you miss in silent reading compared to what you hear when you speak the words. So very many times during recording I’d read a sentence only to realize how innane/repetitive/nonsensicle it was, even though it had been read by several sets of eyes and judged totally worthy. Your writing flows better as a result of this process. Words that seemed fine when you wrote them can sound incredibly pretentious when spoken, so this helps in making the story that much more believable. If people identify with an author’s “voice”, this only serves to bring them further into the world that’s been created for their entertainment. Or, maybe I’m way off base on that one, but it feels true anyway.

So what’s next for myself and TDT? Well, as for TDT, it’s going through another round of edits. Those of you following me on Twitter will know all about my headaches with this process. It’s yet another side effect to podcasting the book. Parts I hated I can now go back and fix with much more confidence than I could have before it went out into the world. Hopefully I’ll be finished with all of that this month and a print and/or eBook copy of The Dreamer’s Thread will be released shortly after the last episode goes out.

Make sure you stay subscribed to the podcast after episode 23 is released. There will be one last bonus content episode released after that, and I’m sure it will bring much laughter into the world. That’s right. There will be a TDT blooper reel featuring some of the greatest worst moments of audio Jamie can find. Take heed, however. The content of that episode will probably not be safe for little ears. You’ve been warned.

As for me, I have a few other projects in the works. First, I’ll be a guest chef for the adult-only podcast Erotica a la Carte in March. The menu for the as-yet-to-be-written short story can be found here, but please only visit if you’re 18+. I have two other novels in progress as well. Of course there’s a follow up to TDT, but the one I’m furthest along on is a steampunk story. I’ve no idea which will see the light of day first, but both WIPs promise to be even better than TDT. Writer’s evolve. I like to think I’ve grown at least a little since the first words of TDT were written in November 2007. Hopefully, you’ll agree.

That’s where things stand as of this moment. One chapter is coming to a close, but others are just beginning. I’m excited for the months ahead. There are lots of good things coming down. Consider this your invitation to join me in experiencing all of them.

x

The last time I put out a post updating the cast, I told you all about Tee Morris lending his voice to this project. What I didn’t tell you about was some of the other folks that have signed on as well. Tee gets SO much attention, I didn’t want him overshadowing some of these other peeps that are just as awesome.

You may have noticed the new additions in the cast list, but if not, here are the new additions in the last week.

Alexander White of The Gearheart podcast. There’s a new episode coming out tonight, so head over and check it out! Good stuff!

Next up is Holy Cannoli. You may see her around twitter or on one of the blogs she participate in. You can find her personal blog here.

This next one had me all in SQUEE!s for a little bit too. Mr. James Melzer of The Zombie Chronicles. His deal with Permuted Press has evolved into a deal with Simon and Schuster’s Pocket Books. His podcast will leave you craving braaaaiiiinnnnssss.

And of course, this list of new cast members would not be complete without meantioning the very naughty Nobilis Reed. When he’s not busy writing and recording “colorful” stories, you can hear him give voice to a part in The Dreamer’s Thread.

I’ve still got a few parts left if you want to get in on the all the fun these people are having doing character parts for TDT. If you want to know what I’m still in need of, you can check out the list in this post.

And, on the off chance you locked yourself in the closet for the past 24 hours, episode 2 is now live and available right here on the TDT site. It should be up on iTunes as well, but one never knows with them.

I mentioned before that episode 2 is where the fantasy starts. And it does. Be prepared to meet some fun characters in the future! It will be an interesting ride! As always, I LIVE for your comments, so critique away! Try not to crush my fantasy of beig made of awesome into too many pieces though, k?

xxx

Well, if you do think so, you’d be very wrong.

The thing is, I worry about all the big parts first, as they are the most difficult to cast. They can be time consuming if the characters appear in every episode, and maybe that person you think has THE perfect voice just doesn’t have that kind of time available. It’s also finding the right voice that’s difficult. I spent many hours listening to other podcasts to find just the right person for a major character. For some it was easy. I knew immediately with Cheyenne Wright and Philippa Ballantine. If either of them had said no I’m not sure what I’d have done. ^^;

But now I’m looking at the scripts for the second half of the book/podcast and I’ve compiled a list of small parts that I don’t know what to do with. Since episode 1 debuted, I’ve gotten a few requests from folks asking if I had any parts left. So last night, as I portioned out the scripts for episode 19, I started making a list of all those little parts that I could really use filled. These are all in later episodes (think late October on), so there’s no rush on time if you can’t do it right this second. If you’re at all interested with being listed amongst podcasting greats like Tee Morris or Mur Lafferty, here’s your opportunity. As they say in theater, there are no small parts, only small players. Here’s your chance to show us what you got! And you never know, if I really like you, you may get called back for another story…or even a sequel! Well, that doesn’t sound at all egotistical. LOL at myself.

So take a look at the following list and see if anything strikes you. Remember, these parts will only appear in 1 or 2 episodes. Only a few lines unless otherwise noted.

Vigo – A small (sometimes large) golden dragon very reminiscent of Sir Didymus in Labyrinth. You know, the little terrier that rides around on the shaggy dog? Fake accents totally acceptable. Over the top welcome! His part spans two episodes and has more lines than the others listed here.

Wan – A nature spirit. Looks like a little hippy gnome. I’m interested in hearing what folks think he sounds like. LOL

Lichshire Elder – Your basic grumpy old man. The “get off my lawn” type.

Old, one-eyed woman – Could be grandmotherly with a “get off my lawn” streak.

Dremblaat – council member representing the swamplands. He’s kinda gross. Has a burbling voice. Might do some voice filters on him if needed.

General Krom – Centaur general. Deep and manly, maybe growly. Up for interpretation.

General Mu – Air calvary general. Hey, guess what! He’s a talking crow. Can you sound like a crow?

General Gertz – Nervous man with great tactical skills. Makes me think of the king’s go-to guy in Disney’s Cinderella movie.

General Cross – a round, blustery man with mutton chops. A human general.

Mysterious Old Man – He appears only in the last episode. More nice grandfather than “get off my lawn” type. Think Dumbledore crossed with an old Appalachian backwoods guy in a rocking chair. Only without an accent.

I think that’s the whole list. Hopefully I haven’t botched things and left out a character for episode 6 or something. Would be like me. LOL

Don’t limit yourself to just one part if you think you can change your voice enough to do another one or two. There’s a lot of male characters on this list, so don’t hold back! Like, if you can be a croaky crow AND a get off my lawn geezer AND a blustery general, by all means. The character roles are great for flexing those dramatic muscles. If you want one of these roles, drop me an email at threaded(dot)dreamer(at)gmail(dot)com or DM me on Twitter. Instructions will follow.

One other note, make sure if you play the promo for The Dreamer’s Thread you let me know so I can tweet and blog all about it! Episode 6 of Trapping a Duchess over at michbek.com went live this morning and includes a TDT promo! Thanks much, Michele! Cast members get first crack at TDT episode promos, but I am more than happy to play promos for people who pimp me! Hehehe. Everyone wants to be a pimp, right? One hand washes the other, etc etc.

Big thanks again to everyone for making this week INCREDIBLE for me! Stay tuned!

xxx

And speaking of missing bits, I’ve still got a few small parts that require voicing, so if you’re a guy and have a mic and will work for free and want to be a part of this project, take a look at the list below and hollah if you’d like to get in on the action!

I still need:

The friend of a mercenary
A pirate captain (arrrr!)
A gnarly inkeeper
A grouchy elder
The ghost of a wizard

So, any takers? Know anyone who’s up for the challenge? These are speaking lines only and most only appear in one episode, so it’s not an extended commitment.

I also have one female role that I could use a voice for. Ever wanted to be a mermaid princess? How about a royal rule-maker? You can be both if you want! All you need to do is step up and say I DO!

So that’s your news for today! Launch day is getting close folks!

I sent two emails yesterday, in hopes of recruiting two more folks for TDT voices. When I got an unofficial yes from one I was thrilled. I woke up this morning to TWO official yes responses! And so, it is my extreme pleasure to announce to you that…

The uber-talented Christiana Ellis and Philippa Ballantine have added themselves to the cast of The Dreamer’s Thread Podcast!

HOLY CRAP how excited am I? I’ve been completely enamored with Ms. Ballantine’s voice since I heard her voicing Askana in Tee Morris’ Morevi:Remastered. That was the podcast that first made me want to do a full cast production. Having her on board is amazing!

And then there’s Christiana Ellis. She was also in Morevi, but it was her Shallow Thoughts podcast that really sold me. Hilarious. You may know her from Space Casey or her newly published Nina Kimberly the Merciless, but however you know her, you know how very talented she is.

Did I mention how completely ecstatic I am right now? If I weren’t busy nursing this hot coffee, I would undoubtedly be running in circles screaming OMG OMG OMG OMG! at the top of my lungs right now. But as it stands, coffee takes precedence.

What an awesome start to the day!

Now I’m all pumped to get back to work scripting and recording! Motivation FTW!

And, all this is fine, as it turns out I’m actually going out of town for a few weeks myself. Hopefully by the time I get back I’l have lots of audio and promo stuff to work on.

So that is how it stands. Things are starting to come together and I am very happy with the progress.

First thing I did was create promotional things to put up on the website for TDT. I created a US letter sized poster and 4-up fliers both in black and white and in color. These are so I can get other people to print them out and put them in conspicuous places where others might see them. Cuz, well, it ain’t enough to just pimp yourself these days. I need everybody to pimp me too. Well, not really me, per se, but definitely the book/podcast.

LOL. I am now thinking of offering official PIMP buttons as rewards for those who distribute my propaganda. Relax, Jamie. There can be only one Pimp Extraordinaire…erm, unless you count your stand-ins (Charlie, Shauna, Cani, etc. lol). Anyway, you’re not losing your job.

I also am close to revealing another podcaster who will be lending his voice. I am 90% sure he is on board, but until I hear a definitive yes, I shall have to keep it under wraps.

Along with working on that bit, I also sent off a few other relevant emails and re-re-recorded the promo for TDT. There were some bits still nagging at me and at J as well, so we collectively decided to fix it. We are both rather picky about things, so we agree a lot when stuff isn’t quite right. Then again, we do tend to bicker like siblings as well. People laugh at us. But that’s cool. I am not beyond sarcastically teasing someone in a wheelchair. Especially when he starts it. Ya did too!

And lastly, the website is in the process of another update. We’re (I mean I’m telling, Web Monkey Scott is doing) changing it to reflect the cover art color scheme as well as updating the content as well. Hopefully these changes will go live tonight. But as Web Monkey just bought a new 15″ MacBook Pro today, he is transferring all his data to new awesomeness. So, it may or may not go up tonight. The new toy always trumps the real work.

Anywho, that is all for the moment.

After hemming and hawing over asking someone to create the cover art for The Dreamer’s Thread, I sat down last night in a fit of inspiration and started drawing.

Yes, you read that right. I drew something.

Haven’t really put pencil to paper since circa fall ‘06 when I took Perspective and Drawing I from Art Institute Online. I thought then maybe I was okay at it, but any other passing attempts since then deflated the small bit of confidence I had there.

So imagine my overwhelming feeling of WIN when I churned out a bit of hand-drawn awesome in about an hour and a half or so last night. I scanned the awesome, worked my digital design magic and just finished what I think might be something good enough to call the official cover art of The Dreamer’s Thread Podcast.

Okay, so there’s folks out there that will take a look at this and go “uh, it’s fine I guess”, but to them I say “so show me something better ***hole”. LOL. Well, maybe not quite that way, but if you think you can do better I challenge thee! If you are full of more awesome than I am, by all means feel free to one-up me.

Without further ado, I hereby present to you…

THE OFFICIAL ARTWORK FOR THE DREAMER’S THREAD PODCAST!

Alright, you may now bow down in the pressence of my awesome and bask in the glow of my WIN.

And did I mention… SQUUUUEEEEEEEE!!!!!

*ahem*

So yes, I twittered yesterday about the great news I had about TDT, and said I would blog about it today. I hate to be called a liar, so here’s my news of WIN:

MIGHTY MUR LAFFERTY HAS JOINED TDT CAST!

Did I say OMG already? Cuz I cannot express that sentiment enough as I restrain myself from running around the room in hysterical circles.

If you are unfamiliar with Mur’s work, there’s a link to the Murverse on the left side of the page here. I both admire and envy her for what she does every day. Her story-telling and podcasting skills are the stuff of awesome. The first podiobook I ever heard was Mur’s Playing For Keeps and it was what sold me on Jamie’s idea for The Dreamer’s Thread. I couldn’t help thinking how fantastic it must be to share your stories with the world, AND get picked up for publishing. I will be happy if people just listen to mine.

One thing that Mur expressed to me yesterday, is the need for solidarity amongst the female podcasters out there. This is mostly due to it being a male-dominated world as far as podcasts are concerned. Just talking to her yesterday was such a huge boost for me, I hope she knows that. Not to sound like a kid with stars in her eyes or anything, but she’s kind of my hero. I know she doesn’t see herself that way, but she should. Getting the chance to work with someone as uniquely creative and ingenious as Mur Lafferty…well, there are no words to describe how much that really means to me.

She said that she wasn’t so sure having heavy hitters involved would make a podcast successful, but that’s okay. Just having her on board means more to me than she can know. It makes me feel like I might have a real shot at making this work. It helps me forget the setbacks and outright arrogance of some others I’ve dealt with. One day, I hope I can help her in the way that she’s helped me here. Her name on my podcast won’t guarantee success, true, but it sure makes me feel a whole lot better.

But anyway, that is my big news. Scripts are still being portioned out and distributed, and actual production is in a holding pattern. It’s time for me to start throwing my promo at people and getting some PR going. I also need to whip some art out in GIMP. *sigh* I miss PhotoShop.