The Premise
The Under-Kings is the story of a neighborhood in decline. The streets are decaying; the buildings going vacant. Even the ice cream trucks look slept in. On top of all that, people are starting to go missing. It’s this last change that registers with Bill.
Bill is a simple man; a mechanic, a consumer, a recent transplant to the area. All he wants is to be left alone to fix some cars and soak in his memories. When his colleagues start to vanish, Bill finds himself snared into a mystery that winds deep into the foundations of Brooklyn.
The Process
The intent is to write, and complete, my first novel. The story is now well on its way, both in actual progress and in overall conception. Whereas I have certain story targets, I am allowing the story to flow as the characters and scenes dictate.
The writing is a linear process; each moment informs the next, and each chapter serves to pick up on themes and details introduced in the prior. With each page the short-term targets can change and my understanding of the situation and characters can shift and deepen.
The Purpose
This website serves to fund my work until the novel’s completion. To reach my goal, I will need to focus on the book to the exclusion of my other day-to-day writing. To keep my family fed, I will need support while I am writing. It’s the usual logic of creative work.
You may wonder why I am not using Kickstarter for this project. The main reason is the project’s incompatibility with Kickstarter’s structure. Kickstarter is great for small, rigorously planned projects with a close end date. Fail to meet your projected target, and you lose all of your money. I could always set the bar super low to get around Kickstarter’s all-or-nothing rules, but this also sidesteps the reality of the situation: writing is an ongoing project, with constant demands and a flexible end point.
While I write, I need to provide for my family. Although I plan to finish the novel by mid-October, my ability to do so depends on my ability to focus on the work to the exclusion of other practical concerns. It’s a matter of time versus money.
So the more funding the merrier, to keep me focused until the work is done!
The Promise
Ultimately the idea is to pitch the novel for mainstream publication. Whether or not this happens is yet to be seen. Yet you, dear project members, will be involved through the whole process. You will receive regular updates on the book’s process, and even become immortalized in print! When the work is done, you will be treated to a story to make you glad you live where you do, and to second guess any notion of following your hipster friends to Bushwick.
All members will also be treated to occasional shots of the locations and features that helped to inspire the story — plus the odd concept sketch of features that have no direct analog in reality.
For the most enthusiastic members I will make a special point of printing a physical limited edition prototype, signed by the author. If the book does go to a major publisher, these prototypes will be a rare commodity. Whatever your level of support, I can promise a hell of a ride.
Full details on the reward structure are available here.