Stretch Goals and Windfalls

Yesterday Kickstarter deemed the Magician First Class campaign a Project We Love!

I'm totally thrilled - I worked very hard on preparing this campaign, and I'm delighted that it's going so well. We hit the first stretch goal (a digital map of Thirteenth Avenue, exclusive to Kickstarter backers) in the first week, and are now really close to the second stretch goal (a physical map reward!)

I interviewed Alison Cooley, the genius behind the map design, and she had some really interesting things to say about her process. Recommended!

I am in the last stages of editing for Magician First Class, where I print out a pdf and make my last, very last, Karen-absolutely-the-last-I-mean-it changes. Meanwhile, the advanced reader copy reviews are coming in (reminder: paid Patreon members all get early e-ARCs!) and I'm loving the response:

• "I read this in one day and then reread the last few chapters again the next day. It was great! The world building, the characters and the real sense of people helping each other out and being kind."
• "A delicious rush of a book. I was ignoring everything to turn the pages."
• "I just finished and if the next book in the series existed I would immediately start it."

Second Chance Charms, the next book in the Sparks and Recreation series, is now coalescing from ideas and daydreams into an actual plot. Because this series is partially inspired by a ttrpg game that has already explored a few scenarios, I initially had the problem where there are a lot of tasty things at the buffet and was having difficulty selecting my next serving. But now I have made my selection and I am filling my plate, and it's going to be delicious. OM NOM NOM.

I've Got The Greens

My kitchen is DONE. I am waiting on the electricians to do something Very Important later today with the electricity and the lights to make sure the wiring in my walls doesn't melt, because that feels like a should-probably-have. But the nice tiling man just left, so the kitchen itself is finished, and it looks like this:

I have to wash off the grout dust tomorrow, and there's some sanding and painting to do around the sides and top of the wall cabinets. That is going to happen at some point in the future that I don't have to think about right now. Right now, I am still cooing at the dishwasher and making my friends admire the depth of my drawers.

And here's the before-and-after:

This kitchen renovation was primarily paid for by my writing income. I had an unexpected windfall mid-year which enabled me to put aside a big chunk for renovations (the rest went into my business, including a proper desk and a chair that doesn't murder my spine.)

Last week I got the half-expected news that due to tight budgets, half of my day job hours aren't going to be there next year. 2026 promises to be financially tight, for me and for a lot of other folks. I may be cooking a lot of low-budget meals in this kitchen.

But I will be cooking them in a beautiful, functional space, that, when you get right down to it, was paid for by you and people like you - readers who support my work, who believe in the stories I'm telling, and want me to tell more of them. I will never stop being grateful for that.

Thank you,

Karen.