What light through yonder window breaks? It’s the sun! The SUN. Evil Daystar.
Good morning!
THE GOAL IS $50,000
the counter stands at: $$18,515.68 (Updated at least every 8 hours, more often if i happen to be here.)
IT ENDS JULY 16TH.
NOTE: It’s moving slow, slow, slow s-l-o-w. I’ll be honest, I’ve kind of suspected the goal was unattainable, not because you’re not the kindest, best, most generous of fans (you are, you are.) BUT because times are ridiculous, and also you saved my butt to a much higher tune just seven months ago.
At least it’s not $20 🙂
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO DONATED.
It should be enough, if we reach, say, half to get some help around here. I’ve already organized someone to collate and proof my essays so I can release them, which was part of my goal in this. Um… Maybe I should explain all that.
The Driving Force Behind This:
We are not in trouble. At least no more than normal. In fact, we’re a little more secure than we’ve been.
But for years now — years — my family and friends (including the late, great, much missed Dr. Pournelle) have told me I should run a fundraiser for my blog, since it’s a time-sink extraordinaire, and often gets in the way of fiction. (Some of my friends, you know who you are, told me to give it up so I can concentrate on the fiction because that makes me happier — no, not you. Someone else, years ago — but since I seem unable to, I should at least fund it.)
This sounds strange but my family’s condition to let me do the “save our butts” appeal was that henceforth I should either rattle the cup all the time or have a July fundraiser. Because it was their contention I wouldn’t have been in the situation I was without refusing to fundraise.
What I hope to accomplish?
I’ve been startlingly unproductive for the last few years. And every time I get actually going I seem to get too sick or exhausted to finish.
It took me a while — I’m kind of dumb, I won’t lie — to realize it’s because I’m trying to do at least three jobs at once: this blog, writing fiction and then publishing for me and my family (it’s like juggling live hedgehogs.) This without counting the every day business of living, like litter boxes, making dinner…. that sort of thing.
My hopes for 50k is that I would get enough to hire someone to collate and clean up my articles so I can publish six or seven books of them (under According 2 Hoyt, to prevent confusion with my fiction.)
I also want to hire someone to design and create an author website for me (in case you haven’t noticed it sucks small hairy animals) and to design and create Azounding, which will be reborn as a website to link, promote, and publicize writers to the right of Lenin. (Someone to do data entry would help, but eh.) If that person also could do things like update my blog links and widgets it would be a major bonus, since those are like three years out of date. (It’s a time sink because my mind doesn’t bend that way.)
The stretch goal was to get some of my books translated and see if they sell in other languages. (I’ll be honest, the Three Musketeers in Portuguese probably won’t pay much, but I’d like my dad to be able to read the book I dedicated to him.)
And maybe hire some people to do audio for my indie books, like Witchfinder and Rhodes. I don’t know if they would pay, but I’m willing to risk a couple of them.
So, what I want to do with money donated to the business is put it to work for the business. And then with the additional money, maybe hire a part-time assistant, so all I do IS write: blog or fiction.
BUT any money is a start, and I might be able to get some of it done, anyway. It will just take careful management and a little more time. That’s fine, and I’m immensely grateful to all those who donate/ed.
THE INCENTIVES AND TIERS:
Tier 1– $10 or more – A shout out on my blog, all with all other the supporters, by name, in one massive “Thank you” post. [Jokey or offensive names will not be included at author’s discretion.]
Tier 2– $25 or more – Email jpg of certificate with funny fish saying “I Was Carped at according to hoyt.com” and a Certificate of being a member of Hoyt’s Huns, cultural wars sapper battalion, in good standing.
Tier 3– $60 or more – Exclusive ebook collection of USAian stories. (Including a new, original, never published story.) Estimated delivery August 2023
Tier 4– $100 or more – Your name will appear in a mass death/other mass event/list in one of Sarah’s books. [estimated delivery up through July 2023. All indie books, as no others are guaranteed.]
Tier 5– $150 or more – A sound file of Sarah saying “Moose and Squirrel.”
Tier 6 – $250 or more – Will send a signed copy of trade paperback Gentleman takes a chance and one large postcard with book covers, also signed. (USPS- continental US only. All others, let’s talk.) [estimated delivery Sept 2022]
Tier 7 – $350 or more – Three signed books (of our choice), plus two extra items from “Sarah’s Garage”, (also of our choice) which might very well be a small rubber fish. (You’ve been warned.) USPS only. Continental U.S. only [estimated delivery Sept 2022]
Tier 8 – $500 or more – Personalized tuckerization. You will become your very own zany character, with at least a line or two of dialogue, and physical description. Physical safety and life of character not guaranteed. If you perish, it will NOT (repeat not) be in a mass death event or a list of other kinds. [estimated delivery up through July 2023. All indie books, as no others are guaranteed.] [Jokey or offensive names, descriptions and personalities will not be included at author’s discretion.]
Tier 9 – $1000 or more – A CHOICE OF:
Option 1 -Will read the first 10 pages and outline of your novel and provide timely critique, with the understanding that I am not infallible. (A skype, zoom or other video call to discuss the work for an hour or so.) [estimated delivery Winter 2022 – Spring 2023]
Option 2 – Large box of ten signed books, plus items ranging from a con badge, to a mini dinosaur skeleton or a print of Sarah’s original art, or other items from Sarah’s garage. USPS only. Continental U.S. only [estimated delivery Sept 2022]
Option 3 – Signed copy of Sarah’s old copyedited or page-proof manuscripts. [estimated delivery Fall 2022] (5 limit.)
Tier 10 – $5000 or more – You will become a major character on one of my books, and I’ll try to reflect your appearance, and chosen personality. [estimated delivery up through July 2023. All indie books, as no others are guaranteed.] [Jokey or offensive names, descriptions and personalities will not be included at author’s discretion. You don’t get to have someone else be an offensive character. (Sorry!) Your actions will be altered to serve the plot if needed.] – Limit 5. (You’ll be informed if this has been claimed, and given a chance for a refund or of a comparable reward.)
Tier Insane – $25000 or more – My husband and I will travel to a city in the continental US and have dinner with you and your plus one. (Continental US only.) – Limit ONE. [Delivery up to July 2023.] (You’ll be informed if this has been claimed, and given a chance for a refund or of a comparable reward.)
ALL TIERS INCLUDE ALL PREVIOUS TIERS EXCEPT FOR THOSE THAT ARE NUMBER LIMITED.
If you want to be thanked/mentioned by a name different from your regular one, please email to: bookpimping at outlook dot com.
TO DONATE:
DONATE TO ACCORDING TO HOYT TAANSTAFL DAYS (The previous words are a link!)
FOR CHECK DONATIONS:
Sarah A. Hoyt
Goldport Press
304 S Jones Blvd #6771
Las Vegas, NV 89107
THIS IS PINNED TO THE TOP OF THE BLOG. THE DAILY POST WILL APPEAR BELOW THIS.
The picture below is not my best work. I was hoping to do another one today, but I woke up late. At any rate, it is released under creative commons, so if you want to you can improve on it.
At any rate, this is my thank you to everyone who has donated so far, and my incentive to the others for putting up with the dog and pony show!
This Picture was created by Sarah A. Hoyt and is released under CC BY
According To Hoyt 
Isn’t this Day 6? [Puzzled]
(Yes, I know the Day 5 is likely a typo, but I’m in a crazy mood.) 😉
She’s hired a groundhog already?
It is Day 6. I’m only semi alive.
Notionally alive, you might say.
She Lives!!!!! [Crazy Grin]
My hair just stood on end!
Do we need a biologist to tell?
No. I mean, it’s not a hard question, like what’s a woman.
Senator Blackburn missed an incredible opportunity to spring a trap there:
“Then you do stipulate that the word ‘woman’ is defined by biology?”
The look on her face would have been priceless. Rather like a Carp, I would imagine.
———————————
You can have a civilized society, or you can have mob rule. You can’t have both.
Did I just hear a “Twaang!” somewhere? [Glances at carpapult.]
No we need a physicist to look in the box and collapse Sarah and Havey’s waveforms…
Remember the bathtub curve!
Does this work for fundraisers?
I need a billionaire to donate 25k. 😉
I want those boots.
Totally unrelated but I wanted to
inflictshare it:c4c
Some of us are figuring what we can afford under our Bidenized budgets … so hold tight.
Oh, I get that. Ours is too. Hence no money to invest in business.
Yes, that was the blog-membership budget for the year. (OTOH, last year’s was $0.00, modulo buying ebooks.)
> “I’ll be honest, I’ve kind of suspected the goal was unattainable”
You’re not doing as bad as you think. We’re about 5.5 days in, which is ~39% of the two-week drive period. And you’re at $16,679, which is ~33% of your goal. You might not make the full 50 grand at this rate, but you’ll do quite well. And, Hell, even the 16-and-change you’ve already made is a decent chunk of money, That’s well over half what I make in a year.
Its enough to start investing in making more, yes. Part of this is my “Prepare, prepare, prepare.”
Just do NOT lower your expectations next year if you don’t fully fund this year. If you need 50, request 75. If you need 75, enter 100.
I get that. I just realize this one is kind of close to the “rescue” you guys performed, so….
I wasn’t able to donate for the rescue but I donated today. I’m hoping the every little bit helps principle will apply.
THANK YOU.
I don’t see that the amount requested would have much to do with what you end up actually getting. Would more people donate, or donate more, if the ‘Gimme’ number was bigger?
———————————
Long ago, when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks they called it witchcraft. Now they call it golf.
Oddly, it often works that way. I remember years ago seeing a study on pricing books on Amazon. They concluded that in choosing between a totally unknown book that’s $10 and another that’s $2, people mentally associate the price with quality and the $10 book will get more sales. It’s psychological. No, it doesn’t make sense, but people don’t.
In a similar way, a fundraiser with a higher fund amount will often get more and larger donations.
Maybe not here, because most of the people here actually think, but whatever.
Maybe. But she is cute. Which is rather the point, no?
Looks good except that she appears to have a whip coming out of her right hip.
That’s part of the “window” of the space-station/spaceship.
It’s the armature of the windows. And you can alter it.
Uh… one sidearm (in hand) and two empty leg holsters? I used to get paid to notice stuff like that!
Ok… never mind – pistol clips on belt at hip and leg pouches are for ‘whatever’ and I’m not right (won’t say I am wrong but hey…).
I think one is a money pouch. It’s closed on top. 😀
Nice pic. Now if only I wrote Space Opera . . .
shoot, that reminds me.
You’d write amazing space opera!
Space Opera is over when the fat alien sings, yes?
I don’t know. i tend not to write aliens.
Small check is on the way, living on social security does not leave a lot for discretionary spending but at least a token of my appreciation for your splendid work.
Thank you. I feel humbled.
I have a masters in applied math so I can’t help but analyze data. You want 50,000 in 16 days so that is 3100 a day. You’ve been running that every day for 6 days. So as long as it keeps up steadily you’ll make your goal.
I would love to analyze your data (free) when your done: number of contributors, max,min,average, median, shape of distribution, etc.
I do this for my daily blood pressure readings.
There are 2 different half bell shaped curves. The first are the early adapters, they are the ones who submit their tax return January 1st. The second half bell are the procrastinators. They are the ones who submit their tax return at the post office just before midnight on April 15th, and write the term paper the night before it is due. You have seen the first half. You must wait for just a few days prior to the deadline for the procrastinators. The longer you make the deadline time, the longer the procrastinator must wait.
All the donations in the middle are based on paychecks, the need to convince spouse that a website needs feeding, people out of town, etc. So take the first 3 days, stick them at the end, and that will tell you how much needs to come in during dog days 4 to 13.
But she’s received 3000 a day on each of the first three days which argues fir a uniform distribution not a bell curve.
Six days. Chemo brain.
Just FYI I did post an entry over at Sarah’s Diner on Baen’s Bar mentioning that TANSTAAFL was going on.
The Bar isn’t what it used to be, we generally get 20-30 views on a typical Schrodinger’s Path announcement, but figured it couldn’t hurt. Speaking of which doing a Schrodinger’s Path on the fundraiser might be something to consider.
I haven’t fed it enough to fundraise.
“The picture below is not my best work.”
Looks pretty good to me. 🙂