TANSTAAFL DAY TEN- Less than a week to go! Now With More Internet Hamsters – And FREE SF PICTURE released under CCBY

Posted on by Sarah A. Hoyt

Over 25k. Thank you to all you donated! You guys are the best fans ever.

THE GOAL IS $50,000

the counter stands at: 25,312.08 USD*(Updated at least every 8 hours, more often if i happen to be here.)

IT ENDS JULY 16TH.

OVER 25k. I thank you, my cats thank you, the internet hamsters thank you. Oh, wait, no they don’t. They’re doing some kind of weird dance.

We’re not responsible for the internet hamsters. Even the internet hamsters aren’t responsible for the internet hamsters.

WHY I’M DOING THIS

For years, I’ve resisted the push from husband, sons and friends to do annual fundraisers for the blog (or rattle the cup more often.)

I started the blog to promote my fiction writing, and at that it’s been a failure. But in the meanwhile it had become its own thing and its own community. And even if I say in the book promo that it takes me two hours a day, most days, just trying to figure out what I’m writing about takes that. Most days I’m not even ready to write fiction till the afternoon.

So, yeah, of course I (probably) deserve to be paid for that time. But more importantly, that time puts me in a constant time crunch, so that I’m running behind on everything all the time.

Sure, I can’t offload writing the blog or the fiction to anyone else, but having someone to edit, put up websites (and update them) and keep me on track would really help making my job MOSTLY writing.

And last November, when I got my butt in a financial trap over moving expenses and selling the other house, my family said if I could only ask for your help if I promised to do an annual fundraiser in the future.

So I’m doing an annual fundraiser!

Even if the internet hamsters are uninterested.

It seems to be working too, so thank you to everyone who donated and everyone in general for putting up with the cup-rattling.

To compensate, I’m releasing a picture I created under creative commons license, every day.

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.


This Picture was created by Sarah A. Hoyt and is released under CC BY

CC BY-active link to explain rights.

37 thoughts on “TANSTAAFL DAY TEN- Less than a week to go! Now With More Internet Hamsters – And FREE SF PICTURE released under CCBY”

          2. Now that would be an amazingly annoying conversion. Hah I’m going to my animal form Look I’m a vicious Hamster. Nibbled to death by hamsters?

            Liked by 1 person

              1. HMMMM. Mickey/Minnie are NOT 6′ tall at Disneyworld. I think the young ladies (and the costumes) for Mickey and Minnie ar small (5’4″ or so) to the top of their heads little more for the ears as I remember taking my girls there long ago and looking down at the “mice” and I’m just 5’6″. in any case I do not believe Rodents of Unusual Size (ROUS) exist

                Liked by 1 person

        3. Check out Ursula Vernon’s Hamster Princess. She has an illustration of the princess saying to trust her, she’s gorgeous.

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      1. Sixty bucks next year, and $450 or more to stay at the Marriott.
        Honestly I was not all that taken with the convention facilities and found myself highly envious of the horde of folks on mobility scooters. At least they had somewhere to sit.
        And since the schedule made it near impossible to figure out who was where and when I may have to give it a pass next year.
        I expect I will buy a membership and reevaluate my health and mood once it gets closer.

        Liked by 1 person

        2. Hotel Bo was cheaper than even the discounted LC rate at the Marriott. And is close enough that walking between then was not an issue at all, unless there is injury that makes walking a problem.

          Liked by 1 person

      1. In the modern era — determined as ready cheap access to advanced clothing materials — form fitting clothing is extremely popular.

        Usually not unitards though. There are many practical advantages to retaining the split between shirt and yoga pant.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. That trope has been around a long while. “Forbidden Planet” has the crew in jumpsuits , Similarly the 1936 “Things to come”. And of course pulp covers have been doing it on and off for years. Why we think jumpsuits/unitards are clothing of choice I have no idea. Certainly the TNG uniforms were only good on slim crew members, and in original Star Trek Bill Shatner started to get a little pudgy and they had to tweak his uniform to hide it.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Somewhat sure that comics lifted the idea of skin tight ‘uniforms’ as a way to have naked people running around without tripping the censors.

          I think I remember an Ethan Van Sciver video on it at one point :D

          Liked by 2 people

          1. Likely the skin tight space suits on the pulp SCI-Fi have the same reason. You’re attracting adolescent to post adolescent males. What’s going to catch their eye fastest a beautiful space ship or a rather well endowed member of the opposite sex showing either as much skin as permitted or in a skin tight suit being threatened by some BEM. I know what would have (mind you DID) catch my eye as a teen age boy. Frederic Brown’s “What Mad Universe” makes immense fun of the trope and is a romp.

            Liked by 1 person

      3. I really hope that’s not the future. I’d rather wear Jedi robes they look way more comfortable.

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        1. But is wearing comfortable robes sufficient to make up for the existence of Ewoks and Gungans? As Noted in “The Number of The Beast” any exciting universe (C.F. Star Trek, Lensman, LOTR) tends to be an awful place to live when things head into the crapper (and they will :-) ). Although i wonder precisely what the Author is up to in this reality some days.

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      4. I’d settle for a grey flight suit, with a grey ball cap, a pair of goggles hanging around my neck, and big honking flaming lens embedded in a metal band around my wrist.

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