Rising rents have forced us out of our apartment, so I’ve been in the process of moving ever since the Kickstarter launched (such a chill, restful month!). Yesterday, as I finished the first coat of lilac paint in my daughter’s room, I wandered into the hallway and caught a sudden, brief glimpse of our future.
Remember the last time you moved? Do you remember what your home looked like empty; the barren walls, the naked floorboards, both daunting and full of promise?
There: that’s where I’m at.
For over a year now, I’ve had very little idea of what the future would hold for me and my family. So much depended on a Kickstarter whose success was purely theoretical.
But now, it’s out in the world. And today, with 12 days left, we have over $113K pledge and over 1,370 supporters - incredible.
Thanks to your support, I now know where I’ll be for the next year: in the office of this new apartment, writing and illustrating the rest of Quiet: Level One. Hell yes.
And I’m currently designing a world map of The Tree of Worlds.
This image is, of course, still very rough. And I’m not trying to force it into place (#lyingbutaspirational), because there’s a lot to still uncover about what this map will show. You see, when each Level of the Tree of Worlds is a landmass all its own, the possibilities are endless (dare I say overwhelming). There can be jungle worlds, desert worlds, snow worlds. There are infinite stories, infinite quests, infinite monsters, treasures, and characters. Some Levels can even embrace a slightly different subgenre of fantasy!
And yet, while each Level of the Tree of Worlds will function as a story unto itself, so too must the consequences of that story advance the plot of the main quest: Quiet’s efforts to save the Tree of Worlds. As Quiet and Galahorn weave their way up the Tree, these Levels will challenge them, and change them, forever; their makeup will reverberate forward through plot and time.
Now, I’ve been thinking about Quiet: Level One for years, and I’ve got more than a few ideas about where the story is headed as Quiet ascends through the Tree of Worlds. But the truth is that I haven’t yet allowed myself to think too much about the specifics of Level Two, Three, and beyond because, well… I didn’t even know if Q:L1 could even achieve financial liftoff.
And yet, here we are.
My daughter is 5, and the launch of this Kickstarter has meant nothing to her. Trying to explain to her that Daddy Is Very Happy because a bunch of people have bought Quiet - a book that does not technically exist at the moment - elicits only mild confusion. After being assured that she, too, will be receiving a copy of her own, she moves on to the important things, like playing “Stuffy School” and trying to cajole us into an extra episode of The Magic School Bus.
World maps are more than geography: they are a promise of what’s to come. This is what makes them so special: a good world map should inspire a sense of excitement and potential. You can lose yourself in the details, become an adventurer striding across golden plains or scaling the snow-clad peaks of mountains.
My daughter’s legs are growing longer; she complains, sometimes, of growing pains. This year, she will camp under the lilac skies of her bedroom; she will sail across the chlorinated seas of the local school where she takes swim lessons; she will tromp through the band-aid jungle of a K-5 elementary school. When the furniture arrives, my wife and I will terraform this little slice of world (we’re on Level 2) for ourselves, and for her. We know where we’re living, we know where she’s going to school, and - thanks to one little skeleton and 1,370+ real-life people - we can now visualize, to a very limited degree, the future.
You can’t rush the future, but I promise to work as fast as I can on this book… because the adventure has only begun.
Before I go, here’s Quiet in the news:
Oh, and a quick word about Stretch Goals! The Threadcutter pin was just unlocked:
You’ve also unlocked the second of two inside-cover illustrations: one light painting on the front inside cover of the book and one dark painting on the back inside cover. Fun!
And lastly, when we hit $115K in a few days, all the hardcovers will be upgraded with a beautiful gold ribbon bookmark :)
Jonah
Next Post: In-depth coverage of the Q:L1 Draw This In Your Style (#DTIYS) Contest! Have you entered? Check out the rules HERE!
Also that tree reminds me of another story I want to hear more about someday!
I love the worm narrator is the best!