Kickstarter

So we did it -- we launched, we really did! The first episode went up last Sunday, and if you missed it, you can find it here. The next update is going up tomorrow, so keep an eye out for that. But that's not the end of the excitement, so keep reading!

Many of you have been asking a very important question. Do you have to pay the $17 for subscriber access? The answer: If you went into the Kickstarter for $15 or more, then no. You are already a subscriber! You'll be receiving bonus content in your inbox as the story progresses. 

To that end, we've sent out surveys asking for email and post addresses, so we know where to send all reward materials. If you haven't yet responded to the survey, please do so right away!

Meanwhile, we're working hard at delivering other Kickstarter rewards. For one, we've put up our credits list  -- go look at your name and enjoy the smug glow of satisfaction for a moment. Also check that the name we have for you is the name you want, we're happy to change it, otherwise. 

As for other rewards: The newspaper is well in hand to go out in the next two weeks, and we'll give you details on the live event in about a week's time. The books, well, we don't want to spoil anything by making and shipping those yet, so the books will have a bit of a wait ahead of them. We'll do a few live chats with the high-flying backers, as well, but they're better off waiting for a while -- to build up a nice backlog of questions you're dying to ask, yes? 

There is one more matter to discuss -- the question of early access to the story. We're planning on sending subscribers the episodes in email the same way they'll be receiving bonus content -- a little before they post on the web, probably a day or two. 

We're still working toward getting that all set up on our end, so apologies; but we figured any access to the story at the same time as everyone else would be better than exclusive early access a month later. 

Annnnnnd finally, we'd like to point out that there is a forum on the official Balance of Powers site. It would please us to no end to see you getting to know one another and becoming friends there. How can we spy on you, otherwise? 

Love and kisses, and thank you, THANK YOU, as ever, for making this all possible!

We are delighted to invite you to BalanceofPowers.org, where our Prologue is waiting for you even as we speak. Regular story updates will begin on Sunday and continue on Sundays thereafter. Subscribers will receive extra tidbits of story in their email from time to time. 

Next up: SAVE THE DATE. For those of you who will be attending the live online event, that date is AUGUST 25 at 7pm London time, 4pm Eastern time, and 1pm Pacific time. We'll be sending along details on how to participate before the event. Other Kickstarter rewards are coming, as well — we're aiming to have the newspaper in your hands by the end of the month, for example.   

There is one significant change to the plan we've made that we'd like to alert you to. We'd envisioned giving you a massive chunk of text once a week for eight weeks; we have decided that we'd prefer to give you smaller chunks of text once a week for four times as long — that's 32 weeks, for those of you who can't be bothered with the arithmetic. 

And finally — thank you, everyone, for your patience. You've waited nearly a year for Balance of Powers, and we've felt awful about the delay. The unsung story here has to do with a six-month battle with HSBC over simply opening a bank account, a sordid tale involving counter-terrorism laws and a very well-traveled sheaf of signature cards. Ugh. 

But enough about that — Balance of Powers is here, and we are very excited. We hope you're excited, too. ZOMG. It's real, it's real!

Adrian, Andrea, David & Naomi

We have finally sorted out our international paperwork involving a truly dizzying array of stamps, seals, ribbons, and signatures. The final result is the most official-looking document any of us has ever handled, and now, it looks like we will finally be able to spend money. So of course things are now moving full steam ahead. Victory!

But that’s not the only piece of news we have to report this week – it is with delight that we announce we have decided on an artist for Balance of Powers – and it’s Anton Bogaty, the widely beloved illustrator who worked with us on Perplex City! It’s like old times all over the place around here.

We are also plugging away at other, more secret stuff with renewed inertia now the holidays are over. No promises, but fingers crossed by our next update we’ll have something exciting to announce…

And since we left you hanging over the holidays, we thought we’d share another little piece with you. Until next time!

There are two people sitting at the far table in the Cafe des Anglais, a man and a woman, both of them in their sixties, both dressed well but not obtrusively. Husband and wife? No, the body language is not quite right; they are neither at ease with each other nor obviously hostile. Brother and sister? Perhaps that, although he is fair-haired and pale and she is dark-haired and tan. Old friends, maybe, but they do not laugh. Colleagues.

"Do you know what they have?" he asks.

"The Prussians? Better question: do *they* know what they have?" she smiles, stirs her tea. Her voice is crisp, amused, cut-glass English.

"We're all looking for answers here. There's no need to pretend to be stupid." His accent is very faintly foreign, but hard to place. His face is perfectly impassive.

She meets his gaze, then drops her eyes. First hint of nerves. "It's evidence. Of whatever's going on out at sea and…"

"And?"

"And the last time it happened. And what happened afterwards," she speaks a little too quickly, as if glad to be rid of the words.

"Ahh. Yes, then we certainly do have to get it."

Her hand shakes a little, stirring her tea.

"Send Hausmann," he says at last, "he likes a little challenge."

Hello, again! 

We said we'd keep in touch every two weeks, and that means right about... now. We're still working on that pesky paperwork-and-banking issue, but meanwhile, we thought you'd like to know about some other behind-the-scenes work we're doing.