So things have been quiet here for a bit--no updates for 6 or 7 weeks.  Many of you have probably been thinking, "Now that he has our money, where has Ryan gone?"  The short answer is Guatemala!

Just returned last night (well, at 3am this morning) from 6 weeks of hanging out on Lake Atitlan and taking Spanish classes with the fam. But with a mere 6 days until the novel release, there is still much to be said and done.  So let me say some things:

- First, I'd like to invite you to our virtual release party, Dick Cheney Saves Paris Week. Click the link to learn a wee more, but the gist is that starting Sunday the 28th (yup--4 days from now), we'll be posting updates daily for a full week to our facebook page.  Expect contests, freebies, fun activities, and discounts on the book and/or soundtrack. Please consider "attending" the event, to ensure you get updates to your wall when we post regarding giveaways and so forth.

- Second, please take another look at Update #8, which lists 23 ways you can help out. I had planned on adding a second list of 23 items, but I feel more attention should be devoted to those 23. For example, since I posted that list, I can see that no one has done #7 or 8. I do see that one person has followed item #10 and rated it on GoodReads (2 of 5 stars), though I'm not sure that person actually read it. Of course I encourage people to be honest in their ratings (and to wait until you actually read it before you rate it), so I hope people don't simply give a low rating if they disagree with my politics. So yes, I'd really really appreciate it if you could take a second look at the list, and maybe select a handful of them to do, in order to help us get the word out to the world. (hint: consider #14 and 15 if you'd like a free copy.)

- Third, since the books and soundtracks are being made, we've left the writing/editing/etc phase and have moved fully into the "get the word out" phase. I've been sending out press releases and previews to assorted book review websites, alternative weeklies, and other places I think might be interested.  But if you know of a magazine, newspaper, or website that you think might review this type of thing (or at least share a news item about it with readers), please let me know.  You can post in the comment section below and I'll send out a request for a review or news item.

- Fourth, many of you may be wondering when you'll get your swag.  I'm waiting now on a shipment of the books--should be here in the next few days.  Assuming it is here by Saturday, I'll be spending a good chunk of that afternoon and/or evening signing and packaging. I'm pretty sure I won't be able to get all to the post office before they close Saturday, so I expect them to be in the mail on Monday.  For those of you who want to get cracking on reading the book, I'll try to get the ebook versions emailed out over the weekend. It may be an attachment, but I am also setting up the book on Smashwords and other websites, so it will probably be easier and quicker to send you a code for a free download of the version of your choice (.pdf, .mobi., .epub, etc.).  So even if you can't read the physical book on release date, you'll at least have your electronic version.

- Finally (for now), thank you again for helping this project.  It's been a lot of work but also a heckuva lot of fun and it couldn't have happened (at least not this way) without your support.  I appreciate you!

The momentum, that is. In honor of our 46th Vice President, I present half of 46 ways you can help spread the word on this time travel novel project without spending another $1 (though you may need to spend time).  Feel free to print this out and see how many you can check off!

Note: some of these you may only be able to do once you've actually read the book.

LIKE it

__ 1. ‟Like” the novel’s facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DickCheneySavesParis

__ 2. View and ‟like” the trailer on youtube.

TALK about it

__ 3. The old-fashioned way: Just mention it to your friends. Something like ‟I have this friend/colleague/teacher/family member/stranger/this guy who has an interesting book coming out...”

__ 4. Email your friends a link to the facebook page.

__ 5. The new-fashioned way: Mention it in a blog entry, twitter post, or facebook status update, that your friend/colleague/teacher/family/stranger/this guy/etc. has an interesting book coming out...

__ 6. Suggest your book club or reading group pick the book for one of its next selection. Don't have a book club? Start one. And remember: readings groups don't have to have physical copies any more (ebooks can be pretty durn cheap).

TAG it

"Tags" help people find products when they enter search terms. Go here and scroll down to ‟Tags Customers Associate with This Product”

__ 7. Agree/vote on the tags listed

__ 8. ADD your own new tags you think people would search for

RATE it

__ 9. Rate the book on Amazon (up to 5 stars)

__ 10. Rate the book on GoodReads, LibraryThing, or any other such place. Even if you don’t think it’s worth 5 stars, any rating will do; the more ratings, the better (though of course 5 stars is nice).

VIEW it & REVIEW it

__ 11. View my Listmania List, Dick Cheney Humor, and click the link to "share" with friends.

__ 12. Review the book yourself. You can send to your local paper or post on a website (even a few sentences can really help, as books with more reviews seem to rank higher in searches).

__ 13. Add it to your shelf on GoodReads. [Note: don't confuse this with the earlier "black cover" version that was never actually available.]

REQUEST it

__ 14. Request a FREE copy during the Book Giveaway on GoodReads (ends August 28).

__ 15. Request it on Paperbackswap.com (who knows, maybe the first few people to request it will receive a copy in the mail)

__ 16. Ask your friendly neighborhood bookstore (or not-so-friendly major book chain) to carry the book

__ 17. Ask your friendly neighborhood library to carry the book

OTHER

__ 18. Send an email to a newspaper book section, requesting they do a combo book review of Dick Cheney's bio together with Dick Cheney Saves Paris (here's a sample email address: books@nytimes.com)

__ 19. Send Dick Cheney a postcard, noting that you get him--his actions finally make sense now that you've read Dick Cheney Saves Paris. His address is hard to find, but here's his book publisher: Threshold Editions; c/o Simon & Schuster, Inc.; 1230 Avenue of the Americas; New York, NY 10020

__ 20. View the book’s Amazon page and then view Dick Cheney’s memoir page (and/or vice-versa)—this might make Amazon think people who read one will like the other and to present it as an option for Cheney memoir buyers. Heck, maybe adding both to your wishlist or putting both in your cart (even if you don't buy) might tell the Amazon widgets that these two should go together ("People who viewed....also viewed...")

__ 21. "Like" Cheney's publisher page here so you can comment on the page come August 30, hmmm...maybe you could post a note telling people about this other Cheney book they might like?

__ 22. Print out a note directing people to check out this great book. And sneak the note into Cheney's memoir when you find it at your local mega-chain.

__ 23. Share your own idea for how to get the word out. You can comment on this kickstarter page, post your idea on the facebook page, send me a note, or just do it!

I got the call! There I was hanging out at my off-the-grid cabin-in-the-woods, wondering the status of the kickstarter thing, when my brother and sis-in-law from Ohio called to say we made it!  We had reached the $1111.  Just to be sure, I asked does it say the goal was met? They checked.  No, actually it says we were at 99%.  Just as I suspected.

Kickstarter is a funny thing (a great thing, but a funny thing).  Apparently the site doesn't like pennies.  In setting one reward level, I entered $2.99, as that was the price the ebook would eventually be listed at.  And it showed up as $2.  I quickly changed it to $3 (the price of the ebook plus a penny).  In setting the overall goal, I listed $1111.11.  When I checked the main page, it listed the goal as $1111.  Hmmm, I wondered, what would happen if we reached the advertised goal of $1111 and not the set goal of $1111.11?  Well, I had an answer.

I explained this to them, that I felt we were 11 cents shy.  While I chatted with Bob, Lari quickly ponied up the full 11 cents.  And success!  "This project will be funded on July 2, 2:59 EDT" (emphasis mine).

So, yeah.  We made it!

I want to extend a hearty thank you to everyone who supported the project, either financially or through getting the word out to others.  I especially want to thank Bob and Lari, for getting the novel talked up on the smodcast (see Update #5) and for twisting the arms of all your friends and colleagues.  And yes, also for those 11 cents. Without them, we may have never reached the goal (particularly if everyone who visited the site saw the $1111 goal and the $1111 raised and assumed "goal met, no need to give").

Thank you so much, everyone.  A major book publisher would never touch this book, but you have shown that there is indeed an audience for sci-fi meta novels about former Vice Presidents.  And I thank you for that.

-Ryan

Please consider forwarding this message to any friends you have who might be interested in sci-fi meta- novels about Dick Cheney.

Dear Friend of Someone Who Donated To or Maybe Just Checked Out the Dick Cheney Saves Paris kickstarter campaign:

Recently someone who you highly respect checked out this project on kickstarter. You can learn more about the project here, but I want to let you know when I made up the rewards, I wanted to ensure people could donate at any level, even $1.

I've seen other projects with higher minimum donations, but I thought, "Wouldn't you want people who felt they only had a $1 to spare, to be able to contribute?" But maybe they knew something I didn't. Because to date there have been 30 donations total and a grand total of zero (as in nada, nichts, the big goose egg, none) at the $1 level!

I mean, sure, backers who take the few minutes to contribute $1 will be acknowledged in the book forever (and yes, that includes all print and digital versions). But I fear perhaps I haven't made that $1 level friendly enough. Perhaps people are a little embarrassed to contribute a lone dollar. But I'm here to tell you there is no shame in it. In fact, we encourage it! And so, to make it even more attractive, today begins The $1 Campaign for Dick Cheney Saves Paris featuring two new bonus rewards:

Bonus #1:  Everyone who contributes $1 will receive one chance at an ebook AND one chance at a physical copy. I will give away one digital version for every three $1 donations and one print copy for every fifteen $1 donations. So if you donate $1, you will have a 1 in 3 chance at getting an ebook and a 1 in 15 chance at winning the novel.

Bonus #2:  The person who gets the most friends to donate at the $1 level will get their choice of (a) an autographed copy of the book or (b) a copy of the soundtrack and an ebook version of the book. Just have them message me through kickstarter with who told them about this.

Perhaps you have questions. In anticipation, I am hereby posting what I will label "The $1 Campaign FAQ" (and yes, I know that no one has actually asked them, but you'll have to agree that makes them just as frequently asked as any other questions).

The $1 Campaign FAQ:

1. What if I donate more than $1? Will I still qualify?

No. The rewards are intended to increase the number of backers at the $1 level.

2. Well, what if I donate $1 and then come back later and increase my donation?

Sure, okay. I guess that would technically count. You can get a chance at a book for $1, and then still qualify for a guaranteed reward by increasing your donation to $3 (for ebook) or $21 (for autographed print copy). Yes, I'll allow this, but please note that it may go against the spirit of the thing.

3. You're saying to get the book, one person needs to donate $21, but for every $15 in $1 donations, you'll give away another book? I don't think your math is right.

Good point. If it makes you feel better, your $21 donation gets an autographed copy. The one-book-fo-every-fifteen-$1-donations book is not autographed, as it will be shipped direct from the supplier.

4. What if there is only one donation at the $1 level and it is mine—can I qualify for Bonus #2 if I passed the message to myself.

Yup. Just message me through kickstarter that you were the one to get yourself to donate the $1, and you get the bonus! Even if you are the very only person to donate at this level, you still win. Pretty good deal.

So there you have it.  A reason to donate one dollar for independent writing, which I believe is less than one-tenth the cost of a cup of coffee these days, though I don't get out much so that might be a little low. Deadline is midnight Pacific time, July 1.

Sincerely,

Ryan Forsythe

Author, Dick Cheney Saves Paris

P.S. If you have been forwarded this message from a friend and you don't feel you can contribute at this time, please consider forwarding it to someone else.  You can still qualify for Bonus #2 even if you yourself don't donate!

P.P.S. If you have been sent this in error, please blame your friend!  We didn't do it, we swear.  Though for $1, we'd be happy to remove you from...