If you want to follow my progress with this book, go to my website.

If you also want to support my work at the same time, go to my Patreon.

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Sometimes there was a man weeping.

Sometimes there was a fire.

But always there was the sword.

Adren escaped with her life back in Watorej, but her tussle with the potion-maker has knocked something loose in her mind. Really loose. The dreams—if they even are dreams—are frequent and disturbing, and Adren finds it increasingly difficult to keep a grip on her own mind. Luckily Nadin is around to help out, but for how long? His human side, however slight it may be, ensures that he’ll eventually turn on her… doesn’t it?

For now, Adren and Nadin still search for the cure to the unicorn’s madness, and soon they stumble into an age-old feud between a fairy mound and the nearby human town. With one side seeing her as a plaything and the other as a threat to be stamped out, it’s up to Adren to find the middle ground—but doing so comes uncomfortably close to challenging her most coveted prejudices.

The long-sought cure might be merely one good bargain away, but as the game turns ever more deadly amid shifting allegiances and ancient legends turn out to be all too real, Adren must hold it all together before a full-blown war breaks loose. She has to conquer her demons or else everyone will face the consequences.

Especially the unicorn.



Stretch Goals

Holy crap, fully funded and we've still got some time to go! Thank you so much, everyone!



Note that all stretch goals, when reached, will be added to Approached by Fairies and higher :)

Stretch Goal #1: Bloopers ($2,300) (ACHIEVED!)

You know how Pixar animates all their bloopers? Like that, except I'll write bloopers for Like Mist Over the Eyes and add them to the behind the scenes ebook. Have you ever wondered what would happen if a narrator was having an off day?

Stretch Goal #2: Concept Art ($2,600) (ACHIEVED!)

Many of my favourite scenes in this book come from specific images I've had in my head for a while. If we hit this stretch goal, you'll get to see how I imagined these moments.

The fairies in mist and wrapped in illusion

The inside of the fairy mound throne room

The man with the sword Adren keeps seeing

Stretch Goal #3: Silk (Adren's Theme) ($3,000)

Back in 2014, I wrote a theme song for Adren on the piano. The rough version is on Youtube. Reaching this goal will allow me to have a pretty mp3 version made for you to have and listen to whenever you so desire.

Please note that this reward may be delivered later than the others - the anticipated deadline is November.

Why I'm Here

When I published my previous book, I had a job that paid enough to cover publication costs as well as my other bills. Now? Not so much, especially considering that I'm leaving two weeks after the publication of Like Mist Over the Eyes on a trip to work on other creative projects.

I could have waited a year to publish this book. It was the logical choice, but not one I'm willing to make.

From the moment I first realized what this book would be about, I couldn't wait for you to read it.

As I wrote the first line, I thought "This is it! It's finally happening!"

When I saw the first draft of the cover, all I could imagine was you holding it and flipping the pages.

If decisions are a matter of head versus heart, I'm with my heart on this:

It's time to publish Like Mist Over the Eyes.

How This Book Came to Be

Before I started writing the first draft of Hidden in Sealskin, the first book in the White Changeling series, I wrote the outline for Like Mist Over the Eyes.

It would be a story about fairies, I'd decided. Not those silly winged things—real fairies. The kind that could be mistaken for humans, that used their magic to mess with humans' perceptions, that only the cleverest of us could survive making deals with. The kind that would show you wonders as easily as enslave you for their own amusement.

They would be the perfect vehicle, I thought, by which to chip at Adren's stubborn belief that humans are evil and magical creatures are good.

Add into Nadin consistently helping her despite the fact that he might be human, and we have an excellent conundrum for our protagonist to face.

As per usual, the story has changed a lot from the outline. It gained a fake wooden hand, several characters both human and fairy, and backstory for both Adren and Nadin. But, no matter how the details changed, my original goals for the book remained:

1. Dangerous and alluring fairies...

2. ...mess with Adren...

3....while Nadin does everything he can to help her.

Budget

Already Invested

$99.73 - Proof copies (under budget! Original estimate was $195)

$364 - Editing

$260 - Cover design

$250 - Paperback formatting

Soon to Be Invested

$339 - Print run for local readers (to be available at the Edmonton Expo)

$200 - Kickstarter and payment processing fees

$487.27 - Rewards and "worst case scenario" fund (Adren would be proud)

Timeline (what's left of it)

This book is already written, edited, and formatted for paperback. The cover is done, and the proof copy is on its way to my door.

In other words, it's only a matter of weeks before you'll be able to read Like Mist Over the Eyes!

September 6th: Paperback finalized, I order copies for backers and for the print run (to be available at the Edmonton Comic and Entertainment Expo)

Paperback finalized, I order copies for backers and for the print run (to be available at the Edmonton Comic and Entertainment Expo) September 8th-10th: I send out all digital rewards

I send out all digital rewards September 19th: LAUNCH DAY, in which there is merriment

LAUNCH DAY, in which there is merriment September 20th: I finish signing all the paperbacks for backers at Prison Break or higher

I finish signing all the paperbacks for backers at Prison Break or higher September 21st: I ship paperbacks to non-local backers at Enter Nadin or higher

I ship paperbacks to non-local backers at Enter Nadin or higher September 23rd-25th: Edmonton Expo, where local backers at Enter Nadin or higher can pick up paperbacks

Edmonton Expo, where local backers at Enter Nadin or higher can pick up paperbacks September 28th: Book and Expo everything a wrap, I head off on my travels

About Me

Like Mist Over the Eyes is the second book in the White Changeling series, and my fifth self-published book in total. Of my previous books, reviewers have said:

"I have read writers whose originality equals van Diepen's.

But not many, not many at all."

"The prose is simple and beautiful, it reminds me of Robin McKinley's mastery of fable language."

"I love poetic writing that doesn't slow down the story. And the story! Enough mystery and discovery that I am left both satisfied and hungry at the end of the book."

My purpose in sharing this is not to talk about how great I am, but to show you that I have experience publishing books, and that I am known for creating high quality books that readers enjoy.

Of course, tastes differ from person to person, which is why I have the first chapter of Hidden in Sealskin on my website. Read it and decide for yourself if Like Mist Over the Eyes will be your sort of thing.