Greetings, magical beings! I know it’s been a long time.
*tries very hard not to look at the date of my last post*
As you’ve probably guessed, I’m here to talk about one of the reasons I’ve been AWOL on this blog – namely, Patreon!
I’m reassessing where I spend my time and the places I’ve been able to be most consistent in engaging is my author newsletter, Instagram, and Patreon. If you guys miss me here on Allison’s Well, you can always find me over there!
And now, I’m going to get a little salesy.
Let’s talk about Patreon.
You know why I want to share about Patreon?
Because it’s basically a PARTY and, being an extrovert, I simply cannot resist inviting as many people as possible and reminding them constantly that there’s a good time going on right over yonder. I adore my patrons and we’re having such a good time, you can’t blame me for extending another invitation, can you?
Of course not.
But first, a little backstory about what started it all! My book.
SYNOPSIS:
Burndee is a young and cantankerous fairy godfather, who would rather bake cakes than help humans. A disgrace to the fairy order, Burndee has only two wards entrusted to his care…a cinder girl and a charming prince.
A royal ball presents Burndee with the brilliant solution of how to make his wards happy with the least amount of effort. He’ll arrange a meeting and hope the two fall in love.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved fractured fairy tales, so it was natural that I should start writing my own by creating a faraway kingdom known as Ambia.
Ambia is the central country of a magical world where you can find fairy tales as you’ve probably never seen them before.
I drew a lot of inspiration from Disney, of course, because I wanted to create vivid and heartfelt stories appropriate for the whole family. But I also loved old black and white screwball comedies and 90s rom-coms, and I turned to them for inspiration too.
That’s what makes my fairy tales unique. Instead of straight romance, you’ll find a greater emphasis on family and friends. The structure is a comedy with romance, not the other way around.
There is romance – but of the sweet and quirky kind. And you certainly won’t be forced to read page-long descriptions of the hero and heroine’s kiss.
Ambia has more fun things to focus on.
It’s a world where a fairy godparent who wants to bake cakes is constantly harassed by the bureaucracy of the Fairy Order. It’s a world where nothing turns out quite as you expected, where people are turned into skunks at odd moments, sword fights break out in the middle of wedding rehearsals, spells can be sealed up in letters with a bit of sealing wax, and magic is around every corner.
Here’s what some people are saying about it.
“The Reluctant Godfather is the most uncliché portrayal of one of the most cliché stories that I have ever read. And I love it! It’s witty, unexpected, and delightful.“
“The Reluctant Godfather is a light, rollicking adventure seasoned with a generous helping of humor and a sweet dash of heart.“
“There is a deeper wisdom which radiates from this story, more precious than the original version. But, still, first of all it is really witty and charming love story.“
“I saved this sweet little book for a rainy day when I was feeling down, and it delivered in spades.“
“Though the Cinderella story is one that has been revisited countless times over the years, Tebo’s version adds fresh and unexpected twists.”
So, with that bit of background under our belts, let’s get cozy for a second and take a look at what Patreon has to offer.
And so the Door To Another World Opens . . .
TIER 1: $3.00 a month.
Monthly short stories featuring the Tales of Ambia crew, plus Disney watch parties where me and my Patrons watch fairy tale films together and discuss them in a group chat. Patrons also get access to a special Instagram account where I discuss behind-the-scenes details on my Patreon posts.
Here is the backlog of the stories that you can access as soon as you sign up!
A letter from Ella with some sweet gossip about the never-before-seen details of what happened between the final chapter of The Reluctant Godfather and the epilogue – specifically, details of her wedding!
A letter From Burndee featuring the Crank Master himself, Mistress Fey (the head of the Fairy Order), and one obnoxious businesswoman that Burndee is supposed to be looking after.
A letter from Cynthia, that medical student / princess relating the story of how she and Prince Colin first met at college. Naturally, it was chaos and charm, right off the bat.
A letter from Princess Poppy about her first winter in Ambia, featuring a hilarious first look at one of Ambia’s peculiar sporting events.
I had a lot of fun writing these letters and adding to the backstories, lore, and world building of Ambia.
TIER 2: $6.00 a month.
Everything in the tier above PLUS the monthly book club.
Every month my patrons get to vote on what fairy tale retelling they want to read and then, at the end of the month, we all come together for a two hour video call where there is much reflection, laughter, and bookish fangirling.
So far we have discussed The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye, Dancing and Doughnuts by Rachel Kovaciny, The Enchanted Sonata by Heather Wallwork Dixon, and Fairest Son by H.S.J. Williams.
The book club is a real highlight for my patrons – and for me!
TIER 3: $9.00 a month.
Everything in the two tiers above PLUS two extra fairy-tale themed posts a month.
Here’s a good idea of what kind of posts I’m talking about, as well as a glimpse at the backlog you’ll be able to access immediately after signing up.
A replay of the live stream where I talked about why Pocahontas is my FAVORITE Disney Princess.
An essay about the Wizard of Oz on how fairy tales teach us to fight back against evil.
A replay of the live stream where I reviewed the live-action version of Cinderella. Yes, I finally watched it.
A replay of my review of Mulan 2, with a particular emphasis on the spiritual themes of following our duty when life is hard.
An essay on the themes of The Snow Queen, and how the story of a boy getting a shard of glass in his eye teaches us about the dangers of clouded thinking.
Recipes for Burndee’s Cocoa Powder Cake AND his Vanilla Pound Cake WITH mini stories in front of each recipe where Burndee himself walks you through a baking class.
A replay of my review of Beauty and the Beast’s direct to video sequel, The Enchanted Christmas, with an emphasis on the spiritual themes of holding onto hope even when things look impossible.
Let’s talk about goals and rewards!
Once we hit 20 subscribers, you will unlock the first stretch goal . . . an EXCLUSIVE Tales of Ambia novella.
The Captive Cottage is a retelling of Hansel and Gretel. When Colin comes down with a virulent form of flu while on vacation, Burndee, Ella, and Cynthia are forced to quarantine with him! Tempers are stretched and mysteries abound in this madcap and feverish romp.
I had a lot of fun writing this one and I can’t wait for you guys to read it!
Okay, so why am I pushing Patreon so hard?
I’ll tell you.
Here’s a very brief recap of something I confessed to my newsletter subscribers.
I am recommitting myself to my original goal of becoming a hybrid author, which means focusing my attention for the time being on drafting a novel with the aim of getting an agent and getting traditionally published.
Which means, Tales of Ambia releases are going to be quite intermittent: for how long I’m not sure.
Let’s just say 2021 might be the year where I don’t have any paperback releases for my beloved series.
But what to do? I have quite a number of people telling me they want more Ambia and that they’re anxious for the next installment.
Your eagerness means the world to me and your excitement makes me excited.
It is because of you that I started Patreon in the first place.
I don’t like making you wait, and I don’t like waiting either. I adore Ambia and it’s a series that is very close to my heart. Patreon posts are the one way I can ensure that both of us get our regular dose of Ambian fairy tales.
Ambia is where I first found my audience, and where I met my favorite readers. Patreon has made the experience even more intimate and special.
Every person that signs up allows me to keep the fairy tale going. Patronage helps me justify the time I set aside to keep Ambia alive.
And that’s why I’m constantly talking about it to you. I can’t help it.
Patreon is my happy place. I LOVE the platform and the tight-knit feeling of community. I love the feeling that I am a magician with a weekly audience, a fairy godmother providing magical gifts for her friends and fans. It’s the ideal platform for me, and I dearly hope that it will grow.
YOU CAN JOIN THE FUN AND COMMUNITY ON PATREON RIGHT HERE.
Don’t forget, families can always share the cost. One of my patrons is actually three siblings who are all fans and who are pooling their resources. Things are quite flexible over there and the more families I see enjoying Ambia the happier I am.
Nevertheless, If a Tales of Ambia Patreon is something you’re not interested in, or aren’t able to budget right now – I get it! I still wanted to take a moment to share with you how important it is to me, and why it has taken up so much of my attention.
A thousand thank yous to everyone who has signed up to my street team, shared my posts, encouraged me, prayed for me, and read my book. I cannot even begin to tell you how grateful I am.
Talk to you soon, friends! Until next time.
