Update #13 - The Big Squeeze

Hi everyone! After dropping some hints about it, I'm finally ready to announce some changes.

I started this page three months ago, on October 31, 2023. Since it went live, I’ve learned a lot about how to run a prose-based Patreon. Most importantly, I learned that I should have taken Patreon’s advice when they recommended one paid tier!

Having three pay levels made sense in theory: a tier for tipping, a tier for the mainline content, and a tier for more obscure offerings. But in practice I’ve found it tiresome and fiddly. Hence, the “big squeeze” of the title.

The sandwich is turning into a pancake.

By the end of February there will only be one $3 tier, and members will get access to all story content moving forward.

So what happens now?

If you’re already a member of the “Chariotier” (I know it’s an awful pun, but I can’t help myself), you don’t have to do anything. But if you’ve joined at $1/month (Caravan Guard) or $5/month (Festival God), I hope I can convince you to change your membership to the middle tier. You can also end any paid membership and we’ll part as (parasocial) friends.

To my existing supporters at the $5 level, I have a special message:

THANK YOU. There are only a few of you, but your buy-in meant so much to me. It’s not every day that you point to your mental attic and announce, “The weird shit’s up there, and if you pay a bit more I’ll pull down the stairs,” and actually have people take you up on it. You helped me maintain confidence in the work I’m doing, and I want to offer you something special for that. Before this tier disappears, I will share a sneak peek of the first chapter of my next Adamant World novel. This will be a true exclusive and won’t make its way to the $3 tier once I turn off the lights. Thank you again.

Don’t think I’m taking my $3 members for granted, because I’m also adding more value to your tier. My supporters at this level are my bedrock, and I am grateful for your eyes and your comments, always. In just over a week, members of this tier will receive a bonus chapter of Charlotte’s Reject and will continue to be one chapter ahead of free members moving forward. You will also get the entire “Late Night Date Night” run in mid-February. And just so we’re clear, new chapters of Blood and Lace will continue to be added weekly. I appreciate each and every one of you.

Finally, for those who were kind enough to offer me a buck to receive a short story in return, don’t think I wasn’t thrilled. Encouragement can be a difficult currency to earn in the best of times, and those tips meant more than money to me.

Here’s a helpful timeline:

February 11

• The $1 and $5 tiers will be “unpublished.” No new members will be able to join at those levels.

• $3/month members will receive a bonus chapter of Charlotte’s Reject, placing them one chapter ahead of non-paying members.

February 12-18

• An exclusive sneak peek of Chapter 1 of my new novel for members of the Festival God tier. The exact day will depend on how crazy my life is!

February 18

• The entire run of “Late Night Date Night,” including my essay about its creation, will be made available for all $3/month members.

February 29

• The $1 and $5 tiers will be deleted, including the sneak peek. Members of these tiers should switch to the $3 tier or cancel their memberships.

That’s everything for now. Thanks to all my patrons and supporters for reading my assorted variety of kissing tales. There’s new content and new stories in the hopper for 2024, and I hope you stick around to see it!