Project Update: Has your pledge gone through?
about 9 hours ago – Fri, Jul 10, 2026 at 07:06:30 AM

For BLUE FIRE we still have 10 failed credit card charges, so you may wish to check if your pledge has gone through. 

If it hasn't, you can comment beneath this update and we'll respond, or perhaps first you can check out this help page for ways you may be able to resolve the issue yourself: https://help.backerkit.com/category/616-payment

Meanwhile, work proceeds apace! If you're a backer then you can scroll down to see a work-in-progress image for Saša Đurđević's back cover artwork.

Keep your swords sharp and your sorcery numinous,

256% Funded!!! (What Comes Next?)
4 days ago – Mon, Jul 06, 2026 at 02:02:37 PM

IN SHORT

• WE FUNDED! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
  
  
• We unlocked every stretch goal, invented new ones, unlocked those, invented another one in the final 48 hours THEN GOT THAT ONE???

• Right now backers are being charged for their pledges.
  
  
• Backers will be charged for shipping approx. four weeks before fulfillment. This is also likely when surveys will be sent out to collect necessary information such as mailing addresses, though the surveys may come sooner.
  
  
• Our current goal for fulfillment is Nov 3rd, so expect to be charged for shipping in late September at the earliest. Backers in Canada will have a $5 USD shipping discount, all other backers living outside the United States will have a $10 USD shipping discount.
  
  
• Enjoyed the Jirel TTRPG we played in our final livestream?
  Then check out the pre-order page for Black God's Kiss: https://blackgodskiss.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders
  
  
• Some of our pals are doing cool stuff right now...
  Old Moon Quarterly are breaking into books with a fascinating first title, Mammoth S&S story "Seers in a Broken Season". Check out the pre-launch page here: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/bf44ce7e-5e56-4f38-97a8-4dd7e19c8680/landing
  
  Meanwhile The Arcanist are funding two mags at once, one of them a new S&S short fiction magazine, and you can learn more about that here: https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/2ddb9909-3f23-4967-ba1b-bde2ca3b7929/landing
  
  
• All backers are cordially invited to join our New Edge Sword & Sorcery Discord server through the link you'll find in the "Backer Only Content" section way at the bottom of this update.
  
  
• Though we'll be much quieter for a little while, if you'd like more regular updates and other fun info, we can be followed on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram. Keep an eye on them, or join our newsletter.

IN DETAIL

This was a record-breaking crowdfund for us and you made that possible; we've never funded a project so quickly (21 hours), our book projects have never funded by such a high percentage (256%), and we were stunned to see BLUE FIRE get more backers than our flagship publication, New Edge Sword & Sorcery magazine, had last year (NESS 2025 got 709 to BF's 768!).

Just...wow! It is encouraging to see such a strong appetite for exciting new Sword & Sorcery fiction.



FULFILLMENT SCHEDULE
As we're in a great place with the content for this book and its printer is located a modest drive from our fulfillment center, we're comfortable aiming for our goal of shipping beginning on its release date of Nov 3rd, 2026.

Those backing both NESS 2026 and BLUE FIRE do run the risk of the latter being delayed should NESS suffer delays, since they'll be shipped together, however should that occur we hope the savings on shipping will help make up for it. Besides this is only a possibility, and NESS 2026 production is currently on schedule.

Please do join The New Edge Sword & Sorcery Discord (Link at the bottom, in the Backers Only Content), a great online hang-out that I'd love to see your digital faces in, a fun spot to chat about the magazine, Sword & Sorcery in general, and otherwise connect with your fellow readers, writers, artists, and more.

It's also a breeding ground for goofs like how Meatball Subs Are The Only Real Sandwich, and the only time I get to eat one is when we've finished funding another publication.



Alright, that's all from me for now. Please make sure to read through IN SHORT for the practical details of what's happening with charging backers for pledges, charging for shipping, our rough schedule and more.

Keep your swords sharp, and your sorcery numinous,

Last Chance! And....OVERTIME???
6 days ago – Sat, Jul 04, 2026 at 05:01:46 AM

WANT TO PLEDGE, TELL YOUR FRIENDS, OR BOTH?

NOW IS YOUR LAST CHANCE!

Also, did you know about crowdfund overtime?

Dare we dream of unlocking the final stretch goal, the free-to-all-backers risograph zine of Thevin's solo adventure, "CITY OF TEARS"? Maybe in overtime...

FOR JOIRY!

24 Hours Left, Hellsgarde TTRPG Livesream, Free Digital Doodles Zine, and the Thevin 'Zine!
7 days ago – Fri, Jul 03, 2026 at 08:58:47 AM

AMAZING: You've unlocked pay bonuses for the author & artists behind BLUE FIRE!

And the book is tricked out with spray edges and more art than you can shake a dead sorcerer at!

Now can we get that cool bonus 'zine with Thevin?



Right now we'd like to reveal a digital zine you're already going to get: a sixteen page PDF collection of drawings by author Molly Tanzer, depicting the events of BLUE FIRE!



We've been telling you how great we feel BLUE FIRE is for a hot minute. You may be curious to hear what others have to say!

• Alex Puncekar did a nice long-form interview with Molly over at Grimdark Magazine.
  
  
• Edward Rathke chatted with Molly about BLUE FIRE.
  
  
• Rogues in the House interviewed Molly Tanzer. You can watch/listen on Youtube
  
  
• Black Gate has a great written profile on BLUE FIRE, with some exclusive commentary and process sketches from the creative team!
  
  

And tonight we have something pretty entertaining for you!

Using the excellent Black God's Kiss setting & rules from Flaming Hand Games, I'll be running their module based on the classic C.L. Moore Jirel tale Hellsgarde. Will Molly Tanzer play as Jirel and be joined by a cast of other exciting individuals?

SHE JUST MIGHT.

So please join us at 7pm EST for our final livestream of the crowdfund!

Keep your swords sharp and your sorcery numinous,

Truly FINAL Stretch Goal - a Free 'Zine for All Backers!
8 days ago – Thu, Jul 02, 2026 at 01:51:46 PM

We don't want to get cocky...

...but being as close to our creative team pay raise stretch goal as we are, and with the crowdfund ending at noon EST this Saturday, we thought we should probably come up with one....last....stretch goal!

If we hit $22,300 then all backers will receive a free 'zine starring Jirel's hard-drinking buddy, Thevin! 

• All backers will get the 'zine as a free PDF.
  
  
• All physical format backers will get a free 5.5 wide by 8.5 inch tall, 34 page stapled 'zine. It will be produced using a fun, lo-fi method called "risograph printing" which creates retro lo-fi results using only two colors.
  
  
  
  
• Cover art will be done by Carl A-F! Here's a B&W example of art she did for a past risograph printing project:
  
  

But first we've gotta close that last distance to unlock bonuses for the creative team behind the book! So please consider pledging if you haven't already, and tell your nearest evil sorcerer about Jirel of Joiry's historic first book-length adventure.

We greatly appreciate how far you've taken us, let's see how much further we can go in these final days of the crowdfund!

Keep your swords sharp and your sorcery numinous,