Bonus payment for the authors!
about 2 months ago
– Tue, Mar 03, 2026 at 05:51:52 PM
Stretch goal #4 has been unlocked: a bonus payment to the authors.
I now have the privilege of being able to nearly double the planned payments to the authors.
We are all so incredibly humbled and grateful for your support!
Last stretch goal to go get is... maxing out the deluxe hardback print upgrades at $12k.
Help us get there, share the campaign with a friend: mgherron.com/ruins
Thanks again!
–MG
P.S. I feel like I'm forgetting something... hmmmm... Maybe I'll remember what it was tomorrow. It feels like it was something important...
Stretch goal unlocked 🔓 Four spot illustrations!
about 2 months ago
– Mon, Mar 02, 2026 at 09:06:24 AM
Hey folks,
We blew past the third stretch goal yesterday! Now every deluxe e-book and deluxe hardback will include four additional spot illustrations. These small 1/4 to 1/2 page illustrations will feature a single object or character and will be placed throughout the book.
I've already reached out to Lucas Panda to commission the first one.
Over the weekend, I received the final drafts of the two new mission badge stickers we unlocked with a previous stretch goal. I'm thrilled with how they turned out and love that they creatively reuse the symbols from the hardcover design.
We've got a week and a day left in this campaign.
Our next stretch goal—a bonus payment for the authors—is set to unlock at $9,500.
I believe we'll reach that this week, putting the final goal of maxing out the deluxe hardback print upgrades at $12k firmly in our sights.
Thanks for all your support on this project. The book is going to be beautiful when it's done!
Help us unlock the last two bonuses by sharing the campaign with a friend: mgherron.com/ruins
Yours in gratitude,
–MG
P.S. When war and injustice dominate the news cycle, it can be easy to feel discouraged or helpless. It is my sincere hope that you find some joy in following this project, and that when they arrive these stories can offer you much-needed moments of adventure, escape, humor, or inspiration. My goal with my fiction is always to bring a little light into the darkness. Backing this campaign helps me do that. Thank you again for your support. Stay safe out there.
Two new stickers unlocked 🔓
about 2 months ago
– Fri, Feb 27, 2026 at 06:36:10 AM
Hey readers,
You beautiful people just crushed stretch goal #2!
That means two brand-new mission badge sticker designs are headed to all print backers. I can’t wait to share the designs with you. They’re already in progress. Stay tuned.
Next on the radar: $8,000 for four new spot illustrations in every deluxe edition.
I’ve got Lucas Panda—the illustrator of Boys & Their Monsters and The Gunn Files—on standby. Give me a reason, why don’t ya?
Help us reach our next milestone faster by sharing the campaign with ONE friend who loves science fiction: mgherron.com/ruins
Only 11 days to go!
–MG
We found something buried in the ruins...
about 2 months ago
– Wed, Feb 25, 2026 at 08:21:54 AM
MESSAGE INTERCEPTED
Deep in the back pages of every deluxe edition (ebook and hardback), there’s a hidden document.
A transmission log. Dated: Year 3,000.
We asked all thirteen authors in the anthology one question:
What’s your prediction for humanity a thousand years from now?
Some answers are hopeful. Some are terrifying. A few made me laugh out loud.
This is an exclusive piece of world-building that gives you a peek inside the minds of the authors behind these stories.
This surprise bonus will be made available to all deluxe backers: $12 e-book, $65 hardback, and backers of both book boxes.
Already at that level? It’s yours.
If not, you can upgrade your pledge today!
Help us spread the word: mgherron.com/ruins
–MG
Every backer gets 6 bonus sci-fi ebooks!
about 2 months ago
– Sun, Feb 22, 2026 at 09:53:36 AM
Hey explorers,
We cracked $5,000. 🎉 That means every backer gets 6 bonus sci-fi ebooks from our contributing authors:
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Starfighter Down by M.G. Herron
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Alien Safari by Robert Appleton
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Shattered Alliance by Benjamin Wallace
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Molting of a Queen by Peter J. Foote
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The Lost Star Chart by Jeannette Bedard
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Starfire Dragons by Dawn Ross
Next stretch goal: $6,500 for two new mission badge sticker designs!
When we reach $6,500, all print backers (both paperback and hardback) will receive the additional stickers.
If you're interested in the two original stickers designed for this campaign, along with the foil bookmark, make sure to upgrade to the Artifact Hunter Book Box. Or Relic Diver Book Box for the full field kit.
Help us hit the next goal by sharing the campaign with a friend: mgherron.com/ruins
Thanks for your support!
–MG
P.S. Kickstarter awarded us a Project We Love badge. That means their team hand-picked this campaign as a standout. How cool is that?!
