Breaking News: The Doors Open Next Week

Sometime next week, Becoming Hercules will be part of a new reading experience from Amazon. Start freaking out now because there won't be time later!

Jul 08, 2021

Hello, Reader!

Yesterday afternoon, a scroll arrived from the Amazons. They have been busily arranging watchtowers, training pigeons, and assigning the horse relays necessary to bring episodes of Becoming Hercules to you on a weekly basis. Now, after months of work, the Amazon platform is ready.

In other words, Becoming Hercules on the Kindle Vella platform will launch next week!

This is a softer launch than I’d hoped for from a powerhouse like Amazon. There have been no reader-focused ads or buzz-building emails that I’m aware of. It’s less of a splash and more of a private showing for a few well-connected folks in the know, but that’s okay because it includes you and as many friends as you’d like to invite along.

Don’t let the lack of hype fool you. Becoming Hercules will launch among hundreds of new, previously unpublished stories. We’ll all get to discover new authors, meet new characters and immerse yourself in new story worlds!

All the lack of hype means is that you and I won’t have to share this moment with a crowd.

What to Expect

The serial experience will be a bit different from buying and reading a book. It’ll be new for me as an author as well, but I’m excited about the form’s potential for storytelling. Charles Dickens wrote some of his best books in serial form, and it seems to have worked out very well.

Here’s what I know:

Sometime between Sunday, July 11th, and Saturday, July 17th, the Kindle Vella platform will be made available to readers. Stories will be accessible through the Kindle app on iOS and a browser-based experience on Amazon.com.
The first three episodes of every story will be free. The first three episodes of Becoming Hercules, for example, will introduce Pyrrha and her siblings in an encounter with supernatural forces.
Episodes four and beyond can be unlocked with Tokens, which can be purchased with Real Cash Money™. You don’t have to commit to the entire story at once. You can read each new episode on its release day or binge a bunch of episodes that are already available.
Amazon is recommending that authors make at least 5 episodes available upon launch with a regular release schedule thereafter. Becoming Hercules will launch with 5 episodes available. Additional episodes are scheduled to drop on Mondays.
Episodes on Kindle Vella can range from 600 to 5000 words. Episodes of Becoming Hercules will generally fall between 1000 and 2000 words.
The cost of the Tokens varies according to how many you buy, with increasing bulk discounts offered for larger packages. Authors are subsidizing your Token discounts and are agreeing to forego compensation for the first three episodes of every story, so please go on to Episode 4 if you enjoy the free samples.
In-app interaction will be limited to author notes and reader faves, thumbs-up, and follows. Remember to fave, thumb, and follow the high-quality original stories you like to help the algorithm direct these episodes to other readers who might enjoy them.
Outside the app, you’ll find me on social media and through this newsletter, and I’ll be offering background information on series characters and settings on the Mythoversal website.
If there’s enough demand for a way for people to read the story bypassing Amazon and its Token system, I will make it happen.

TL;DR: It’s a new experience, it’s coming very soon, and I’m interested to know what you think about it.

—Greg R. Fishbone, Author of Disrupted Mythology

Mythoversal is dedicated to broadening representation in classical tales by amplifying historically marginalized identities and restoring traditions erased by centuries of gatekeeping.

Our entry point into the Mythoverse is the land of Mythoversal Hellas, where we disrupt and deconstruct Greek, Hellenic, Roman, and Byzantine sources to create a mythic environment that's inclusive, inviting, and relevant. The setting provides a window into the past and a mirror for today.

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