"The A.L.I.C.E. Files" Had Our First AMA, And We're Gearing Up For Season 2!

We're coming up on a year since I started putting together the trailer and first episode for The A.L.I.C.E. Files, the audio drama series I launched on YouTube in partnership with Alice Liddell which is best described as Alice in Wonderland pushed through the filter of The X-Files. It's been a year of learning a bunch of new audio and video editing tricks, writing scripts, plotting the overarching story, and trying to reach out to find an audience who is willing to dive into the world of these strange stories to see where it is we're going.

We recently finished Season 1, and we're digging into episodes for Season 2, I wanted to let folks know that we put together an Ask Me Anything to wrap up our initial collection of stories. I also wanted to take a moment to talk to folks who made it this far, because we really need your help in keeping this project going right now.

Don't worry, we aren't asking for money. We just need you to click a few buttons on our behalf... shouldn't take more than 30 seconds or so, and it would make a huge difference to us!

So come on in, and let's see if our tales can entice you!

Before we get into the nitty gritty this week, don't forget to sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

Answering Some Questions (And Making A Simple Request)

To begin at the beginning, after the Season 1 finale we first put out a video from Director Harrington, asking as many folks to give us their questions and curiosities as possible. And while we did have to prod a couple members of our audience, we did get quite a selection of queries when all was said and done!

And once we had all of those questions (and we collected a few others from social media posts and the comment sections of our other videos) Alice and I sat down in front of the camera and decided to give our viewers what they wanted... as best we could, at any rate!

While we're making good progress (in my opinion, at least), we've got a long way to go before YouTube actually starts sharing revenue with us... and that is where the favor I have to ask comes in.

For folks who don't know, when I proposed this YouTube collaboration between Alice and myself about a year ago, my hope was that we'd be able to get the YouTube channel monetized, and that we could turn it into a legitimate source of income. These things take time, but my hope was that after a season of stories we'd have built up some momentum, and we'd be close to hitting a couple of goals. If it took us a little longer, well, that was okay, because we had plenty of time and ideas to go through.

Well... it turns out that time is something that isn't actually on our side anymore.

First and foremost, to get a channel partially monetized (which gives you access to super fan tips, subscriptions, etc.), YouTube requires you to have 500 subscribers, and 3,000 watched hours in a single 365 day span. To get a channel fully monetized (which is all the previous stuff and you now get a cut of the ad revenue on your videos) YouTube requires you to have 1,000 subscribers, and 4,000 watched hours of content in a single 365 day span.

At time of writing we have 396 subscribers, and somewhere around 2,100 watched hours. So if we keep a steady pace, we should clear that first hurdle by the end of 2026... unfortunately, things are changing in January 2027.

And it is giving us a MASSIVE headache...

I wrote about this over on my sister blog The Literary Mercenary in the post Thanks To YouTube's Recent Announced Changes, The A.L.I.C.E. Files Needs Your Help!, but if you didn't see it, the short version is that YT is doubling the amount of watched hours it takes to get fully monetized. So instead of 4,000 hours (which already takes something going at least a little viral to actually clear), you'll now need 8,000 hours in a single 365 day span... or 22 hours a day, every day, without fail, for an entire goddamn year!

If that sounds like they're just trying to avoid ever paying smaller creators a part of the revenue the site rakes in from advertising... yeah, that's basically what's going on.

And while that is bad enough, there's even more difficulties on our horizon. Because the real Alice is being forced to relocate herself rather rapidly, and moving on practically no notice is expensive. I gave the details on how folks can help in Author and RPG Designer Alice Liddell Is Moving, And Really Needs Our Help To Make It Happen!, however, the short version is that she needs as many income streams as she can possibly get to try to land on her feet.

So if you want to make sure this project gets to at least finish the second season, and that we can keep the lights on and food in the cabinets, please go to The A.L.I.C.E. Files on YouTube, subscribe to the channel, and give Season 1 a watch! Because if we can get at least 104 more subscribers, and just under 1,000 more hours, we'll at least be able to eke out enough to keep telling more stories in the short-term.

Thank you in advance to everyone who can help. We're strained to our seams over here at the moment, but I'm hoping that if we call the banners we can get enough folks to rally behind us that we can storm YouTube's battlements, and actually make them share the bounty that we're earning!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Table Talk. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my more involved audio drama channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

The Season 1 Finale For "The A.L.I.C.E. Files" Is Finally Out! (And A Peek At What's Coming Next)

It's been one hell of a ride thus far, but I wanted to take a moment to throw some confetti in the air, and to celebrate the completion of Season 1 of The A.L.I.C.E. Files! It's been nearly a year of work (if you count all the pre-launch efforts that went into the first few episodes), and we managed to get everything out without a single delay, and only minimal problems. And even though we aren't where we need to be with it yet, I didn't want to just let this accomplishment pass by without remarking on it.

And whether you've been following the project since its inception, or you're just now hearing about it, I wanted to take a moment to ask for your help. Because in order for us to keep the wheels turning, we're going to need help from listeners like you.

Don't worry, though, we aren't asking people for money.

 

Before we get into the nitty gritty this week, don't forget to sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

What's The Show About (And What Can You Do To Help)?

For folks who are just joining us, The A.L.I.C.E. Files is a YouTube channel I launched in partnership with Alice Liddell earlier this year. The two of us combined our efforts to produce audio versions of various stories (our own stories, public domain stories, and a couple of fan works), which are all part of an overarching narrative about a young woman designated Alice who has accepted a position with the Carroll Institute. This shadowy organization explores parallel dimensions, and the stories that Alice witnesses are the reports sent back by the agents who went through the Rabbit Hole... and even if they didn't make it back, their stories did.

So the vibe is one part SCP Foundation, and one part Delta Green, with a hefty dose of Alice in Wonderland thrown in for good measure!

 

The trailer is only a few minutes long, if you want to check it out for yourself before reading any further. 

 

Now, the plan for Season 1 was to essentially lay out the general format for the show, and to get listeners used to Alice's new routine. We follow her as she explores the parts of the building she's allowed inside, we meet several of her coworkers, and we get little hints here and there of the greater lore of the setting. Mostly, though, the first season focuses on the files she witnesses on behalf of the Archive. However, sharp-eyed folks (or just those who read the entry Can You Spot The Clues in The A.L.I.C.E. Files (What Are Your Theories?)) may have also noticed that we started dropping plot seeds early, in addition to putting a couple of ARG elements into the show for those who enjoy trying to follow the bread crumbs of an unfolding mystery.

As far as Season 2 goes, Alice was given a serious choice in the finale. Confronted by a bizarre being she can't explain, she's handed a key, and a mystery. Will she report it to her superiors? Will she follow the mystery as it's handed to her? Or will she simply push it out of her mind, put her head down, and just try to keep doing her job? Our goal with Season 2 was to start branching out into an in-universe storyline, and to incorporate a number of popular creepy pasta stories and ideas into the plot, in addition to the more traditional dramatized stories we put together in Season 1.

However, if we're going to get through this, we're going to need help from readers like you.

Again, we're not asking for money. Just the press of a few buttons, and your ears.

Our goal when we started The A.L.I.C.E. Files was to get the channel monetized so that we could earn money from ad revenue, audience tips, and all the other methods available to creators. It would be a tough road, given that YouTube requires a channel to have 1,000 subscribers, and 4,000 hours of watched content in a 365-day period (which is roughly 11.5 hours a day, every day, all year long), but we were confident that we could do that. It might take us a while, but we knew we'd be able to get there eventually.

Unfortunately, thanks to a decision from YouTube, we don't have eventually anymore. We have until the end of the year, sink or swim.

 

I recently laid out the details over on the Azukail Games YouTube channel, but the short version is that YouTube is doubling the amount of watch hours a channel needs to have before it can be monetized starting early next year. So we no longer have a couple of years to build up multiple seasons and a large enough audience... we have just under 4 months, and the clock is ticking!

So whether you're just finding out about the channel, or you've been cheering us on since we started back in the spring, please, do the following to help us keep the wheels turning:

- Subscribe to The A.L.I.C.E. Files

- Watch the episodes that are out

- Upvote episodes you like, and leave comments (the algorithm likes it when people do that)

- Share the show on your social media pages to help more people find out about us

At time of writing we have 369 subscribers, and we're just over 1,600 watched hours. We've still got some time left, but we need as many people out there to please add your voices, hit the buttons, and tell people about this project.

There are already a lot of shows that got a 1-season trial, and then disappeared due to audience disinterest. If we can get people to click that subscribe button, and actually show up for our episodes, we've got at least 3 seasons planned. Possibly 4, if folks really want to see more! But if we get the door shut in our face by YouTube, then sadly we might have to move on to something different instead.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Table Talk. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my more involved audio drama channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

"Exalted" Makes Its Way To The A.L.I.C.E. Files

Regulars on this blog likely know that in addition to writing RPGs, novels, and short stories, I also do a fair bit of work with audio dramas and dramatic readings. It's why earlier this year, in partnership with Alice Liddell, I was part of the launch of the ongoing audio drama channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files over on YouTube. While most of the episodes we've put out so far have been dramatizations of original fiction by Alice and myself, and narrations for public domain stories, we recently provided a glimpse into a fan story set in the world of Exalted, using the Dark Pack agreement.

But how File 006 - The Butcher's Toll came to be is almost as interesting as the story itself... so I wanted to take a moment to tell everyone the background of this tale, and let you know how you can expand the story of Barabbas the Butcher if you enjoy this little glimpse of his adventures.

Before we get into the nitty gritty this week, don't forget to sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

Try It, You Might Like It!

I have played a lot of different games in my time, but generally speaking I'm not a huge fan of wuxia RPGs, and I'm not a big fan of games where the PCs are mythical in terms of their power. Knowing that, you'd think that Exalted, as a game, really wouldn't do it for me... after all, what I just described is kind of the game's meat and potatoes.

However, Exalted (and specifically Exalted 2nd Edition) is a good friend of mine's favorite game (or, at least, one of their top favorites), and they were determined to find some way to share this experience with me. I wanted to find some way over the barrier, as well, because I knew a lot of folks who enjoyed Exalted, but everything I found about it just left me kind of struggling to find purchase.

Until, that was, my friend handed me the book Manual of Exalted Power: The Infernals.

This cover doesn't do justice to how messed up this content is.

This was the book that unlocked my interest. Because while I found the fallen magitech setting of Creation interesting, the standard solar exalted just weren't really grabbing my attention. Ditto for the lunars, the sidereals, and even the alchemicals. But the idea that mutilated gods that had been banished to hell, twisted into terrible, broken reflections of what they once were, stole some the solar exalted souls and wrenched them into corrupted weapons to set loose upon the world to reclaim it again in their name... well, now that was something I could get behind!

However, while I read the base book and the infernal book cover-to-cover (not an easy or pleasant experience on a screen), I felt the need to create a character who didn't have some great, grand destiny. Someone down-to-earth, who would have been happy to live a simple life, had circumstances gone differently. Someone that the world wronged, and let down.

And thus Barabbas was born.

A simple butcher, he lived with his wife, his son, and his daughter. When the servants of a Death Lord assaulted his village, and kidnapped his sister-in-law (among other folk), he took up his hewing tool to try to save them. When one of the dragon blooded came with his men, he thought they'd been rescued. Instead of helping the people of the village, the dragon blooded had the survivors all thrown in irons, and the village burned. Torn from the rest of his family, Barabbas was condemned to a mine. He led a failed uprising, and was the be painfully tortured and executed in front of the other slaves.

 

So when a servant of Malfeas, the broken king of hell, offered Barabbas power, he took it without a second's hesitation.

I was so proud of this character, and his tale, that I made an audio introduction to share with the rest of the players. I had been planning on doing the same for other folks who were interested so we could have a bit of a sizzle reel. And while we had the first few sessions of the game, sadly, it had to go on hiatus almost as soon as it began.

But That Doesn't Mean The Story Ends There

It's been years since I put Barabbas together, and I have copious notes about his tale. His journey through hell, which of the yozi that he spoke to, and which of them gave him gifts that he accepted. I have details about the places he went, the allies he gathered, and even about what his war against slavery would become as he tears apart Creation in search of his wife and children. The vibe I was going for was Conan by way of The Incredible Hulk, if he was powered by hell, with a heavy dash of Journey to The West.

And if that sounds like a story you'd want to hear, then there are steps you can take to make it happen!

Do I have your attention?

File 006 is what's called an "orphan" file by the Carroll Institute... to translate that for the audience, these "orphans" represent possible starts to a longer series of stories, should folks want to know more.

This could go a number of different ways. For instance, further reports could happen in the series canon, dropping every now and again when Alice is in the office and reviewing material from the archive. Alternatively, we could put the stories together as a side project that goes up between seasons of the main plot. We could even give the series its own slot, much like how Alice's Adventures in Wonderland currently has a chapter-by-chapter playlist.

A lot of that, though, is going to depend on what you want as our audience!

So if you are someone who would like more than just this little sample of Barabbas's story, here's what you need to do to make sure we hear you, and have the resources to make it happen:

- Subscribe to The A.L.I.C.E. Files

- Upvote The Butcher's Toll

- Leave a comment on the video telling us you want a sequel

- Share the video on your own social media pages, and tell your friends about the show

Sadly, we're a long way off from the 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours we would need to get the channel fully monetized. But, in fairness, if The Butcher's Toll can get 17,000 views, I'm pretty sure that would put us over both goals quite smoothly.

And if that happens, we'll basically be free to write, record, and edit whatever kind of episodes you all want to hear!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Table Talk. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my more involved audio drama channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

My Monthly Patreon Shout Out (And A Signal Boost For Fellow Creators)

It has been one hell of a June/July, and I'm trying to juggle a lot of crises. Still, with that said, I wanted to make sure I gave my shout-outs to all the folks who help me keep my bills paid over on Patreon, and anyone who would like to find themselves on this shout-out list should go to my Patreon page and pledge at least $10 a month to help me keep this blog (as well as my sister blog The Literary Mercenary) up and running!

 

So, a big thank you to:

- Chris Dundon, my newest patron (To Valhalla, my friend!)

- Brenton Ayres (You're doing more than your part to keep the wheels turning!)

- Tracy Bailey-Mathews (Hopefully some of what I write is helping with the campaign!)

- Joy Von Holle (One of my oldest and most appreciated supporters on this list!)

In addition to this shout out, though, I wanted to take a moment to signal boost a couple of folks out there who could really use your help. So if you have some spare time to push a couple of buttons, watch a few videos, or subscribe to a new Patreon or two, please keep reading!

Because everything is rough, and the wheels don't stop just because we're tired.

But before I get into the meat of today's post, remember, don't forget to sign up for my newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

Creators Who Could Use A Lifeline

While I'm still very much on the scramble (and it seems like every time I turn around there's some new bill I have to pay with money I was planning on saving), I want to take a moment to shine the spotlight onto two creators who could really use a hand up.

The first is my partner, Alice Liddell. Alice works with me on the YouTube channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files, we've done many conventions together, and I was the one who introduced her to Azukail Games where she's published supplements like 100 Dangerous Plants or the tome that is 100 Stat Boost Potion Recipes (it's the length of a full novel, so be aware that's what you're getting when you see the price tag).

However, in the recent storms that swept over the Midwest, the basement she lives in was flooded. This damaged a lot of her stuff, and it has drastically disrupted her ability to work as the place is dried out, she tries to salvage what she can, and to figure out how she's going to get back up on her feet.

So if you're out there, please consider checking out any of Alice's RPG supplements, buying some of her books found on her Amazon author page, or just buying her a Ko-Fi so she can keep her bills paid during this recovery period.

And if you don't have spare dosh lying around, Alice is trying to get several of her free content streams monetized. So in addition to subscribing to (and watching) The A.L.I.C.E. Files, consider checking out her author YouTube channel Alice The Author where she talks about what goes on behind the screen, as well as her gaming YouTube channel KHR Arts, and stop in to say hi on Twitch as well! It might be a while before she streams again, but as soon as the environment allows, she'll be back to it!

The other person I want to give a shout out to is Owen K.C. Stephens. For folks who don't know, he's one of the more established folks in the gaming industry, and you'll find his name on Pathfinder, Starfinder, and dozens of other games, as well as hundreds of other supplements. He's been fighting with a lot of physical ailments (cancer was chief among them until recently), and he's also had to recover from flooding and other home damage.

So, if you'd like to help Owen pay his bills and keep what he has so he can continue making the kinds of games we enjoy, consider hitting him up on Patreon, or even getting yourself a copy of the Owen Stephens Summer of Survival TTRPG bundle if you haven't done so yet! And if you've done all of that, but still want to help out, Owen also has a YouTube channel of his own, which you should subscribe to and watch to get his numbers up.

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my additional audio dramas over on The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Help A Creator Out On His 42nd Birthday?

It's been one hell of a year, and I've had a rough ride over the past decade or so. The wheel doesn't stop its grinding just because you have a milestone coming up, though, so I wanted to take a moment to both acknowledge my birthday this year (something I don't normally do), and to ask folks to help me out with a couple of projects I've been having trouble getting eyes and ears tuned in to.

 

So, if you'd like to help me make sure that this Douglas Adams birthday of mine is a good one, please check the list below for how you can help!

 

 

It would really give me something to celebrate!

But before I get into the meat of today's post, remember, don't forget to sign up for my newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

 

How Can You Help (Free Stuff)?

 

First and foremost, I know we're all on the struggle these days, and most of my regulars are on very tight budgets. So, most of the things I'm going to ask for are things that will cost you nothing but a bit of time, but it will still go a long way toward helping make my coming year a little easier.

 

I'm not getting any younger, after all.

 

 

At the top of the list is the new project I launched with Alice Liddell a few months back, The A.L.I.C.E. Files. This YouTube channel features audio book readings, as well as an ongoing plot involving the mysterious Carroll Institute, and the latest "Alice" who has signed on as a witness cataloger. And because this project is new, we simply aren't getting paid for it yet. It's a huge amount of time, effort, and energy, though, which is why I'd really appreciate folks going to the channel, and giving the episodes we have out a watch. If you like what you see (or you just want to help us reach our goals so YouTube will actually share ad revenue with us), subscribe to the channels, like the videos, and leave some comments on ones you enjoy the most.

 

We just broke 300 subscribers, and we've got less than 1,000 watch hours. Those numbers need to be 1,000 and 4,000 respectively for us to actually start getting paid... so even getting us a few steps closer would be great!

 

We also have an AMA planned for when we hit 350 subscribers, which I wrote about recently in Ask Me Anything For The A.L.I.C.E. Files... Our Next Stretch Goal!

The second thing you could do to help also involves YouTube! I've been making videos for the Azukail Games YouTube channel for some time, and we did manage to get the channel monetized (in no small part thanks to the surprise success of my video essay The Problem With Pentex). However, we're really close to hitting a new milestone over there as well! At time of writing we're about 30 people away from crossing over the 2,000 subscriber mark... it's a drop in the bucket by YouTube standards, but it would still be a pretty awesome finish line to cross.

 

Especially since the channel only had 300 and change folks subscribed when I first started making videos for it.

 

Second verse same as the first with this one. If you aren't subscribed, please do so. And whether you are or not, watch a couple of videos, and see if there's something here that you'd like! We've got advice for World/Chronicles of Darkness, discussions about my fantasy setting Sundara: Dawn of a New Age, crafting videos, previews of supplements, videos about my RPG Army Men: A Game of Tactical Plastic... and so much more!

 

And last on the free list, I want to let folks know about my Vocal.Media archive. I've got more than 300 free articles over there covering fantasy and sci fi, RPGs, fan and original fiction, and more... but more importantly, I get paid for every read! So consider bookmarking it, and reading through the archive. It's only a penny a read, but if you find something you really like, consider sharing it on your socials, telling your friends about it, etc. as well to help me grab some more eyeballs.

 

It really does help, when all is said and done.

 

If You Want To Throw Money At Something, Though...

 

If you're one of those people out there who wants to get me something to mark the occasion, and help me pay my bills at the same time, then you might consider becoming a Patreon patron. I recently switched to the monthly subscription model, and it's been tough to rebuild my earnings on that platform. Or if you just want to give me a little tip to help keep me going, you could just Buy Me A Ko-Fi.

 

Of course, buying a book or two is always great, as well...

If you want to actually get some of my work, though, then picking up a copy of Army Men: A Game of Tactical Plastic (or one of the mission modules I've written for it like A Night At Breckon's Beacon or Assault on Outpost 13) would also be great! And if you're more of a traditional fantasy RPG player (especially if you play either Pathfinder or DND 5E), then consider grabbing some of the books from my Sundara: Dawn of a New Age setting! You can find a full list of supplements for that setting in the post A New Year Is Coming For Sundara: Dawn of a New Age (What Would You Like To See)?

Of course, you can also check out my Amazon author page, or type my full name (Neal Litherland, for those who don't know) into Drive Thru RPG. You'll find a dozen or so books on the former site, and over 200 separate supplements on the latter to choose from!

However you choose to help, it's much appreciated! Thanks in advance, and I'm going to try to keep things going in 2026 to get even more stuff right in front of all of you!

 

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my additional audio dramas over on The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

An Ask Me Anything For The A.L.I.C.E. Files... Our Next Stretch Goal!

I wanted to start this month off with a bit of good news... the audio drama YouTube channel I launched with Alice Liddell, The A.L.I.C.E. Files, just hit 300 subscribers! And since this has been a goal of ours through most of April (the algorithm has been suppressing our signal hard), I wanted to dangle a bit of a carrot for folks who want to see the new project keep picking up steam.

 

Because if we can get that subscriber count up to 350, then Alice and I are going to put together an Ask Me Anything for the channel, and the ongoing stories of Alice and the Carroll Institute!

 

If you've got a curiosity, now is the time to ask!

 

Before we get into the nitty gritty this week, don't forget to sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

 

You Want To Know, And We Want To Tell You!

 

At time of writing, we're getting a lot of fresh episodes in the can for the channel, and we're finally starting to set things up for the nebulous Season 2, where we're going to start opening the doors of the Carroll Institute, and figuring out some of the mysteries that lie beyond what we see in the files sent up by the archive. And while we're really excited about that, we also wanted to take a moment and let our listeners know that if you're enjoying what's going on, we're more than happy to give folks a little peek behind-the-scenes regarding what we're doing, explaining different plot points, and tossing out some world building explanations!

 

So, if you want to see us put together an Ask Me Anything video about The A.L.I.C.E. Files, here's what we need you to do:

 

- Subscribe to The A.L.I.C.E. Files if you haven't yet

- Leave a question in The A.L.I.C.E. Files Behind The Scenes video with the tag AMA in the beginning

- Watch the videos we have on the channel so far to catch up on the plot

- Tell your family and friends to subscribe as well

 

As soon as we hit 350 subscribers, that's when we're going to go through the questions folks leave for us, put together a list, and sit down to satisfy some of your curiosities!

 

 

As a final note, if you go to the comments section and see that someone has already asked your question, that doesn't mean you shouldn't leave your two cents as well! If we see a question being asked more than once, that's going to make it far more likely that it goes on the list when we hit the magic subscriber number.

Until then, thank you to everyone who has helped us get this far, and a thank you in advance to everyone who will help us hit that goal we've set for ourselves!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Table Talk. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my more involved audio drama channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

To Ragnarok! (A Big Thank You To Several of My Patrons)

When I made the changeover to a monthly charge instead of a per-item basis over on Patreon, I had to come up with new tiers to try to get folks invested and involved. And like most folks who've been on the platform for a while, I made the first tier the $1 level (essentially just a way for folks to leave me a tip as a thank you). The second was the $5 tier, and that's where you actually get some kind of reward (free copies of my latest supplements when I get giveaway links). At $10 you get a shout out (thanks very much to Phillip Litherland and Tracy), and at $15 I'll put out a monthly query asking your opinion on future posts. There's a few more above that, but most folks have ignored those so far.

I put the $50 a month tier in mostly as a joke, because I didn't expect anyone to go that hard. But for both Joy Von Holle and Brenton Ayres, I salute you! When I find myself upon the field of Ragnarok, know that my battle charge shall be in dedication to your aid!

I will see you there, at the end of the cycle.

But before I get into the meat of today's post, remember, don't forget to sign up for my newsletter to get all my updates right in your inbox. Also, if you've got a bit of spare cash that you'd like to use to help keep the wheels turning, consider becoming a Patreon patron! Also, be sure you're following all of my followables, check out my LinkTree.

Lastly, for hundreds of extra articles on gaming, weird history, and for more free fiction, check out my Vocal archive, too!

Any Other Takers?

I really cannot overemphasize how surprised I was when someone stepped up to the Ragnarok tier... but I figured I'd at least ask... do we have anyone else interested in that einherjar-level support?

Because I know I emphasize this fairly often, but my Patreon really has been a huge boon to me for the past decade or so I've been on the platform. And though there have been ups and downs, over the past several years I've come to depend on it for food and expenses during the month. I've never been well-funded enough that it was rent money... but hey, I can dream can't I?

It would be nice, not gonna lie.

I just wanted to take a moment to remind folks that the changeover has been rough, but I feel like I'm finally getting back on my feet a little bit thanks to the generosity of some of my patrons. If you're a regular reader who wants to help, though, consider tossing me an extra $1 a month or so... or if you want some free swag, $5 is my recommended amount. Heck, if everyone currently on my free subscription converted to that level, I really would be making rent money...

As always, don't go into debt to support me as a creator. I know money is tighter than ever for a lot of folks out there. But if you do have a bit spare, I can promise you that I'll be paying bills and buying tacos with it. No funny business over here... just fuel for the brain so I can keep the lights on and the wheels turning!

Also, If You Enjoy Free Stuff, Check Out This Channel

Regular readers already know this, but if you enjoy all the free stuff I'm putting out (and you're looking for more gaming and gaming-related entertainment on a budget) I'd highly recommend checking out the YouTube channel The A.L.I.C.E. Files! An ongoing fiction channel I launched with Alice Liddell a little while back, it tells the story of a young woman given a job by the mysterious Carroll Institute... but in between installments of that story, we get tales of alternate dimensions where you hear about weird west card sharps, literal avenging angels, deals with devils, and more!

And if you're wondering how those two plot lines merge, check out the first episode below... and if you want to help me keep this project going, please subscribe to The A.L.I.C.E. Files, and watch the videos we're putting up. We need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 view hours, but at time of writing we've got 271 people, and about 205 hours.

It's a long way to go, but you could help us get there!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the Azukail Games YouTube channel, or my additional audio dramas over on The A.L.I.C.E. Files! Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my dystopian sci-fi thriller Old Soldiers, my hardboiled gangland noir series starring a bruiser of a Maine Coon with Marked Territory and Painted Cats, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Blue Sky, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!