The Alleyman returns with THREE brand new decks as one-time printings: the Alleyway Tarot, Oracle of Secrets, and Oracle of Play.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
The Box Delay (Coming Now!) | My Box Arrived | Build a Booth
24 days ago
– Mon, Sep 23, 2024 at 03:32:17 PM
Hello Alleyfolk,
FAQ?
Please check previous update for the most recent FAQ, with the one exception being boxes/statues are just finally heading out.
Touched Decks/Painted Statues
I'm setting a date for myself that I need them done and shipped out by October 14th. These are a big mental block bogeyman for me, it's hard to get started and it's hard to stay on because it's not something I can finish in a day or three, it takes weeks as a process. Thank you for your patience!! I'm really glad we accidentally sent un-touched decks to touched deck backers bc it means you aren't waiting for decks, just the fancier ones. Still, I need to put this project to rest entirely, and it can't until I get this part done.
Boxes Held at Port... Again
First off, I have to give the news of the delay on the boxes and statues. But also, I get to share the box! So there's some give and take here. Boxes arrived to port with the remaining statues but haven't been picked up. The same issue we had last time we got a big container is true here again-- I've seen the communications with the pick up company. For some reason our container was put into an area where we needed an appointment to pick up, and there were no appointments available until the 25th. So we're picking up on the 25th.
That means we'll have some items in hand shortly, but we're sending the others to Texas and New Jersey again, as the boxes are BIG, and are costly to ship beyond Zone 6, so we're getting them closer to you at their warehouses then shooting them out to you.
Official timeline now that we have an actual pickup date for the container is first week of October for people getting items from California, and from Texas/New Jersey, that will be another week. So by October 14th or so, everyone should have their boxes/statues.
Now, it doesn't escape me that we had this same setup with wave 1 shipments and getting items over to Texas/New Jersey took much, much longer than it should have. So I will be asking for updates to let people know about their boxes if there are further delays.
The Box in Person!
So, to be honest, I was pretty disappointed when I got the box last week, or the week before. It's hard to say what a week is anymore, I've been a busy goblin. My box arrived just in time for my booth setup (more on that later in this update), and when I got past the huge box and wonderful packaging (that made sure it arrived safely!), I was face to face with a missing magnet, a deep scratch on the top, and a miscolored piece. As of today I have been told that they took this one from the batch of B-grade boxes, ones that didn't make it through Quality Assurance. Not sure why I got a B-grade one, but so it goes.
I was originally going to share it immediately, but I was kind of deflated due to the defects, but now knowing that they did QA with all of your boxes and you won't receive items like this, I feel better about sharing it. So look, the box!
I'm really glad I designed this huge thing, but wow it's really big haha. Not sure where to put it in my space, I have no shelf big enough! I'll settle in eventually and put the decks inside, but I need to get used to this particular box not being perfect. I'll get there!
You Mentioned a Booth?
Why yes, I did. I apply for booth space at exhibitor halls every GenCon and PaxUnplugged and etc etc. I want to be a vendor at a convention darnit! My biggest hurdle each time seems to be that I've never vended in a big way at one of these conventions, so I have no videos/photos to share my booths from years past.
I had all these plans for what I needed for my booth, but until I had certainty I'd have one, I couldn't justify buying all the things. But then it's a feedback loop of not getting the chance because I have nothing to show. So fine, I found an almost-10x10 foot space in my apartment, cleared it of furniture, and bought all the things I needed for my booth. Then I built it in my apartment.
So uhhh yeah I got real sweaty and made the whole darn thing and tore it down and put the living room back together in one afternoon/evening. There are some open spots still in the setup for items that aren't in hand yet, or things I'm revising now for 2nd editions, or games that are going to crowdfunding in the near future. coughConfluence October 15thcough.
I'm also doing Pintopia in January and a role playing game in March for a topia and another thing for May and-- it never ends. So there will be lots of space for the goods. I've already made plans for making the shelves even taller to include extra items, plushies (!!), and more higher signs. There are also so very many art prints it's hard to include them all anywhere, I didn't put up any of the Normal Tarot prints on that print area, or the 22 Lords from the Oracle Dice art print set! So many options.
I went all in. There's games, divination, gashapon, pins, prints, lanyards, and so much more. Dry erase price signs with info on the items, sale stickers, sold out stickers-- I planned for just about everything after doing my due diligence in researching all I will need. Wildly hopeful for 2025, and I'll be applying to any mildly large con in my neck of the woods next year.
Will be setting up Pub Gob Games as a Backerkit/Kickstarter account, as well as Pub Gob Trinkets, as I intend to make a lot more fun side trinkets that aren't games or divination. Drawing up plans for plushies, ita bags, keychains, and so many more enamel pins. So wish me luck, friends.
Poetry, Confluence, and the Road Ahead
As I'm sure many of you are already plenty aware, I have other projects always happening. The Normal Tarot is about to be picked and packed and shipped (shipping container leaves China the 30th!), Zoetrope and What We Possess have largely already shipped out, leaving the Alleyway Oracles, ironically the oldest of these projects, the last one to get its final items out the door. But it's happening.
Just under 3 days left on my latest poetry project, and we unlocked a whole other new book release! While Widening the Wound is a proper release, as it was meant to be, with black pages and green text and black edges, of my thesis poem from grad school, plus the followup long poem I published separately, but edited down to be what I wanted it to be.
The cover for both books, Like Warm Plastic and While Widening the Wound, are by Reid Aster. This one here is still in progress, but close to complete. So if you like poetry, please consider come giving some support on that! Just 70 hours remain!
And of course, October 15th is the massive TTRPG Confluence: The Living Archive. I cannot stress enough how important this project is. Every extra dollar I've had since the Alleyman's Tarot over these last 3 years has gone into this project supporting a team of 14 people, game designers, artists, editors, and more. And I myself have tried for years before this to create the game. It's the meeting point for all my worlds, across my games and divination tools and more. Seeing this thing fun, and in a huge way, would give me so much relief and let me slow down on my projects. To know there's money to keep it moving to its completion and I can make smaller things for a little bit would let me rest, and your Gobbo here needs some rest.
And then there's the Misery Tarot, a bit in limbo at the moment. It will either go to fund November or I'll amend the contract with the artist and pay early with it funding in May instead. I think since Tarotopia will be in May next year, I may do that.
To keep Publishing Goblin alive as a business, to keep funding new and big and amazing projects like Confluence, I must always keep moving. It can seem like a lot, I'm sure, but it's everything I have to do to keep money moving into the business and make it possible for new things to happen, and for the many people who work with me on projects to be able to pay their bills, as I need to pay my own!
So I hope you'll consider joining me on all the future endeavors, and now that I have the booth setup ready, I hope to see some of you at conventions throughout 2025! (and maybe yet in 2024... : ) )
Thanks all,
7DA
your pub gob
The Alleyway Oracles Funeral | Let us get ready to lay this to rest!
2 months ago
– Fri, Aug 09, 2024 at 12:20:54 PM
Hello Alleyfolk,
In May last year, this project went live. I wasn't sure how hungry people would be for a sequel project to the Alleyman's, and realistically, it looks like I was right to be dubious. We raised nearly half the funds, which is incredible (7th most funded on kickstarter!!), but with 1/4 of the people. Most people weren't interested in rejoining our festivities, but those who did were enthusiastic!
We aimed to ship around April, and while we did begin the process then, it's been clear it's been a bumpy road to completion. Delivery truck delays, shipping containers being kept from us for weeks on end, storms, apparently construction at the California warehouse, labor shortages-- it's been slow. We have all seen this for sure. But as of today, all but 2 orders we had to fulfill are fulfilled. These last 2 are the biggest ones we've had, and are just finding methods out to people. There are also 4 or 5 orders that got oracle dice that we ran out of guidebooks in the states for-- but those are arriving literally tomorrow. Our bad!
Now, of course, caveats to that:
Wooden 3-deck boxes are shipping out late this month into September, as has been shared already. This has been known for a bit now.
8" statues-- only 6 are in the states right now, the rest are making it here with the wooden boxes and will go out late this month and early September. I wasn't aware of this one, but now we know.
If you have either of these and are moving/have moved, please let New Titan know: [email protected]
I have also now officially cancelled all orders that didn't get their surveys done. Definitely felt weird to do, but we are a month past the due date to get a survey in, and we had over a year for people to get them done. I sent many reminder emails and some from my own email box directly. All that's left now are some artists who never did their surveys, but I'll get those taken care of personally.
Our New FAQ
When should my order arrive?: Realistically you should all already have your items or tracking. If you have not received it, REACH OUT TO NEW TITAN.
Who to Contact: Please reach out to New Titan, but read the full FAQ so you aren't asking questions already answered when possible! They are getting lots of requests, and that makes their backlog of answering take longer. So be sure your answer isn't below! [email protected]
Carried by the Alleyman Decks: I messaged all carried backers months ago to let them know their 'touched' decks will be coming later still (I dont have the decks in hand to begin the process yet), but they were sent untouched sets to compensate for now in their main order. I'll be messaging directly for touched deck backers, so that won't be talked about in updates. I will ONLY be sending you the touched decks, the other items should all have been sent by New Titan already.
Ordering things you didn't get...? : We will put the remaining items on www.alleymantarot.com when we are done fulfilling. This will be in mid September once boxes and statues are all sent out.
REFUNDS: Refunds were offered until July 16th 2023. No more are/were offered after that no matter the reason.
Damagedor Missing Items, Lost or Misdelivered Packages: You will have until September 10th to report to [email protected] if you need replacement items or have missing items in your order. For packages that go missing, you will have until September 25th to report lost or misdelivered packages to have us resend or follow up on the items.
WHO TO CONTACT?: New Titan is our manufacturer and shipper. Reach out to them please! I can't help with missing or lost packages, tracking information, or things missing items. I'd love to, but I have no access to that information, only New Titan does. So reach out to them at the email below, thank you!
Or if you just wanna say hi and let me know how great the decks are, email at [email protected]!
The Rest of the Year
SEPTEMBER
Like Warm Plastic is my project for Backerkit's Booktopia, launching early September. This is poems from this last three years from my sister's death, transition and detransition, sex, and kink. It's an exploration of identity change and the malleability of our bodies and wants. It means a lot to me, but I also know poetry exists for the 3 people in the center of the Earth who read it, so no big expectations here. Just help me pay for the cover art and a small print run, if you want! : )
OCTOBER
First in October, we will be shipping out the Normal Tarot!
Then, Like Warm Plastic should be heading straight to supporters into November.
Alongside the Hot Housewives Tarot, which I'm working on now into the next year, the other card from the Alleyman's Tarot I wanted to see brought home to its own deck is the Bogeyman in the Misery Tarot! So in November, when Confluence finishes its project, we are going to give it a chance! I have an amazing artist already lined up to take on the illustrative work alongside me as I create the guide and design the deck. It will take its year to come to fruition, like the Hot Housewives deck, and feature a weekly update on the journey for the deck. Then when it's complete, it will get a release alongside the Hot Housewives Tarot for general purchase! If you join us early in November, you'll get cheaper pledge tiers, join us for the deck's creation journey, and cheaper final add-ons that are made for the final release as well!
The Misery Tarot is a dark but kind hand drawing you into the wound of your heart. It's a hard journey through your pain, misery, and trauma, but one with an end in sight. There is a path out, but it is always through. This is an important deck for shadow work, living through your pain, and survival. And I hope you'll join me on it.
Into 2025
The Hot Housewives Tarot, Misery Tarot, and Confluence will all be on their journeys to completion and shipping and full release! But of course, I always have another dozen things on the back burner itching for their chance to fund. Secret Halls, the 2nd season of the Alleyman Podcast, a new Podcast or two (??), The Final Alley Project, New Oracle Dice, and so very many games! I'm also going to be putting out 2nd editions of older games without crowdfunding projects, just updating into the new catalog of Publishing Goblin!
The final percent of packages!
3 months ago
– Thu, Aug 01, 2024 at 06:47:55 AM
First off, for most questions you might have, such as "who do i contact about a missing item?"and the like: read the previous FAQ update here.
New Titan has been working ceaselessly to get people's packages out. By Friday their job will be finished for 99% of you.
The only thing theyll have left are the big packages, which will wrap up in a few days, but take longer per package, as every one has different packaging needs.
-- At the mmoment i am at GenCon wwith nl iinternet so im dokmg yhis on my phone. This pparagraph im leaving as-is. Im not making these typos, the uupdate eeditor on kickstarter is. It does t like phones. So ive beven ttyping aND fixing over aND over, sseems to miss the ffirst letter i type every time aND then make a word out ofor the tremaining lletters. Ttruly a terrible experience lol! --
Please start reaching out to New Titan starting wednesday next week if you havent gotten a package or shipping notification!
Thanks,
7
Hurricane Problems | Box updates!
3 months ago
– Tue, Jul 16, 2024 at 03:10:28 PM
The hurricane that hit Texas did damage to the warehouse down there and took out the power for the last week. As a result, New Titan is asking for 2 more weeks to get things out. They kept trying to get things shipped and sent out but they had to take items to other places that had power and internet to print labels and it was a difficult and much slower process.
This shouldn't affect orders outside of the southern US, but I think it's probably best to just hang tight the next two weeks for those to be confirmed taken care of. The official timeline for you to report when your items are missing or packages are lost is based on when your items are sent, not really a global deadline, so no worries. You will still have time after receiving tracking info to get your emails in to New Titan about missing items or lost packages.
Thank you, AGAIN, for your patience. New Titan is working round the clock to get the items out.
The Boxes
"Foam insert and shipping boxes were made to provide protection for this precious little stuff. Fumigation was done after all boxes are well packed and palletized. Ocean freight was booked and the forwarder has given the shipment to the consolidator but we haven't got any further update yet. We estimate the boxes will arrive in the USA around late August and fulfillment around the end of August to early September."
From the manufacturer's mouth! The boxes are heaving over soon, safe and sound. Reminder, in case you've missed past updates, that the 3-chamber wood boxes are coming separate from your order. : )
7
Final Day to Get Surveys In for Wave 2! | Reminders! and FAQ
3 months ago
– Tue, Jul 09, 2024 at 04:52:58 PM
Hello Alleyfolk,
Happy July!
I wanted to drop an update before tomorrow to remind people that July 10th, Wednesday, tomorrow, is the LAST DAY to get your survey in. On the 11th, I will export the last people who need shipping costs added to their orders, get shipping charged on those orders over the next week, and then get those last Wave 2 orders handed off to New Titan!
SURVEYS: People who never paid shipping, or who didn't do their survey, should be advised they will only get their items if they pay it or do their survey. You can check to see if you did your survey here.
If you already paid shipping before now, you were in Wave 1. Wave 2 is ONLY for people who never got shipping paid or surveys sent in. At this point its just under 300 folks. If any of the 230 people who haven't done surveys yet do not get them turned in by tomorrow, their orders will be cancelled without refund.(Humorously a bunch of them appear to be artists who never put in their info to get their free decks-- I'll reach out to each of them personally to help them figure that out.) I've sent lots of reminder emails from backerkit and even did some from my own email address, so people have been attempted to be reached for over a year at this point.
FAQ
When should my order arrive?: New Titan, our manufacturer and shipper, said that by July 15th everyone should have their items, or at the very least tracking info in an email. Please check your spam folder for that tracking!
Who to Contact: Please reach out to New Titan, but read the full FAQ so you aren't asking questions already answered when possible! They are getting lots of requests, and that makes their backlog of answering take longer. So be sure your answer isn't below! [email protected]
Ordering things you didn't get...? : We will put the remaining items on www.alleymantarot.com when we are done fulfilling. May be a bit yet as we finish shipping Wave 2 of backer orders.
Candles!!: Some international packages had candles removed from the bag with the key and charms, because we found out we couldnt air ship those. We are looking into fixes still, but you will eventually either get a candle shipped on its own or a small partial refund.
TRACKING?: North American and US orders get those in emails before items reach them. International orders SHOULD get them before the items arrive, but I keep hearing from people that they get the items then the tracking info goes out to them that day or the next day. Not sure why, apologies!
REFUNDS: Refunds were offered until July 16th 2023. No more are offered after that no matter the reason.
Damagedor Missing Items, Lost or Misdelivered Packages: You will have 30 days after your package arrives to you to report to [email protected] if you need replacement items or have missing items in your order. For packages that go missing, you will have 45 days after the item is sent (60 for international packages) to report lost or misdelivered packages to have us resend or follow up on the items. Loosely, this is July 20 to August 15th for US Orders for missing items, and August 10th for International Orders for missing items. Then it's August 25th for US Orders, and August 25th for International Orders for missing packages.
REMINDER: Wooden Boxes are going separately yet, Alleyman's Tarot items shipped separately already, and Hit Point Press's Animated Tarot shipped separately! (You can contact me: [email protected] for animated tarot missing)
WHO TO CONTACT?: New Titan is our manufacturer and shipper. Reach out to them please! I can't help with missing or lost packages, tracking information, or things missing items. I'd love to, but I have no access to that information, only New Titan does. So reach out to them at the email below, thank you!
And I know lots of your international folks have been getting your items! PLEASE, please share your goods! Your first readings! Your box openings! Your reviews! You can tag us on socials in so many places!
Or if you just wanna say hi and let me know how great the decks are, email at [email protected]!
Lots of @PublishingGoblin or @PublishGoblin! I love to see it, and especially on this project it means the world to see it all out there in your hands. These last handful of projects have been very tight financially and I'm working a job to make ends meet since December. So, seeing the art finished, in your hands, means the world and keeps me going with the whole Pub Gob experience.
As always, my other projects are in their pre-order phases and pre-launch phases!
Now is the best time to get Normal Tarot pre-orders in, as I'm about to send in final production numbers and head to manufacturing!
You can grab some Alleyman Pinsets here! These are heading into the mail this coming week and weekend, as I have them in hand and there are fewer than 300 orders to send! So get at the pre-orders now before I lock them!
