Is your story ready for the world — but you're ready to explore what's beyond the traditional publishing route?

Get a behind-the-scenes look at Zombie Orpheus Entertainment’s wildly successful Mercedes Lackey's "Grandmaster" - A Deluxe Valdemar Anthology crowdfunding campaign—raising over $320,000 from over 3,600 of their biggest fans.

Join us for an honest, practical conversation about crowdfunding your book: how to reach new readers, deepen connections with your existing fans, and fund a high-quality print run without giving up creative control.

Mercedes Lackey — Prolific fantasy author renowned for her expansive Valdemar series

Ben Dobyns — Co-founder of Zombie Orpheus Entertainment, trailblazer in community-funded independent media

Crystal Turnau — Marketing Manager and former publishing professional with years of behind-the-curtain expertise

Why crowdfunding works — and what traditional publishing can't offer you

Which products and upgrades are worth producing

The tools and strategies that make it all manageable

Established authors looking who want to expand their publishing revenue

Authors who want to fund a high-quality print run of existing work

Anyone ready to take creative and financial control of their publishing career

Renowned Author & Creator of Valdemar Series

Mercedes Lackey is the author of the bestselling Valdemar series, the Obsidian Trilogy (The Outstretched Shadow, To Light a Candle, and When Darkness Falls), the Enduring Flame trilogy (The Phoenix Unchained, The Phoenix Engendered, and The Phoenix Transformed), The Diana Tregarde Chronicles, and Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms. She has written many other books, including Trio of Sorcery, Phoenix and Ashes, Sacred Ground, The Firebird, The Fairy Godmother, and Alta. Lackey is the co-author, with Andre Norton, of the Halfblood Chronicles, including Elvenborn. Mercedes Lackey was born in Chicago and graduated from Purdue University. She has worked as an artist’s model, a computer programmer, and for American Airlines, and has written lyrics and recorded more than fifty songs. She lives in Oklahoma.

Ben Dobyns is a performer, media producer, and crowdfunder living in Metro Vancouver, Canada. They are best known for founding Zombie Orpheus Entertainment, producing award-winning television shows like Strowlers, The Gamers, and JourneyQuest, performing as a jazz pianist and pipe organist on three continents, designing board, card, and live action roleplaying games, and for crowdfunding millions of dollars for clients in entertainment and tech. Crowdfunding since 1998, Ben has built their career around cultivating passionate communities that crowdsource time and money to achieve extraordinary goals.

Publishing Professional & Marketing Manager, BackerKit

Crystal Turnau (they/she) is a Senior Performance Marketing Manager at BackerKit. With over a decade of experience in marketing, including a background at a Big 5 publisher, they specialize in brand strategy and paid advertising.

Sign up to reserve your spot, and if you can’t make it you will still get access to the recorded replay!

Publishing in 2026: How Authors Are Crowdfunding Books for Their Biggest Fans