FREE HANDS 1-2 is live on Kickstarter

The've Killed their captain. Now comes the hard part.

Author

Matthew Wilding
July 27, 2023

We’re 20% funded on Day 1 for Free Hands!

As promised, Free Hands launched on Kickstarter yesterday, and the support has been overwhelming. We’ve already reached 20% of goal, we’re a featured project and “Project We Love” on Kickstarter, and are very much hoping to keep things moving in day 2.

Free Hands is a really important story to me. I’ve been trying to write it since 2006 or so, and finally found the right frame and medium for it in 2020. Part 1 came out last year, following the last days of a pirate in colonial Boston, recounting his path from poor and badly used ship hand to freebooter in front of a hostile congregation on his way to the noose.

In part 2, the story of the nameless pirate continues, recounting the forming of the crew, selection of captain, and first battle in the Atlantic against a British vessel, and concludes with an exciting series of mishaps in the legendary pirate colony of Port Royal.

I’ve tried to keep the story as rooted in historical accounts of piracy as possible. We’ve taken liberties on years (this book takes place slightly later than the “golden age of piracy”), but for the most part, one of the most interesting parts of creating this story for me is that almost everything that happens to the crew of the FREE-HAND and the people around them actually happened to someone in the 17th-18th century pirate community. Their motivations and stated wants are aligned with 18th century struggles with colonialism, including national, religious, class, race, and gender issues, some of which people still grapple with today.

But also, it’s just a damn fun adventure.

Here’s a preview of what’s in store:

FREE HANDS #2 PREVIEW

Early Bird Specials at discounted prices are available until 5pm EST today!

If you missed Part One, don’t worry, it’s still available in digital and physical form through the campaign!

FREE HANDS #1 PREVIEW

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO MAKE FREE HANDS SAIL?

I’ve been asked by friends and supporters how best to help support projects like this, which are not being released in a traditional manner, but being crowdfunded.

I’m happy to help! And these apply not just to this campaign, but to any project you’re looking to support.

  • Back the campaign!: This one is obvious, but essential. This campaign has tiers of support ranging from $5 for a digital copy to $250 for you to be drawn directly into the book. There are packages that include Free Hands #1 and #2, as well as some of my other projects. There are tiers like “Join the Crew", where you get the package and you get acknowledgement in both digital and print. Backing a project early can really help with momentum. Note that you’re only charged on Kickstarter at the end of the campaign and only if it’s fully funded. In this case, that will be the evening of August 24, no matter when you back.

  • Share the campaign on social media: Posting the link to the campaign on social media and telling people that you’re excited about it makes them excited. They trust you more than me. They have no idea who I am!

  • Interact with posts I make about it on social media: “The algorithm” is a beast. It rewards hot takes and cat videos. I like one of those. But for now, social media is fundamentally stupid and it values and privileges posts with interaction. I’m posting about this campaign (too much) on my personal Twitter and @SecDec Twitter, as well as on Facebook, BlueSky, and Instagram/Threads. Give those posts a like! Better, give them a comment and a share.

  • Tell folks about it!: If you know a real live human who might be interested in this, forward them an email about it, or just tell them with your mouth!

  • Be patient: You might get sick of hearing about the campaign. It might show up too much in your feed. The reality is it usually takes about a dozen impressions before people check something out, and with no marketing budget, folks like me are usually doing that via social media. It’ll be over soon!

Other campaigns to check out

I’m not the only guy making stuff out there. There’s a zillion other great creators. Here’s a few projects happening now that I’m excited about, that you might be interested in, too.

Falling Stars: Cero Unit is the royal family’s elite guard, when the heir is taken, their mission is clear: save the princess. Kill the deserter. This one’s by Marcus Jimenez and one of my favorite indie writers, Frankee White. It’s only got about a day left and it’s right on the edge of funding, so I recommend jumping on board while you can.

Art of Life #1: Jeremias is an 18th Century painter crippled by grief. A mysterious patron offers him a second chance at his dreams but at what price? From writer Frank Martin, I actually know nothing about this project, but it sounded interesting so I backed it.

Rook & Knight #1: Daniel Kalban's Libertyverse expands! A father-son vigilante duo must fight crime...if they're not fighting each other. Art by the Baggs Brothers, who I worked with on Small Bites and Holiday Spirits: Christmas in July #2 (both available on my KS campaign as add-ons!).

Spillblood: One-Shot: 36-page black, white, & red one-shot comic book from Stefano Cardoselli and Jonathan Hedrick. I unabashedly love Hendrick’s work, and am excited for this one to come out.

Don’t forget to back Free Hands, though!

That’s it for now

I’ll be back later this month with a proper newsletter, full of project updates, book and record reviews, and weird thoughts on history and museums. Until then, thank you for your support, and for making Free Hands and my other projects happen!