Calling All Beta-Readers! Apply now for a chance to beta-read "The Cycle of Time: The Journey"

Hello, my peoples! I am hereby calling ALL THE BETA READERS!

With The Journey (link leads to info on book) finished and edited until my head hurts, I think it's time for some new perspectives. Thus, I am calling on the help of 20 beta readers to properly edit and give feedback on The Cycle of Time: The Journey (link leads to info on book). Participants are looking at an exclusive chance to read The Journey before the general public, as well as some other perks, such as:

• With consent, beta readers will be mentioned (by name or by email/internet name) in the published version of The Journey's "Acknowledgments" page
• A personalized blog to discuss the book with other beta readers
• A little badge of my own creation that will probably completely stink for internet awesomeness purposes
• My eternal love
• Chances to be first-choice to beta read upcoming novels/short stories/etc of mine as I finish them
• If you want, you can receive a print copy of the novel you are editing when the beta reading is over

If you are interested, here are the details:

The Journey Beta-Reading Program

The Cycle of Time: The Journey (Long) Synopsis

Darkness is nearer than the land of Janíza knows. Fire Eye, the ruthless ruler, is weakening the cities, and before the people will be able to react, everything they know will vanish.

Alli and Dirco, two orphans living in the slums of a secluded village, live in this time. Dirco barely makes enough money from his storytelling to feed them both. Just when Alli is beginning to wonder where their next meal will take place, a stranger appears and hires them to travel with him, claiming he is interested in Dirco's stories. Things only become darker and stranger from there, as both Alli and Dirco are thrown into the midst of a ongoing war that seems to revolve around Dan, the stranger.

Now neck-deep in a battle that began far before either of them were born, Alli and Dirco struggle to survive as Dan pulls them from one end of Janíza to the other. Questions arise, but he avoids them and insists they keep close. Alli knows Dan isn't who he says he is, but is too scared to ask herself who he could really be. When she is suddenly forced to question everything she has ever known, will she have the strength to fight or will she hide forever in the small village of Geggon?

The Cycle of Time has just begun. The tests have just started. Before she knows it, Alli will be thrust into a strange new world. If she and Dirco don't accept, all will be lost.

Qualifications:

1. You must be able to read and write fluently in English.
2. You must be at least 13 years of age for reasons.
3. You must have a Google account in order to reach Google Docs, which is where the beta reading will be taking place.
4. Applicants must have consistent access to the internet via laptop/computer.
5. All participants will be required to read and sign some official stuff that says you can't copy my work (because it IS officially copyrighted) and that you won't blab about my storyline to the whole internet. You will be allowed to discuss whatever you want on your given blog, but outside of that I will request you keep silent. You will be allowed to say that you are in the Beta Reader Program and such but no details leaked, please! Doing so will result in instant rejection from the program.
6. You must give consent to publish your name (in whatever form you like) in the published version of The Journey. If you don't want this, that's fine too.
7. Only one applicant per household. Literary agents, editors, or employees of ANY publishing company are not eligible to participate in the program. An false information will result in instant rejection.
8. You must, of course, have at least some history in writing/reading. I will be asking some pretty deep questions for you to answer, so you have to have some knowledge on how storylines and character arcs work in order to properly give good feedback.

The Beta Reader Program:

• The application window opens at the posting of this post (so now) and closes on April 24, 2015 at 11:59am Eastern Time. All those accepted will receive the Beta Reader Program Official Email of Awesomeness.

• Readers will be provided the url to their blog and their Beta Reader Program Packet if they are selected to participate.

• The Beta Reader Program will begin when I post the first installment on Google Docs, which will most likely be in early May. The book is over 22 chapters long, so I will be posting multiple chapters at a time for about 6-8 weeks during the summer.

• Beta readers will be provided several chapters of The Journey every Sunday night between the hours of 9-11:00pm. Reader assessments must be turned in by 11:59pm the following Sunday night. (Of course I'm a busy person too so if you miss this deadline it's cool. As long as you get them in sometime during the next week.) As long as readers continue to comment on the works and turn in their readers assessments, they will continue to be able to post on the blog.

• You will have continued access to the blog after the program is over. I'm not gonna take that away from you, don't worry.

• When I finish any other books, you will have first chance to continue your beta reading.

• While I will never edit content of any posts or comments submitted to your special blog, I will not tolerate hate speech, overtly political messages, or slanderous comments aimed at me, other authors, fans, Beta Readers, or individuals. Any such behavior which intentionally violates the spirit or function of the Beta Reader Program will result in the offender being removed from the Beta Reader Program. And I will also find you. And ruin your Netflix connection while you are trying to watch that one show. Yeah, that's right, I mean business.

Application Details:

Please send all applications to acrossbooks@gmail.com

To apply, please provide the following (star * indicates categories not required, but highly suggested for my own personal research. I promise I won't use any information you send to advertise to you, send to any third parties, or any such cruelties that the rest of the world does. I just like to know who my audience is and how they are responding.):

• Age (must be at least 13)
• Name (at least internet name/username/fake name/nickname. I need something to call you by if you don't want to give me your real name.)
• Whether you want your name mentioned in the acknowledgments in the published version of The Journey or not
• *Gender (male, female, unspecified)
• *Preferred reading genre (fantasy, sci-fi, dystopian, medieval, modern, etc. If you don't know, just list some of your favorite books!)
• Writing/editing background: Basically, I'm asking if you have any history in the general framework of understanding how a story works. If you don't, hey, I'm not expecting too many applications so go ahead and apply anyway. If I don't get over 20 applications then I will accept all applications that come in. All you really need is a willingness to be as honest as possible while reading through my novel. :)
• *How did you find out about The Journey Beta-Reading Program (Pinterest, this blog, etc.)
• What's your favorite ice cream flavor?
• On a scale of one to ten, how much do you like Lord of the Rings? (sorry guys, I need to know these things. No optionalness.)

If there are any questions, please comment below or email me at acrossbooks@gmail.com

I like emails.

I won't bite, I promise.

Good luck and may the Force be with you, Luke!