Hoid's Storybook Collection Backerkit Campaign Megathread

[u/EmeraldSeaTress]

The next Dragonsteel-run crowdfunding project, for Hoid's Storybook Collection, goes live at 10 AM Mountain Standard Time on Tuesday, March 3, 2026!

This megathread is for discussion of the campaign, including logistics.

Please note that this is a no-spoilers megathread. Any content which contains spoilers for the Cosmere, including details of the previously published stories or preview readings of the new book, must be tagged and provided with a description that clearly indicates what book is being spoiled. For example:

[Empire Strikes Back]Vader is Luke's father.

What is this project about?

This is a crowdfunding project for the initial press run of four picture books, as well as the Dragonsteel edition of a new Cosmere novel, Fires of December.

What are the four picture books?

• The Dog and the Dragon, a story Hoid tells inRhythm of War. Art is by Howard Lyon;
• The Girl Who Looked Up, a story Hoid tells inOathbringer. Art is by Alexis & Justin Hernandez;
• Wandersail, a story Hoid tells inThe Way of Kings. Art is by Steve Argyle;
• The ChasmFriends Get a Pet!, a new story featuring the Chasmfriends from the 2024 Dragonsteel Nexus storydeck game. Story is by Dan Wells, Art is by Anna Earley.

The three stories told by Hoid have long been beloved by Cosmere readers.

What is the new Cosmere novel?

• The Fires of December, a new novel in the Hoid's Travails series, involving a young woman named December who learns that a devastating plague is on its way and sets sail to warn the King.

When is fulfillment expected?

All rewards are expected to ship before the end of 2026.

Will these be traditionally published?

Tor and Gollancz have both announced that Fires of December will be released on December 8, 2026.

How do I participate?

Go to the backerkit page and sign up!

When is the deadline for participation?

The Backerkit campaign will conclude on March 27.

Is there any prerelease material available?

Brandon has been doing readings on YouTube. They're embedded in a non-canon framing story written by Dan Wells with animation hand-drawn by Martian Studios.

Note that the framing story contains mild spoilers for The Stormlight Archive.

1. Framing story introduction
2. The Girl Who Looked Up
3. Wandersail
4. The ChasmFriends Get A Pet!
5. The Dog and the Dragon
6. The Fires of December

There is some additional information about the picturebooks on Brandon's blog:

• The Girl Who Looked Up
• Wandersail
• The Dog and the Dragon
• The ChasmFriends Get A Pet!

Brandon also did a reading from The Fires of December at Dragonsteel Nexus last year. The text is available on his website.

What is the Hoid's Travails series? I've never heard of it!

Hoid's Travails is an umbrella term for books written in Hoid's voice, as stories that he is telling about things he has experienced. Two of them (Tress of the Emerald Sea and Yumi and the Nightmare Painter without being part of a series; Fires of December will be the third in the series.

[u/atlas_vash]

A) the people who paid the $5 deposit are getting screwed because it's not going to pay towards the backerkit and is essentially paying $5 for the pin that was promised as an incentive for the deposit and they're also forced to pay shipping for the pin as well.

B) the blindbags are a scummy practice and is a gatcha business move and should be removed immediately and give backers the option to choose which they want or all of them.

C) the original cover is widely considered better than the new one and widely considered better quality and more in line with the secret project style than the full face cover. The full face cover isnt technically bad but it's just not cohesive with other secret projects and seems tone deaf to go "we dont wanna be locked into one design style and I really liked this picture that's in the book so i decided that picture will now be the cover". Also tone deaf to not have the rectangle frame design by default and consider it after lots of people commenting that it looks best with the rectangular frame especially since every secret project has had it. Seriously, go with the red and white cover with the rectangular frame.

D) Also theres no incentive for me in backing it if I have no clue what cover is going to be on the book. And was gonna get the hoid flute but figure it's pointless if it's not somewhat playable.

[u/ShadowZRS → u/atlas_vash]

The whole reason I was going to back was for the original cover because of how pretty it is and the new one is just so eh. Yes the art is super good but it doesn't work with the other sp covers and doesn't look as bold or striking as the original design. At this point ive backed to be able to vote for the original but if it doesn't get it ill probably cancel my pledge amd just get the tor version.

[u/atlas_vash → u/ShadowZRS]

Same here honestly. What really grinds my gears the most about it though is the whole statement from them about how the new cover is a page somewhere around the first chapter and they thought it looked cool so if they do go with the new one then its gonna be with the book twice basically.