The Wait Is Over—THE JACKLIGHTER Is Now LIVE on Kickstarter!
It’s happening. 🎉
After months of R&D, THE JACKLIGHTER: Murder, Betrayal, and Justice in Pennsylvania’s Endless Mountains is finally live on Kickstarter, the crowdfunding platform for creatives.
This is a FOLLOW Phase … Backing with Pledges & Rewards Comes Next Month!
This project, my second true crime book, is currently in pre-launch, the first of two campaign phases. Right now, supporters and true crime fans can explore the book, learn why I brought it to Kickstarter, and follow the project so they don’t miss what’s coming next. This early “sneak peek” ahead of the full campaign in March gives visitors a reason to hit Notify me on launch—and be first in line for limited early-bird rewards when backing opens next month.
Watch the Official JACKLIGHTER Video Trailer on Kickstarter
Because videos are king on Kickstarter, THE JACKLIGHTER campaign page features the official book trailer right at the top (a weeks-long project, hand-crafted by yours truly). The nearly four-minute video** [See footnote for drone footage and music credits.] walks you through the case and shows how this Kickstarter can fund the major production costs needed to bring the book to market.
A Brief Recap of THE JACKLIGHTER
If you’re new here, THE JACKLIGHTER is a deeply reported true crime story about a 1976 “hunting accident” that shattered a small Pennsylvania town, and a killer who lived a stolen life for 20 years before the truth finally unraveled. I first covered this case as a young writer in the 1990s, and now, almost three decades later, I’m finally telling the complete story with the victims—and the people of Montrose, PA—in mind.
You can read more about the case here, and the full Kickstarter campaign launching in March will share even more details and behind‑the‑scenes material.
This Is Also a Cover Reveal
The wait is also over for the full cover reveal. I’ve held onto the full Jacklighter book cover, which I commissioned last November, for this first Kickstarter announcement. I’m proud to finally share the cover art, created by Warren of Warren Dezign, who researched the case and developed several concepts that captured THE JACKLIGHTER’s story while maintaining a respectful, tasteful true-crime aesthetic. Thank you, Warren! ✨
Why I’m Using Kickstarter
As an indie author, I’m using Kickstarter to help fund professional manuscript editing, the high cost of court transcripts, and another studio-quality audiobook that I will narrate myself, just as I did with CHAINED BIRDS, which AudiobookReviewer.com honored in December as their Best Crimemoir of 2025 🏆
How Can You Help? By Clicking “Notify Me on Launch!”
Following the project now, during its pre-launch phase, is the single best way to support the book at this stage. Here’s why:
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- Building Momentum: Kickstarter’s algorithm rewards projects that have a large following before they launch. By hitting that “Follow” button, you help signal that this is a story people want to hear.
- Direct Impact: Your support, right now, directly affects the campaign’s outcome by boosting that algorithm and spreading awareness. The more followers the project has, the higher the chance I’ll reach my funding goal.
What’s In It For You?
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- “Early Bird” signed books: I’m offering a limited number of Early Bird signed books (bookplates for paperbacks and hardcovers—only 100 per format) at special launch prices that will only be available on Kickstarter.
- Special bundles: The Jacklighter print copies, eBook, and audiobook can be bundled in various combinations, all at a reduced cost compared to future retail prices.
- A FREE copy of Chained Birds for every backer: All reward levels include a free digital copy of my award-winning debut, Chained Birds: A Crimemoir (either the eBook, audiobook, or both). At some reward tiers, that’s essentially two books for almost the price of one.
If you click “Follow” and hit Notify me on launch, you’ll get an alert the second the campaign goes live, so you won’t miss out on the best rewards or those limited Early Bird spots. (😩 Yes, before you can follow The Jacklighter, Kickstarter does require a password to make a free account … but it’s 30-seconds well spent! There are so many fun projects to browse for, find, and back on the platform 👏)
Kickstarter 101: It’s Not GoFundMe
The most important thing to know about Kickstarter is that it’s not a digital “tip jar” or a charity like GoFundMe. While GoFundMe is generally used for personal needs, emergencies, or medical bills, Kickstarter is a reward-based crowdfunding platform designed specifically for creative projects.
Think of it as a “pre-order” system with added benefits. It’s an all-or-nothing model: the project is only funded if it hits its financial goal; if it doesn’t, no one is charged/backers don’t pay. When you back a project like THE JACKLIGHTER, you’re not just giving money—you’re essentially buying the book (or audiobook) in advance, often along with exclusive rewards like signed editions or digital bundles that won’t be available anywhere else.
I was fascinated to learn that the undisputed kings of Kickstarter, which has been around since 2009, are 1.) board games, which account for most of the platform’s $2.6 billion+ raised to date, and 2.) comics, which boast the highest success rate on the platform, with nearly 70% of projects successfully hitting their goals. Who knew?
The “BranSan” Phenomenon and a New Era of Publishing
For a long time, Kickstarter’s Publishing category was a smaller sector compared to board games, but that changed with the “BranSan” phenomenon in 2022. That was the year fantasy author Brandon Sanderson (whose fans call him “BranSan”) launched a Kickstarter project to bring four “secret novels” he had written during Covid directly to his readers. His 30-day campaign raised an eye-popping $41.7 million and shattered every record in the platform’s history, and signaled a massive shift for indie authors.
The “BranSan” moment proved that authors no longer had to wait for permission from big New York publishing houses to release high-quality, ambitious work.
Following in Those Footsteps
While I’m not looking to break world records, I am following Sanderson’s (and many other authors’) lead to connect directly with readers. My debut, Chained Birds, showed me that readers value deeply reported, authentic true crime, and Kickstarter gives me a way to produce THE JACKLIGHTER with that same level of care.
By using Kickstarter, I can build THE JACKLIGHTER and its audiobook from the ground up alongside followers, ensuring every detail—from the 1990s trial transcripts to the professional studio narration—is handled with the respect it deserves.
A Few FAQs (With More Updates to Come)
- When will THE JACKLIGHTER campaign go LIVE for backers and rewards?
If the pre-launch numbers look strong, I will press the LIVE button for the 30-day Kickstarter campaign in March. That’s when the clock starts on turning followers into backers and climbing toward my funding goal.
- When will THE JACKLIGHTER book be finished and in backers’ hands?
I anticipate THE JACKLIGHTER will be in Kickstarter backers’ hands at some point in Q4 2026. I’m using that broad quarter-based timeline as a buffer because I’m still writing the book, and it must go through editing and production—not to mention the time-intensive work of creating the audiobook. But because 2026 is the 50th anniversary of the tragic shooting death of Martin Dillon at Gunsmoke, I am committed to releasing the book this year.
So now, you’re all caught up on what Kickstarter is for authors and how The Jacklighter fits into this space. I’m really excited to test this platform, and hope you’ll join me as a follower to become part of this new wave of independent, reader-supported publishing. 🙌
** Drone Footage and Music Credits for My Jacklighter Trailer Video
The gorgeous video drone shots of Montrose and the surrounding views are by Jonathan Edwards from Contention Media, license granted (contentionmedia.com). The audio background clips are supplied by Pixabay with free licensing distribution. Specifically, the music is by:
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- “Dark Story Investigator” by P Richmond/UniqueCreativeAudio (https://pixabay.com/users/uniquecreat…)
- “Dark Intentions” by Universfield | Content ID registered by Google/YouTube (https://pixabay.com/users/universfiel…)
- “Alone Lonely Sadness” by Mykola Sosin at MFCC | Content ID registered by Google/YouTube (https://pixabay.com/users/mfcc-28627740/)
Carla Conti is a journalist and the award-winning author of Chained Birds: A Crimemoir. Her next true crime book, The Jacklighter, is set for release in 2026. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, who supports her true crime habit.
