Hello Friend,

I want to invite you to be an Early Reader of my book as I prepare the final manuscript. Over the course of 2026, I will be rewriting my book to weave in elements of magical realism and historical fiction. Every week or so, I will share one or two chapters for you to read.

As an Early Reader, you will be able to comment and leave feedback on the material. I will also publish monthly Craft Notes that go into more detail about how I’m building the story and the decisions I’m making. For example, the first note will focus on my recent breakthroughs regarding the book’s theme.

In terms of feedback, I’m mostly looking for your general impressions: what you liked about the material, and what wasn’t working for you. Please do not worry about spelling or grammar mistakes, as the book will be reviewed by a professional proofreader at some point. You can note those errors if you’d like, but they’re not the priority.

I’ve organized this through a membership program called Los Testigos (The Witnesses). The name reflects both the story I’m telling, about forced disappearances and recovered truths, and the role you will play in shaping it.

There is also a paid tier called Compañeros ($5/month or $60/year) for those who want to go deeper. Compañeros get everything Early Readers receive, plus monthly video calls where we discuss the work together, access to call recordings, and a personalized ePub of the finished book featuring a signed and dedicated cover image written using e-ink. Think of it as a book club with the author as they’re writing the story.

Chapters will be published shortly after I finish them, so you will get to see my progress in real time. On average, it should take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes to read each chapter. There may be times, like during my coaching season in May, when I get busy and won’t be able to publish chapters as frequently. I will do my best to communicate when I am entering a busy period.

To access the material, you will need to log in to my website. Once logged in, you will be able to provide feedback in the comments section. Alternatively, you can respond to one of my emails with your thoughts. I may occasionally send out a survey about some aspect of the writing.

Please don’t share the manuscript with anyone outside of the program, as I plan to pursue traditional publishing, and sharing the text widely could jeopardize a book deal. I’m trusting Los Testigos members to keep this work private. You can, of course, discuss the book in general terms with anyone you’d like.

One final note: When signing up to be an Early Reader, you will be asked for your credit card, but you will not be charged. I apologize for the inconvenience. Payment information is required by the publishing software I’m using.

This will probably be your last chance to read my manuscript before the book is published.

If you have any additional questions, check out the Los Testigos FAQ page, and please don’t hesitate to reach out. My email is: hello@nelsonroberto.com

• Join as an Early Reader
• Join as a Compañero