SAGINAW, MI

— Saginaw resident J.L. Hickey is well on his way to finishing the second novel in his young adult fantasy series.

While Hickey says he is ahead of schedule with writing "The Secret Seekers Society and Solomon's Seal," he is asking for help with the later stages of the novel's production.

In total, Hickey hopes to release six books in the series revolving around a pair of orphans who discover a secret society of monster hunters.

To fund the editing and promotion of the sequel, which is due out mid-December, Hickey has started a campaign using the

.

Within the first five days of the month-long campaign, backers pledged $425 to help with the expenses.

Pledges made through the site are only fulfilled if a fundraising goal is met within the campaign period.

Hickey's goal is $1,600, which is the target he must reach by Sept. 21. If not, he gets nothing.

When explaining the fundraising goal, Hickey states on the Kickstarter page that it came from past experience. He raised $1,100 for the first book in the series, "

."

"It definitely helped getting the book out there," Hickey's page says. "However, after it all went live, quickly found myself digging back into my own pockets to continue the book's success."

Those who support the Arthur Hill and Saginaw Valley State University alum's novel, by pledging $10 or more, will receive a reward from Hickey.

Depending on the pledge, contributors could receive a digital copy of one or more of his works of fiction, a hard copy, or the chance to come up with a character for the third installment of the series.

Anyone looking to chip in at least $1,000 is offered a more unique reward.

"I will literally videotape myself capturing the tears of happiness that will flow freely from my face and post it on YouTube showering you with praise. ...If you want, I will even mail you my captured tears of happiness. So that you may someday sell them on eBay and hopefully get your money back," the Kickstarter page says.

For more info on Hickey, or to follow the author's progress, visit his

or

.

— Jessica Fleischman is a public safety reporter with MLive/The Saginaw News. Contact her at 989-996-0687, email her at jfleisc2@mlive.com or follow her on Twitter or Facebook.