PRESS RELEASE | eXis Kickstarter
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
| Español |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New York, February 13, 2026
PRESS RELEASE | eXis Kickstarter
“eXis”, a Peruvian serialized fiction project by Gon Vas, won First Prize in Substack’s Concurso del Escritor (Spanish edition) and is preparing to launch its first print edition.
This serialized novel, blending magical realism with a coming of age story, combines episodic storytelling with playlists, signs, secret codes, and a multilingual reading experience.
eXis, published on Substack, a global newsletter and independent publishing platform, by Peruvian writer Gon Vas, earned First and Third Place in Substack’s Concurso del Escritor, a contest organized by Mejores Artículos y Crónicas de Substack. The project has also been featured in other spaces, including Qstack | The LGBTQIA+ Community of Substacks , a queer magazine, highlighting the immersive concept behind the work.
eXis follows a young man who, after a profound loss, begins to read signs outside the real. Along the way, he uncovers a shared story: the one we had forgotten.
You can start reading the story here:
Some authors have said:
“eXis is more than just queer serial fiction. It’s an engaging and immersive experience with playlists, signs and symbols.” — Mr. Troy Ford
“Gon Vas manages to create a complete, well rounded story. With an intimate narrative twist, and beyond reflecting on physical place, he leads us to observe through his eyes, and that is why, as readers, we experience this story in flesh and bone. A captivating and personal tale from start to finish.” — Blanca Quiñónez
Cuban journalist Luis Orlando León Carpio comments: “The text works as a narrative thesis on the violence of hunger, and, subtly yet incisively, as a critique of the insufficiency of faith when material need is undeniable. The author handles metaphor and atmosphere with precision, condensing the spirit of the story into a masterful line: ‘a faith that sounds like hunger’.”
The series is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French, and is published episodically and for free on Substack.
Upcoming launch
On February 19, 2026, Gon Vas will launch a Kickstarter campaign to bring eXis into a new editorial stage. The campaign will offer a collectible first print run of 50 copies, created especially for early readers, and will also include the digital edition.
The print edition collects Parts 1 and 2 and includes new material beyond Substack, including the unpublished chapter “The Bird”, plus additional author’s notes and playlists. The edition will feature illustrations by Peruvian artist Alonso Arimana Carpio, and has been developed with Spanish editing by Alba Cobo Gayoso (Spanish editor) and English editing by Nina R. (The New York Times editor).
To receive information on how to get eXis, follow the pre launch page here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/readexis/exis-volume-1
About the author
Gon Vas is a Peruvian writer based in New York. He has worked on multiple multimedia projects, including a project for Disney Latin America. eXis is his serialized narrative project, a story published in installments in multiple languages (English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese). He began writing the novel at age 15, and did not finish editing it until his master’s degree at Columbia University in New York.
Press contact
Name: Gon Vas
Email: iamgonvas@gmail.com
Substack: https://substack.com/@readexis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/read_exis/
Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/readexis/exis-volume-1
All the best, Gon! This is so exciting!!
Congratulations! This is awesome!