diff --git a/blis/about.py b/blis/about.py
index 8334b414..19860de2 100644
--- a/blis/about.py
+++ b/blis/about.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 # https://github.com/pypa/warehouse/blob/master/warehouse/__about__.py
 
 __name__ = "blis"
-__version__ = "1.0.0"
+__version__ = "1.0.0a1"
 __summary__ = (
     "The Blis BLAS-like linear algebra library, as a self-contained C-extension."
 )
@@ -14,4 +14,4 @@
 __email__ = "contact@explosion.ai"
 __license__ = "BSD-3-Clause"
 __title__ = "blis"
-__release__ = True
+__release__ = False