(This is an excerpt from my Indie Author Survival Guide, available on Kindle and Nook.) Ch 3.5 Owning the Writer Title For a while, I’ve owned the title of writer, accepting it as a part of who I am, as much as the titles engineer or mom. These are all things that, once you become them, you do not unbecome them. It was not ever thus. Many writers struggle with owning… Read More

   (This is an excerpt from my Indie Author Survival Guide, available on Kindle and Nook.) Ch 3.4 How to Be Brave Writing is an emotionally risky thing to do. You discover things about your characters. You discover things about yourself. (You fear, perhaps, those things should remain undiscovered. This is never true.) When I posted an article on FB by Brene Brown about Why… Read More

   (This is an excerpt from my Indie Author Survival Guide, available on Kindle and Nook.) Ch 3.3 Fear of the Dark As I was about to release the first episode of my serial, Debt Collector, I had a sudden bout of anxiety that had nothing to do with the normal release-day-jitters. Or the story itself. In fact, I was in love with the… Read More

   (This is an excerpt from my Indie Author Survival Guide, available on Kindle and Nook.) Ch 3.2 Fear and the Creative Worker I believe that overcoming fear is one of the most difficult things a writer does. Maybe this isn’t true for every writer, but it was (and is) certainly true for me. In the beginning, it was fear of sharing my work, fear… Read More

   (This is an excerpt from my Indie Author Survival Guide, available on Kindle and Nook.) Taking the Road Less Traveled This section is all about battling the fears that come along with doing something different. You would think that writers would naturally gravitate to the unique, celebrating diversity and independent thought. And to a large extent that is true; and yet, at the… Read More

(This is an excerpt from my Indie Author Survival Guide, available on Kindle and Nook.) Ch 2.2 Five Year Plan Why Make The Plan? There are a million decisions you have to make as an author. What do I write next? Indie or trad-pub? Agent or no? Do I go to this conference or invest in how-to books? Should I… Read More

   (This is an excerpt from my Indie Author Survival Guide, available on Kindle and Nook.) For Heaven’s Sake, Get a Map and a Compass Before you decide whether that manuscript is publishable. Before you scour the interwebs trying to decide how to publish, indie or otherwise. Before you take the leap, make sure you know this: What are you in this for? To… Read More

One of the great things about serials is exploring the depths of complex alternate world. Writer-friend Jonathan Gillespie has done just that in his new BeaconSaga serial about a dying universe with a small speck of hope… in the form of a miracle baby, that may be the last child ever born. Just for fun, Jonathan and I are pitting… Read More

   (This is an excerpt from my Indie Author Survival Guide, available on Kindle and Nook.) Ch1.2 Trad-Pub, Small-Pub, Digital Only, or Indie First? This book focuses on fiction writers who want to make a career with their writing. (As opposed to hobbyist writers. People write for many reasons – all are good.) In the digital era, which path is best for starting your… Read More

  (This is an excerpt from my Indie Author Survival Guide, available on Kindle and Nook.) How to Not Get Eaten By Sharks There have always been sharks waiting to feed off the dreams and wallets of new writers. Don’t be someone else’s lunch. Ch1.1 Authors Beware Preditors and Editors has been been around since 1997, warning writers away from unscrupulous agents… Read More

  $0.99 ONE DAY ONLY If you’ve started the first season, but not finished, this is the day, my lovely readers! Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, iTunes

So, I think I’m going to blog a book. Not the real cover. Although I do kinda like it. NegativeNellie: Yeah. Like no one’s blogged a book before. PositivePolly: But people keep saying you should publish your blog content! NN: I have no interest whatsoever in making money off my indie author friends. Besides, it’s all free on my blog…. Read More

I’m super-excited to be joining a new group of indie authors focused on  Middle Grade books! We are authors emblazoning stories on the hearts of our young readers. I didn’t form this group – I was the last one to sneak in before they filled up! – so I’m grateful to all the other Emblazoners for having me! While technically… Read More

The Vol 4-6 audiobook is now available!    Vol 1-3 audiobook              Vol 4-6 audiobook You can listen to the samples above or check out Max’s narration of the trailer! To celebrate the release of Vol 4-6, I’m giving away a copy of Volume 1-3 AUDIOBOOK! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover design by (the fabulous, professional, efficient) Robin Ludwig Design Inc. I had so much fun meeting Aimee (aka AG) in person at the UtopYA conference! She’s even more fun in real life, and it’s always cool to find out particulars about your online friends that just confirm all the reasons you liked them in the first place. 🙂 Here’s… Read More

Today I’m hosting an excerpt from writer-friend Kai Strand’s new book, King of Bad. I’ve been waiting for this book to come out ever since Kai told me about the concept (a year ago? two? the memory fails).  Super Villain Academy !! Really, that’s all you need to know. But there’s more… Jeff Mean would rather set fires than follow… Read More

For a long time, I had crazy dreams whenever I wrote. (Which was constantly, so you can see how this might be a problem.) All my base, primal fears would float up from my subconscious to terrorize me at night. Or simply perplex me with the randomness of a dream about dolphins laying seige to a circus filled with robots… Read More

Because going indie doesn’t have to mean going it alone. Wow, Indie Life fits perfectly for my post today! (see below for more Indie Lifers) Many creative workers (writers, artists, musicians) are blessed with people who enthusiastically support them in their creative life. Some have spouses, parents, and other well-meaning people who either give tepid non-support to their writing (or… Read More

I fight a war every day. My adversaries are distraction, fatigue, and the demands of ordinary life. These adversaries include things I love (my husband and children) and things I loathe (laundry and shopping) as well as an oft-neglected need for renewal (of mind and body). I fight these things each day so that I can do the one thing… Read More

At the UtopYA conference panels, one question kept coming up again and again: “How do you balance writing and life?”  The question took many forms, but there seemed to be a great crying out for help in figuring out how to make it all work. That question, and a fantastic panel I was on about the Life of a Writer,… Read More

I’m off to UTopYA! This Nashville, TN, conference is going to be amazing! First, my books are up for awards (how cool is that?). Second, I’ll be on two panels (11am and 1pm Saturday, if you’re attending, stop by!). Third, there’s a ZILLION (technical term) people I know who will be there. Yeah, it’s basically going to be a party…. Read More

The final episode of Season One… Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, Smash, Goodreads …the third collection, Episodes 7-9… Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, Smash, Goodreads and the full Season One of Debt Collector! (ebook) Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, Smash, Goodreads and    (print) Amazon, Createspace, Signed Copies (US only) I think I’ll take a nap now.

Well, you could get lucky and pitch the concept to a brilliant director, have her like it so much she’s willing to get all her friends to work at cost, have a social network that allows you to land a great location in NYC, and then front the $2k budget to make a for-realz live-action trailer like this: But not… Read More

It’s here. I’m kind of in love with it. (Even if it’s not a high-budget production like Mindjack.) Max Miller, the narrator for the Debt Collector Audio Book did voice-over, and I’ve made no secret that I think he’s the PERFECT voice for Lirium.  ENTER BELOW for a chance to win a copy of the audiobook (Did I mention that… Read More

UNDERTOW: Book #2 in the DRAGONFLY series, coming July 18, 2013! “Falling in love will pull you under…” Three friends, three dreams. One of them will end up dead. T Two will be forever shattered. Recovering from her broken heart, Anna decides to spend the semester break diving into the three journals Bill Kyser gave her to read–the journals that hold… Read More

More of Steven Novak’s work Love, Tink: The Complete Set by Elle Strauss Publication date: July 10th, 2013 Genre: YA Fantasy Synopsis: Originally published as six separate novella episodes, Love, Tink the complete series is all six stories together in one volume. Tink is hopelessly smitten with Peter, the leader of the Lost Boys who’d mysteriously arrived at Neverland two years ago. Unfortunately, Peter is tired… Read More

… this FRIDAY! I’m kind of in love with it. (Even if it’s not a high-budget production like Mindjack.) Max Miller, the narrator for the Debt Collector Audio Book did voice-over for it, and I’ve made no secret that I think he’s the PERFECT voice for Lirium. If you’d like to help spread the word … TRAILER REVEAL June 21st (Friday)… Read More

I’ve already written a few posts about serials (On Serials, and the older-but-still-relevant Indie=Dime Novels of 2012?), but writer-friend Heather Sutherlin had a few more questions… …so, this post is for you, Heather! How did you schedule in writing, editing, revising, etc? I wrote the first three episodes before I launched the series, then wrote as I went. Mostly the… Read More

Time for Indie Life once again! Today happens to be release day for the eighth episode of my Debt Collector serial, so I’m sharing all about that. If you’re new to Debt Collector, you can check out the first episode for free! Ruthless (Episode 8) Now available Kindle, Nook, Smash (Kobo and iTunes coming soon) or Add it to your… Read More

So… I made a trailer for Debt Collector. I’m kind of in love with it. (Even if it’s not a high-budget production like Mindjack.) Max Miller, the narrator for the Debt Collector Audio Book did voice-over for it, and I’ve made no secret that I think he’s the PERFECT voice for Lirium. Go take a listen to the SAMPLE for… Read More

I’m over at the Indelibles Blog today, drooling over James McAvoy talking about why James McAvoy should play my character, Lirium, from Debt Collector. See if you agree… 🙂 CLICK HERE to hop over and read the post (and for more McAvoy goodness)

Fellow Indelible, friend, and awesome critique partner, Leigh Talbert Moore, has a new release out! I’ve critiqued this book, so I’m hardly unbiased, but part of why I can’t wait to get my hands on book two for critique (Undertow) isn’t just because I love Leigh – I’m in love with her breezy, open writing style and the characters she… Read More

I’m over at Becca Campbell’s blog today with an interview in which I discuss the mind powers I created for Mindjack and give a peek at my upcoming steampunk novel. INTERVIEW HERE Thanks to Becca for hosting me!

Mindjack gets a nod from UtopYA with nominations for… Closed Hearts (Best Dystopian Book) Mindjack Origins Collection (Best Supernatural Novella) Kira, Mindjack Trilogy (Best S/Hero) Nominees were peer-selected, winners are by public vote. VOTE HERE open until June 9th Thanks for all your awesome support!  

A.G. Henley is a fellow indie author who regularly inhabits Amazon’s charts with her novel The Scourage – now she has a companion novella out, The Keeper, that I’m sure will be a hit as well. THE KEEPER: A BRILLIANT DARKNESS STORY Peree knows what he’s doing as the new Keeper of the Water Bearer, Fennel. He knows Fennel’s Sightless…. Read More

writer-friend Liz also, sangria-drinking, star-trek-watching-friend Liz I have a writer-friend (who occasionally helps me drink martinis) who needed some motivation to get pages written to bring to our local crit group. She had long been a writer, but had never finished a novel, and after an extensive post-group discussion over tea about all things writing, I suggested that we become… Read More

Steven Novak continues to rock the covers available on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Smash or add to your  Goodreads TBR also Delirium (Debt Collector 1) is FREE FREE on Amazon, Kobo, Smashwords, iTunes

I’ve written eight of the nine episodes of my Debt Collector serial. Already, I’ve learned several valuable lessons I’ll be carrying forward in my novel writing. Story is a Harmonic Waveform For the non-geek among you, some visual assistance: *waves hand* ignore the fact that there aren’t nine cycles in that third harmonic  Novelists (and readers) already know there is… Read More

Too many adverbs and clichés in your writing? I’ve got just the fix for you. by Jessica Bell Writers constantly have rules thrown at them left, right, and center. Show, don’t tell! Stop using so many dialogue tags! More sensory detail! More tension! Speed up the pace! Yada yada yada … it can become overwhelming, yes? I used to feel… Read More

Fellow Indelible and all-around-awesome-author (that’s a lot of a’s) is revealing the new cover for her YA Paranormal/SF book, Grounded: Gorgeous, yes? Another beauty by Steven Novak Synopsis: All my life I’ve worked to be simple, but I can’t pretend anymore. Nothing about me is simple. In the year 2050, a secret government study nicknamed Operation Source Code injects eight volunteers… Read More

Guest Post I’m over at Scribbler’s Cove today with a post on The Age of the Empowered Writer wherein I talk about the inexorable avalanche of transformation in the industry today Interview Eren Cereboglu was kind enough to interview me (at length!) about Debt Collector, writing, storytelling, publishing, and more. Debt Collector on Audiobook coming soon… Here’s a sample to… Read More

My guest poster today is Katie French, author and review at Underground Book Reviews. Her newest release is Eyes Ever to the Sky. When Hugh wakes up in a smoldering crater–no memory, no clothes–a single thought echoes in his head…trust no one. Frightened and alone, with no memory of who he is, he stumbles upon a grisly murder scene and… Read More

Fallen (Debt Collector 6) One of my favorite covers to date! Available on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and Smashwords or Add it to your Goodreads TBR ALSO  Debt Collector (1-3) is on sale! (Was $2.99) NOW 99cents Until Friday 5/17 Available on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iTunes, and Smashwords and Amazon UK, Amazon DE and Debt Collector (4-6) is out! Available on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and Smashwords or Add it to your Goodreads TBR All… Read More

In celebration of Volumes 4-6 coming out this week (Wednesday, 5.15), the first three episodes are on sale. Volumes 1-3 $2.99 ONLY $0.99 UNTIL FRIDAY (5.17) Available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, iTunes, Smash also Amazon UK, Amazon DE, Amazon CA (as well as all other territories) Coming Wednesday… Debt Collector 6 (Fallen) Sign up here for the cover reveal! Hint: It’s one… Read More

190 titles 1,554 copies (Hint: 10 copies of Debt Collector Vol 1-3 are in there!) ENTER HERE (Thanks to Elle Casey for organizing – wow!) Covers below are clickable to check the books out, but GO HERE TO ENTER. Closes May 15th (Wednesday)

You’ve heard me talk about how free works; well, here’s a fellow indie author with a free book today and tomorrow (May 10-11): Let me introduce you to a brand new superhero… From Michelle Isenhoff, author of the Divided Decade Trilogy, comes a brand new humorous adventure series. Taylor Davis and the Flame of Findul (Taylor Davis, #1) will be… Read More

Hidden Benefit of Serials getting to design nine covers, one for each episode* *All cover designs by Steven Novak Come join me for the EPISODE 6 (FALLEN) COVER REVEAL next week 5.15.13 SIGN UP HERE  Also coming soon… Debt Collector Audiobook narrated by Max Miller! AND If I’m really clever and can figure out how to use iMovie… a  Debt Collect… Read More

Because being indie doesn’t have to mean going it alone. *nods to Ava Jae and her great (Not) series* In the spirit of Indie Life, a blog hop where we share experiences about writing as an indie author, I want to point my author friends to an excellent roundup by David Gaughran of Vanity Publishers and The Author Exploitation Business…. Read More

$2.99 FREE Always I’ve decided to go Permafree (permanently free) with Open Minds. Why? As you may recall, Open Minds was free for about six weeks earlier in the year. Some of Amazon’s rules have changed with regards to free books (i.e. placement is less prominent, they limit free downloads through advertisers like Pixel of Ink), so for a while,… Read More

This, my friends, is the maturation of the indie publishing revolution. Sue Waxes Philosophical For a Moment Q: What makes indie publishing revolutionary? A: It removes the middlemen and middlewomen and provides a marketplace where the seller (author) can directly interact with the buyer (reader). That direct-marketplace-connection model is what makes indie publishing efficient, affordable, and win-win for both the… Read More

5 DAYS, 5 PHOTO TEASERS!  “What’s your life worth on the open market?” Driven (Debt Collector 5) by @susankayequinn http://bit.ly/DrivenDC5 See all the Photo Teasers on the Debt Collector Pinterest Page Available on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Smash or Add it to your Goodreads TBR Episode FIVE. Wow. We’re over halfway there! (9 episodes in the season) And because E-SERIALS are all about E-BOOKS, baby… I’m giving… Read More

5 DAYS, 5 PHOTO TEASERS! (if you’re here for the CYOA blog hop, scroll down)  “What’s your life worth on the open market?” Broken (Debt Collector 4) by @susankayequinn http://bit.ly/BrokenDC4 AND I’m part of a cool blog hop where bits of a story are told at each stop, like a “make your own adventure” story! This is in celebration of Eliza’s… Read More

Driven (Debt Collector 5) is live! Lirium pretends he’s a willing debt collector for the mob while deciding whether he can trust Ophelia to help him escape. Available on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Smash or Add it to your Goodreads TBR Episode FIVE. Wow. We’re over halfway there! (9 episodes in the season) AND 5 DAYS, 5 PHOTO TEASERS!  “What’s your life worth on… Read More

5 DAYS, 5 PHOTO TEASERS!  “What’s your life worth on the open market?” Agony (Debt Collector 2) by @susankayequinn http://bit.ly/AgonyDC2 Can you help spread the word about Debt Collector? 1) Pin the photo teaser to Pinterest 2) Post it on Facebook 3) Tweet it out 5 DAYS, 5 PHOTO TEASERS! (come back tomorrow for more) Guest posts! What’s a Serial and… Read More

Photo Teaser!  “What’s your life worth on the open market?” Delirium (Debt Collector 1) by @susankayequinn http://bit.ly/DeliriumDC1 Can you help spread the word about Debt Collector? 1) Pin the photo teaser to Pinterest 2) Post it on Facebook 3) Tweet it out As I searched for stock art for the Debt Collector serial, I found SO MANY gorgeous black and white… Read More

Fellow Indelible Stacey Wallace Benefiel is celebrating her 3rd Indieversary! FOUND (Penny Black #1) is only 99cents April 20-27! Amazon Barnes and Noble Kobo Smashwords Apple From Stacey Wallace Benefiel, the author of the Zellie Wells trilogy,  comes a new NA trilogy set in the Society world. Penny Black hasn’t had it easy. Just about everything you’d expect to happen to a harassed… Read More

Jane Friedman recently extolled the virtues of blogging as creating a “body of work” – and, at least in my case, she’s absolutely right. Twitter and Facebook provide immediate feedback and connection, but blogging provides a reservoir of more in-depth information. And several times a week, people ask me for information that’s stored in my own blog-archives. For some time,… Read More

This is my world. I’m hitting the keyboard hard this week, trying to get some words out. Writing serials is a crazy-pants pace, but really not much different than my normal writing schedule. We’re on the third revision. This year I plan to: Finish writing and publishing season one of Debt Collector Put out the audio version of Open Minds,… Read More

Several cool things happening today… 1) Broken (Debt Collector 4) is LIVE! Available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, Smash Add to your TBR on Goodreads 2) My interview (part deux) over at Dianne’s blog is up! Plus a chance to win Delirium (Debt Collector 1)! I chat more about REAL Debt Collectors, the Debt Collector covers, and the crazy-pants pace in… Read More

I’m happy to participate in announcing the release of fellow Indelible Lee (Elle) Strauss’s second book in the Perception series! VOLITION, the exciting continuation of Noah and Zoe’s story from Perception, is HERE!   What doesn’t kill you … Zoe Vanderveen is on the run with her captor turned rescuer, Noah Brody. They’re in love. Or at least that’s what he… Read More

Broken (Debt Collector 4) – releases Wed 4.17 I think it’s my favorite cover yet. (covers by Steven Novak) subscribe to be notified when episodes release Unexpected Cool Things About Writing Serials you get to make new fun covers a LOT more often people tell you which is their favorite episode so far reviews with words like “cyber-stick” and “transubstantiated”… Read More

This post is part of the Indie Life bloghop, brought to you by the Indelibles. Serious question: Should you advocate for self-publishing? Or traditional-publishing? Or take the “all routes are equally good, fine, acceptable” non-advocating path? (By “you” I mean “me” and other multiply published authors who are dispensing advice to new writers.) Caveat: This entire post applies to fiction… Read More

Writer-friend Rhiannon Frater has also launched a serial recently, so we sat down for a little chat about writing serials, pricing them, and how writing a serial is very different than writing a novel. ENTER TO WIN the first three episodes of each of their serials at the end of the post! DebtCollector serial by Susan Kaye Quinn In Darkness… Read More

Ecstasy (Debt Collector 3) is officially out! I’m having way too much fun with these covers. What’s your life worth on the open market? Lirium’s attempts to find Ophelia take him to the last place he wants to be. Ecstasy (Debt Collector 3) $0.99 on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Smash Add to your Goodreads TBR Aren’t they pretty together? If you… Read More

Fellow writer and friend Kai Strand has a cover reveal going today for her upcoming middle grade fantasy adventure, Beware of the White (releases May 17th). As is tradition, Terra learns on the Saturday past her twelfth birthday that she is a Natures Spirit. It is her legacy to serve in the peaceful underground city of Concord. Learning she is named in a prophecy… Read More

Here’s where Sue tilts at a windmill and hopes that people don’t think she’s crazy. Like talking-about-herself-in-the-third-person crazy… Ideas Are Powerful Things Often what we think is possible limits what actually is possible. A shift in viewpoint can change everything. My thinking about what is possible in publishing started to shift as I watched Hugh Howey’s rise as an indie… Read More

For the next three months, I’ll be writing and publishing Debt Collector (Are you crazy?? My Logic Brain is still protesting the very nature of embarking on this adventure, but Creative Brain has locked him out of the helm, so it’s full-speed-ahead!). On release weeks, I’ll be posting Monday Sneak Peeks – mostly because I upload on Monday mornings and… Read More

#1 Hot New Releases Science Fiction>Cyberpunk #2 Science Fiction>Cyberpunk #18 Hot New Releases Fantasy>Urban #74 Fantasy>Urban + 13 reviews = an amazing launch day THANK YOU How Friends Help I so appreciate the excitement about yesterday’s release, the willingness to try a new form (serial), the further willingness to dive in and read-and-review within hours (hours!) of download, and even… Read More

Will you go on an adventure with me? Today I’m launching my new Debt Collector serial, and I’m hoping you’ll come along for the ride. What’s a serial? More on that below, but basically it’s a sequence of stories, like a TV series, where each episode is connected to a larger story arc. But first, meet Lirium… What’s your life… Read More

I’m about to release the first episode of my serial, Debt Collector. I love it. I’m obsessed with it. And I’m afraid of what (some) people will think when they read it. You see, it’s the darkest thing I’ve written to date. Joanna Penn has a fantastic post about Writing and the Fear of Judgment that landed in my inbox… Read More

Best. Night. Ever. Hugh Howey, NYTimes Bestselling Indie Rockstar, came to Chicago last night on his US tour celebrating the hardback/paperback release of his fantastic book Wool. Hugh’s one of those people who’s incredibly at ease in his own skin.  The crowd (50+ people) loved him. The new hardcovers were gorgeous. Because Hugh is cool, he invited his fans to… Read More

I’m SO excited to be a part of fellow Indelible RaShelle Workman’s tour for the complete set of her Blood and Snow serial. RaShelle blazed a wildly successful trail with her 12 part serialization of her Snow-White-Turns-Vampire story, starting last summer and cranking out the stories until she recently finished the set last month. I remember when she launched the… Read More

My Indie Life post on Staying Focused is on the Indelibles Blog today. Meanwhile, here on my blog, I’m announcing my new serial, which starts next week… What’s your life worth on the open market? Debt Collector is a dark and gritty future-noir about a world where your life-worth is tabulated on the open market and going into debt risks… Read More

cover by Lisa Amowitz Blogger/writer-friend Lisa Gail Green has a new book coming out, the first in the Djinn series, The Binding Stone!  Tricked into slavery by the man she loved, the Djinni Leela has an eternity to regret her choices.Awakened in the prison of her adolescent body, she finds a new master in possession of the opal that binds… Read More

This has been a busy week with posts, but I can’t pass up the chance to talk about my good friend, critique partner, and apparently AWESOME GAMER WRITER Adam Heine’s involvement in an amazing Kickstarter campaign for the RPG game Torment, which is “a story-driven CRPG crafted in the tradition of Planescape: Torment and set in the world of Monte… Read More

Indie publishing is a micro business that can be as individual as the author that’s running it. This week I’m doing a series on the business side of things. What this week isn’t about: marketing. While marketing is important, this is about the details of running the business, not the strategy behind how to make your books successful. See my marketing posts here. This… Read More

Indie publishing is a micro business that can be as individual as the author that’s running it. This week I’m doing a series on the business side of things. What this week isn’t about: marketing. While marketing is important, this is about the details of running the business, not the strategy behind how to make your books successful. See my marketing posts here. This… Read More

Indie publishing is a micro business that can be as individual as the author that’s running it. This week I’m doing a series on the business side of things. What this week isn’t about: marketing. While marketing is important, this is about the details of running the business, not the strategy behind how to make your books successful. See my marketing posts here. This… Read More

Indie publishing is a micro business that can be as individual as the author that’s running it. This week I’m doing a series on the business side of things. What this week isn’t about: marketing. While marketing is important, this is about the details of running the business, not the strategy behind how to make your books successful. See my… Read More

Short and sweet (the interview, not me) – I’m being interviewed by Tiffany M. over at Escaping…One Book At A Time! Wherein I talk about what I need to write and what inspires me. ALSO: you can win a Mindjack ebook of your choice!

No, it’s not here yet. But check this out! How freaking cool is that?? Via Nathan Bransford and the Pulp-O-Mizer Go on, create your own cool, pulp cover. You know you want to. I’m still working on the story, but I’m excited to have an amazing artist signed up to do the REAL cover for Third Daughter. Here’s a sample… Read More

One of my fellow Indelibles has donned a pen name (Alex Banks) for her Middle Grade SF novel. (Can I just give a cheer for middle grade AND science fiction??) Being a huge fan of both MG and SF, I’m happy whenever I see one hit the virtual shelves; doubly so when it’s penned by an author friend. And knowing… Read More

*** Note: I’m on the agenda for IndieRecon today, Thursday 8:30 am EST  Measuring Success– Susan Kaye Quinn (post) *** I’m so excited to announce fellow Indelible Leigh T. Moore’s new book, The Truth About Letting Go. I reviewed (and LOVED) her first book The Truth About Faking, and was lucky enough to beta read The Truth About Letting Go –… Read More

I’m super excited about this! (and not just because I’m on the agenda) The roster of mega indie authors on this thing is impressive! The topics are incredibly timely and straight from the people working in – and succeeding in – the indie trenches, every day. In a fast-changing industry like indie publishing, there are no veterans that have been… Read More

I’m super excited about this! (and not just because I’m on the agenda) The roster of mega indie authors on this thing is impressive! The topics are incredibly timely and straight from the people working in – and succeeding in – the indie trenches, every day. In a fast-changing industry like indie publishing, there are no veterans that have been… Read More

Author-friend Miranda Hardy has a new picture book out, something that’s tough in the indie market, so I’m happy to help spread the word. Take it away, Miranda… er, Wacky… Please join Wacky Waddles on his journey through his new home. Wacky Waddles is a rhyming picture book for young readers written by Miranda Hardy and illustrated by Rimi Rasheed…. Read More

A for-funs blog hop with… KISSING! Yes, please. (you can kiss an indie if you want, but it’s not required) SEE BELOW TO WIN A PAPER COPY OF CLOSED HEARTS For INDIE-kissing, I’m sharing a smoochable scene from Closed Hearts (Mindjack #2). The Backstory This is a scene between Kira, the main character, and Raf, her boyfriend. Kira has gone… Read More

Indie Life is a monthly feature (2nd Wednesday) sponsored by the Indelibles where indie authors post about life as an indie author. Hop through the links below to see all kinds of post on indie life. INDIE LIFE Because being Indie doesn’t have to mean going it alone. The theme of Indie Life fits well with my post today sharing… Read More

No, that title’s not provocative. Not at all. Yesterday, Amazon price-matched Open Minds to free. Publishers have been giving away books as an enticement to get people to read them for a long time. I recently attended a kidlit conference where a high-ranking NY editor gave away a literal truck-load of paper books to attendees. Why? She was trying to… Read More

There are lots of opinions about FREE books… which we will discuss tomorrow! (Come back then for my post on the subject.) But for today… Open Minds (Mindjack#1) is FREE! $2.99 FREE on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, Smashwords and  Amazon UK If you’ve been meaning to pick it up, now’s the time!  When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous… Read More

(pssst! I’m a presenter at IndieReCon!) As you may or may not know, IndieReCon starts in less than 2 weeks from Feb 19th  – Feb 21st. The free conference features over 25 guests that will discuss the nuts and bolts of self publishing from the pros/cons all the way through marketing and being a bestselling author. Here it is –… Read More

If you publish books, you should have a mailing list. Period.  Really. It’s that simple.  David Gaughran has a great post today on all the reasons why, but the main thing is this: direct connection between you and your readers. As David says, the idea is not to clutter up your readers inboxes with newsletters, but mainly to let them… Read More

The advent of ebooks and indie publishing has allowed the revival of a form with a storied history but not as many tales in the recent past: the serial. I’m over at Indie Elite today, guest posting about serial novellas: past, present, and future. HOP OVER and check it out!

Introducing VOLITION! Book 2 in the dramatic PERCEPTION Series coming April 16!   Zoe Vanderveen is on the run with her captor turned rescuer, Noah Brody. They’re in love. Or at least that’s what he tells her. Her memories have returned but her feelings are dreamlike—thin and fleeting. Her heart can’t be trusted. Just look at what happened with Taylor Blake. Senator Vanderveen’s new… Read More