Podcasts about independent publisher

Advertising on Google, Facebook, Instagram, and various social media sites can be exceptional exposure for your books and possibly lead to more sales, but which platforms are better for garnering sales as compared to visibility, and what types of images and copy work best for each site? Also, how long is the ideal time to run an ad? Ingram Content Group's Senior Manager, Consumer Products & Services Development Erin Cox visits “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to answer these questions and more!PARTICIPANTSErin Cox has almost two decades of marketing and development experience, primarily in the book industry. She previously worked with Simon & Schuster and Macmillan, was the director of development for World Book Night U.S., and has a master's degree in publishing from New York University. When Erin relocated to Nashville a few years ago, she experienced the other end of the marketing process while working at Parnassus Books. Since then, she's joined Ingram Content Group to help launch a consumer marketing services program for publishers.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 3,900 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/Learn more about how to get a discount on Google, Facebook, and Instagram advertising through the Ingram ID IBPA member benefit at https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/ingramidFollow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/

Have you ever wondered if there truly is life after death? In episode 178 of Our Paranormal Afterlife: Finding Proof of Life After Death, Simon Bown delves into the riveting exploration of reincarnation and the compelling evidence that suggests our consciousness continues beyond the physical realm. Drawing from Stephen Hawley Martin's enlightening book, Afterlife, The Whole Truth, Bown presents astonishing cases that challenge our understanding of existence, including the remarkable story of a young boy named Sam.Sam's vivid recollections of his past life as his grandfather will leave you questioning the boundaries of life and death. With specific details about family events and relationships that he should have no knowledge of, Sam's story serves as a powerful testament to the possibility of life after death. As we journey through this episode, Bown also introduces us to Frank, a man whose dreams of his deceased father lead to unexpected and profound experiences, hinting at the deep emotional connections that persist even after we lose loved ones.Throughout this episode of Our Paranormal Afterlife: Finding Proof of Life After Death, listeners will be captivated by the exploration of reincarnation evidence and the emotional bonds that transcend mortality. Bown emphasizes how souls may choose to reincarnate to resolve past issues or strengthen familial ties, offering a unique perspective on the journey into the afterlife. This discussion not only sheds light on the paranormal phenomena surrounding reincarnation but also highlights the importance of emotional healing and connection in our spiritual journeys.As the episode unfolds, Bown invites you to consider the implications of near-death experiences and how they contribute to our understanding of consciousness after death. He encourages listeners to reflect on their own personal near-death stories and the insights these experiences may provide into our shared quest for knowledge about the afterlife exploration. With each story, we find ourselves drawn deeper into the mysteries of life beyond death, challenging our perceptions and expanding our understanding of reality.To enrich your own journey into the paranormal, Bown promotes Martin's book and his own work on mediumship, offering valuable resources for those interested in paranormal research discussions. This episode is not just about discovering evidence of the afterlife; it's an invitation to explore the depths of human consciousness and the profound connections that exist beyond our physical existence. Join us for this fascinating exploration, and together, let's unlock the secrets of our paranormal afterlife: finding proof.BioBestselling author Stephen Hawley Martin has had a half dozen titles achieve bestseller status on Amazon.com and is the only three-time winner of the Writer's Digest Book Award, having won first prize twice for fiction and once for nonfiction. He also has won a first prize for visionary fiction from Independent Publisher and a first prize for nonfiction from USA Book News. In all, he has written seventeen books under his own name and has ghostwritten a half dozen more.For two years, he hosted a successful weekly Internet talk radio show, “The Truth about Life,” which averaged 30,000 listener downloads per episode.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F4XXT3YGhttps://www.shmartin.com/ https://www.pastliveshypnosis.co.uk/https://www.patreon.com/ourparanormalafterlifeMy book 'Verified Near Death Experiences' https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DXKRGDFP

What if everything you thought you knew about consciousness and the afterlife was about to be turned upside down? Join host Simon Bown on a riveting journey into the unknown in this episode of Our Paranormal Afterlife: Finding Proof of Life After Death, where we delve deep into the scientific evidence that suggests there may be more to our existence than meets the eye.In a captivating conversation with Stephen Hawley Martin, author of Afterlife: The Whole Truth, Second Edition, we explore groundbreaking insights from quantum physics and compelling documented phenomena, such as the extraordinary deathbed recoveries of individuals who seemed lost to consciousness. Martin presents a provocative argument that consciousness is not merely a byproduct of brain function but a non-material aspect of our reality, challenging long-held scientific beliefs. His personal anecdotes, including poignant moments with his grandmother before her passing, serve as powerful illustrations of the mysteries surrounding consciousness after death.Listeners will be fascinated as we discuss the pioneering research from the University of Virginia's Division of Perceptual Studies, which investigates near-death experiences and the intriguing accounts of children recalling past life memories. These insights into consciousness not only expand our understanding of life after death but also raise questions about the very nature of our existence. We also touch upon the captivating phenomena of psychokinesis and remote viewing, as well as transplant cases where recipients exhibit traits reminiscent of their donors, further blurring the lines between life and death.This episode of Our Paranormal Afterlife: Finding Proof of Life After Death is a must-listen for anyone interested in exploring the afterlife, as we unravel the layers of spirituality and health, alternative health perspectives, and the profound implications of personal near-death stories. Join us on this extraordinary journey into the paranormal as we seek evidence of the afterlife and share fascinating paranormal experiences that challenge our understanding of reality.BioBestselling author Stephen Hawley Martin has had a half dozen titles achieve bestseller status on Amazon.com and is the only three-time winner of the Writer's Digest Book Award, having won first prize twice for fiction and once for nonfiction. He also has won a first prize for visionary fiction from Independent Publisher and a first prize for nonfiction from USA Book News. In all, he has written seventeen books under his own name and has ghostwritten a half dozen more.For two years, he hosted a successful weekly Internet talk radio show, “The Truth about Life,” which averaged 30,000 listener downloads per episode.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F4XXT3YGhttps://www.shmartin.com/ https://www.pastliveshypnosis.co.uk/https://www.patreon.com/ourparanormalafterlifeMy book 'Verified Near Death Experiences' https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DXKRGDFP

Understanding reader habits can help independent publishers and author-publishers improve their book marketing strategies, hopefully boosting book sales. With over 550,000 readers on the popular digital review copy platform NetGalley, their team has collected invaluable data about reader's preferences, so NetGalley's Customer Success Manager Katie Versluis and Social Media Manager Hallie Fields join “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to discuss where readers say they discover books, the social media platforms that readers tend to share their book recommendations on the most, tips for how publishers can garner reviews, and much more.PARTICIPANTSKatie Versluis is a customer success manager at NetGalley. She works closely with authors and publishers of all shapes and sizes, helping their books reach the hands of passionate book advocates and industry professionals. She is a graduate of Brock University and Humber College's Creative Book Publishing Program.Hallie Fields is the Social Media Manager at NetGalley, a service that helps publishers and authors promote digital review copies to book advocates and industry professionals. Hallie specializes in fostering community and connecting with NetGalley members, including reviewers, booksellers, librarians, educators, media/journalists, and other book trade professionals. She is a former librarian and a graduate of UNC-Greensboro's Library and Information Science MLIS program.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 3,600 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/Learn more about the IBPA NetGalley Program at https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/netgalleyFollow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/

The more independent publishers and their authors work together on their book marketing efforts, the better chance they have of selling more books. One of the main focuses of independent publisher Wordeee is figuring out how to leverage the relationships that their authors already have to maximize the reach of their book marketing efforts. Wordeee CEO Marva Allen and COO Patrice Samara join “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to share the interesting book marketing tactics they employ with their authors, partnerships they've created for the film and audiobook rights of their books, and more.PARTICIPANTSMARVA ALLEN, CEO WORDEEEMs. Allen was president and co-owner of USI, a multi-million-dollar technology firm that was thrice nominated for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneurship Award. She is the recipient of numerous business awards, including the IBM & Kodak Excellence Awards, and was named a Crain's 40 Under 40 Awardee for significantly achieving in business before her 40th birthday. Allen was a nominee for the Top 100 Most Influential Women in Michigan. She holds a BSN from SGI in England; a B.S in Biology from the University of Michigan; and an M.S. in Health & Business Administration. As a noted book subject matter expert, Allen has been the 'go to‘ person for books for NPR, NBC, and was the on-air book contributor and commentator for Arise TV. She has been featured in the New York Times, NYSE Diversity Magazine (she rang the closing bell for Wall Street), Time Out, and various other magazines and periodicals. She spearheaded the First Literary Festival in Anguilla and hosted major events for Toni Morrison, President Bill Clinton, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Maya Angelou, among many others. She consults with celebrities and high-profile authors who want out-of-the-box thinking on marketing, promoting, and selling their books.Ms. Allen is also the author of several books, including If I should Die Tonight; Camouflage; Protégée; and The Pianist and Min Jade under the nom de plume, C.C. AvramPATRICE SAMARA, COOA veteran entrepreneur in the communications, media and entertainment industries, Emmy, Parent's Choice, and Cine Golden-Eagle-winner Samara brings global business skills and relationships that play heavily into Wordeee's marketing and growth. An author and publisher, she has keen insight into the day-to-day operations of a myriad of successful public, private, and non-profit organizations in her forty-year career.Ms. Samara has worked in over fifty countries, has twice been an NGO Representative to the United Nations, and was the Senior Media Advisor to the 61st President of the UN General Assembly.A cross-cultural specialist, she is the author of seven Alphabet Kids children's books, a multicultural series celebrating the similarities and applauding the differences in all of us.She is also the co-author with Marva Allen of North Star, North Star, an aspirational children's book fostering community and inspiring children to be the best they can be.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 3,600 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipLearn more about Wordeee at https://www.wordeee.com/Follow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/

To set your books and audiobooks up for the best chance at success, you need to make your titles available to purchase in as many retail outlets as possible. Author and book publishing consultant Erin Wright joins “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to share her expertise about the most effective methods to distribute books and audiobooks to as many retail sites as possible, including details about how to best use IngramSpark, Draft2Digital, PublishDrive, Author's Republic, Bookvault, and more for your publishing goals.PARTICIPANTSErin Wright is a full-time contemporary western romance author, but unless you're a fan of sexy cowboys, you've probably heard of her instead because of her work in the Wide for the Win Facebook group. She conned Suzie O'Connell (close writing friend and fellow cowboy romance author) into co-founding the Facebook group back in March of 2019, and has been avoiding writing books by posting in the group ever since. If you're thinking about going Wide, or if you're already Wide and just want to connect with other Widelings, be sure to come join Erin in the largest group on the internet for Wide authors. She'd be thrilled to have you!Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 3,600 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipMake sure to connect with Erin for her consulting at work https://erinwright.net/consulting and https://erinwright.net/authors, as well as in the Wide for the Win Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wideforthewinFollow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/Follow Erin on:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@erinwrightLVFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/AuthorErinWrightPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/erinwrightbooksTwitter: https://twitter.com/erinwrightlvBookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/erin-wrightInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorerinwrightGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/erinwright

In this episode, host Jenny Dempsey is sitting down with Carol Pearson from Bay City, Michigan—founder of 10 Little Rules, an independent publishing house. Carol's career journey has taken plenty of twists and turns. She started in corporate PR and marketing, moved into freelancing, and eventually built her own publishing business. But this conversation isn't just about career changes—it's about life changes, too. Carol opens up about navigating divorce, losing both of her parents, and how those experiences reshaped her perspective on gratitude, resilience, and finding meaningful work.We dive into the emotional side of career transitions—because let's be real, they're never just about work. Carol shares how storytelling became a tool for self-discovery, why aligning your career with your values matters, and how to take small, intentional steps toward the life you actually want.Episode TakeawaysCareer transitions are emotional and deeply personal.Storytelling can be a powerful tool for growth and reflection.Gratitude and resilience help us navigate life's toughest moments.Aligning your work with your values makes all the difference.Big life changes—like divorce and loss—can completely shift your perspective.Taking small, actionable steps is the key to pursuing your dreams.Acknowledging privilege and fostering empathy can shape career decisions.Staying open to unexpected opportunities can lead to amazing things.If you've ever found yourself at a crossroads, wondering what's next, this episode is for you. Let's get into it!Connect with CarolPurchase books from the 10 Little Rules collection: https://10littlerules.com/Use discount code “FLIPME” for 25% off your purchaseLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolpearson/Instagram: https://www.pinterest.com/10littlerules/ Thanks for listening to The Career Flipper!If you enjoyed this episode, let's spread the word! Share it with a friend, subscribe, and leave a review—it helps other career flippers find the show.Let's Stay Connected:Join the community: thecareerflipper.comTikTok: @thecareerflipperInstagram: @thecareerflipperpodGot a career flip story? I'd love to hear it—and maybe even have you on the podcast! Whether you've completed your flip, are just starting, or are in the thick of it, submit your story here: https://www.thecareerflipper.com Want to support the show?Looking for a speaker? I'd love to talk about career changes at your next event.Collaborate through sponsorships or affiliates! Let's work together.Email me: hello@thecareerflipper.comCheck Out My Customer Service CoursesBefore my career flip, I led customer experience teams and created online courses that have helped over 12,000 students worldwide. Whether you're switching to customer service or sharpening your skills to run your own business, these courses are packed with practical tips. Learn more at thecareerflipper.com/courses.Other Ways to Get Involved:Buy me a coffee!Explore my furniture flipsMusic CreditsSeason 1: Intro and outro music by audionautix.com. Season 2: Intro and outro original music by Jenny Dempsey, recorded in a home studio.What's the best that could happen?

Amazon is still the world's largest bookseller, so naturally, many independent publishers and author publishers want to know how they can succeed on the platform. IBPA is always working to help indie publishers take their businesses to the next level, so we invited Firebrand Technologies' Director of Sales and Education Joshua Tallent as a guest on “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to share his expertise. He discusses how the Amazon search algorithms work to garner more exposure for your books, how Amazon sales ranks are calculated, smart strategies for Amazon advertising, and more.PARTICIPANTSJoshua Tallent is the Director of Sales and Education at Firebrand Technologies, where his focus is on helping publishers of all sizes find solutions to their workflow and metadata problems. Joshua's background is deeply rooted in ebook development, metadata, and other publishing technologies, and he is an acclaimed teacher and guide on the role of data in publishing. He serves as the Chair of the BISG Board of Directors and is the host of the BookSmarts Podcast, which features practical discussions and interviews about publishing data and technologies. In his spare time, Joshua enjoys teaching Bible studies, playing complex board games, and fiddling with his home automation system.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 3,600 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipMake sure to check out Firebrand Technologies at:https://firebrandtech.comAlso, check out the BookSmarts Podcast at: https://booksmartspodcast.com/Follow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/

Inhabit Media are at the forefront of a new era of Inuit literature and film. Since 2006, it's been working to ensure Arctic voices are heard across Canada. From Iqaluit, IDEAS producer Pauline Holdsworth speaks with writers and illustrators about telling the stories of their home and finding creativity from the land. 

Eleanor Vincent joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about trying to save her challenging high conflict marriage, autism in adults and Cassandra Syndrome, what to leave out of a book, self-revelation and honest grappling, the toll of masking autism, emotional abuse, careful framing of those we write about, using a sensitivity reader, support groups for neurodiverse spouses, our narrating personas, writing fearless first drafts, disguising identities and biographical details to protect those we write about, and her new memoir Disconnected.    Ronit's upcoming memoir course: https://www.pce.uw.edu/courses/memoir-writing-finding-your-story   Also in this episode: -complex trauma -hyperfocus -reading unceasingly   Books mentioned in this episode: -The Situation and the Story by Vivian Gornick -Blow Your House Down by Gina Frangello -You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith -This American Ex-Wife by Liz Lenz -Liars by Sarah Manguso -Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset  -22 Things a Woman Must Know If She Loves a Man with Asperger's Syndrome by Rudy Simone  -Books by Anne Patchett   Eleanor Vincent's new memoir Disconnected: Portrait of a Neurodiverse Marriage is forthcoming from Vine Leaves Press. It tells the story of her gradual discovery that her husband was on the autism spectrum, and of how she tried to save a challenging high-conflict marriage. Her previous memoir, Swimming with Maya: A Mother's Story (Dream of Things, 2013) has twice been on the New York Times bestseller list and was nominated for the Independent Publisher of the Year award. Her essays have appeared in anthologies by Creative Nonfiction and This I Believe, the literary magazines 580 Split and Dorothy Parker's Ashes, as well as shorter pieces in the San Francisco Chronicle, the Sacramento Bee, and Generations Today. She has an MFA in creative writing from Mills College and is a member of the San Francisco Writers Grotto, Left Margin Lit, and the Author's Guild. She has taught creative nonfiction seminars at Mills College as a visiting writer and been awarded residencies at Hedgebrook, the Vermont Studio Center, and Writing Between the Vines. She lives in Walnut Creek, California. Connect with Eleanor: Website: https://www.eleanorvincent.com/ Book: https://vineleavespress.myshopify.com/products/disconnected-portrait-of-a-neurodiverse-marriage-by-eleanor-vincent X: https://x.com/eleanorpvincent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eleanor.vincent/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eleanor.vincent/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanorpvincent/ Writing the real world Substack: https://eleanorvincent.substack.com/   – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book. More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social   Background photo credit: Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash Headshot photo credit: Sarah Anne Photography Theme music: Isaac Joel, Dead Moll's Fingers

Publishing books is the main focus and source of revenue for independent publishers, but there are many alternative revenue streams that can be lucrative. President and Publisher for Gibbs Smith Books & Gift Suzanne Taylor joins “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to share tips about the sidelines they create, including how they decide what products to make, which are the most popular, where they sell them, how they're manufactured, and much more.PARTICIPANTSSuzanne Gibbs Taylor brings more than 35 years of publishing and retail experience to her role as President and Publisher for Gibbs Smith Book & Gift, where she leads all business development from idea to fulfillment. She has created, acquired, and developed multiple million-dollar brands, including the New York Times best-selling 101 Things® cookbook series (more than 15 million LTD revenue) and BabyLit® children's series (more than 13 million LTD revenue), which was featured on the front page of the Sunday print edition of The New York Times. Her leadership on the company's management team and board of directors contributed to transitioning to employee ownership and B Corp status. She currently volunteers on the PubWest Design Awards Committee and is a member of B Lab, the Independent Publishers Guild, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and Print Production Professionals. She holds a BA in Journalism, English, and Secondary Education.  Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 3,600 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipMake sure to check out the Gibbs Smith Book & Gift sidelines at:  https://www.gibbssmithcovers.com/gift/index.html Also, check out their Spring 2025 catalog at: https://www.gibbssmithcovers.com/GS-Spring-Catalog.pdfFollow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/Follow Gibbs Smith Book & Gift on:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/@GibbsSmithBooksInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/gibbssmithbooks/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gibbssmithbooksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gibbs-smith

To garner as much attention for your books as possible, it's important for independent publishers and author publishers to connect with audiences outside their network.  Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) Campaigns Manager Matty Dalrymple joins “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to share expert advice about how to land interviews on podcasts, blog sites, and with reviewers, including whether to pitch yourself or hire a publicist, how to best craft your pitch, how to promote the interview to get the most out of it, and much more!PARTICIPANTSMatty Dalrymple is the author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers, beginning with ROCK PAPER SCISSORS; the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels, beginning with THE SENSE OF DEATH; and the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts, including CLOSE THESE EYES. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime.Matty also podcasts, writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage as The Indy Author. She has written books on the business of short fiction, podcasting for authors, and how to succeed as an author speaker, and her articles have appeared in Writer's Digest magazine. She serves as the Campaigns Manager for the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi).She lives with her husband, Wade Walton, and their dogs in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and enjoys vacationing on Mount Desert Island, Maine, and in Sedona, Arizona, and these locations serve as the settings for her novels.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 3,600 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipMake sure to check out Matty's books at https://www.mattydalrymple.com/aboutYou'll find more information on her non-fiction platform at https://www.theindyauthor.com/Also, check out ALLi at:https://selfpublishingadvice.org/author-awards-contests-rated-reviewed/https://selfpublishingadvice.org/best-self-publishing-services/Follow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/

Happy Thanksgiving! Randy wraps up Independent Publisher's month with a great interview with writer/publisher Dorothee Perret. They Talk about magazines, community and raising kids all while supporting great creatives through publishing. https://dopepress.fr/ https://paris-la.com/

Ambika Sambasivan and Suhani Parikh each had their own successful independent publishing company, Yali Books and Modern Marigold Books, but when they met in 2022, they realized that their companies had similar missions and that they could be even more successful if they combined their businesses.Ambika and Suhani join “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to share details about the challenges and positive experiences that they ran into during the process of merging to create their new publishing company Sambasivan & Parikh. They discuss the legal issues that had to be decided; how they updated their distribution systems; how they combined their different backend systems; and much more.PARTICIPANTSAmbika Sambasivan and Suhani Parikh are co-publishers at Sambasivan & Parikh, a community-centered children's press working to foster a more equitable and just future through the power of storytelling. They bring together their independently founded presses, Yali Books and Modern Marigold Books, to create a platform for underrepresented voices in children's literature, built on empathy and respect. Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 3,600 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipMake sure to check out the Sambasivan & Parikh website at https://www.sambasivanandparikh.com/Follow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/

One of the most important relationships independent publishers have is with their authors, so how can publishers ensure that it's a productive working relationship?  American Academy of Pediatrics Senior Editor Kathryn Sparks joins “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to share advice about how publishers can successfully work with their authors based on her two decades in the industry.She'll share tips about setting reasonable deadlines and how to stick to them; the best ways to work with an author through the writing and editing process; and more. She'll also share insights into how the independent publishing industry is doing at the moment, and what improvements could be made.PARTICIPANTSKathryn Sparks is senior editor for the parent consumer line at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Prior to the AAP, she worked as the assistant to the publisher at Sourcebooks, Inc. Past industry experience also includes part-time literary assistant at the Chicago-based Tina Purcell Agency, and part-time assistant to best-selling author Claudia Gray. Her MG Novel, Reality Natalie, was published by Firedrake Books, Inc. She has served on the IBPA Editorial Advisory Committee, IBPA Advocacy Committee, and is currently on the IBPA Executive Committee and is co-chair of the IBPA Membership Committee.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 3,600 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipMake sure to check out the American Academy of Pediatrics' books at https://www.aap.org/en/shopaap/shop-by-product/parenting-resources/Also, check out https://www.healthychildren.org/English/Pages/default.aspxFollow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/

One of the most effective methods for independent publishers and author publishers to sell books is through direct-to-consumer sales. Motina Books Publishing Owner Diane Windsor joins "Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to share tactics that have worked best for her, including selling books directly through her publisher website, in-person events, and more.PARTICIPANTSDiane Windsor is the owner of Motina Books Publishing, which focuses on helping mothers and women bring their work to the world. She's passionate about helping her authors brainstorm creative marketing efforts for their books.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 3,600 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipLearn more about Motina Books here: www.MotinaBooks.comFollow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/Follow Motina Books on:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/motinabooksInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/motina_books/

Planet Poet-Words in Space – NEW PODCAST!  LISTEN to my WIOX show (originally aired August 13th, 2024) featuring Bruce McPherson, the founding Director of the award-winning McPherson & Co.- a Literary and Arts Publishing Company, who will present and read from his compelling and award-winning catalog of books.  Pamela Manché Pearce, Planet Poet's intrepid Poet-at-Large, joins us later in the program. Visit: Sharonisraelpoet.com.  Visit McPherson & Co  Visit: Pamela Manche Pearce Here's some information about Bruce McPherson and McPherson & Co. In 1974, Bruce McPherson founded McPherson & Company, an independent literary and arts publishing house in Providence, Rhode Island.  He relocated the press three years later to Kingston, N.Y. in the Hudson Valley.  McPherson & Company has been a full-time project since 1984, and has issued roughly 150 editions of more than 100 titles by authors from around the country and around the world. The press specializes in four areas: contemporary fiction (mostly American authors), great “lost” literary works from the Twentieth Century (our Recovered Classics series), non-fiction books dealing with contemporary art, film, aesthetics, and related cultural issues (often presented under the Documentext imprint), and, finally, translations of distinguished works by authors of Italian, Spanish, French, and German fiction and non-fiction.   McPherson & Co. was named ForeWord Reviews' 2010 Independent Publisher of the Year. The press has won numerous other awards including Community of Literary Magazines and Presses Lord Nose Award 2017; NATIONAL BOOK AWARD for Fiction 2010: Lord of Misrule; the Bronze IPPY (Independent Publisher Book Awards) Visionary Fiction Prize 2023: Headless World; the Bronze IPPY Literary Fiction Prize 2017: Renato After Alba; Ohioana Prize Finalist 2016: This Earth You'll Come Back To; And, for the novel Sea of Hooks  - the Gold IPPY Literary Fiction Prize 2015 and the PEN CENTER USA Fiction Award 2014.  Sea of Hooks was also CHAUTAUQUA Prize Finalist 2014 and was listed as one of the top 10 books of the year in New York Magazine and Publishers Weekly).    

One of the most consequential topics among independent publishers is how they can get their books into libraries. IBPA is always looking for ways to set indie publishers up for success, so we invited Becky Spratford on the podcast who has been working with the library market in multiple capacities for over two decades. Becky shares expert tips about how to collaborate with your local libraries to interest them in your books, how librarians make buying decisions, the best ways to approach a library about carrying your books, and more.PARTICIPANTSBecky Spratford [MLIS] is a Readers' Advisor in Illinois specializing in serving patrons ages 13 and up. She trains library staff all over the world on how to match books with readers through the local public library. She runs the critically acclaimed RA training blog RA for All. She is under contract to provide content for EBSCO's NoveList database and writes reviews for Booklist and a horror review column for Library Journal. Becky is a 23-year locally elected Library Trustee [still serving], a former Board member for the Reaching Across Illinois Library System, and currently on the Executive Board of the Illinois Library Association. Known for her work with horror readers, Becky is the author of The Reader's Advisory Guide to Horror, Third Edition [ALA Editions, 2021] and the forthcoming Why I Love Horror and You Should Too [Saga Press, Sept 2025]. She is on the Shirley Jackson Award Advisory Board and is a proud member of the Horror Writers Association, currently serving as the Association's Secretary and Co-Chair of their Library Committee.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 3,600 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipLearn more about the RA for All training blog here: http://raforall.blogspot.com Follow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/Follow Becky Spratford on:X: @RAforAllBluesky: @raforall.bsky.social

Bookselling profit margins can be tight for independent publishers, but with some ingenuity, publishers can create additional revenue streams. Agate Publishing President Doug Seibold has had great success with his publishing company, as well as various endeavors related to publishing, so he joins “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to discuss package trade publishing and his newest venture, Agate Publishing Academy. Doug also shares invaluable advice about how to successfully run a publishing business based on his decades of experience, including fostering a line of credit with your bank, improving your backlist revenue, and more!PARTICIPANTSDoug Seibold has been a writer, editor, and publisher for 40 years. In 2002 he founded Agate Publishing, based in Evanston, Illinois, which today comprises four trade imprints, an educational content development division, and a career development and training program for publishing launched in late 2023.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 3,600 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipLearn more about Agate Publishing at https://www.agatepublishing.com/Learn more about Agate Publishing Academy at https://agatepublishingacademy.com/Follow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/

From editing Kurt Vonnegut to making Black Hawk Down a #1 Bestseller to taking a chance on The Sympathizer, which went on to win the Pulitzer Prize and is now an HBO series, the adventures of one of publishing's most iconic figures.

In this episode Simon and Rachel speak with Toby Mundy, the CEO of the UK office of the international literary agency Aevitas Creative Management, and executive director of the Baillie Gifford Prize for non-fiction. Toby has worked in the publishing industry for more than three decades. After starting his career at HarperCollins he founded Atlantic Books in 2000. During his tenure, Atlantic Books won Independent Publisher of the Year and Imprint of the Year at the British Book Awards and achieved more than 25 top ten Sunday Times bestsellers. Atlantic titles were shortlisted for the Booker Prize five times between 2003 and 2013, including the The White Tiger, which won the prize in 2008. Toby became director of the Baillie Gifford Prize in 2014. We spoke to him about his entry into the industry, setting up Atlantic Books, his subsequent career as a literary agent, and his role with the Baillie Gifford Prize. This episode was recorded prior to the recent controversy about Baillie Gifford's sponsorship of literary festivals.  “Always Take Notes: Advice From Some Of The World's Greatest Writers” - a book drawing on our podcast interviews - is published by Ithaka Press. You can order it via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hatchards⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Waterstones⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You can find us online at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alwaystakenotes.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on Twitter @takenotesalways and on Instagram @alwaystakenotes. Our crowdfunding page is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/alwaystakenotes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Always Take Notes is presented by Simon Akam and Rachel Lloyd, and produced by Artemis Irvine. Our music is by Jessica Dannheisser and our logo was designed by James Edgar.

In a saturated book market where the Big 5 publishers carry a lot of weight, independent publishers have come up with some clever tactics to garner attention for their books. One such publisher is Muse Incorporated. Founder and CEO Leah Hernandez joins "Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to share details about how she's created strategic partnerships to grow book sales; how she's gotten her books into the education market; helpful ways she's raised funds for her publishing endeavors; and more.PARTICIPANTSLeah Hernandez is the Founder and CEO of Muse Inc., an award-winning publishing company known for its commitment to promoting diverse voices in adult fiction and nonfiction. Muse Inc. encompasses various imprints, including the esteemed Young Authors Publishing, which serves as the flagship imprint under the Muse brand.Leah's journey began with a degree in Business Administration with a Marketing concentration from Clark Atlanta University, providing her with the foundation for her entrepreneurial pursuits. Her leadership and contributions to the industry were recognized in 2021 when she was named one of Publisher's Weekly "Star Watch Nominees."Beyond her role at Muse Inc., Leah actively engages in initiatives aimed at fostering diversity and inclusion within the publishing world. She sits on the board of PubWest, an association of small to mid-sized publishers, as well as Portland State University's Masters Publishing Program to create more opportunities for people of color in the field. Under Leah's guidance, Muse Inc. has published over 40 books across all its imprints, amplifying the voices of marginalized communities and expanding the literary landscape. Additionally, Muse Inc. proudly distributes works from two black-owned publishers, Through Us Books and POPOUT zine, furthering its commitment to supporting underrepresented voices in the industry. With a steadfast dedication to impacting the lives of others by providing a platform for storytelling, Leah continues to drive Muse Inc. towards its mission of inclusivity and empowerment in publishing.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 3,600 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipLearn more about Muse Incorporated here: https://www.museinc.net/Check out these new titles: Kinfolk Meditations - https://www.museinc.net/product/kinfolk-meditation-deckNot Too Anything - https://www.museinc.net/product/not-too-anythingTempted To Taste It - https://www.museinc.net/product/tempted-to-taste-itFollow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/Follow Muse Incorporated on:Facebook● Instagram ●Twitter● Vimeo

Monday, June 3rd, 2024Today, Donald Trump is still guilty on 34 felony counts but Trump supporters are doing their best to dox the jurors; 49% of Independents think Trump should drop out of the presidential race; Dinesh D'Souza's 2000 Mules has been canceled and an apology has been issued; Loren Boebert got her ass handed to her in the Colorado 4th district debate; Rudy Giuliani has been recommended for disbarment in DC; plus Allison and Dana deliver your Good News.Promo Code:Go to drinkAG1.com/dailybeans to try AG1 and get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3 AND K2 AND 5 FREE AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase. Tickets and LIVE show dates https://allisongill.comSubscribe for free to MuellerSheWrote on Substackhttps://muellershewrote.substack.com Trump supporters try to dox jurors and post violent threats after his conviction (NBC News)New poll finds 49% of independents and 15% of Republicans think Trump should end campaign after conviction (The Independent)Publisher of ‘2,000 Mules' election conspiracy theory film issues apology (NPR)Watch: Lauren Boebert loses it on debate moderator as he grills her on Beetlejuice lies (Raw Story)Giuliani disbarment report DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURT OF APPEALS BOARD ON PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY (Document Cloud) Subscribe to Lawyers, Guns, And MoneyAd-free premium feed: https://lawyersgunsandmoney.supercast.comSubscribe for free everywhere else:https://lawyersgunsandmoney.simplecast.com/episodes/1-miami-1985Check out other MSW Media podcastshttps://mswmedia.com/shows/Follow AG and Dana on Social MediaDr. Allison Gill Follow Mueller, She Wrote on Posthttps://post.news/@/MuellerSheWrote?utm_source=TwitterAG&utm_medium=creator_organic&utm_campaign=muellershewrote&utm_content=FollowMehttps://muellershewrote.substack.comhttps://twitter.com/MuellerSheWrotehttps://www.threads.net/@muellershewrotehttps://www.tiktok.com/@muellershewrotehttps://instagram.com/muellershewroteDana Goldberghttps://twitter.com/DGComedyhttps://www.instagram.com/dgcomedyhttps://www.facebook.com/dgcomedyhttps://danagoldberg.comHave some good news; a confession; or a correction?Good News & Confessions - The Daily Beanshttps://www.dailybeanspod.com/confessional/From The Good NewsPresident Joe Biden Outlines New Plans to Deliver Student Debt Relief to Over 30 Million Americans Under the Biden-⁠Harris Administration (Whitehouse.gov) Live Show Ticket Links:https://allisongill.com (for all tickets and show dates)Sunday, June 2nd – Chicago IL – Schubas TavernFriday June 14th – Philadelphia PA – City WinerySaturday June 15th – New York NY – City WinerySunday June 16th – Boston MA – City WineryMonday June 17th Boston, MA https://tinyurl.com/Beans-Bos2Wednesday July 10th – Portland OR – Polaris Hall(with Dana!)Thursday July 11th – Seattle WA – The Triple Door(with Dana!)Thursday July 25th Milwaukee, WI https://tinyurl.com/Beans-MKESunday July 28th Nashville, TN - with Phil Williams https://tinyurl.com/Beans-TennWednesday July 31st St. Louis, MO https://tinyurl.com/Beans-STLFriday August 16th Washington, DC - with Andy McCabe, Pete Strzok, Glenn Kirschner https://tinyurl.com/Beans-in-DCSaturday August 24 San Francisco, CA https://tinyurl.com/Beans-SF Listener Survey:http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=shortFollow the Podcast on Apple:The Daily Beans on Apple PodcastsWant to support the show and get it ad-free and early?Supercasthttps://dailybeans.supercast.com/OrPatreon https://patreon.com/thedailybeansOr subscribe on Apple Podcasts with our affiliate linkThe Daily Beans on Apple Podcasts

Distribution continues to be one of the most consequential pain points for independent publishers, and with fewer and fewer distributors from which publishers can choose, it seems like major changes need to occur to fix the system. Microcosm Publishing's Founder and CEO Joe Biel joins "Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to chat about ideas for how distribution can be improved for indie publishers; the repercussions of the recent closure of Small Press Distribution; why so many independent distributors have shut down; and much more.PARTICIPANTSJoe Biel is a self-made autistic publisher and filmmaker who draws origins, inspiration, and methods from punk rock. Biel is the founder and CEO of Microcosm Publishing, Publishers Weekly's #1 fastest-growing publisher of 2022 and #3 in 2023. Biel has been featured in Time Magazine, Esquire, Art of Autism, Reading Glasses, Bulletproof Radio, Spectator (Japan), G33K (Korea), and Maximum Rocknroll, as well as on NPR and PBS. Biel is the author of A People's Guide to Publishing: Building a Successful, Sustainable, Meaningful Book Business, Good Trouble: Building a Successful Life & Business with Autism, and dozens more. Biel is the director of five feature films and hundreds of short films, including Aftermass: Bicycling in a Post-Critical Mass Portland, $100 & a T-Shirt, and the Groundswell film series. Biel lives in Portland, OR.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 3,600 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipLearn more about Microcosm and Joe Biel here: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/artist/joe-bielCheck out Biel's A People's Guide to Publishing book and podcast! Follow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/Follow Microcosm on most platforms at: microcosm_pub

Between traditionally published and self-published books, there are over 3 million books published per year, so in order for a book to stand out, sometimes independent publishers have to think outside the box.Independent publisher Holloway has a unique system with their publishing strategy in terms of discoverability and direct-to-consumer sales, which has been quite successful for them, so COO Andrew Savikas joins “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to share details about Holloway's savvy publishing model; how they've developed their website for search engine optimization; and how other independent publishers can apply some of the same techniques to their own businesses.PARTICIPANTSAndrew Savikas is the COO at Holloway, publisher of some of the most respected resources available anywhere on teamwork, creative work, startups, technology, venture capital, and career development. He has previously held executive roles at Safari Books Online, getAbstract, and O'Reilly Media, where he organized the Tools of Change for Publishing conference. Andrew has also served on the boards of the Book Industry Study Group and the International Digital Publishing Forum.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 3,600 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipLearn more about Holloway here: https://holloway.comLearn more about Andrew Savikas here: https://andrewsavikas.com/Follow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/Follow Holloway on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/holloway-1/X: https://twitter.com/hollowayFollow Andrew Savikas on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewsavikas/

There is a huge market for books outside the United States, so how can U.S. publishers break into the international market, and how do publishers know which markets are a good fit for their titles? Co-Founder and Managing Editor of Red Hen Press Dr. Kate Gale joins “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to share details about how her publishing company succeeded with international sales, as well as the challenges and opportunities publishers face based on the city where they set up their business; tips on book distribution; and much more.PARTICIPANTSDr. Kate Gale is Co-Founder and Publisher of Red Hen Press, a woman and queer-led publishing press in Los Angeles, and the Editor of the Los Angeles Review. She is the author of seven books of poetry, including The Loneliest Girl, The Goldilocks Zone, and Echo Light. Her debut novel, Under a Neon Sky, will be released with Three Rooms Press this April. Kate has also written six librettos, including Rio de Sangre, a libretto for an opera with composer Don Davis, which had its world premiere in October 2010 at the Florentine Opera in Milwaukee, WI. She teaches Poetry at Chapman University and speaks on independent publishing around the U.S. at schools like USC, Columbia, and Oxford University.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 3,600 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipLearn more about Red Hen Press and Dr. Kate Gale here:Website: https://kategale.com/home-1Follow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/Follow Dr. Kate Gale on:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drkategale/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkategale/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorkategaleTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/kate_gale?lang=en

Roger S. Gottlieb is the Smith Professor of Philosophy at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the author or editor of 21 books and more than 150 articles on environmental philosophy, religious environmentalism, political philosophy, contemporary spirituality, the Holocaust, and disability. His two works of environmental fiction, Engaging Voices and The Sacrifice Zone, won Nautilus book Awards and his recent philosophy work, Morality and the Environmental Crisis, was called “Book most likely to save the planet” by Independent Publisher Magazine. "How does she do it?" marvels Daniel Aiken. While the environmental crisis fills him with rage and fear his lover and fellow activist Sarah Carson still takes joy in life. As their work becomes increasingly dangerous, a tragic accident makes him face another question: can he learn her secret-or will his heart become yet another sacrifice zone? American Buddhist teacher Anne Sattvic's spiritual tranquility is giving way: long suppressed memories bring back the devastation caused by her sister's heroin addiction. Facing the past, Anne must decide how much of her mastery of Buddhist teaching is only a mask hiding a sacrifice of both family ties and her own ability to feel."Sacrifice Zone"-A Place so polluted it can never be cleaned up.Professor of Philosophy Roger S. Gottlieb is the award-winning author or editor of 21 books of philosophy, religious studies, environmentalism, and contemporary spirituality. Morality and the Environmental Crisis received "the book most likely to save the planet" award from Independent Publisher and was semi-finalist for the Siskiyou Prize for new environmental literature. His short story collection Engaging Voices won a Nautilus Book award; as did Spirituality What it Is and Why it Matters, which was also called a "best book of the year" by Spirituality and Practice.Get book: https://a.co/d/8e55f6rhttp://www.rogersgottlieb.com/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/i-am-refocused-radio--2671113/support.

J. is an independent publisher and author who has published more than two million words, sold more than 185,000 books worldwide, and is an official member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the Horror Writers Association, and the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers. Co-founder of the Writers, Ink podcast with J.D. Barker, J. has interviewed some of today's most successful authors including Matthew McConaughey, James Patterson, Dean Koontz, Seth Godin, Joyce Carol Oates, Chuck Palahniuk, and many more. J. earned a B.A. in American History from the University of Pittsburgh and a M.A. from Duquesne University. He is a husband, father, full-time writer, and a part-time professor at John Carroll University. J. and I first connected about our A.I. newsletters that we both publish through the Beehiiv platform. His is called the Creative AI Digest. After that, he drove down from Cleveland to our first CincyAI Meetup which I co-host with Kendra Ramirez, and is the largest A.I. meetup in the region in partnership with the University of Cincinnati's UC Digital Futures. He's expanded my approach on how to interact with A.I. and I couldn't be more excited to share our fascinating and thought-provoking conversation with you.  In today's episode, J. shares how in April 2023 ChatGPT-4 changed the trajectory of his Amazon book sales and his ah-ha moment for GenAI's impact on publishing and beyond. Discover J.'s prompt to process and innovative role-playing approaches to co-writing with AI. We also discuss the publishing industry's landscape pre- and post-GenAI, how AI is enabling greater accessibility for writers, and the need to support all writers and stop review bombing. We discuss the potential impact of AI on the entertainment industry as we know it, the importance of teaching responsible AI use in the classroom, how creators can leverage digital books, and the need for kindness and empathy as we navigate this new creative landscape. How can you harness the power of AI to unleash your creativity? Listen in to find out! EPISODE SHOW NOTES: https://creativitysquared.com/podcast/ep40-j-thorn-from-a-i-prompts-to-process/ JOIN CREATIVITY SQUARED Sign up for our free weekly newsletter: https://creativitysquared.com/newsletter  Become a premium member: https://creativitysquared.com/supporters  SUBSCRIBE Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform: https://creativitysquared.com Subscribe for more videos: https://youtube.com/@creativity_squared/?sub_confirmation=1 CONNECT with C^2 https://instagram.com/creativitysquaredpodcast https://facebook.com/CreativitySquaredPodcast https://giphy.com/channel/CreativitySquared https://tumblr.com/blog/creativitysquared https://tiktok.com/@creativitysquaredpodcast CONNECT with Helen Todd, the human behind C^2 https://instagram.com/helenstravels https://twitter.com/helenstravels https://linkedin.com/in/helentodd https://pinterest.com/helentodd Creativity Squared explores how creatives are collaborating with artificial intelligence in your inbox, on YouTube, and on your preferred podcast platform.  Because it's important to support artists, 10% of all revenue Creativity Squared generates will go to ArtsWave, a nationally recognized non-profit that supports over 100 arts organizations. This show is produced and made possible by the team at PLAY Audio Agency: https://playaudioagency.com. Creativity Squared is brought to you by Sociality Squared, a social media agency who understands the magic of bringing people together around what they value and love: http://socialitysquared.com.  #EdTech #AI #GenX #Authors #WritersOfInstagram #ArtificialIntelligence #ArtificialIntelligenceAI #AuthorCommunity #ArtificialIntelligenceTechnology #DigitalCreativity #MachineLearning #FutureTechnology #FutureTech #TheFutureIsNow #TechPodcast #AIPodcast #AINews #ArtificalIntelligence #ArtificalIntelligenceAI #AICopywriting #Creatives #AIArtCommunity #DeepLearning #GenerativeModels#AIandCulture #AINews

No matter where you are in your publishing journey—whether you're just starting out or you've been publishing books for decades—you're always hoping to level up your business.Fruition Publishing Concierge Services Founder and CEO Alesha Brown joins “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to share advice about the best artificial intelligence (AI) publishing technology and the ones to avoid; paying author royalties; whether it's worth hiring someone to do your social media; and much more!PARTICIPANTSAlesha Brown is the Founder & CEO of Fruition Publishing Concierge Services™, a hybrid publisher devoted to helping authors find their voice, monetize their expertise, and create profitable author platforms. Alesha's work led to her receiving the 2019 Inside Business' Entrepreneurial Excellence award. Her expertise has been featured in Publishers Weekly, Authority Magazine, Huffington Post, Thrive Global, and iHeartRadio, just to name a few. Alesha is a renowned speaker at numerous author forums and publishing conferences in addition to being a best-selling author, copywriter, and magazine editor-in-chief.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 3,600 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipLearn more about Fruition Concierge Publishing Services here: https://fruitionpublishing.com/Follow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/

Podcast Description: Jane Dwinell, co-author of Alzheimer's Canyon, brings a heartfelt and personal touch to the podcast. As a former Unitarian Universalist minister and with a background in nursing and hospice care, Jane's journey as a caregiver for her husband, Sky Yardley, provides a unique and empathetic perspective on the impact of Alzheimer's. Through their public speaking tour and workshops, Jane and Sky shared their experiences with dementia, aiming to break the silence and stigma surrounding the disease. Jane's dedication to storytelling and her commitment to raising awareness make her a valuable voice in the conversation about Alzheimer's and dementia. Quotes: "He wanted to meet his people. He wanted to meet other people with dementia. And by doing this church stuff and the workshops, it was his people all over the place." “He was still writing almost up to a year before his death, when he was still at home, and he was unable to dress himself and bathe himself. He was still writing.” In this episode, you will: Uncover the emotional rollercoaster of dementia caregiving.Discover the unique challenges of dementia caregiving during COVID-Understand the fluctuations in cognitive abilities in individuals with dementia.Learn the art of writing and publishing personal dementia caregiving experiences.Explore life after caregiving, including ways to move on both physically and emotionally. After the Podcast Purchase Alzheimer's Canyon: One Couples Reflections on Living with Dementia, which is available as a paperback, Kindle edition and on Audible Note: We are an Amazon Associate and may receive a small commission on book sales at no cost to you Read Jane's AlzAuthors post: ‘Alzheimer's Canyon' Honors Jane's Husband's Wish to Make Blog Posts a Book and Help Others with Dementia. Listen to Jane on the “Untangling Alzheimer's & Dementia” virtual event Podcast episode, “Writing Through the Fog: Three Authors Share Coping Strategies.” Jane's Bio: Jane Dwinell is a retired RN, freelance writer, and Unitarian Universalist minister. She is the author (or co-author) of four books including Birth Stories: Mystery, Power, and Creation and Alzheimer's Canyon: One Couple's Reflections on Living with Dementia, which won the Independent Publisher's of New England's 2023 award for narrative nonfiction. She lives in northern Vermont with her two cats, Tubby and Pogo, and her garden. Connect with Jane Facebook Instagram Website About the Podcast AlzAuthors is the global community of authors writing about Alzheimer's and dementia from personal experience to light the way for others. Our podcast introduces you to our authors who share their stories and insights to provide knowledge, comfort, and support. Please subscribe so you don't miss a word. If our authors' stories move you, please leave a review. And don't forget to share our podcast with family and friends on their own dementia journeys. We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization totally reliant on donations to do what we do. Your generosity will help cover our many operating costs, which include website hosting and maintenance fees, service charges to keep things running smoothly, and marketing expenses to promote our authors, expand our content, improve our reach, and more. Our ongoing work supports our mission to lift the silence and stigma of Alzheimer's and other dementias. To sustain our efforts please donate here. Ideas and opinions expressed in this podcast belong to the speakers and not AlzAuthors. Always consult your healthcare provider and legal and financial consultants for advice on any of the topics covered here. Thanks for listening. We are a Whole Care Network Featured Podcast Proud to be on The Health Podcast Network Find us on The World Podcast Network and babyboomer.org Want to be on the podcast? Here's what you need to know We've got merch! Shop our Store  

Podcast Description: Jane Dwinell, co-author of Alzheimer's Canyon, brings a heartfelt and personal touch to the podcast. As a former Unitarian Universalist minister and with a background in nursing and hospice care, Jane's journey as a caregiver for her husband, Sky Yardley, provides a unique and empathetic perspective on the impact of Alzheimer's. Through their public speaking tour and workshops, Jane and Sky shared their experiences with dementia, aiming to break the silence and stigma surrounding the disease. Jane's dedication to storytelling and her commitment to raising awareness make her a valuable voice in the conversation about Alzheimer's and dementia. Quotes: "He wanted to meet his people. He wanted to meet other people with dementia. And by doing this church stuff and the workshops, it was his people all over the place." “He was still writing almost up to a year before his death, when he was still at home, and he was unable to dress himself and bathe himself. He was still writing.” In this episode, you will: Uncover the emotional rollercoaster of dementia caregiving. Discover the unique challenges of dementia caregiving during COVID- Understand the fluctuations in cognitive abilities in individuals with dementia. Learn the art of writing and publishing personal dementia caregiving experiences. Explore life after caregiving, including ways to move on both physically and emotionally. After the Podcast Purchase Alzheimer's Canyon: One Couples Reflections on Living with Dementia, which is available as a paperback, Kindle edition and on Audible Note: We are an Amazon Associate and may receive a small commission on book sales at no cost to you Read Jane's AlzAuthors post: ‘Alzheimer's Canyon' Honors Jane's Husband's Wish to Make Blog Posts a Book and Help Others with Dementia. Listen to Jane on the “Untangling Alzheimer's & Dementia” virtual event Podcast episode, “Writing Through the Fog: Three Authors Share Coping Strategies.” Jane's Bio: Jane Dwinell is a retired RN, freelance writer, and Unitarian Universalist minister. She is the author (or co-author) of four books including Birth Stories: Mystery, Power, and Creation and Alzheimer's Canyon: One Couple's Reflections on Living with Dementia, which won the Independent Publisher's of New England's 2023 award for narrative nonfiction. She lives in northern Vermont with her two cats, Tubby and Pogo, and her garden. Connect with Jane Facebook Instagram Website About the Podcast AlzAuthors is the global community of authors writing about Alzheimer's and dementia from personal experience to light the way for others. Our podcast introduces you to our authors who share their stories and insights to provide knowledge, comfort, and support. Please subscribe so you don't miss a word. If our authors' stories move you, please leave a review. And don't forget to share our podcast with family and friends on their own dementia journeys. We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization totally reliant on donations to do what we do. Your generosity will help cover our many operating costs, which include website hosting and maintenance fees, service charges to keep things running smoothly, and marketing expenses to promote our authors, expand our content, improve our reach, and more. Our ongoing work supports our mission to lift the silence and stigma of Alzheimer's and other dementias. To sustain our efforts please donate here. Ideas and opinions expressed in this podcast belong to the speakers and not AlzAuthors. Always consult your healthcare provider and legal and financial consultants for advice on any of the topics covered here. Thanks for listening. We are a Whole Care Network Featured Podcast Proud to be on The Health Podcast Network Find us on The World Podcast Network and babyboomer.org Want to be on the podcast? Here's what you need to know We've got merch! Shop our Store

In episode #288 of The Hormone P.U.Z.Z.L.E Podcast, our guest Myriam Steinberg, talks about The Catalogue Baby Journey: Embracing Single Motherhood by Choice. More about Myriam: Previously the organizer of the In the House Festival, for which she was nominated for the YWCA's Women of Distinction Award, Myriam Steinberg is now an author. Her first graphic novel, Catalogue Baby: A Memoir of (In)fertility has won the Vine Award for Canadian Jewish Literature in the non-fiction category, the gold medal of the Independent Publisher's (IPPY) Award in the graphic novel category, and the gold medal of the Foreword Indies Award in the graphic novel category. It is also on the American Library Association's 2021 list of graphic novels to read. Myriam has written articles for Birthing Magazine, She Knows, and the CBC. Her work has also been included in two anthologies: Choosing Single Parenthood: Stories From Solo Parents by Choice, and Bloom Where You Are Planted. She is currently working on her second graphic novel, entitled Stick, Stay, Grow. Thank you for listening! This episode is made possible by Puzzle Brew's Fertility Tea: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/fertility-tea/ Follow Myriam on Instagram: @‌catalogue_baby Follow Dr. Kela on Instagram: @‌kela_healthcoach Get your FREE Fertility Meal Plan: https://hormonepuzzlesociety.com/ FTC Affiliate Disclaimer: The disclosure that follows is intended to fully comply with the Federal Trade Commission's policy of the United States that requires to be transparent about any and all affiliate relations the Company may have on this show. You should assume that some of the product mentions and discount codes given are "affiliate links", a link with a special tracking code This means that if you use one of these codes and purchase the item, the Company may receive an affiliate commission. This is a legitimate way to monetize and pay for the operation of the Website, podcast, and operations and the Company gladly reveals its affiliate relationships to you. The price of the item is the same whether it is an affiliate link or not. Regardless, the Company only recommends products or services the Company believes will add value to its users. The Hormone Puzzle Society and Dr. Kela will receive up to 30% affiliate commission depending on the product that is sponsored on the show. For sponsorship opportunities, email HPS Media at media@hormonepuzzlesociety.com

With a new year comes all kinds of new possibilities for publishers to thrive! IBPA's mission is to set up independent publishers and author publishers for publishing success, so CEO Andrea Fleck-Nisbet joins "Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to discuss the major issues that publishers are sure to face in 2024, and ways that publishers can overcome them. She discusses distribution challenges; creative ways that publishers can find funding; solutions to market access obstacles; difficulties with running a publishing business and ways to tackle them; and so much more.PARTICIPANTSAndrea Fleck-Nisbet is CEO of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), where she began her tenure in November 2022. Prior to that she was the founding vice-president and publisher of HarperCollin's lifestyle imprint, Harper Horizon. Andrea spent fifteen years in sales, digital media and business operations at Workman Publishing and was Director of Content Acquisition at Ingram Content Group. She sits on the board of the Book Industry Study Group.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 4,000 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipFollow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/

Peter Vandermeersch, Mediahuis Chief Executive, tells us why the company is planning to cut staff as it plans to expand its digital subscription base and end daily print sales by 2030.

In the last few years, TOKYOPOP has had incredible success, leading Publishers Weekly to declare them one of the fastest growing independent publishers of 2023. It's always helpful for indie publishers to learn from each other, so TOKYOPOP's COO and Publisher Marc Visnick joins “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to discuss the achievements and challenges they've had since the company began in 1997, including how they were able to bounce back so successfully after some difficulties in 2010 when, among other things, a major partner of theirs, Borders, went bankrupt.PARTICIPANTSMarc Visnick is the current COO and Publisher of TOKYOPOP. Founded in 1997, TOKYOPOP brings Asian pop culture to Hollywood and beyond. TOKYOPOP established the market for manga in North America, introducing the term to the English language in the process, and expanding the market in Germany, publishing thousands of books in both languages, distributing anime and Asian films on home video and television, licensing merchandise to consumer goods and companies, and creating graphic novels of both original content and major IP adaptations. TOKYOPOP's core values focus on multiculturalism and diversity; aestheticism and artistic integrity; and passionate and positive storytelling.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 4,000 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipLearn more about TOKYOPOP here: https://www.tokyopop.com/Follow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/Follow TOKYOPOP On: TOKYOPOP on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/TOKYOPOPTOKYOPOP on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/tokyopopTOKYOPOP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TOKYOPOPTOKYOPOP Official Website: https://www.tokyopop.com/TOKYOPOP on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tokyopop

Multi-award winning novelist, Hannah Lynn, visits us to discuss her first historical fiction novel, Athena's Child. Her story, which is a retelling of the myth of Medusa, was the 2020 Gold Medalist at the Independent Publisher's Award. As for what drew her to write this version of the ancient tale, Lynn said, “…I was drawn Read More

Taylor Swaid sits down with Hall of Fame songwriter Roger Murrah. Roger has written hits for artists like Waylon Jennings, Travis Tritt, Alan Jackson, Al Jarreau, Alabama and many more. After opening Murrah Music in 1990, Roger also helped develop some of Nashville's greatest songwriters. Murrah Music was named Billboard's Independent Publisher of the Year in 1992.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Many independent publishers feel a great divide between them and the Big 5 publishers. One of the biggest issues is access to various sales markets, such as bookstores, retail stores, and more. The good news is that there are new ways that these major publishers and indies can work together to the betterment of both.One such way is through distribution. It can be quite difficult for independent publishers to land traditional distribution, but some indie publishers have found a path through Simon & Schuster. Simon & Schuster Vice President of Publisher Services Keith Parent joins “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to share details about how to apply.PARTICIPANTSKeith Parent is Vice President of Publisher Services at Simon & Schuster. Keith originally joined S&S as a Sales Manager in the International Sales department in 2014 and returned to S&S in 2017 as an Account Executive in the Distribution Division. In 2022 Keith was promoted to Vice President of Publisher Services. In his role as Vice President, Keith manages the team tasked with supporting and maintaining all distribution client partnerships; providing sales, marketing, and publishing related strategic guidance to all independent publishers distributed by Simon & Schuster U.S. Prior to joining S&S, Keith held sales and business development roles with academic publishers such as Wiley, Sage Publications, and Congressional Quarterly Press. Keith is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore Maryland and a proud resident of Jackson Heights, Queens.  Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke assists the 4,000 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association here: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipLearn more about applying for traditional distribution through Simon & Schuster here: https://www.simonandschusterpublishing.com/sns-distribution/Follow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/Follow Keith Parent on:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-parent-34548523/

A show literally months in the making! Your Fab Four Halflings sit down with Skeeter Green to discuss his RPG company Skeeter Green Productions, the Independent Publisher's Union (#notaunion), and of course…new classes? We discuss all these topics as well as Skeeter's Mixed Martial Arts activities in this Sideshow™ of Sideshows™! No PC classes were […]

Independent publishers and author publishers are always seeking effective ways to promote their books, and one great way to do so is through LibraryReads. The Executive Director, Rebecca Vnuk, joins "Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to explain how LibraryReads creates a widely read list of must-read, new books based on library staff recommendations and how indie publishers can get their books on that list. Rebecca also used to be a librarian, so she shares tips about how publishers can get libraries to carry their books.PARTICIPANTSRebecca Vnuk is the Executive Director of LibraryReads. She has an MLIS from Dominican University and worked as a public librarian for a decade before becoming the editor for Collection Management and Library Outreach at Booklist magazine. Rebecca is the author of three reference books on the topic of Women's Fiction, as well as a best-selling book on weeding library collections. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and sons (and is thankful that the tween still loves to read, at least!).Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Lockeassists the 4,000 members as they travel along their publishing journeys. Major projects include managing the member benefits to curate the most advantageous services for independent publishers and author publishers; managing the Innovative Voices Program that supports publishers from marginalized communities; and hosting the IBPA podcast, “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA).” He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSLearn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association here https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipLearn more about LibraryReads here www.libraryreads.orgLearn more about how publishers can get their books included in the LibraryReads top 10 lists here https://libraryreads.org/for-publishersFollow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineX – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/Follow LibraryReads on:Facebook and Instagram - @libraryreadsX - @libraryreads99

Once upon a time, we were a client publisher of Independent Publisher's Group (IPG). Then, as we continued to grow, we embarked out on our own and now handle our own distribution in the U.S. Today, after that quintupled our sales, we began taking on our own client publishers that we distribute alongside our books. We take a look at what that means this week on the pod.************Thank you for watching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catal...Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catal...More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.comMore by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.netMore by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.comSubscribe to our monthly email newsletter: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/r/0...Find us on social mediaFacebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishingTwitter: http://twitter.com/microcosmmmInstagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub************

Are you hoping to sell your books to libraries? If so, trade reviews are a vital component to enticing libraries to buy your books, and librarians especially value Booklistreviews—the official trade publication of the American Library Association. So IBPA invited Booklist Editor and Publisher George Kendall as a guest on “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to discuss how publishers can land a Booklist review; how they can best leverage their review; and much more.PARTICIPANTSGeorge Kendall began as Booklist's Editor & Publisher in 2019 and is now continuing in that role as well as serving as Interim Director of Publishing & Media at the American Library Association (ALA). When not overseeing Booklist business and editorial matters and managing ALA publishing, George might be reading the latest dark but enthralling apocalyptic or dystopian nail-biter, or, on a brighter side, he might be found hanging out with his young daughter, or enjoying his local library, perusing books, toys, and Playaways, or attending story time or “messy art” and “little learners” programs.  George received his MA in Literary Studies from the University of Cape Town in South Africa and studied with J.M. Coetzee, who later when on to win the Nobel Prize in Literature (2003). George began his publishing career in scientific, technical, and medical publishing before moving on to his current role. Prior to publishing, George was a professional classical musician. He will sometimes, though very rarely, dust off his French horn and play a few notes.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke helps guide the 4,000+ members as they travel along their publishing journeys. As one of his major projects, he oversees the IBPA NetGalley program, which generates buzz and garners reviews for indie publishers' titles. He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSTo learn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association, visit here https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipLearn how you can submit a book to be reviewed by “Booklist” here: https://www.booklistonline.com/get-reviewedFollow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineTwitter – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/

Landing traditional distribution can be a major help in garnering exposure and sales for books in important markets such as Amazon, Kindle, bookstores, retail stores, and more. National Accounts Manager in Sales at Publishers Group West and Ingram Publisher Services David Dahl joins “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to explain the behind the scenes of how distribution sales teams promote books to these lucrative markets, and gives tips for how independent publishers can set their books up for success with distributors.PARTICIPANTSDavid Dahl is National Accounts Manager in Sales at Publishers Group West and Ingram Publisher Services, where he has represented independent publishers to the book trade for more than thirty years; to amazon since 1998, and to Kindle and Apple Books since the inception of those platforms. David is a graduate of Reed College and received an M.A. from the University of California at Berkeley. David works daily towards the association's primary goals of advocating for and educating independent publishers.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke helps guide the 4,000+ members as they travel along their publishing journeys. As one of his major projects, he oversees the IBPA NetGalley program, which generates buzz and garners reviews for indie publishers' titles. He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSTo learn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association, visit here https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipLearn more about Publishers Group West at pgw.com and Ingram Publisher Services at ingramcontent.com.Follow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineTwitter – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/

Book marketing isn't just about selling books, it's about building a reputation and an audience of loyal readers. An author may be focused on their writing so much that they don't quite know what their brand is, but that's where a publisher comes in. Publishers can, and should, help their authors pinpoint a professional and memorable author brand in order to engage fans and sell books. On this episode of “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA),” personal branding expert and internet marketing strategist Jeniffer Thompson shares practical tools for creating a sustainable author brand as well as easy-to-implement steps to highlight the brand story, elevate the author's visibility, and ensure a consistent visual presence.PARTICIPANTSJeniffer Thompsonis a personal branding coach, book marketing strategist, and publishing consultant. She co-founded Monkey C Media in 2004, an award-winning book cover and author website design house. She is also the host of The Premise podcast, co-founder of the San Diego Writers Festival, and serves on the International Memoir Writers Association board. VisitMonkeyCMedia.com to learn more, subscribe to her author marketing tips atJenifferThompson.comand listen to her podcast atThePremisePod.comIndependent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke helps guide the 4,000+ members as they travel along their publishing journeys. As one of his major projects, he oversees the IBPA NetGalley program, which generates buzz and garners reviews for indie publishers' titles. He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSTo learn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association, visit here https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipCheck out the IBPA member benefit for Monkey C Media, which garners members 20% off design services: https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/monkeycmediaFollow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineTwitter – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/

This week's guest is Ian McGarty of Silver Bulette. We talk about Jungle Incursion into the Lair of the Batmen for MCC, Fantastic Geographic Issue 2 and upcoming issue 3, A Night at the Lamb's Bray, Fire In The MOHLE (MCC), and the Independent Publisher's Union.Follow Ian at: Website - FB - DriveThruRPG—Eel Team Six, humanoid eels in full SWAT gear with assault rifles, are finishing their briefing to take down the cartel leader Mermethod Man. They explode a hole in the coral reef floor and repel down to the mermeth lab. They're coming in hot!Mossy Mermeth Lab: The moss that grows on the walls here is being processed into the drug mossy mermeth. Tweaked out, sharp-toothed mermaids work in waist-deep water to make this dry narcotic powder.Art: Tiger Wizard  Words: Steve AlbertsonStory by: Andrew Bellury, Steve Albertson, Ian McGarty—This episode is sponsored by Exalted Funeral, and we talk about Abyss of Hallucinations Box Set with Map and Poster, a MÖRK BORG setting inspired by Aleister Crowley's Book of Lies, by Max Moon.—ANNOUNCEMENTSOur physical adventure map for The Heal World is now available for purchase at Exalted Funeral. Epic Levels is hosting a Best Dwarf Drawing Contest! —Thanks for listening to Season Two of the Epic Levels Mad Dungeon podcast, where D&D hip hop group Epic Levels and a guest create a system-neutral, playable dungeon room using improv, comedy, and lifetimes wasted on roleplaying games.You can support us via Patreon for early episode releases, bonus map content, extra art, access to our discord server, and lots of other exclusive goodies.Epiclevelsrapgods.cominstagram.com/epic_levelsThe Epic Levels Mad Dungeon podcast is hosted by Andrew Bellury, Rob Bellury & Steve Albertson, and produced by Zach Cowan.Theme song by Epic Levels and beat by Inner Resting AKA Mason Grant who also makes tabletop games that you can purchase at Gamma Wave Games.© 2023 Epic Levels. All characters in this adventure–even those based on real people–are entirely fictional.

This week the I am reading from Stephen Hawley Martin's book 'You Are Eternal: Infinite Tomorrows Await You' and Graeme Rendall's book 'Intercept and Identify: Aerial UFO Encounters, 1953-1954'.Stephen Hawley MartinWhat if you knew for certain that you are an eternal spiritual being that is temporarily residing in a kind of spacesuit—aka a human body—that allows you to operate in this reality, and that there are other, nonphysical realities you will go to when your spacesuit wears out? What if you knew that if you get bored in nonphysical reality, you could choose to come back to this one? Would that change how you think about life? Would it change your behavior? The author relates a theory that explains what reality is really all about, and he relates the facts that back it up. Not only does it explain what caused the Big Bang and how life on earth came to be, it makes clear that faith is not required to believe your consciousness will continue after your body dies. It also indicates that you possess what likely has been until now undreamed of power.BioBestselling author Stephen Hawley Martin has had a half dozen titles achieve bestseller status on Amazon.com and is the only three-time winner of the Writer's Digest Book Award, having won first prize twice for fiction and once for nonfiction. He also has won a first prize for visionary fiction from Independent Publisher and a first prize for nonfiction from USA Book News. In all, he has written seventeen books under his own name and has ghostwritten a half dozen more.For two years, he hosted a successful weekly Internet talk radio show, “The Truth about Life,” which averaged 30,000 listener downloads per episode.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2J6HST6https://www.shmartin.com/Graeme RendallIn the aftermath of two weekends in July 1952 when airspace over the American capital was filled with strange lights and radar contacts, the US Air Force sought to shut down the UFO issue, falling back on "identifications" such as balloons, weather anomalies and cockpit reflections. Yet the following two years saw numerous reports being filed about encounters with strange objects and lights in the skies over the United States - and elsewhere around the world. This book looks at pilot and aircrew sightings from 1953 and 1954 - two years' worth of incredible reports from across the globe involving fighter jet and transport crews, airliner captains and private pilots. Many witness statements were dismissed in favour of explanations that simply don't make sense when referring back to the only evidence - the testimony itself. This new book continues the author's look at aerial UFO encounters during the 1940s and 1950s - and the fevered attempts behind the scenes to explain the problem, and when that wasn't possible, to diminish its importance entirely.BioGraeme Rendall is a full time author and a commentator on the Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP) issue. He is also a contributor to the "The Debrief", an American news website dealing with cutting edge science, tech and defence news, and a frequent guest on various podcasts looking at UAP. He also writes articles on the subject for UAP Media UK. Between 1990 and 1992, he was the Editor of an amateur aviation magazine. Graeme has written a critically-acclaimed work looking at the "Foo-Fighters" witnessed during World War Two and the numerous wartime cases that occurred before the term was coined in November 1944. He has been an aviation and World War Two history enthusiast from an early age, when he was given Airfix model aircraft kits "to keep him quiet". Married to Jo, he lives in rural Northumberland, between the beach and the hills.https://www.reivercountrybooks.com/https://www.amazon.com/Intercept-Identify-Aerial-Encounters-1953-1954-ebook/dp/B0C1W7ZB9T/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1684404400&sr=8-1https://www.pastliveshypnosis.co.uk/https://www.patreon.com/pastlivespodcasthttps://www.patreon.com/alienufopodcast

Social media can be an excellent tool for publishers to build brand awareness and garner exposure for their books, but it's also complicated to properly navigate. One advantageous social media tactic is to hire an influencer, but how do you go about hiring the right one for your books? What types of campaigns work the best? What are some challenges to hiring an influencer and how do you overcome them? CEO & Founder of Branch & Bramble Emily Lyman joins “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to share her expertise on all things related to social media influencers!PARTICIPANTSEmily Lyman has worked with publishing companies for more than a decade to help them achieve tangible marketing results. As CEO & Founder of Branch & Bramble, she's built a digital marketing agency focused on helping authors and lifestyle brands craft new messaging and positioning rooted in values-based marketing that attracts life-long audiences.Branch & Bramble has been named as one of the “Top US Digital Marketing & Digital Agencies” on Yahoo! Finance, as well as one of the “Top Digital Marketing Agencies in New York.” Lyman has been featured on Digiday, CO- by U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Authority Magazine.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke helps guide the 4,000+ members as they travel along their publishing journeys. As one of his major projects, he oversees the IBPA NetGalley program, which generates buzz and garners reviews for indie publishers' titles. He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSTo learn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association, visit here https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipTo learn more about Branch & Bramble, visit:https://www.branchandbramble.com/Also, check out Branch & Bramble's free book influencer marketing guide here: https://www.branchandbramble.com/book-influencersFollow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineTwitter – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/Follow Branch & Bramble on:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/branchbrambleTwitter - https://twitter.com/BranchBrambleFollow Emily Lyman on:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilylyman/Twitter - https://twitter.com/emilylymanInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/elyman/

This week I'm talking to Stephen Hawley Martin about his book 'You Are Eternal: Infinite Tomorrows Await You'.What if you knew for certain that you are an eternal spiritual being that is temporarily residing in a kind of spacesuit—aka a human body—that allows you to operate in this reality, and that there are other, nonphysical realities you will go to when your spacesuit wears out? What if you knew that if you get bored in nonphysical reality, you could choose to come back to this one? Would that change how you think about life? Would it change your behavior? The author relates a theory that explains what reality is really all about, and he relates the facts that back it up. Not only does it explain what caused the Big Bang and how life on earth came to be, it makes clear that faith is not required to believe your consciousness will continue after your body dies. It also indicates that you possess what likely has been until now undreamed of power.BioBestselling author Stephen Hawley Martin has had a half dozen titles achieve bestseller status on Amazon.com and is the only three-time winner of the Writer's Digest Book Award, having won first prize twice for fiction and once for nonfiction. He also has won a first prize for visionary fiction from Independent Publisher and a first prize for nonfiction from USA Book News. In all, he has written seventeen books under his own name and has ghostwritten a half dozen more.For two years, he hosted a successful weekly Internet talk radio show, “The Truth about Life,” which averaged 30,000 listener downloads per episode.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2J6HST6https://www.shmartin.com/https://www.pastliveshypnosis.co.uk/https://www.patreon.com/pastlivespodcast

There are thousands and thousands of schools in the United States, so getting your books into the education market can be quite lucrative and rewarding, knowing that you're inspiring the next generation of readers. So what is the process of getting your books into schools? What kinds of books are marketable to schools? How do you set up school author visits? Author, educator, and speaker Jane Wood joins “Inside Independent Publishing (with IBPA)” to answer these questions and many more!PARTICIPANTSJane R. Wood is the author of a series of five juvenile fiction books where she weaves history and science into stories filled with mystery, adventure, and humor for young readers ages 8-14. Her sixth juvenile fiction book, Finding Family Treasure, was released in January 2022 and was co-authored with genealogist and author K. I. Knight. She has also written a book, Schools: A Niche Market forAuthors, to help other authors and publishers market and sell their books to the school market.Wood is a former teacher, newspaper reporter, and television producer. She has a BA from the University of Florida and an MEd from the University of North Florida. Wood serves as the past-president of the Florida Authors and Publishers Association and often speaks at schools, libraries, book festivals, publishing events, and education conferences. To learn more about her and her books, please visit her website at janewoodbooks.com.Independent Book Publishers Association is the largest trade association for independent publishers in the United States. As the IBPA Director of Membership & Member Services, Christopher Locke helps guide the 4,000+ members as they travel along their publishing journeys. As one of his major projects, he oversees the IBPA NetGalley program, which generates buzz and garners reviews for indie publishers' titles. He's also passionate about indie publishing, because he's an author publisher himself, having published two novels so far in his YA trilogy, The Enlightenment Adventures.LINKSTo learn more about the many benefits of becoming a member of Independent Book Publishers Association, visit here https://www.ibpa-online.org/page/membershipFollow IBPA on:Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IBPAonlineTwitter – https://twitter.com/ibpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/ibpalovesindies/

How to represent place with good research, good intentions, great details, an ear for the nuances of criticism and nostalgia (your own and those of others), and as always: humility. To help us out, we hear from Allison Amend and Shilpi Suneja, both writing about places they know well and places less familiar to them and to their readers.For a list of my fave craft books and the most recent works by our guests, go to our Bookshop page.Allison Amend debut short story collection, Things That Pass for Love, won a bronze Independent Publisher's award. Stations West, a historical novel, was published by Louisiana State University Press  and was a finalist for the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature and the Oklahoma Book Award. Nan A. Talese/Doubleday published her most recent novels A Nearly Perfect Copy  and Enchanted Islands. Allison lives in New York City, where she teaches creative writing at Lehman College in the Bronx and at the Red Earth MFA.Shilpi Suneja was born in India. Her work has been published in Guernica, McSweeney's, Cognoscenti, Teachers & Writers Magazine, and the Michigan Quarterly Review, among others. Her writing has been supported by a National Endowment for the Arts literature fellowship, a Massachusetts Cultural Council fellowship, and a Grub Street Novel Incubator Scholarship. She holds an MA in English from New York University and an MFA in Creative Writing from Boston University, where she was awarded the Saul Bellow Prize. Her first novel, House of Caravans will be published in September 2023.Thank you for reading The 7am Novelist. This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit 7amnovelist.substack.com