On September 1, 2025, ALLi asked: Have you started planning your holiday marketing yet—and what do you have in mind?
Honestly, I don’t plan on doing holiday marketing right now. At this stage, I’m relying more on word of mouth than campaigns or seasonal promotions. Maybe once I have more books published, I’ll start looking at holiday strategies, especially since I do have a merchandise shop that could play into it.
For now, though, my focus is on building a foundation. Marketing tied to seasons and holidays can be powerful, but it’s not worth rushing into if the catalog isn’t there yet. I’d rather let my current work speak for itself and grow through reader recommendations.
On August 25, 2025, ALLi asked: How do you decide which publishing platforms to use, and have you ever changed your mind?
I started with KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) because that’s what my sister-in-law, Nikki Leigh, introduced me to. From there, I added Barnes & Noble after meeting an author, Penelope Lifestone, and noticing her books were available through them. My choices haven’t been about chasing every platform at once—they’ve been gradual, shaped by personal connections and seeing what works for authors I respect.
In a sense, that is going wide, but I value steady growth over stretching myself thin. Tossing a book onto every platform overnight might sound like a fast track, but it often means less focus, less strategy, and sometimes even making the book easier to access for free. For me, it’s better to build step by step—making sure I understand each platform, how it works, and whether it genuinely benefits my readership.
At the end of the day, my main driver isn’t just the platform itself but word of mouth and reviews. A book might sit on twenty storefronts, but if nobody is talking about it, sales won’t move. That’s why I’d rather expand gradually, keep control, and let each step forward feel intentional rather than rushed.
On August 18th, 2025, ALLi asked: Have you been on the receiving end of an author scam? What were the red flags?
I get emails all the time from so-called “marketing experts.” One even tried to sneak into my Discord once. I don’t use AI much, but I do have ChatGPT help me sort through these things before I respond to anything. It’s easy to get swept up when someone comes in with big promises, but most of the time, they’re nothing more than scams dressed up as opportunities.
And it’s not just email. Scams creep in everywhere—Social Media ads, sponsored posts, even telemarketing-style pitches that make it sound like they’re doing you a favor when really, they’re just trying to get your money. Some are obvious, but others are polished enough that you have to pause and take a second look.
The best defense I’ve learned is to slow down. Don’t rush because someone is dangling “exposure” or “guaranteed sales” in front of you. If something feels urgent, sketchy, or too good to be true, it usually is. Scams prey on excitement and fear, and indie authors are far from the only targets. These tactics are everywhere, and the only way to stay ahead is to question everything before handing over your trust, time, or money.