With more than twenty years behind me as an indie author ( read about that here ), I can confidently say: the more things change, the more they stay the same. Why bring this up now? Because lately there’s been a renewed wave of conversation about the challenges of marketing indie books in a publishing ecosystem still shaped—if not dominated—by traditional models. Every so often, we see a localized seismic shift—like BookTok, before monetization restored the old order and perhaps even pushed us further back. But the broader landscape remains unchanged: we live in an attention economy, and its gatekeepers have made one thing clear—it’s pay to play. Once, platforms offered organic reach. Content mattered. Effort could sometimes compensate for budget. But those days are vanishing. Social platforms have entered their late-capitalism phase: squeeze creators for every drop of value, extract revenue, and wait for the next migration wave. For many—likely most—indie authors, money is tight. Time...

  Young readers have always been the heart of my audience. It is where I started my publishing journey twenty years ago, and I continue to write for them in my Draconim and MacIver Kids series. My stories are written for them—their grief, their fire, their fierce sense of justice. But I’ve also known I couldn’t, in good conscience, invite them into the same digital spaces that constantly exploit their attention, data, and trust. From the beginning, I chose not to collect data through my author website. No mailing lists, no subscriber pop-ups, no personalized ads. Not because I didn’t want to grow—I did, and still do—but because I could never guarantee that data, once gathered, would be fully secure. And I wasn’t willing to risk the safety of the very readers I hoped to reach. Recent headlines—like “ Hackers are targeting a surprising group ofpeople: young public school students ” (OPB), “ Thousands including childrenexposed in major data breach ” (Tom's Guide), and “ Children's...

 In today's rapidly changing publishing landscape, many indie authors are questioning whether traditional Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) programs still serve their intended purpose. As an author and industry observer, I've noticed several concerning trends that suggest it might be time for a significant overhaul of this long-standing practice. Photo by Vincenzo Malagoli: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-reading-book-and-holding-coffee-1550648/ Why the Current ARC Model Is Showing Cracks The traditional approach of distributing free copies to readers in exchange for honest reviews has been a cornerstone of indie publishing strategy. However, numerous issues have emerged that challenge its effectiveness: 1. Diminishing Returns on Investment Many authors now distribute more ARCs than they sell books during launch week. When your marketing strategy costs more than it generates, it deserves scrutiny. 2. Eroding Trust in Reviews The general public's trust in online reviews h...

 "Through writing, I strive to transport readers to another world, to merge their mind and heart with another being, to inspire, motivate, and deepen understanding. To earn my place in this world by living modestly through this work alone—this is my dream, my goal, and my honor." – Lawrence Nault If you have seen the documentary “ Echoes of a Hermit ” then you already know writing has always been a part of my life. That combined with necessity and perhaps some need to control my own work is what led to me entering the world of what is more commonly known as indie publishing. Nearly 20 years ago, I took my first steps into self-publishing. I wanted to get my stories out into the world, and I didn’t see anything publishers were doing that I couldn’t do myself. I started with children’s books (Squirrel Tales, Wolf Tales, and Bear tales, later expanded to a YA sci-fi (Loma – A MacIver Kids Adventure),  and eventually wrote political fiction (Jubilee). At the time, self-publishin...