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Earlier this month, I shared some big news on and then later on . The first draft of Book IV: Lab Rat in the series is officially complete!

As excited (and relieved) as I was to make that announcement, wrapping up the first draft didn’t come easily�� nor was it planned until very recently.

It wasn’t until I was typing up the of my that I seriously started to consider the possibility of splitting the large manuscript into two books. After weighing the pros and cons (which I discussed with my Patreon subscribers), I decided to move forward with the division.

Now, in celebration of the eighth anniversary of my website, I’m sharing news and updates about Book IV.

Table of ContentsWord Count Before & After the Division

When I published my newsletter at the beginning of March, the manuscript for Lab Rat was already at 219,109 words. For context and reference, the other three books in the series are approximately:

154k
194k
204k

This made Book IV the largest in the series so far, and I wasn’t even done yet. By my estimate, I was about 75% of the way through the manuscript. However, let me clarify that the first draft was about 95% written. I didn’t write this series chronologically; I recorded scenes as they popped into my head, and then went back to fill in the gaps and edit the pieces together.

I’ve talked before about my that word count isn’t as important as most writers and editors make it out to be. BUT that opinion is based on the length of a story. (After all, the Chronicles of Avilésor was originally supposed to be one book that grew into a series of at least seven planned novels.)

I think stories take on a life of their own, and they should be as long as they need to be. I’m not the kind of author who can think of an idea for a plot and decide, “Okay, now I’m going to write a 100k book about it.�� I hate that kind of confinement. I prefer to start writing and see where it takes me, as there are usually plenty of surprises along the way as characters develop their own personalities and the plot takes unexpected turns.

However, as I mentioned in that post, word count IS important when it comes to editing, printing, and shipping costs. I was becoming increasingly conscious of the growing word count as I neared the last quarter of Book IV’s manuscript. I had at least one big scene that still needed to be written, along with a handful of other important scenes that would likely need to be fleshed out better, and I was concerned that by trying to keep my word count under control, I might risk failing to give these scenes the attention to detail that they deserved.

After making the cut and adding an epilogue, the word count was slashed down to 147,788 words. This puts it slightly lower than Book I and gives me a lot more freedom to add more details during editing.

Pros & Cons of Dividing Book IV

While I was still on the fence about the split, I shared the various with my Patreon subscribers before making my final decision. Here’s a quick look at the considerations I weighed:

Pros

As I mentioned in the last section, word count was the biggest driving factor.

Writing smaller books is a smarter and more economical publishing strategy. (Unfortunately for me, I love big books!) I pay my line editor per word, which means that by cutting my manuscript in half, I also halved that upfront cost�� which was a big expense that I was concerned about after a rocky start to my event season. It also means the editing phases between me (phase 1), my beta readers (phase 2), and my line editor (phase 3) should move quicker since the editors don’t have such a beefy manuscript to read, meaning I can hopefully release the book faster.

A smaller book obviously has fewer pages, which mean the print cost goes down. And my distributor can fit more copies into a box, which saves shipping costs.

By dividing the manuscript, that also means part two of Lab Rat, which will now be Book V, should be able to follow Book IV with a fairly quick turnaround time since it’s mostly written and halfway edited already, which is good news for readers who hate having to wait between releases.

Cons

The list of pros looks really promising, but I did have some concerns. Primarily, was there a strong division point that would allow the first half of the manuscript to stand alone as a full story?

Initially, the most logical place to make the break looked like it was going to be a part that�� shall we say, was going to leave readers extremely dissatisfied at the end. And I was hesitant to do that. Some authors delight in torturing their readers with cliffhangers, but I generally don’t. If I end a book on a cliffhanger, that’s because it was genuinely to best place to divide the books in my series, whether that’s because of a time gap, major event, tone shift, etc.

Luckily for readers, when I split the manuscript at that place, I quickly realized it wasn’t going to work. Not only were readers going to be unhappy with how I left a character’s fate (which I’m not going to name for spoiler reasons), but the plot in general just felt unfulfilling on many levels. There wasn’t enough of a resolution, and fates of other main characters were still left uncertain.

I ended up shifting the division point back a few chapters to resolve some of the most pressing conflicts with the main cast of characters while still (obviously) leaving larger plot points open to lead into the next book.

Publication Timeline + Next Steps

Now that I can officially say that the first draft is complete as of March 14, 2024, I’m starting to look forward at the publication timeline. Realistically, I’m estimating a release around the end of 2024 or beginning of 2025.

The next step will be for me to go through the first draft and do my initial round of self-edits. From there, the manuscript will go out to a handful of beta readers. Some of them are regulars who have helped me with other books, and some are new. After I get all of those copies back, I’ll review and incorporate their notes, then send the manuscript off to my line editor for the final editing phase.

While I wait for my beta readers and line editor, I’ll be working on creating the cover and interior layout for Lab Rat. The maps from Book III will be published again in IV, and I’m considering adding a pronunciation guide as well. I already have the ISBNs ready to be assigned to the hardcover, paperback, and ebook.

After I put everything together, I’ll send the book to . They’ll need to approve my files before I can order a proof copy to check for any final technical or formatting errors. Once I go through the proof copy and make any necessary updates, I’ll send a digital version to my ebook formatter to finalize that version.

From there, once everything looks good to go, it’s off to the presses! With Book III, I offered preorders from the first print run. I’ll be doing that again, but the process should be smoother by using my instead of this site, so if you’re interested in getting one of the first printed copies, stay tuned!

I won’t announce a target release date until I get through the editing process.

Changes Due to the Division

As you can imagine, cutting the manuscript in half caused some drastic changes. Only one beta reader has been receiving chapters as I completed them. Most of my beta readers don’t get the draft until I’ve had a chance to complete it and go back through it during my self-edit, which is the process I prefer. But this is a special case with a family member, and it proved to be opportunistic since I had someone who could realistically discuss options with me.

After explaining my two proposed division points, he agreed with my final decision and felt that the resolution would be satisfying despite the characters still having big issues to face.

Ultimately, this division feels very reminiscent to the split between Books I and II. For those who might not be aware, A Fallen Hero and Phantom’s Mask were originally one giant manuscript that was split in half for publication.

**SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN’T FINISHED BOOK I YET!*** (Skip ahead to the next section if you want to avoid them.)

Cato’s emotional and impactful confrontation with a particular antagonist at the end of Book II was initially planned to be the ending of the first book. I was torn, just as I was this time, about the idea of splitting the manuscript since I’d designed a particular ending.

But, when I stepped back and looked at the first manuscript, I saw a very clear division point in Cato’s journey as a fugitive and then a mercenary. Although Book I ended on an unintentional cliffhanger, the break made sense. Readers had a small-scale resolution with the main characters (the separated parties had reunited, and the twins had survived), but they still had the large-scale question of what was going to happen with Azar, the Agents, and the uncertain deal made between the Alpha ghosts and the humans of Phantom Heights.

The split between Books IV and V feels like a similar situation. There’s an immediate small-scale solution resolving the fates of the main characters, but it ends with a major power move by one of the antagonists setting up large-scale consequences for the next book. I will say that the plight of the main cast isn’t quite as resolved as I would have liked, but this ending made the most sense since there’s a short time gap between part 1 and part 2 that felt like a natural breaking point.

As for the discussions I’ve had on Patreon about Book IV’s different structure compared to the other three books and aspects of the novel that I’m really excited about, those really didn’t change for the most part. I’ll talk about some of those at the end of this post. Here’s some of what did shift with the manuscript breaking into two parts:

The original planned ending of Lab Rat was a BIG finale with some major consequences for both the Human Realm and the Ghost Realm. I’ve warned readers that “everything is going to change�� by the end of Book IV. Now, I can still say that with the new ending, but it’s on a much different scale since that original ending will now be the conclusion of Book V. One thing I can promise without giving away spoilers �� the lab-family’s dynamic won’t ever be the same.The other three books definitely dipped into some dark territory at times. From a fountain filled with blood and human bodies, to some gruesome battle scenes that left victims unrecognizable�� let’s just say these aren’t books for kids. Lab Rat ventures even deeper into the darkness. And yet, not quite as dark as it was planned to be. One particular scene was in the back half of the manuscript, so it’s been pushed to Book V.Important new characters are introduced in Lab Rat, although readers won’t have much of a chance to get to know them quite yet since they’re more prominently featured in part 2.Several characters have some major development and backstory exploration. Unfortunately for Ash, her turn was pushed back to Book V.“You Are My Sunshine�� Copyright Permission

On March 21st, I officially obtained copyright permission to use lyrics from “You Are My Sunshine�� in Book IV. The song has been a recurring element throughout the series so far.

For those who might not be aware, I had to obtain permission to use the lyrics in A Fallen Hero and Phantom’s Mask.

Blood of the Enemy did not require permission because only the title was referenced in the novel, not the lyrics.

I recently published a to give subscribers a more in-depth look at the process and why I chose this particular song to be a memory of Cato’s forgotten childhood.

What I’m Excited About for Book IV

I’ve said for a long time that Lab Rat is my favorite book in the series, and I hope that passion comes through when readers finally get to experience it. This novel is very different from the others, and not just because it gets dark.

(I’ll do my best to talk about why I’m excited without giving away too many spoilers.)

Book IV fills in a ton of missing pieces and thoroughly explores Cato’s relationship with his lab-family in their early days together. Essentially, readers finally get to see what happened to the protagonist in the two-year gap between the prologue and first chapter of Book I.

Normally, I’m not a fan of stories breaking the timeline, but this was a conscious decision that I intentionally made with the goal of capturing the heart of the found-family. After the development and buildup from three books, readers have fallen in love with these characters and come to understand their inseparable bond, even though they didn’t see it form in the beginning except for quick snippets of flashbacks throughout the other novels.

But now, readers have a chance to go back and meet the old Cato before he lost his memories, before Agent Kovak stripped him of his humanity, before he lost faith in his blood-family, before he met his lab-siblings�� and they get to watch those events unfold with a lot of background information that Cato himself doesn’t have, which completely changes the experience compared to the very different journey that would have occurred if I’d kept the plot chronological and introduced the Alpha ghosts as strangers to Cato in Book I.

We also get to know Agent Kovak better as an antagonist (for better or worse). Book IV reveals the physical and psychological torture that Cato endured at the AGC. I love diving into the psychology of the characters, especially the complicated relationship of the twins in their role of serving their masters while also being part of the lab-family.

In addition, Lab Rat brings readers into Ero’s POV for the first time, explores the concept of the Mirror Realm, interacts with ECANI as more of a character than just a tool, reveals Axel’s tragic backstory, and advances major development for some of my favorite characters. Admittedly, a few of my favorite scenes have been bumped to Book V, but I still love Lab Rat‘s journey as it pulls back the curtain and shines a spotlight on the trauma of the past. It’s an emotional ride on many levels�� if you can handle venturing into the darkness of the AGC��

On Halloween, I released an to my Alpha-level patrons. Now, to celebrate the completion of Lab Rat‘s first draft and the anniversary of my website, I’ve unlocked that post to make it public so everyone now has access to it!

If you enjoy my work and would like to help support my career as an artist and author, please check out my Patreon community! Even pledging only $5 a month adds up and helps me cover basic business costs such as paying my line editor so I can publish the next book, covering vendor fees for events, maintaining my website domains, and much, much more. Every cent I earn from these subscriptions goes straight back into my business so I can continue sharing my books and art with you. And, depending on the membership tier you choose, there are some fun perks for you, too! You can read more about how donations and subscriptions help me in .

The post first appeared on .

I recently caught up with Russ, who is the co-founder and co-owner of . Last year, I teamed up with the craftsmen duo to recreate an artifact from my book series, .

I love collaborating with small businesses, especially since The Gaming Geeks are local. We’ve done several events together in northwest Indiana over the past couple of years�� and will likely be vendors together for many more as we continue to grow as creative entrepreneurs!

In this interview, Russ shares insights into his business, the unique challenges that creative entrepreneurs face, the steps involved with our recent collaboration, and more. Check it out!

Table of ContentsTell us about your business and what you do.

As The Gaming Geeks, our mission is to create pieces that help set the mood. Whether it be in tabletop gaming pieces, or hand-sculpted containers, poster art, or what have you, our first thought is always, “What would we like to see in a game room?��

Pictured below: Dan (left) and Russ (right), the founders, owners, and craftsmen behind The Gaming Geeks

What inspired you to start a creative business?

We’ve both helped others realize their dreams and decided we needed to start doing that for ourselves.

We wanted something that we could continue to do as we age, whether it be at festivals or hopefully one day at a ‘brick-n-mortar�� location, that we could look back at with a smile as others enjoy our work as well.

How is being a creative entrepreneur different from other small business owners who resell products they didn’t make or design themselves?

Although we don’t begrudge someone who has found a niche reselling products, it’s just never been for us. We like the whole process, from the initial design�� to figuring out how to make it a reality.

That being said, it’s a heck of a thing�� putting yourself out there; putting your ideas out there and wondering if people will like what you’ve created. So far, we’ve been quite fortunate.

What unique challenges do you face as a creative entrepreneur?

The toughest bit to be sure: putting yourself out there �� your work, your ideas, your labor. The next bit, for us at least, was to be able to create pieces with what we had on hand.

We didn’t start out with a large budget or backers. Not a lot of machinery bits or tools. We started small and continually re-invested (and still do) into our business.

Both of us are very creative, so coming up with ideas has never been that great of a challenge; rather how to bring those ideas to the table in a timely and professional manner that we could create again and again. We’re still learning, and to keep yourself in the mindset to continually learn would probably be the third bit.

Pictured below: Sara A. Noë (left) cosplaying as the protagonist from the Chronicles of Avilésor and Russ (right) in their booths at the 2023 Oktoberfest in Michigan City, IN

What steps did you take to recreate an artifact from the Chronicles of Avilésor book series?We used Photoshop to create mock ups that replicated the author’s custom symbol on the front and the hand-carved names of the two characters on the back.
Once the 2D mock ups were approved after several back-and-forth drafts, Dan recreated the designs in a 3D modeling system. He experimented with different sizes, curvatures, widths, and line depths to achieve the ideal combination.
The masters were brought to life using a 3D printer. The first test masters had some undesirable lines cutting across them, but after readjusting the plates, we were able to produce viable masters.
We cast the molds using high-grade silicon. We followed the side seams with clay below, blocked the hole for the cord, and then poured the rubber.
After the molds had cured, we removed the clay on the back, applied a release agent, and poured the second half. Finally, we conditioned the mold and injected the resin with syringes to work out any air bubbles that might ruin the cast.
From there, we had molds that were ready for resin pours whenever the author was ready to order another batch! The resin we used had a natural heft and was able to imitate the look of ivory, which is what the original pendants were made of in the books.What were the most satisfying and difficult parts of the collaboration?

Definitely the end results of seeing the medallions in their final form, hanging from those silken black strands, and seeing Sara’s face of adding another piece toward the book series.

How does it feel to bring fictional elements to life in a tangible form?

In a word�� satisfying. And then you move on�� and then, when you’ve brought numerous works from ideas to tangible form, a different sense of satisfaction comes over you.

What advice do you have for other creatives who are interested in turning their passion into a business?

Start�� get frustrated�� breathe�� and learn.

Don’t stretch yourself too thin to begin. Start small and work up if you’ve not run a business before now. Try different things. Don’t be afraid to fuck up, and you will. And once you’ve done that, get over it and try again.

Additional links & articles

Did you enjoy this Q&A? Read more:

Visit . You can also follow them on and .
Check out I wrote that explores the Amínyte pendant collaboration in greater detail.
Watch an exclusive about the phases of the collaboration from ideation to completion. (This video is reserved for my Level 2 and 3 , but if you aren’t a patron, you can sign up for a FREE seven-day trial.)
Purchase a Kit and/or Rayven .
Read a similar Q&A-style , the founder and candlesmith behind .
Read about my to create a unique candle fragrance inspired by the Chronicles of Avilésor. (Note: the candle was originally named “Avilésor�� when it launched in 2020, but it was rebranded to “Ghost Realm�� in early 2022.)The post first appeared on .

Whew, what a question! Since I encounter it frequently, I decided to address this one in a public Q&A here rather than a -exclusive post (author and character Q&As are a membership perk for my Alpha-level subscribers).

First, let me say that as far as publication turnaround times go, I fall somewhere in the middle. I may not be the fastest, but I don’t fall into the slow category, either!

Rapid-release authors are typically exclusive to Amazon (although not always) and are able to release new titles every few months or even every few weeks. How they manage to pull that off is honestly beyond me, but they make it work somehow.

And then, you’ve got authors like George R.R. Martin, who had an infamously lengthy between book releases.

My novels come out every one and a half to two years, which is actually not that long of a wait�� even if it feels like it! But, despite now being a full-time author, I’m actually not spending all of that time writing. Here’s why my release schedule is the way it is at this point in my writing career.

Table of Contents

This article contains affiliate links.

I Write Big Books

And I cannot lie!

(Sorry�� couldn’t help myself!)

But in all seriousness, the is between 65,000 and 120,000 words. Fantasy can push the boundary a bit more than other genres, but most books fall in that range.

was the first novel I published, and it clocked in at 154k words. Not unreasonable. But the books have been getting bigger as the series progresses. was about 194k, while came in at around 204k. Book IV is still in progress, but as I write this post, it’s currently sitting at 218,218 words. That word count will fluctuate as I finish the first draft and trim it up in editing, but it’s still the biggest book in the series so far.

As you can imagine, it takes me a lot longer to write, edit, and publish a novel with more than 200k words than it does for an author releasing books that are half (or less) that size. Rapid-release authors churn out MUCH smaller books that can be written and edited in a very short period of time.

But what can I say? I like big books that have a lot of depth and development. Speaking of��

Worldbuilding & Character Development

I put a lot of thought into my worldbuilding. I enjoy creating my own landscapes, creatures, cultures, hierarchies, power scales, and history rather than pulling from stereotypical fantasy tropes (although I do also like to experiment with reimagining my own spin on iconic creatures). Because of that, I don’t like to rush the process. I try to consider as many facets as I can before cementing those details in a published book. I’d rather take my time and figure everything out than publish quickly without thinking it all through and then later regret some of the worldbuilding choices that might end up becoming contradictions or plot holes down the road as the series unfolds.

I also like to write complex characters that have a chance to undergo development throughout the story. Two-dimensional characters aren’t interesting to me. That means spending a lot of time exploring these characters in my head before they even make it onto the page, and then giving them time to grow in a way that feels organic, not a forced transition within a limited amount of pages.

Graphics, Maps, & Covers

Most authors outsource their artwork to freelancers (self-publishing) or artists who are contracted with the publishing house (). I don’t. Since I’ve along with my author career, it didn’t make sense for me to pass those tasks along to somebody else�� nor did I want to. That was a huge part of what �� I wanted to maintain creative control over my work.

Book III had some delays because I needed time to hammer out the final details of Saros Manor, Phantom Heights, and the Ghost Realm as I created the maps and floorplans that were published in the front of the book. I also design my own book covers in Photoshop and do my own interior print layouts.

Is it just because I’m a control freak? Well�� yes, partially, I’ll admit that. But it’s also a way for me to save costs. As you can imagine, big books come with big costs. My line editor, for example, charges me per word in the manuscript. Publishing is expensive for indie authors, so I have to find ways to reduce expenses without cutting too many corners and compromising the quality of my books. Taking these tasks on myself helps my wallet, but it does cost me some extra turnaround time between book releases.

This is why I’m incredibly grateful to the fans who support me by or occasionally ! Those donations and subscriptions help me keep up with business and publishing costs. Learn more in this .

Writing Speed

When it comes to writing, I’m not the fastest. I have a tendency to write scenes as they pop into my head, even if they’re not chronological in the plot. That means I end up having to stitch scenes together and rearrange the pieces, and I often edit as I go rather than resuming where I left off and simply filling the blank page with words to edit later. My style is messy, slow, and unorganized in comparison, but I still get the job done in the end.

A lot of authors keep track of their word count and set progress goals. I fall into the unorthodox category of not paying attention to that at all. Some days, I can get several chapters done. Other days, I don’t even touch my book because I’m chipping away at an endless to-do list that’s still related to my business. I honestly couldn’t tell you what my average word count per day is.

My unpopular opinion is that . I think stories should be as long or as short as they need to be. I can’t think of an idea for a book and say, “Okay, I want this book to be 115k words.�� My brain doesn’t work like that. The only reason word count is even on my radar is because I’m aware of how print costs affect pricing. I don’t slash my story to fit into a smaller book, nor do I pack useless fluff to stretch a weak plot into big enough size. My word count will be what it needs to be.

(On a side note, I do sometimes split a story in half if it’s too big. That’s what I ended up doing with A Fallen Hero and Phantom’s Mask.)

Editing Phases

I think it’s safe to say that I put my books through more editing phases than most other authors do. After I finish the first draft, I do a thorough self-edit before passing it out to multiple beta readers and a content editor and gathering their feedback, which brings me into another round of self-editing to incorporate their notes. After that, it goes to a professional line editor.

Even after that’s done, I also read through every proof copy version (hardcover, paperback, and ebook) prior to releasing the novel for the public. Sometimes, an error will somehow manage to slip through the first two versions until I catch it in the third and then have to update all three.

This is why I know I’ll never be a rapid-release author. Editing alone takes me a few months�� I can’t fathom how some authors are able to write a book in a matter of weeks and then move through the editing phase so quickly. I have to give my beta readers and line editor plenty of time to read, digest, and share their feedback. I know readers are chomping at the bit for the next book, but I won’t risk sacrificing quality by rushing through either the writing or editing process.

Marketing & Content Creation

Marketing is the part of self-publishing that most indie authors, myself included, grossly underestimate. Writing and publishing a book is one thing. Getting it into the hands of readers is quite another.

And, since we don’t have a publishing house or agent helping us, we’re on our own. That means spending a lot of time creating engaging social media content, ads, videos, and much, much more to give our books an online presence.

Some rapid-release authors don’t have to worry about this as much because they already have a strong following waiting for their next book. For me, it’s been an intense uphill battle�� but, as exhausting and time-consuming as it’s been, I’m so happy to look back and see how far I’ve come.

Still, marketing my existing books does take time away from publishing the next one. I can’t survive as an author if I don’t have readers, after all! I have to keep working to introduce my series to new readers whenever I can.

And there’s more to writing than just working on books! Keep in mind that I also write content for two separate blogs (including this one), Patreon, social media, my monthly newsletter, and freelance writing projects that come in.

Event Schedule

My event schedule was, shall we say, overly ambitious last year. I did FIFTY events!! And really, that was too much. Traveling, setting up, and tearing down my extensive display is a lot of work, and because I was struggling to regain my momentum after the winter break, I was accepting tiny artist pop-ups and little markets that weren’t suited to my demographic, just to fill my schedule and try to bring in revenue to get back on my feet.

That cost me. Not just time, but also burnout. I didn’t have time to focus on the next book because I was too busy managing my inventory and driving between multiple events every weekend.

This year, I’m in a much better position with my event schedule. I’m prioritizing quality over quantity now that I’ve had a couple of years to experiment with different types of markets, conventions, and festivals to learn which ones are the best for me.

Still, events require time, even when I’m not physically at an event. I have to search for new events online, fill out vendor applications, keep track of deadlines and fees, etc. And, of course, managing my inventory, creating handmade products, and placing periodic orders to replenish my outsourced products (like the books) when I’m low on stock. There’s so much time and work that goes into events, but they’ve proven to be the best way for me to reach new readers and generate enough income to be a full-time author.

Writing as a Business

Sometimes it’s easy to forget, but I’m managing a real business every day. Last month, I finally where I can sell autographed copies of my books along with my art products that were previously event exclusive since I don’t have a brick-and-mortar store. That project in and of itself consumed a ton of time and attention!

But there’s also the number side of a business. That’s not my strong suit, but I have to keep track of my sales, finances, expenses, loans, event reports, and more. I track print and ebook sales through , Kindle sales through , and audiobook sales through .

In addition, I manage three website domains: , , and hosted through and . I also sell my own personally designed merchandise on (CoA) and (GWLW), which each have their own online storefronts.

Yes, writing is my passion, but it’s also a business, so I have to divide my time for various tasks. This is my full-time job. I have to earn enough revenue not only to survive, but also to invest in publishing the next book�� and, you know, enjoy life at least a little bit.

Art & Handmade Products

As I mentioned earlier, part of my business is focused on my art. I strive to produce a new featured art piece every month, and I share a timelapse video of its creation with my Level 2 and 3 .

But it goes so much deeper than that! I also create new designs for my two online merch and apparel shops, digital art like the popular Kit emojis for the , and handmade products such as bookmarks, resin page holders, necklaces, earrings, and book prints featuring my character sketches printed on real book pages from A Fallen Hero.

I also order my art prints and digital designs on a variety of products including keychains, mouse pads, notecards, postcards, puzzles, stickers, canvases, artboards, etc. This requires time and work to digitize and scale the artwork to the specifications for each item and then also manage that inventory for events.

So, while the art and handmade items are a comparably smaller part of my business than the books, they’re still an important facet that allow me to cross over into markets that are more art-centric. At some of my events, I never know which will perform better �� the art or the books. (I have a real talent for guessing incorrectly.)

Creating handmade products to sell at events sometimes takes me a full week of prep to have enough inventory on hand, especially for large events. I recently introduced brand-new bookmarks at my last event, and those took me several days to make. I try to strike a reasonable balance between handmade and outsourced products. My profit margins are higher on the items that I can make myself, but of course, the tradeoff is always time.

I am REALLY excited about these and can’t wait to debut them at the NWI Comic-Con tomorrow! 😍

There You Have It!

I know it sucks waiting for the next book. Trust me, as a reader, I totally understand! But as an author, I have so many tasks to juggle while frugally managing my expenses as I continue to establish my business. After all, this is only my second year doing this full time. I’m in the process of scaling up to larger events and growing my audience.

I wish I could put everything on hold and get Book IV out (since it’s my favorite one in the series), but I can’t afford to do that. But I promise that I’m doing my best and working on it whenever I can. It will be worth the wait�� trust me!

The post first appeared on .

At the end of 2023, I was ecstatic to introduce the very first authentic recreation of an artifact from !

To accomplish this, I partnered with �� a pair of craftsmen from Michigan City, IN who have become good friends after we vended together at multiple events. The Geeks are probably best known for their tabletop game accessories, particularly their unique figurines and dragon eggs that open so you can store dice or other items inside. But they also create maps, posters, digital art, and a lot more.

Their skills with handcrafted resin molds were perfect for this collaboration project!

Table of ContentsThe Project

The Amínyte symbol has become an iconic part of the . It made its debut on the back cover of the and has since been included on the first interior page before the prologue of each book. I also sell the design on pinback buttons, necklaces, earrings, and other items.

The symbol is my own design, and it was heavily inspired by the Celtic triquetra, also known as a trinity knot.

Kit and Rayven, two characters in the series, are known as “Amínytes,�� and this is the symbol of their people. Amínytes are animal shifters. True to their names, Kit transforms into a black-and-white kitten, and Rayven turns into a raven with a white-tipped wing.

Kit became an instant favorite among fans, resulting in quite a bit of cat-themed merchandise and the popular Kit emojis that I created for the .

(All of the Kit emojis are available as , and several of the designs are also for sale as keychains.)

In the books, all Amínytes, including Kit and Rayven, wear unique ivory pendants that have their names carved on the back. These are sacred artifacts. The ivory pendant is actually formed in the womb, and the baby is born with the ivory clenched in their hand. The symbol of the Amínytes is dissolved into the surface while the ivory is forming. The name is then carved onto the back of the enchanted pendant, which transforms to suit the animal. Kit’s pendant, for example, becomes a collar when she’s in her feline form.

In tribes that live in the Wild, receiving their Name is a special ceremony, but unfortunately, many Amínytes are raised in captivity and don’t get this honor. However, even the cruelest breeders and owners will still honor the tradition of carving the name into the pendant because Amínytes can’t function without a name. They have a complete psychological breakdown, making them useless as slaves. That doesn’t mean the owners give much thought or care to the process, which is why it’s common for Amínytes to have not-so-creative names based on the animal form they take.

I had originally consulted an acquaintance who used a 3D printer to create colorful Amínyte symbols for me in the past. But, after explaining the project, she told me that using a filament 3D printer wouldn’t be able to accurately recreate the look of an ivory pendant.

That led me to The Gaming Geeks, who happily said that it was right up their alley!

The Process

We started with Photoshop renderings of what the pendants would look like. I had already designed the symbol, but I entrusted the hand-carved names to The Gaming Geeks.

This was the very first iteration they sent to me with the option of punching the hole directly through the medallion or adding an extra little bump at the top.

From there, we refined the text, the diameter, and the placement of the symbol before moving into the 3D rendering phase.

After the 3D models were finished, a rough batch was printed as a test to see size options and make sure everything looked good. (The lines you see are from the printing plate, which had to be adjusted when the final masters were printed.)

Once the master design was finalized with Dan, Russ was able to start creating pendants for me in small batches. Although they were designed digitally, each one is cast in resin by hand, creating small variations in every piece. Once I receive them, I then paint them by hand and seal them with a clear matte finish. I ended up going with a darker brown than what I’d used in the original design on the cover of Book I to make the symbol and the names stand out more.

Here is what Russ had to say about the production:

The initial process of the medallions seemed simple enough, but rarely are the simple items the simplest to make. We knew the resin that would show off the work was one we liked to use for our own work because of its heft and natural ivory like properties after casting. Perhaps the most difficult things to create initially were actually the scribed names in the back. We used Photoshop to create some quick mock ups of the medallions. The fronts were simple replicas of the symbol for Ms. Noe’s world, but the back scribes were several back and forth discussions with the author to get the feeling of hand-carved names without making them feel too computer generated. 

When we were all happy with the first mock ups, it was time for Dan to create the medallions in the computer. For a semi-spherical shape, to make line depths deep enough but not too deep was a bit of a challenge. But again, after a couple trials and print outs, we found a depth and size that worked for the author. Now that we had the masters, it was on to the next step. 

We’ve always enjoyed using higher grade silicon mold resins rather than tin based ones. They’re easier to maintain, release a lot better, and we’ve found we get quite a bit more castings out of them than with the lesser grade mold rubbers. The process for the molds was not too difficult, we just followed the side seams with clay below, blocking the hold for the cord partially to a divot, and then poured the rubber. Once cured, the clay on the back was removed, release agent applied, and the second half was poured. After that, it was a matter of conditioning the mold and injecting the resin with syringes to assist in avoiding any air bubbles that would ruin the cast.

�� Russ, The Gaming Geeks

The Results

The resin pendants are a unique new product that’s now available as part of my regular event inventory! I think it’s incredible that fans of the books can now hold (and own) an actual piece of the story.

I had been wanting to do this project for a while, but I wasn’t sure how to approach it. Finding a large production company online usually requires placing large bulk orders, and it’s not uncommon for companies to discard the molds after a project is completed, which means having to pay another mold design fee for every order.

I wasn’t in a position to cover the upfront costs of a large bulk order. By teaming up with The Gaming Geeks, not only was I staying local, but our production expectations were also similar; I needed small orders of no more than five to ten of each design at a time, and The Gaming Geeks are a two-person business operating out of a small studio. Since they handcraft each individual piece, small orders were ideal for them as well, plus I could avoid shipping costs by picking up my orders at events.

I love that I could support a small, local business that takes pride in their craft and combines digital and hand techniques. These pendants are NOT mass-produced by machines�� making each one a special and unique treasure!

If you’re intrigued by this collaboration and want to go even deeper behind the scenes, check out my . I recently took my Level 2 and 3 subscribers through the step-by-step process in an that showed every iteration along the way and the design decisions that occurred as the project evolved from conception to production.

Patreon subscribers get a ton of behind-the-scenes content about my books and artwork, not to mention other fun perks like discount codes, free merchandise, Q&A opportunities, voting power, and even their names written into future books. These subscriptions help to support me so I can continue creating and publishing.

Find more information about how your support helps my business .

Shop the Pendants

The Kit and Rayven pendants are available at events! (You can find an up-to-date schedule of my upcoming events on the .)

And, now that I’ve , you can also .

The Gaming Geeks do NOT sell the Amínyte pendants, so you’ll have to get them directly from me. But if you’re into fantasy, tabletop games, art, maps, et cetera, be sure to and see what else they offer! They’re also open for collaborations if, like me, you also have a project that you’ve been wanting to bring to life.

What do you think of the pendants? Are you as excited about them as I am??

The post first appeared on .

I’m SO excited to announce that my ecommerce site is live and ready for orders!

The official launch was announced in my and on social media on 01/08/24, although had early access to a the day before, along with a patron-exclusive promo code for 15% off as a membership perk.

About a month earlier, patrons unlocked a to see the back end of the website as I was building it, followed by a showing the multi-step process it takes to add products to the site.

Other than those sneak peeks for Patreon subscribers, I’d mostly kept my progress under wraps as I spent my month-and-a-half break between events photographing products, editing the images, creating a spreadsheet with assigned skus for all of the products and variants (aka the individual designs for each product), building the website from scratch, weighing items, ordering packing materials, setting up shipping parameters, and plugging in the details for each variant as I added them to the site.

Read on to learn about the new website, challenges I faced, overall design, features, prospects, and more��

Table of ContentsThe NEW On The Cobblestone Road Ecommerce Site Powered by Square

I established On The Cobblestone Road (the website you’re on right now) in 2016. It’s operated through WordPress, and this is where you’ll find my , , and galleries, pages, , and more.

The new ecommerce website is run through Squarespace, so although it utilizes my primary domain in the URL (), it’s actually a separate entity.

I opted to use Squarespace because I already use Square point of sale (POS) to process payments at events. Not only is my entire product library saved on that platform, but Squarespace also allowed me to build the new website for free with an impressive number of customizations at no extra charge (although paid upgrades are available).

This solution was easier than trying to equip the original OTCR site with a WordPress ecommerce plugin, which would have been extremely restrictive with any free version and likely would have required a paid subscription in addition to the existing annual costs of maintaining this website and domain. Utilizing Square’s free feature made the most sense to fit my needs rather than taking on extra expenses just to link WordPress to my existing Square library.

Although the two websites operate independently of each other, they still share my branded domain name and unique style, and they’re connected to each other with links so people can easily navigate between them. Just as I’ve always done here on this original website, I exclusively use my own photography and artwork, so you’ll likely recognize many of the images on the new website.

This isn’t the first time I’ve used my On The Cobblestone Road brand and domain to link with an external website that isn’t directly tied to my WordPress site. A few years ago, I created an apparel shop at where customers can order my graphic designs on clothing, drinkware, and other merchandise. In that case, all of the designs are my own originals, but the production, shipping, and customer service is outsourced through a company called Spring, which manages all of the orders placed on that site.

With the addition of the new Square ecommerce website, I now operate three OTCR branded websites that each serve a unique purpose. This is in addition to the two other WordPress websites that I founded: and .

Products Available on the New Ecommerce Site

As I mentioned, the website’s initial launch was a soft rollout. I started with only a handful of products, including autographed copies of all three books in hardcover and paperback, authentic Kit and Rayven Amínyte pendants, waterproof/weatherproof die-cut vinyl stickers, postcards, and mouse pads.

Since the initial launch, I’ve also added notecard packs and collectible Chronicles of Avilésor buttons that were released in three series, one for each book. Keychains, artboards, earrings, 3D-printed Amínyte pendants, book prints, and bookmarks are still on deck to be added and will be slowly introduced over time (now that my 2024 event season is about to start).

Adding products is a time-consuming process because, although the items are in my Square library for events, they’re not ready to be added to the website without a lot of prep work. For example, when someone orders a keychain at an event, I ring up “keychain,�� process the payment, and that’s it. But for the website, I have to create an individual variant for every single keychain design that I have (which, at the moment, is 29�� not counting the designs that I’ve discontinued).

Each variant needs its own product image, which means I have to photograph everything and edit/size the image. I also manually add the inventory, weight, price, and sku for every variant. In many cases, I need to add a product description, SEO information, and dimensions (if relevant) since I don’t need any of that for events. And I often need to update the product title as well to make it more descriptive and user-friendly. Example: A Fallen Hero was originally listed as “Book 1: AFH Paper�� in Square so I could easily search for the product and have it abbreviated to fit on the small phone screen. When it was added to the website, I changed it to “Book 1: A Fallen Hero (Autographed).�� The hardcover and paperback were combined as variants under one product listing rather than standalone products.

At this time, I am NOT planning to upload all of my products. Some of them will remain event exclusive, including items that are more difficult for me to ship, such as the canvas prints and puzzles. Supplemental items that I order from trusted retailers but don’t originally design/make myself, including the cosplay headbands and labradorite shards, will also not be available on the website. I want the website to focus exclusively on my art, books, and graphic designs.

New Feature: Gift Cards

Another exciting feature of the new Square site is the capability to purchase e-gift cards! This is a feature that I haven’t been able to offer before.

I’ve created seven unique designs using my own artwork and Chronicles of Avilésor graphics depending on whether you’re sending the gift to a CoA fan or someone who would appreciate the art products.

You can purchase a gift card by or navigating to the “Gift Card�� option in the top menu on the website.

For now, the gift cards are online only. I might consider ordering physical gift cards toward the end of the year for stocking stuffers at the holiday events as a test to see how they perform.

Additional Links to Shop, Subscribe, & Explore

As I mentioned earlier in this post, the new ecommerce website is a separate entity from my OTCR-branded apparel shop and primary website, but viewers can easily navigate to these other sites via links on the homepage. There, they’ll also find additional links to related websites. Some of them are ones that I operate, like the and a link to my .

Others are for collaborations with other businesses, like the . This was a fun in 2020. The “mystical forest�� soy candle was inspired by the Chronicles of Avilésor, and I sell the candle at events. However, due to these products being breakable and requiring extra care when shipping, I have decided not to resell them on my own website. Instead, customers are redirected to purchase directly from Old Soul Artisan, who is better equipped to package and ship fragile products. I do still earn commission from online sales of the candle, so purchasing from Old Soul Artisan still supports me (in addition to supporting her small business as well).

I also recently added a link to on the website. Many people are familiar with Clover and Thistle, my 3D-printed baby book dragons who guard the tip jar for me at events. My dragons are VERY popular�� so much so that I have to keep a close eye on them because everyone wants to buy them (and they are not for sale)!

Although the dragons were not a direct collaboration with HSD, I did work with her to produce the 3D-printed Amínyte pendants that I sell at events, so I’m still happy to support her small, local business by featuring her on my website where I can easily direct people to buy their own book dragons since I’m asked about them so frequently. And we’ll see�� there might be other collaborations with HSD in the future��

Updates to On The Cobblestone Road’s Existing Shop Page

Now that the new ecommerce site is live, a refresh of the on the main site was necessary so I could properly link the websites with a directory.

The old shop page was functional, but it was cluttered with a lot of outbound links because the books were available through so many online retailers (especially the audiobook). The redesign has created a much cleaner layout that’s easier to browse and navigate.

Links to buy the books through retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. are still available, but I separated them onto a so they’re visible only for the people who are searching for the third-party retail links.

The primary shop page has been simplified with new graphics, large titles, and informational blurbs to direct people to the correct place whether they want to buy artwork or books directly from, place an order on Amazon, or shop for alternative products like the candle or my apparel designs. The links on the shop page echo the same links on the new ecommerce homepage.

Coming Up: Book IV Preorders on the New Website

This ecommerce website has been on my to-do list for a long time, and it feels good to finally see it functioning! I’m especially excited to have this new resource as I get closer to publishing the fourth book in my series.

With Book III, I offered preorders for autographed copies from the first print run. However, there were some challenges with the awkward combination of plugins I had to use on WordPress. Customers had to submit a form with their personal information, but then they had to pay separately and click a second “submit�� button. I ran into issues with people submitting the form but not the payment and vice versa.

Having my Square site set up to take preorders for Book IV exactly the same way I would process a regular order is going to make everything a lot easier for everyone, including me!

I’m also thrilled to now be able to fulfill orders myself. I frequently had people buy the first book from me at an event and ask where they could get the other books later. I had to tell them that they could order from Amazon (but the books wouldn’t be autographed), or they could track me down at another event.

As I’m sure you can imagine, it’s much better to have people buy the books directly from me so Amazon isn’t taking a large cut of the profit. This will be better for my business, but it’s also better for fans so they have an option of getting autographed copies without having to wait for the next event in their area that works with their schedule. As I travel farther away from northwest Indiana, it’s harder for people to meet up with me since I don’t often return to some of those places frequently.

Let’s just say that it’s been a whirlwind start to 2024 right out of the gate�� but I’m feeling REALLY good about the new website and my event lineup for this year so far!!

The post first appeared on .

Hello, fellow book dragons, writers, and bibliophiles! Looking to fill up your 2024 calendar with book-themed holidays to celebrate?

I’ve compiled a list of literary holidays for readers, writers, poets, and grammar lovers so you can make sure you don’t miss out on any. This list is updated for 2024 with some new bookish holidays that have been added from .

Table of ContentsJANUARY 2024

January 1: | |

January 2:

January 3:

January 14-20: (Second full week of January)

January 9: | (Second Tuesday of January)

January 16:

January 18: | (author ‘s birthday)

January 23:

January 24: (fourth Wednesday of January)

January 25: (poet ‘s birthday)

January 30 �� February 7:

FEBRUARY 2024

February 1: |

February 3:

February 4-10: (First week of February)

February 9:

February 11-17: (Second week of February)

February 14: | |

February 20:

February 26:

MARCH 2024

March 2:

March 4:

March 3-9: |

March 14:

March 16:

March 20:

March 21:

March 25:

March 30:

APRIL 2024

April 1: |

April 2:

April 4:

April 7-13:

April 9: (Tuesday of National Library Week)

April 10: | (Wednesday of National Library Week �� formerly National Bookmobile Day)

April 12:

April 13:

April 15: |

April 16:

April 17:

April 18: | (Thursday of the second full week in April)

April 23: | |

April 25: (Last Thursday in April)

April 27:

April 28:

MAY 2024

May 1:

May 2: (Anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts)

May 2-8:

May 3:

May 4: | (First Saturday of May)

May 5:

May 9:

May 12:

May 16:

May 22:

May 25: (in honor of author )

May 31:

JUNE 2024

June 10:

June 16: (in honor of writer )

June 19:

June 23:

JULY 2024

July 4:

July 30:

AUGUST 2024

August 2:

August 9:

August 18:

August 21:

August 25:

August 30: (author ‘s birthday)

August 31:

SEPTEMBER 2024

September 6:

September 7:

September 8: |

September 11:

September 13:

September 18:

September 15-21:

September 22: |

September 22-28:

September 24:

September 25:

OCTOBER 2024

October 1:

October 6-12: (First Sunday of October) | (First full week of October)

October 6:

October 8:

October 11:

October 12: |

October 16:

October 17:

October 20:

October 20-26: (Third full week of October)

October 21:

October 25: (Last Friday in October)

October 31:

NOVEMBER 2024 (NaNoWriMo)

November 1: |

November 7: (First Thursday of November)

November 7-13: |

November 12:

November 11-15: |

November 12: (Second Tuesday of November)

November 15:

November 17-23:

November 18: High Five a Librarian Day

November 18-24:

DECEMBER 2024 (also September)

December 7:

December 10:

December 21: | (on the ) | (from Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne)

December 24: , also known as the Christmas or Yule Book Flood (Iceland)

December 25: (Pun Day �� “No L�� = Noel�� get it?)

Did I miss any book-related holidays? Please let me know in the comments and I will consider adding them to the list!

Love fantasy worldbuilding, strong character bonds, and page-turning adventures? Check out my award-winning .

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‘Tis the season of gift giving! It’s also the season of snuggling up under a cozy blanket with a mug of hot chocolate and a good book while fat, lazy snowflakes drift down from gray skies on the other side of your frosted windows.

Have you already made your holiday shopping list? Need some inspiration for someone on your list who loves reading and/or writing?

If you’re trying to brainstorm gift ideas for a bookworm in your life, the good news is we’re pretty easy to shop for! Here are some ideas that readers and writers are sure to love (in no particular order).

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This article contains affiliate links. To learn more about how these types of links are used on this website, read .

Diehard readers are falling in love with , and it’s easy to see why! Not only do they get new books regularly, but they boxes usually come with extra book-themed goodies like tea, coffee, bookmarks, collectible cards, and other items.

Most boxes have options for how frequently they arrive (usually every 1, 3, 6, or 12 months). Many boxes can also be a one-time purchase so you can give the box as a gift and let the reader decide if they’d like to sign up for a subscription on their own later.

Some great book subscription boxes to check out:

(Adult Edition) (Young Adult Edition) (5 Age Group Options) (Best of 2023 winner)

Check out and for more!

Booklovers are often candle lovers, too. There’s something magical about reading with the soft, flickering glow of a candle wafting subtle fragrance throughout the room.

My go-to candle company is, of course, , which makes 100% vegan soy candles without dyes, parabens, phthalates, or other toxins. Another bonus: the company’s Dark Lit Collection is “inspired by the dark and mysteriously alluring characters and themes found within literature’s greatest novels.��

If you need more reasons why this is an awesome company:

�� Support a small, USA business

�� $1 from every website order is donated to

�� Support an indie author! I had the pleasure of partnering with Old Soul Artisan to release the based on my award-winning sci-fi fantasy series the .

�ʲ������� read my , the founder of Old Soul Artisan

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Writing prompts can help to break a creator out of writer’s block, but that’s not all. Prompts are also great for finding inspiration, honing writing skills, coming up with blog post ideas, developing characters, studying techniques, and more.

Check out for tons of plot ideas; poetry exercises; dialogue, character, and setting prompts; master plots from classic fiction and mythology; journaling prompts; and more.

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If you weren’t already aware of this, I’ll cue you in on a little secret�� almost every writer I know LOVES ! Some writers (like me) actually use them. Other writers enjoy collecting them but can’t bring themselves to mark them up because they’re just too pretty.

(There is absolutely no shame in buying two journals�� one to gift, and one to keep for yourself!)

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While you can buy a pack of flimsy bookmarks in a variety of patterns for just a few bucks, I personally prefer gifting a more unique , metal, or another durable material that will last longer and stand up to daily wear and tear. This is a great gift if you’re on a budget and looking for a small stocking stuffer.

You can find customizable bookmark gifts to make it personal. For readers who use anything on hand to mark their place—scraps of paper, leaves, receipts, et cetera—this will be a fancy step up! For readers who dog-ear their pages (cringe) . . . perhaps you can convince them to come to the light side. If not, at least you tried!

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Readers prefer a nice, quiet environment to dive into a story without interruptions. Whether listening to music or an audiobook, a pair of noise-canceling (or ) is a great way to tune out distractions and fully immerse yourself in a book.

(Obviously)

Can’t have a holiday list for bookworms without books being on the list! But rather than buy the latest bestseller, consider supporting an indie author. See if there are any local authors in your area. You might find a gem you didn’t even know to look for, and there’s a good chance you could snag an autographed copy for an extra special gift if you shop local.

Looking for a new supernatural fantasy series? Check out the award-winning .

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Some people love print books; others are all about the e-readers. There are certainly pros and cons, and the debate between bibliophiles about which is better can get intense. Ebooks aren’t my thing, but I understand the appeal of having your entire library condensed in one place for easy travel and access.

While is definitely the most popular, don’t forget about , , and other brands.

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Digital devices emit blue light. Unfortunately, studies have shown that too much blue light exposure can . This includes short-term problems such as headaches, dry eyes, fatigue, and eye strain. It also has the potential for more serious long-term effects such as disrupting your circadian rhythm, damaging retinal cells, causing vision problems like age-related macular degeneration, contributing to cataracts, and increasing your risk for eye cancer.

Writers who primarily work on a laptop and/or tablet spend a LOT of time staring at a screen. So do readers who consume a lot of ebooks. A pair of blue light glasses are a great gift! I can personally attest that I noticed a reduction in the number of headaches I got when working in an office and staring at a computer screen for 8+ hours a day. is my all-time favorite pair of blue light glasses. Since I wear contacts, I don’t use prescription lenses. You can get these blue light glasses with or without magnification.

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I mentioned snuggling up with a book and a mug of hot chocolate, right? Tea works, too! You really can’t go wrong with a that has a quirky quote or bookish phrase. It’s a simple present that will likely get a lot of use throughout the whole year.

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Speaking of mugs, a makes the perfect accompanying gift. Samplers provide a variety of flavors to try. If you’re going with a loose-leaf option, you might consider including a as well, just in case the recipient doesn’t have one.

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A cold, snowy night . . . candles burning . . . steam rising from a mug of tea . . . a soft blanket . . . low music . . . a new book to read . . . am I setting the scene? are a small gift or stocking stuffer that can be the cherry on top (or the whipped cream on the hot chocolate!) for a perfect night in.

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Writing and procrastination tend to go hand in hand. Even the most organized writers can still struggle with it. A is a practical gift that can help the recipient organize tasks, meet deadlines, jot down writing goals, boost productivity, and stay on track.

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You might be surprised by how much book-related merchandise you can find online! If you know someone’s favorite novel or series, chances are you can find them something special that’s based off the book.

From clothing, to blankets, to bags, and much more, you might just discover the perfect gift to bring a smile to a bookworm’s face! It’s always fun to wear your favorite merch and converse with fellow readers who recognize a book title or symbol and are eager to discuss the common novel you’ve both enjoyed.

�ʲ������� to shop book merch and accessories about reading, writing, and my fantasy series.

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If you haven’t tried . . . it just might change your life! Your fingers and hand will thank you if you’re the type of reader who binges for hours on end. This is an inexpensive gift, so there’s no reason not to buy two and pocket one for yourself! Or buy a bunch and use them as stocking stuffers or office gifts.

(I craft handmade book holders out of resin and sell them at events�� if you’re interested in having a custom one made with particular colors or materials!)

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This gift is especially great for cooks who need to prop up a recipe book in the kitchen, but it also works well with other types of books, tablets, e-readers, and even sheet music. Many also fold up to save space when not in use. Functional and practical!

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Raise your hand if you got in trouble for reading under the covers with a flashlight when you were a kid! If you know someone who never outgrew that habit (not judging), a subtle book light for after-dark reading makes a great gift. I personally like that have two lights rather than one so you aren’t having to shift position as much.

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When in doubt, you can’t go wrong with a gift card. Whether it’s a generic one like that would cover books, merchandise, or anything else the heart desires, or a more book-specific card such as , you won’t have to worry about accidentally picking out the wrong book.

I hope this list of ideas helps spark some inspiration with your holiday shopping!

The post first appeared on .

If you’re an indie author, you know just how much time, hard work, and hustle it takes to sell your books. Most independently published authors don’t have an agent, nor do they have a marketing team and other resources at their disposal for task delegation. Everything falls on the author, including managing their own website.

Your website serves a critical purpose. It gives you an online presence, introduces you to potential fans, boosts your credibility, and provides a platform for you to share news with your followers.

It can also open up doors to generating some passive income, even if you aren’t using your website for direct sales. Here are three ways self-published authors can optimize their website to earn some extra money.

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This article contains affiliate links. To learn more about how these links are used, read the .

1. Affiliate Links

Affiliate links are not the same as pay-per-click links. When you place a PPC ad or link on your site, you earn commission just for having a visitor click on that link (usually a few cents per click). With affiliate links, the visitor has to actually make a purchase on a third-party website after navigating to that site via your link, and then you earn a percentage of that sale.

The customer does not pay anything extra for using your affiliate link. Basically, the seller is giving you a little kickback as a thank-you for directing the customer to their website and facilitating the sale.

, affiliate links weren’t even on my radar as an option to supplement my income. But as my blog evolved to include content such as , , , et cetera, I began to see an opportunity for a passive income stream just by adding some links into the blog posts I was already writing and posting anyway.

Amazon Affiliate Hack for Authors

Do you sell your books on Amazon? (If not�� you should seriously consider it. Even if you don’t , Amazon is the premium platform to make your books available to readers.)

Did you know that you can earn a little extra money when people buy your book from Amazon using an affiliate link?

This is completely separate from Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). If you and create a link to your book’s listing, you’ll earn a small commission if someone clicks on your link and makes a purchase. And here’s the best part �� they don’t even have to buy your book! If the customer used your affiliate to link to navigate to Amazon’s site, then made a purchase, you earn commission on all of the items they bought, not just the specific one you linked to.

Even if you are a KDP author selling directly through Amazon’s publishing platform, you can still take advantage of this hack and earn affiliate commission on top of your normal KDP royalties. I recommend adding an affiliate link to your , website, and other places where you’d normally share a link to the Amazon listing for your book.

(I will note that these are small commissions, but they do add up over time. And, since you earn on other products besides just your own book, the more clicks you get, the more opportunities you’ll have to grow this passive income stream.)

Share-A-Sale Affiliate Marketing Platform

Amazon isn’t the only way to earn commission on qualifying purchases after someone clicks on your link. And, to be honest, Amazon’s commission percentage is on the low end of the scale.

If your blog has enough website traffic, a targeted niche, and reasonable opportunities to promote other products besides your book, you can dive deeper into affiliate marketing by joining a larger platform such as .

When you join, you’ll be able to search a large database of affiliate programs to find companies that offer products suitable for your niche. Each company will have their own commission offers, usually 10%-25% or a fixed dollar amount per sale or lead. Then, you’ll apply individually (through Share-A-Sale’s dashboard) to each business that you’d like to partner with.

Within Share-A-Sale, you can see all of the companies who have accepted you into their program. You can also generate links to certain products and websites, utilize graphics and ads that have already been created for you, and check reports to see which links are getting clicks and how much you’ve earned. How many resources are available for you depends on each individual company operating under Share-A-Sale’s umbrella. Some of them offer a ton of graphics for their affiliate partners to use. Others just have one basic link to the website.

(There are other large affiliate platforms you can consider in lieu of or in addition to Share-A-Sale, including and . Personally, I found Share-A-Sale the easiest to use, so that one is my default. I can also attest that Share-A-Sale is legitimate; I’ve never had any issues getting paid.)

When you’re incorporating affiliate links into your blog, it’s important to make sure they fit organically with your content don’t feel forced. Remember your target niche and audience demographic. Utilizing the right will also make a huge difference. The more traffic you get (and it needs to be the RIGHT traffic), the higher the chances of getting clicks and commissions.

See Firsthand How My Websites Benefitted from Affiliate Marketing & SEO

I wasn’t leveraging affiliate links and keywords properly until 2020 when I joined and started learning about these passive income practices. Wealthy Affiliate has online training videos, courses that build upon the lessons, expert classes, and keyword research tools, plus you can even host your website through their platform. An advantage to this program over others is their community of over 1.4 million members. It’s easy to interact with other members if you need some guidance, or you can just work your way through the program on your own if you want.

Did it work? See for yourself!

Below, you can see the stats for this website, which I started in 2016 as a with the primary goal of sharing my artwork, writing, and photography. When my first novel was published at the end of 2018, I started writing about my experiences as a new author, and that’s when I discovered that I’d tapped into a specific niche that was generating more traffic from search engines. Cue Wealthy Affiliate in 2020, and you can see the major jump once I started taking a more strategic approach to my blog. And now, in 2023, my website has seen some major growth!

Part of the training involves creating a website that targets a micro-niche optimized for effective affiliate marketing. I founded through Wealthy Affiliate with the intent of establishing a passive revenue stream while inspiring myself to continue exploring my own spiritual journey.

Unlike On The Cobblestone Road, GWLW was specifically designed to implement the lessons I’d learned in the training program and leverage affiliate marketing opportunities from the get-go using targeted keyword research. Look at the growth that happened once the site became established (and Google deemed it a trustworthy source of high-quality content):

It’s so rewarding to actually see the results right there on a graph! Both websites have benefitted from what I learned in the Wealthy Affiliate training program. And with more website traffic came more frequent payouts from affiliate revenue this year, so the system does work. It just takes time, commitment, and a willingness to learn.

2. Referral Links

In some cases, a company might not accept your affiliate application (or even offer an affiliate program at all). But there still might be opportunities to earn revenue using referral links instead!

Here’s a personal example. I use IngramSpark as my primary distributor for my . However, when I first attempted to , I was unsuccessful.

As a workaround, I was able to utilize for referral rewards in lieu of an affiliate link. If you’re not already familiar with it, Acorns is a financial service that makes it easy to invest small amounts in the stock market. You can schedule recurring transactions from your bank account, link your credit card to have Acorns round each transaction up to the next dollar and invest that spare change, earn cash back from online purchases through companies that have partnered with Acorns, and receive rewards when people (plus they get a bonus, too).

Acorns isn’t connected to every website, but it does offer plenty of opportunities to earn a little extra money that gets invested into your portfolio. For example, when I go to IngramSpark’s website, the pops up to show me that I can use a , which essentially acts just like an affiliate link except I’m earning a reward from an unrelated third party (Acorns) in the form of a portfolio investment instead of commission paid directly through the company itself.

Just like with affiliate programs, different companies have different referral programs that might be external (like the Acorns example dealing with a third party) or internal if the link is directly from the company. In some cases, you might not get cash back from a referral link, but you can still take advantage by earning discounts.

If, for example, you write a review on your blog for a company that you regularly use to order products, you might first want to check and see if they have a referral program. Many companies use a point system for referrals, so if people are clicking your referral link after reading your blog post, you can collect points and redeem a discount code for your next order that you were going to place anyway.

It might not be a direct income stream, but it could still translate into savings!

3. Google Ad Revenue

One of the easiest ways to monetize your website is by signing up for and allowing Google to place pay-per-click (PPC) ads on your site. If someone clicks on an ad, even if that doesn’t result in a purchase, you earn commission.

I was wary of putting ads on my website for a long time. I wanted this to be a place for my art, writing, and photography, not advertisements. But when I started getting into affiliate marketing, I decided to include this additional passive revenue stream�� within reason.

Google AdSense does offer different levels of customization. You can let Google analyze your website and place optimized ads where it thinks they will perform best, but I didn’t want to give Google free rein to potentially spam my site or mess up the layout with ill-placed ads. Instead, I opted to keep control and insert the links myself to ensure that they serve as separators between sections.

You do also have the ability to tell Google what kinds of ads they’re allowed to use. If you don’t want certain types of products or services advertised on your site, you can exclude sensitive topics (examples: gambling, religion, get rich quick, etc.)

Again, these commissions aren’t going to come roaring in. They’ll be trickles that will slowly but surely increase over time as your traffic and engagement grow. But by creating small streams of passive income, you’re setting yourself up to make your site more profitable. At the very least, that revenue can help to offset the costs of maintaining your website.

If you’re an indie author who is already writing blog posts and sharing the Amazon link to your book listing, why not set up these extra revenue hacks to earn a little bit more on the side? Every little bit helps!

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If you’re a small business owner using the popular to process transactions, you might have been offered a Square loan at some point. And, if you’re like me the first time I received this offer, you probably have some questions such as:

Is this a legitimate offer?Is the loan fee a fair rate?Are Square loans a scam?How did Square calculate my offer, fee, and repayment plan?What are the risks involved with accepting a Square loan offer?Will a Square loan affect my credit score?

My business is less than two years old. Well�� let me revise that statement. My LLC is technically four years old, but I didn’t start until the spring of 2022. I’m right in the middle of the growth, investment, and experimentation phase as I learn more about my fan base, demographics, prime locations, booth setup, marketing strategies, types of events that best suit my products, etc.

Unfortunately, after leaving my full-time job in early 2021 and then jumping between freelance writing gigs while working to build my own business, my local bank wasn’t willing to extend my credit or offer me a loan due to my unstable finances even though my credit score was decent.

How can an entrepreneur build a business without startup capital? trying to distribute my books to new readers, how could I order copies of my novels and pay vendor fees to set up a booth at festivals, markets, and cons when I was barely scraping by? I was caught in a vicious cycle of needing money in order to make money right from the start.

So, when Square made me a loan offer last year, I was sorely tempted to take it. But I’m a cautious entrepreneur, and I wanted to do some research first to make sure I wasn’t being scammed. In this article, I’ll share my experience after utilizing Square loans three times as of the date this article was published.

Table of ContentsHow Do Square Loans Work?

Square will automatically analyze your business stats periodically and determine if you are eligible to receive a loan. If you are, you’ll receive a notification in your dashboard showing you the maximum amount you’ve been approved to receive.

(It’s important to note that Square will be the one to extend an offer on their own terms when they’ve determined that you’re eligible. You can’t submit a request and expect to receive an offer, no matter how nicely you ask.)

Square considers several factors to determine your loan eligibility, including:

Annual Revenue: Does your business bring in at least $10,000 a year?Payment Frequency: How consistently do you process sales? Daily? Weekly? Monthly?Consumer Base: Do you have a healthy balance of new AND repeat customers?Payment Disputes: How many customers have filed payment disputes?Overall Health of Your Business: What insights does your Square dashboard reveal? Is your business growing? Have you accepted Square loans (and paid them off) before?

Ultimately, Square is checking to see how well you run your business and whether they feel confident that you’ll be able to pay off the loan in a timely manner.

When you receive a loan offer from Square, you can decide if you want to accept the full amount or request a smaller amount instead. Using a slider tool, you’ll be able to see how the stats change as far as repayment percentage, fees, etc.

Square uses a fixed fee system, which means that you’ll pay a flat fee based on the amount you requested. No need to worry about accruing extra interest over time �� you’ll already know exactly how much that fee is going to cost.

To repay your loan, Square will take a percentage of your daily credit card sales every time you process a card transaction. (Again, this percentage varies depending on the size of the loan.) On days when your sales are strong, you’ll pay off more of your loan. On days when you don’t have any sales, you don’t have to pay anything.

There are minimum payment thresholds you must reach every 60 days, and you can schedule additional payments if necessary. In the event that you fail to meet the minimum 60-day payment, Square can automatically deduct the remaining amount to reach that threshold from your linked bank account, so it’s important to pay attention if you’re concerned about hitting the minimum.

You can pay off your loan early if your sales are good. However, since you paid a flat fee for the loan, there’s no financial benefit to paying the loan early except to get it over with and stop losing a percentage of your card sales.

Square can offer you another loan even if you’re still paying off an outstanding balance. However, the new loan will be used to pay off the initial one first, and then you’ll receive the remaining amount, so if you choose this option, understand that you won’t be getting the full amount of the next loan deposited into your account.

Are Square Loans a Scam?

No. Square loans are NOT a scam. In my experience, after accepting the loan offer, I received the funds via direct deposit to my bank account within one or two business days.

I did have some trouble verifying my bank information when I attempted to receive the first loan. However, that was due to a problem with my bank, which claimed that due to security reasons, they couldn’t provide a statement with the full account number that Square said they needed. And, of course, Square told me that they absolutely had to have that information and couldn’t verify my account without it (even though they already had my direct deposit information since I’d been using their services for my business).

It was a headache, but after multiple phone calls between Square reps and my bank, it was finally resolved. Once the account was verified, I haven’t had any other issues getting loans deposited from Square.

Will Accepting a Square Loan Impact My Credit Score?

According to , receiving a loan will NOT affect your credit score. This means that it will not harm your score for accepting, nor will it improve your score when you pay it off.

Square also claims that they do not use your credit score during their initial assessment to determine whether you qualify for a loan.

From my own personal experience, I did not see any fluctuation in my credit score the first two times I received a Square loan. I did see a slight drop in my score right after taking the third and largest loan�� however, that doesn’t necessarily mean there was a correlation, as there were other financial factors in play. I’m willing to give Square the benefit of the doubt.

Pros & Cons

As with any loan, there are pros and cons that come with borrowing money for your small business. Based on my personal experience with Square loans, here’s a breakdown of the good and the bad:

Pros

Square loans can provide short-term investments when banks refuse to take a chance on new entrepreneurs. As I mentioned at the start of this article, my personal bank wasn’t willing to invest in me because I couldn’t provide documentation of my annual revenue (due to the fact that I hadn’t even been running my business for a full year). Square didn’t care about my credit score or the revenue I was earning from freelance work on the side �� they were able to monitor my weekly sales to see that my business was growing and I would be able to repay the loan.

There’s no ongoing interest, processing fees, or prepayment penalties. I like being able to see exactly what my fixed fee will be so I know how much I will be paying in the end. No surprises.

You’re prequalified and have an easy application process to get the funds quickly. Well�� theoretically. My issues with the first loan were because of my bank’s ridiculous security measures, not because of Square.

Receive anywhere from $300 to $250,000. Square will automatically determine how much you are eligible to get. You don’t have to accept the full amount �� you can determine how much you need and play around with the options to see your repayment fee and what percentage of your credit card sales will be taken from your transactions.

Your repayment plan fluctuates based on whether your sales are strong or weak. It really helps knowing that when your sales aren’t good, you’ll pay only a little bit. That being said�� this point also lands on the con list because you can’t predict your payments.

Cons

You can’t get a Square loan unless you’re an existing customer who has been using Square’s POS system for a while. If you’re not a Square customer, or if you’re brand new to the platform and haven’t established a history of sales yet, you won’t qualify. You also can’t ask for a loan �� Square will offer it (or not) on their terms, not yours.

No long-term loan options available. Square loans need to be repaid within 18 months, and paying only the bare minimum will mean that you’ll still owe 50% of the loan by the end of the term. Depending on how much you received, that could potentially put your small business in financial jeopardy.

Square will keep taking payments even if you’ve met the minimum 60-day threshold amount. On the one hand, this helps make sure you pay the loan back in time and don’t end up with a big balance at the end of the period. But on the other, sometimes it would be nice to catch a break and build up your savings before the next 60-day threshold. That’s not possible since you’ll pay on every single card transaction until the loan is repaid.

The fixed fee isn’t a horrible interest rate�� but it’s also not great. I always make sure that I do the math to figure out the percentage of the fee based on the amount of the loan, and then I did some online digging to make sure I wasn’t getting scammed. Based on my credit score, which fell into the “good�� range, I should have gotten a better rate. But remember that Square doesn’t factor your credit score into their analysis. The percentage of my fixed fee compared to my total loan amount could have been better, but it also could have been a lot worse.

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Losing a percentage of your card sales on every transaction can hurt more than you realize. How big of a chunk Square reclaims depends on the terms of your loan. For my first loan, Square recouped about 15% of each card sale. When I took my second loan, I opted for a smaller amount than Square offered, and my repayment percentage was only 7.5% of my card sales. But for my most recent loan, which was the largest, Square takes a 20% slice. Depending on how many card sales I do at an event compared to cash sales, I can end up bringing home a lot less than I thought after looking at the gross sales in my dashboard, especially because I also for sales tax, personal savings, future vendor fees, etc. That can add up VERY fast if a majority of customers are paying with credit cards.

There’s no way to predict your repayment plan. Even if you have a pretty good idea of how much you expect to make in busy months versus slow months, there’s really no predictability because it’s not just based on your revenue �� it also depends on how your customers are paying. That can result in a lot of fluctuation on a day-by-day basis, so if you’re someone who likes plans and stability, that could be an issue for you.

Final Thoughts on Square Loans for Small Businesses

In a perfect world, my business would be sustainable enough to cover all of my expenses without the need to borrow money (and pay extra fees to get it).

But this is not a perfect world, and for a new business trying to establish a foothold in the wake of a pandemic that led to global inflation, small loans were necessary. Square loans have been excellent for me in a pinch because they’re easy to get, easy to repay (I don’t have to remember to send payments since they’re taken automatically with credit card transactions), and there aren’t any hidden fees or extra interest accrued during my slow time when I’m not paying as much.

I’ve used Square loans to invest in inventory, cover business expenses, and pay vendor fees so I could lock down future events to ensure incoming revenue.

However, the interest rate (even though it’s a fixed fee) could definitely be better, and losing a percentage of my daily card sales isn’t always convenient since I have no control over how my customers are paying. There are times when the amount I took home was much less than I’d expected after an event, which can have an impact on paying bills, committing to events, stocking up on inventory, and more.

My ultimate goal is to reach a point where I don’t need to accept any loans. For now, Square has made it possible for me to grow my business, and I’m grateful for that. I’ve spoken with local entrepreneur friends who have also had overall positive experiences with Square loans.

A loan from Square might not be perfect, but it’s helped my small business as well as others.

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Recently, I . I wrote about the eternal state of guilt many writers feel �� guilt for not writing when they feel like they should be, and guilt for writing, which doesn’t feel like “real�� work to sustain a business.

My business has two sides that are sometimes related, sometimes not. In addition to being a fantasy author, I’m also an artist. I’ve created my own book covers, hand-drawn maps, symbols, character sketches, custom emojis, and other artwork related to the series.

But I also create drawings that aren’t tied to the books at all. When I set up my booth at markets, festivals, conventions, et cetera, I almost always have two tables. One is centered around the books; the other is a display of my art.

Author/Artist Sara A. Noë cosplaying as a character from her book series behind her art table at the Chesterton European Market in Indiana.

Every month, I draw a new piece of art that will be featured in my . Sometimes, the artwork joins my inventory lineup as an art print that I sell. Other times, it doesn’t.

My Level 2 and 3 can watch me draw the monthly artwork in exclusive timelapse videos. I also often share insights about challenges I faced and what inspired me to draw a particular subject matter.

But what I don’t share is how I feel about a piece when it’s done. And now, it’s confession time.

I’m rarely 100% happy with the art when I finish. I often need several weeks or even months before I can appreciate it.

I’ll admit �� I’m sometimes reluctant to share the finished piece because it doesn’t feel like it’s good enough. I’m extremely nitpicky when it comes to my art, and I hyperfixate on the tiny little details I didn’t get quite right, even if they’re practically unnoticeable to other people. This was definitely the case with two of my most popular art pieces, “Dandy Bee�� and “Dahlia Dragonfly.��

People instantly fell in love with these two when I first released them, and these sketches are still among my top sellers today. I sell these prints on artboards, canvases, mouse pads, notecards, postcards, puzzles, keychains, necklaces, and earrings.

But I didn’t love them at first. Insects were not a subject matter that came naturally to me, and I didn’t have experience drawing bees or dragonflies, so both pieces were a challenge. I didn’t feel like I’d successfully captured the image that was in my head and I was trying to translate onto the page.

When I was finished, I couldn’t see past the parts I wished I could tweak a little more, even as I was receiving praise from friends, fans, and strangers alike.

I’ve found that this is a common occurrence with most of my art. It could be a symptom of that affects many creatives. Or perhaps it’s a neurodivergent perfectionism issue.

(Probably a combination of both.)

Over time, I eventually forget about the mistakes I’d fixated on during and right after the creation, or they become less impactful. But the more frequently I see someone making a connection with a particular art piece (I believe that art should “speak�� to people, and I personally don’t buy anything that doesn’t speak to me), the more the art grows on me even though I’m the creator. I’m able to step back and appreciate the piece as a whole instead of zeroing in on the tiniest details that bothered me.

As I focus on new drawings (and the new flaws, of course), my frustration with the older ones fades. Within a few months, I’ve accepted the art. But it takes time for me to reach that stage.

It’s an interesting conundrum, to say the least. Such is the life of an artist.

Interested in seeing more of my art and supporting my business?

to receive updates and a list of my upcoming scheduled events to see timelapse videos and behind-the-scenes content while supporting my career with a small monthly subscription that helps me cover business expenses Follow my official , , and accounts (please comment, like, and share!) as an artist and author here on my website The post first appeared on .