I don't have a huge budget for books, but I do want to support fellow indie authors when I can!

When I got the email letting me know I'd been accepted as an exhibitor at Awesome Con 2025, I almost couldn't believe it. I had applied with zero hope of actually being chosen. As an indie author with a minuscule following, this was an absolute dream come true. It was an incredible, wonderful, and exhausting experience -- and I'm really hoping I get invited back next year!

A few of the many wonderful con attendees who walked by my booth.

Ok, that title is a bit much—but I can’t help myself. The alliteration was right there!

Let me back up…

About two weeks ago, I was putting together a quick social media post for #thirstythursday and realized--to my horror—that I had somehow used the same adverb twice in one paragraph in my first book, Gathering of the Four.
(Confession: I had an adverb problem. I’ve known about it for years and still struggle to overcome it in all of my drafts.)

Y’all I was mortified!

If I had allowed this to slip through, what else had I missed?

I cringed so hard! I’ve sold my books at cons! Given out review copies! I worked so hard to get my book where I thought it needed to be, but somehow missed what I now perceived as a great error.

Ack!

I posted about this on Bluesky. I hung my head in shame. But then I decided to do a reread of the entire book. I figured this would help me in two ways: I’d (hopefully) discover any lingering typos, and I’d get reacquainted with a part of my saga that I hadn’t really sat with since 2022.

As y’all know, I’m working on Book Three, which is going to be another chonker. I adore my thick books, but I don’t recall every detail—who could?—so a refresher was in order.

And I was right! Yes, there were a few more typos and a couple of run-on sentences I wound up correcting, but I was also reminded of a few crumbs I dropped and had forgotten about. Whew!

I also experienced something unexpected.

I…became proud of my work!

Gathering of the Four was first published in 2021 and while getting it out the door did fulfill a life-long dream of mine, I did rush things and wound up with a bit of a mess on my hands. I fixed what was wrong, but the process took a toll on my self-esteem. I did my best to fake it, but I didn’t consider myself a real author.

“But Bennett!” You might be thinking, “You’ve published five books since then!”

Well, yeah. That’s true. And I think I’ve improved with each one—but I still didn’t have faith in myself as an Actual Author.

Even when I hit and surpassed 1,000 subscribers to my newsletter. Even when I was sitting at my very own table at my first con last summer.

Every time I thought about my writing, my mind returned to the same thought: Every other indie author out there is better than you. You are not the real deal.

Well, I’m here to tell you that I no longer think that. Sitting with my first book again after so much time away from it made me realize that the five star reviews I’ve gotten aren’t lying.

I am an author.

My story is good.

And I’m proud of myself!

I now have plans to do the same with my second book, Test of the Four. I’m actually excited about it.

There’s a lot of bad stuff happening out in the world right now, so it feels really, really good to (finally) have faith in my art.

It took me years to get here, but I have arrived.  

(Also, if you’re interested in a, ahem, typo-free review copy, go ahead and reach out to me via my contact page!)

Until next time…stay safe and well, y’all!

“Self-trust is the first secret of success.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

One of the ways I’ve been dealing with ... everything right now ... is curling up under a big ol’ thick blanket and losing myself in shows where the stories are sweet, the stakes are low, and nothing really bad ever happens.
 
All Creatures Great and Small

This lovely show just returned for its fifth season and I am torn between binging it all at once or savoring it slowly. (The entire new season is available through PBS Passport.) My husband calls this my “crying show” because every episode makes me tear up with happy tears. I have become very invested in the characters over the years and just finished a complete rewatch of all previous seasons during the holidays.

For those unfamiliar, this show follows veterinarian James Herriot (Nicholas Ralph) and other residents of Yorkshire and is loosely based on his books (which I devoured as a child). The latest season takes place in 1941, when the characters must not only deal with the difficulties of farm life, but World War II, as well.

I’m drawn to this show not only because I’m attached to the characters, but because each episode features wonderful shots of the gorgeous, sprawling English countryside. Wonderfully acted, beautifully shot, and one of my must-watches.
 
Shrinking

I’ve enjoyed most of what I’ve watched on AppleTV, but this one is really sticking with me. I didn’t think a show about therapists would affect me so deeply (yes, this is another “crying show” for me) – and season two, in my opinion, has upped both the humor and drama.

Jimmy Laird (Jason Segel) is a therapist and single dad raising a teenage daughter in Los Angeles. Early on, we learn his wife was tragically killed fairly recently. The show follows him, his daughter, and a close circle of co-workers and friends who are all trying to navigate their grief. Sounds like a downer, I know—and there are scenes that do make me sob—but, just as it happens in real life—the characters go on living and find joy while dealing with pain.

The writing and performances have really hooked me, and I really hope we get a third season.
 
Somebody Somewhere

I began this show not knowing what to expect and am so, so glad I took a chance on it because it’s one of those shows I can’t not binge.

Advertised as a comedy, but actually more of a dramedy, I was taken in by the realness of the characters, who make me both laugh and cry. While main character Sam (Bridget Everett) initially comes off as a care-free goofball, we learn she, like a lot of us, uses humor to mask intense pain.

The show takes place in Manhattan, Kansas, which in and of itself stood out to me, since the Plains aren’t often a setting for shows that aren’t Westerns. (I did in fact live in Kansas as a very young child but have very few memories of the place.) We follow Sam after she returns to her hometown following a family tragedy. It is both a treat and sometimes upsetting to watch her forge new relationships and reestablish old ones, because Sam, like a lot of Millennials, is kind of a mess.
​
I also really appreciate the queer rep, especially when it comes to showing queer folks in church and having faith. This is something I haven’t seen a lot of on TV and it really struck a chord with me (though I am of no particular denomination or organized religion myself). I’m sad HBO canceled this show, but I’m happy we got three full seasons of this.

I’m back. I’m here. And I’m ready for the new year!

2024 was…difficult to say the least. Unexpected challenges in both my day job and personal lives left little time for me to write, and sometimes just getting through the day was a slog. But the year did come to its inevitable end, so it’s time to start anew.

I’m happy to report that this past December was my best month for sales yet! As you might have seen on my social accounts, all three of my romance novels were discounted to $0.99, which was apparently appealing to a lot of folks. I am certainly going to keep this in mind for the future (wink, nudge). I do have plans to participate in more indie author sale events in 2025, so make sure you’re subscribed to my newsletter if you’re not already to get the latest info on that front.

I’m also excited to share that Book Three is coming along. I have plans to finish the fourth chapter of my first draft this week. My progress is going slower than I’d like, but I am determined to be patient and kind to myself this year while sticking to a loose schedule that should hopefully get this behemoth into the hands of my editor later this year.

That being said, I’m shifting my focus when it comes to reading for fun. Y’all know I have been an avid supporter of indie books for years now. While this is not going to change, I’ve found lately that I want to read more non-fiction, and I’ve been finding comfort in exploring the physical books my local library has to offer. So, I am not giving up reading and reviewing indie books – I could never do that! I’m an indie author myself! But you might see more traditionally published books pop up in my currently reading social posts. The mind wants what it wants. And I’ve learned to listen to my brain…most of the time.

I think I’ve typed enough for now. It’s snowy and cold here in the DC-area today and I’m planning to head outside as little as possible. From the Serrulata Saga desk, this is Bennett, signing off for now!

Pen Name: Brittany M. Willows
Pronouns: she/her
Book Series/Latest Book Published: The Cardplay Duology

Introduce your current favorite character – who are they and why do you prefer them above all others at the moment?

I love all of my brain children dearly, but I can’t lie, Iori—my cat-eared, ink-wielding protagonist of Bloody Spade—holds a very special place in my heart. He’s become a real comfort character to draw, write, and I just love watching him spin around and around in the microwave of my brain. I’m not sure what it is that makes him stand out from the rest. Perhaps it’s that I relate to him in a few key ways, or that he has a depth to him others haven’t quite reached. Maybe he just ticks a bunch of my favourite quality boxes. Whatever the case, I’m glad it’s him, and I’m glad he’s endeared himself to many readers too!

Who is harder to write – an interesting hero or an interesting villain? 

An interesting villain for sure. This is a part of my writing I’m actively working to improve, as I often feel in hindsight that I’ve fallen short with them. Part of my personal challenge, I think, comes from wanting to keep their motives secret from the reader, leaving those twists and lore drops for later. Villains typically don’t get the same page time as the heroes either (especially if you’re trying to keep their motives/actions somewhat secret from the reader for a while), so you have to find ways to make them interesting in a fraction of the words afforded to the protagonists.

You’re trapped in an elevator with your main character. What are you discussing?

If Iori knew who I was, he would either be giving me the silent treatment or grilling me about all the awfulness I’ve put him through. And probably the only thing stopping him from kicking my ass would be the fact I gave him Ellen and a decent life at the end of everything haha.

If you could write a cross-over with another book/series, what would it be and why? (Or, if cross-overs don’t interest you, why?

Ooh, good question. I enjoy the concept of cross-overs, but my characters feel so embedded in their own worlds that it’s hard for me to envision them in anyone else’s or having anyone else’s characters’ enter theirs (for anything beyond a one-off scene, at least). It’s why I used to struggle to insert them into forum-based RPGs, where a bunch of us would toss our OCs into a brand new world together. I always found my characters acting wildly out of character in those scenarios.

I am, however—in a somewhat similar vein—a big fan of creating AUs (alternate universes)!

In your opinion, what is the purpose of storytelling?

For me personally, the purpose is mainly to entertain (myself first and foremost, and others second). I just want to tell a good story that’ll make people cry and laugh and yell at my characters for making bad life choices. That doesn’t mean there isn’t any meaning to be found within my stories, just that I’m not writing with the intent to share any specific message or anything like that. Whenevr someone does resonate with my characters or themes, though, that’s massively rewarding! 

Ok, last but not least… Tell us a bit about what made you want to become a writer and why you write what you write.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had characters bouncing around inside my head. I’d draw them all the time, but that wasn’t enough. I needed more space to tell their stories, and for a while I toyed with the idea of creating video games or comics, but later realized both were too ambitious for me. It was only after I began reading the Warrior Cats books that I decided to pursue novelwriting, and I’ve been nurturing my love/hate relationship with that process ever since haha
 
As for why I write what I write: because I’m a sucker for it. Everything I write is super self-indulgent. I love exploring worlds beyond ours, or worlds that are similar to ours but with a twist, so I write scifi and fantasy. It’s fun to imagine the ways in which life may succumb to or adapt to catastropic change, so I often add in a dash of post-apocalypse for good measure. Anything that makes my brain go brrrr--that’s my reason for writing it.

Here's where to find Brittany:

Website: https://brittanymwillows.wordpress.com/
Twitter: @BMWillows
Instagram: @brittanymwillows

Pen Name: Joel C. Flanagan-Grannemann
Pronouns: he/him
Book Series/Latest Book Published: Servants of the Moon and Sun, Book 3: Fairy Court in Exile

Introduce your current favorite character – who are they and why do you prefer them above all others at the moment?

That would have to be Canin. He’s the half-Fairy, or Elenite, who appears in Book 1: Talia: Heir to the Fairy Realm. He has a love affair with one of the Fairies in Talia’s group, then leaves. He comes back in Book 2: Talia: On the Shore of the Sea, and has an important role to play there. Book 4 (the title of which has not yet been released), is about him returning to his home in the Exile Forest, and everything he has to face because of why he left. 
 
Canin was a character I created in high school. He was everything I wanted to be as a lonely, shy teenager: a wanderer with a secret. This version of him isn’t quite that, but he’s still my main point of view character. He gets to shoot bows, stand up to bullies, be a good husband and father, and become the leader he’s destined to be.

Who is harder to write – an interesting hero or an interesting villain?

Maybe it’s the real world intruding, but I’ve been having a real problem writing from inside the villain’s head for a while now. In Book 4, there are no real villains, just antagonists. The real villain is the outside Human world that hates the people of the Exile Forest, but still sees their community as a dumping ground for their inconvenient children (mostly girls and half-Fairies, who are known as Elenites). It’s also hard to write heroes who have flaws, but not too many of them. It’s a fine line to walk. 

You’re trapped in an elevator with your main character. What are you discussing?

Where did he get that cool bow from?

What is the most challenging aspect of writing for you? How do you conquer it?

My wife and editor would say grammar and spelling, but that’s job security for her. For me, it’s worrying about the story part. Is it exciting or interesting enough? Does anyone really care about these characters just walking around a forest talking, and not fighting their enemies? Book 4 is a lot of set up, and I hope people will stick around to meet all these new characters and see where their adventures take them. 

If you could write a cross-over with another book/series, what would it be and why? (Or, if cross-overs don’t interest you, why?)

I might like to write a crossover with an “Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table” story. I’d focus on the Humans and the rise of a hero to defeat the evil Fairies.

In your opinion, what is the purpose of storytelling?

First of all, stories are meant to entertain. Then, they also have the ability to showcase our current problems, but through the lens of fantasy, so they’re a little easier to swallow and to understand. There’s also an element of wish fulfillment. I want to write about things I find cool: magic, archery, running through the forest, good triumphing over evil and cruelty. I want to write a better world than the one we have, and hopefully inspire others to work toward making ours better. 

Ok, last but not least… Tell us a bit about what made you want to become a writer and why you write what you write.

I think I write because that’s who I am. In the years between when I stopped writing after college and when I resumed in September 2019, I felt something missing from my life, but I didn’t know what it was until I began writing again. That creative part of myself that I had denied for so long was a vital part of my spirit. To let it out again, to free that part of me, made me whole again. Now I write to free the stories trapped inside my skull. I want to let those characters out to play and see where they’ll go. 

Here's where to find Joel:

Website: www.servantsofthemoonandsun.com
Twitter: @ServantsAnd
Bluesky: @servantand.bsky.social

​Pen Name: Carmen Loup
Pronouns: They/Them
Book Series/Latest Book Published: The Audacity (Omnibus came  out August 6th!)

Introduce your current favorite character – who are they and why do you prefer them above all others at the moment? 

Xan has been the driving force in The Audacity series, he’s the universe’s laziest sex worker and likes to spend his time lounging around watching I Love Lucy when he can pick it up from orbit. He’s got a strong presence, and this makes him super fun and easy to write. He also shares my love of culture and philosophy, but of course he’s aware of alien cultures and philosophies and I have fun inventing those with him. 

Who is harder to write – an interesting hero or an interesting villain? 

It’s hard to write both because no one is all hero or all villain. As soon as you label a character one or the other, they become dull and lifeless. Real people embody both selfless and selfish qualities, and I find real people the most interesting to write and read!

You’re trapped in an elevator with your main character. What are you discussing?

May is not fond of discussing anything with strangers! But, if you can get her talking by asking her for help fixing something, so if you stick to trying to figure out how to get out of said elevator, you’ll get her talking! 

What is the most challenging aspect of writing for you? How do you conquer it?

I’m a slow writer with a lot of other commitments, so finding the 3-4 hours minimum I need to really get into the flow of writing is tough. I’ve found that if I combine duties like cleaning house, driving, or washing dishes with my daydreaming about what I’m going to write, I’m more likely to be able to sit down and start writing.

If you could write a cross-over with another book/series, what would it be and why? (Or, if cross-overs don’t interest you, why?)

I’d through May and Xan into the Star Trek universe in a minute. May would be a fantastic head engineer (and she looks good in yellow) and Xan’s built for the ship’s counselor job.

In your opinion, what is the purpose of storytelling?

Stories help us understand our world. They point out patterns so we can make better decisions in our lives. They show us what we care about most. Good stories teach us how to transcend the suffering of our realities in some way. Maybe through human connection, maybe through logic, maybe through sacrifice. Stories help us co-create our realities. 

Ok, last but not least… Tell us a bit about what made you want to become a writer and why you write what you write.

It started with The Princess Bride. I picked it up in early middle school by accident, someone had left a copy in a desk, and it grabbed me. The self-aware style was unlike anything I’d ever read. Then The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy mesmerized me for awhile, I had the entire series on my nightstand and I read it through several times in a row. Both series end in sudden tragedy, despite being comedic, and the dissatisfaction I felt with those endings makes me write. 

Here's how to find Carmen:
​Website: carmenloup.com
Twitter: @CarmenLoup
Bluesky: @CarmenLoup
Instagram: @carmen_loup42

Pen Name: Blackbird
Pronouns: she/her
Book Series/Latest Book Published: Shadows Rise (under The Shadows Crew)

Introduce your current favorite character – who are they and why do you prefer them above all others at the moment?
 
Ooof. I… That’s a difficult question right off the bat. I’d say every character is my favorite while I’m writing them. Currently I’m working on the next Shadows Rise chapter under Madeline’s POV, so that’s gonna be my answer right now. Maddie is a con artist who joined the Wolfpack (the story’s assassin clan) as a Scout (essentially a spy) in order to leave the city of Newhaven and her former life behind. She had a very rough upbringing she’s a little too nonchalant about and struggles with the idea of truly being known by others because she’s had it ingrained that the only valid reason to get close to people is to take what you want from them. She’s a little bit like Patrick Jane from The Mentalist in that she’s attempting to apply her skills to the benefit of others (as much as you can working for assassins I guess), but finds it hard to think of herself as a good person. Which, I mean, depending on your definition of good none of these characters are, but Madeline does prove herself to be a fiercely loyal friend despite her upbringing.
 
She’s also a character who majorly snuck up on me. The person I envisioned her to be immediately disintegrated the moment I wrote her introduction. And I like to think it’s because Mads is such a good freaking liar she managed to fool even me.

Who is harder to write – an interesting hero or an interesting villain?

Interesting characters are tough to write. Personally, I don’t really differentiate how I write villains from how I write heroes. They are people acting on their beliefs, wants, desires, trauma, whatever, and what makes them heroes or villains is how the narrative portrays their actions to the audience.
 
I’m not sure if I’m making sense, but let’s put it this way: Shadows Rise doesn’t have villains or heroes, it has an ensemble cast split into two halves that are at odds with each other. You can say that they’re all terrible people, or none of them are, but you shouldn’t be able to say one side is more in the right than the other (if I’m doing things right at least lol). But if I wanted to make either side de facto villains, all I’d have to do is tip the narrative scales against them. They’d be the same people, doing the same things, but by removing any and all possibility for readers to connect with these characters, they could easily be seen as monsters. And I mean, that’s kind of the point of the serial, in the end… We’re all villains in someone's story, and all that. :)

You’re trapped in an elevator with your main character. What are you discussing?
 
Ensemble casts and all, that’d be a crowded elevator. And if we’re talking about Shadows Rise I think I’d end up failing to prevent some murders.

What is the most challenging aspect of writing for you? How do you conquer it?
 
I think my biggest challenge at the moment is that it’s a lot. Especially with my upcoming serial which is a lot more high fantasy than Shadows Rise. It’s just so much worldbuilding. It’s so many thoughts in my head. Especially since I’m not the type of person to do detailed outlines and write extensive notes. I keep 90% of it in my head and it gets a bit chaotic in there.
 
I’m not sure about conquering it, but the best way I found to combat this is to compartmentalize as much as possible. Work on things one chapter at a time, one story arc at a time. That’s part of why I like the serial format so much. It does facilitate that for me.

If you could write a cross-over with another book/series, what would it be and why? (Or, if cross-overs don’t interest you, why?)
 
I mean, if I had the time and the energy to write all the crossovers I wanted with my friends… The list is nearly endless. But Willo Glenn’s Tempered in Ash and Juniper Lake Fitzgerald’s The Fifth Yanai are the tippy top of that list. 

In your opinion, what is the purpose of storytelling?
 
Art is raw human connection. You know? I put a story out there, someone reads it, and they don’t need to know anything about me, I don’t need to know anything about them, but if I can put a feeling down on a page just right, I can make them feel it too. I think that deep down that’s the purpose, just to remind ourselves, each other, that we’re not alone.

Ok, last but not least… Tell us a bit about what made you want to become a writer and why you write what you write.

Between you and me, for the longest time I didn’t want to be a writer, but I have been creating stories for as long as I can remember. My mom loved to tell people how I’ve been ‘writing’ even before I could actually write. I’d just scribble a bunch of gibberish and then tell a story as if I was reading it. As I grew up though, writing became a way to process feelings. Especially when anxiety began to set in and started having more and more issues with expressing myself verbally. And as a result I became a lot more reserved about sharing anything I wrote with people. It wasn’t until I started engaging in text RP back in 2010 that I became more comfortable, I definitely owe my current ability to put myself out there to that part of my life.

Where to find Blackbird:
Ko-fi: http://ko-fi.com/blackbirb
BlueSky: @blackbirb.bsky.social

Pen Name: Daniel Meyer
Pronouns: he/him
Book Series/Latest Book Published: Credible Threats, Sam Adams Book One

Introduce your current favorite character – who are they and why do you prefer them above all others at the moment?

Well, I suppose I have to say Sam Adams. It seems like a writer should choose one of the scene-stealing supporting characters instead of doing the obvious thing and picking their main character, but I think that has to be the answer. He’s the one who’s propelled me to publication, and the one that the story revolves around. Even when I’m struggling otherwise, his narrative voice flows right into the page, and comes more naturally to me than anything else. And besides, he’s the kind of loose cannon, underdog protagonist that I enjoy.

Who is harder to write – an interesting hero or an interesting villain?

So far, it’s been an interesting villain. Since the Sam Adams books are in first person, it can be a struggle to develop the other characters, since they literally disappear when not in Sam’s immediate perception. It can be a challenge to make an antagonist really compelling when the time that they’re interacting with Sam and on-page is limited.

You’re trapped in an elevator with your main character. What are you discussing?

Haha, this question takes me back to my days as a substitute teacher, trying to figure out how to hold a conversation with goofy teenagers. Hopefully he wouldn’t figure out I was his author. He would no doubt find all sorts of things to joke around about, I would chime in, and we’d end up riffing off of one another. I can imagine him trying to figure out if he could use magic to escape, while I fretted that he would blow up the elevator and kill us.

What is the most challenging aspect of writing for you? How do you conquer it?

So far, it’s been getting my stories fleshed out enough to consider them publishable. I have no shortage of ideas, but it takes draft after wearying draft to make it come together enough to take it to the next level. I struggle to get it all to hang together in a coherent plotline. I guess I conquer it by just continuing to bash away. A person can sense when something isn’t quite right in their manuscript and you just have to keep trying until it clicks. I just keep going until the book is finally long enough, and I’m completely exasperated and out of ideas, and then its off to my editor, Sarah Chorn.  

If you could write a cross-over with another book/series, what would it be and why? (Or, if cross-overs don’t interest you, why?)

Oh, this is a good one. I’ve racked my brain to come up with an answer, and I’ve realized there’s only one choice: that fantasy blockbuster epic A Song of Ice and Fire.

I can see it now: Sam and Tyrion Lannister uniting in a tag team of snark to drive Tywin up a wall. Warily eyeing his (far more subtle) fellow magic practitioner Melisandre. Levitating Ramsay Bolton out a window. Fighting the Others atop the Wall. Trying to pet the direwolves. Learning to ride a horse and clanking around in plate armor. I can imagine the look on his face when he encounters Dany’s dragons, and her complete bewilderment at his antics. The possibilities are endless.

In your opinion, what is the purpose of storytelling?

Is there only one? No doubt it varies from story to story and writer to writer. It’s just a very natural thing for humans to do. Humans like stories and the telling of them, so we use our imaginations to do it, to communicate various things, as well as, like I said, just for the sake of doing it. And it’s clear that it’s something very necessary and important for us to do. Beyond that, I think the purposes can vary wildly depending on the era, culture, particular storyteller, etc.

Ok, last but not least… Tell us a bit about what made you want to become a writer and why you write what you write.

I’ve always had ideas for stories, lots of them, and when I was I my twenties, and started reading even more prolifically than I already was, I started getting even more. Finally, I just decided I couldn’t let them go to waste, and took the plunge. Basically, I just write the kind of stories I would like to read myself. The Sam Adams books certainly fit that description. For those specifically, it popped into my head one day that someone should write a story about a wizard in high school. A pretty basic concept, but one that really captured my imagination.

​Where to find Daniel Meyer:
Website: danielmeyerauthor.com
Twitter: @dmeyerauthor