This-Then-That: YA Dystopian and SciFi Edition

Let’s see. Where to begin. Oh, at the beginning of course.

Isaac Asimov, scientist and science fiction writer said, “The true delight is in the finding out rather than in the knowing.” This never hit harder than having just finished the Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff this week (if you haven’t read them, please, please, please do that right away. Even if you aren’t a dystopian or SciFi fan, if you love stories, the human condition, and people pushing up against great odds for ideas rooted in justice—read it!) and Asimov’s sentiments speak so loudly to the love of reading. We turn the page because we are discovering, experiencing the story unfold. It is a beautiful paradigm.

I did think, however, when I sat down to lead the blog in a This-Then-That (see the premise in last week’s post) bookish delight using dystopian and SciFi as a theme, I would get stuck. I haven’t read many. So as I engaged in a bit of research, checked into my Goodreads list, my mouth dropped open. I’ve read a ton of dystopian. Granted, it was many years ago until the market grew saturated with the same story in different dressings, but it is safe to say that I love dystopian stories nearly as much as I love contemporary. And simultaneously, I rediscovered my adoration for Science Fiction.

Fun Story (maybe I’ve repeated it elsewhere, but forgive me, I’m climbing toward old age). When I was eight, my elementary school librarian suggested a book called We Are Not of Earth by Jean Karl. It tore open my whole universe and contributed to my current love of reading. These last two months as I’ve read several science fiction novels, my love for the genre reignited! What a joy to return to a place and rediscover the magic that opened that door initially.

So with that said, here’s the Dystopian/SciFi This-Then-That. (Thank you to my IG friends who help fill in some gaps).

---

THAT

THIS

The Giver by Lois Lowry

This book is a classic in the dystopian genre. I’ve read it with students as young as sixth grade, but when you read it again as an adult - wow.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I read this book long before there was a movie. I loved it (though I do think there is much to be desired in the conclusion of the series). Regardless, this book is necessary to mention when talking dystopia and sci fi.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishigura

This book isn’t strictly YA, but it fits in the category due to the age of the protagonist most of the way through and is one we teach in upper high school. This book is a slow burn, but when you get to that end - OMG.

Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray

I just read this book recently and was blown away by it. The giant questions posed in the story from what does it mean to be human to what do I believe about life . . . so good.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

If you’re only basing your assessment of this story on the movies, please don’t. This was an enjoyable trilogy (though it has been many years since I’ve read it - I remember a satisfying conclusion). I loved how Dashner just pushed the story…

Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Some might call Bradbury a prophet . . .so creepy how spot on he was about some things. I’ve read this book multiple times and it gets better with every reading.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

I debated whether to include this title (full disclosure, I’m not a huge fan of the final book in this series so I often will avoid recommending titles I didn’t love) but Divergent is important in the YA Dystopian/SciFi category just like The Hunger Games.

Matched by Allie Condie

As the YA dystopian phenomena raged, Matched jumped into the pack adding the element of romance to the mix.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

How can we skip this book? I couldn’t, which is why it is included (even if it’s old and classic). Stranded adolescent boys trying to create a society asking the audience to consider what it means to be civilized. Chaos ensues…

Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth

I enjoyed this duology by Roth. Planets, political intrigue, battles to the death (for life), super powers, different humanoids and space ships with a dash of romance. I’m in.

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

I vacillated on which title to pair this with, but in the end chose The Giver because I think in terms of literary acumen, Liggett wins. Her story looks at not only freedom like The Giver, but also female empowerment.

The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

I just finished this entire series (there are three titles and Illuminae is the first), and truthfully as a series, this one kicks most series’s butts as an incredibly constructed story (including The Hunger Games). But in terms of power hungry manipulation, excitement, adventure and action, this is a strong pairing.

Replica by Lauren Oliver

This is an interesting book in that it is two stories in one. One side is Gemma’s story, but it is the other side— Lyra’s story— that reminded me of Never Let Me Go. I could have read Lyra’s story for days . . .

Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Kaufman and Kristoff make the list a second time because this debut book of the Aurora Cycle is magical! The writing is fabulous and the adventure reminded me of Defy the Stars (and the other way around). So good!

The Echo Room by Parker Peevyhouse

This book is fascinating and captures the magic of that first book in the Dashner trilogy, The Maze Runner. The premise is you wake up in a room and have to figure out how to get out until you die trying. Then you wake up and have to try all over again.

More Than This by Patrick Ness

Seth wakes up in his old neighborhood that’s abandoned and overgrown as if the world has ended. Then he begins to get memories that tell him not everything is as it seems. (For fans of The Ugly Truth, Cantos Book 2 — don’t worry, it’s different :)

The Mirror Souls by Julia Scott

Indie Author alert! In this story Earth has nearly destroyed itself and a benevolent alien race has stepped in to intercede. In doing so, the human race is reorganized, but things don’t seem as “utopian” as the aliens would have you believe.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Full disclosure, I haven’t read this book (I tried and couldn’t get past the first 25 pages). My IG users suggested it to go with Matched. I couldn’t think of anything else similar to Matched, so here you go. Comments appreciated.

Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Want a modern day satire that mimics The Lord of the Flies from a female perspective? This book is for you. I love Libba Bray. She’s great.

Coriander's Light by MJ Vaughn

Indie Author Alert! Coriander is in search of her mother. The only thing she has is a necklace left behind. When she gets an email from a stranger asking about the stone, it takes her on a whirlwind journey (into outer space).

These recommendations popped up on my IG story. I’ve added them to my TBR and I thought perhaps you might be interested in hearing about them as well. For your consideration:

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Indie Author Marketing: Road Trip Wrap Up

We did it. We made it to the finish line, and The Cantos Chronicles are out in the world today. How we did remains to be seen, but here’s the feedback on our journey:

1. Followers LOVE the new covers!

   This was the first thing that was mentioned as a ”stand out” in terms of marketing these books. This doesn’t surprise me (and probably doesn’t anyone else either) which reiterates the point that authors (indie authors, specifically) should budget for a cover as part of your marketing strategy. How the product appears matters. That shouldn’t come as a surprise, right? Case in point: Look at the two Swimming Sideways covers (pre-rerelease and post). Which one do you like better?

The black and white was the second cover. It’s a Canva stock image and clearly an inexperienced Indie move. It isn’t the wisest choice when trying to “stand out” in a competitive market. The new cover is designed by a trained graphic artist, Sara Oliver Designs, and is original to Swimming Sideways!

Um. Yeah. The new cover is hands down better than the other (thank you, Sara!)

2. Followers enjoyed getting to know me (the author).

Shocking - I know - baring who I am isn’t comfortable - naturally introverted, but adaptably extroverted. That means I’m a freaking chameleon. No. Actually, it doesn’t, but I’d like to think it is a super power. Okay. In all seriousness, while being more in the “spotlight” doesn’t feel comfortable, it is a part of building a relationship. There is a give and take between people. What’s your favorite color? Mine is… This must occur, right for that reciprocal relationship building. This doesn’t stop even in a social media world which means we have to put ourselves out there.

What made this difficult for me (besides the whole discomfort of being in the “spotlight”) is the belief that I don’t think I’m all that interesting. I’m just ordinary Cami. Here I am feeling like my brain might be boiling over trying to figure out what’s interesting, and I’m thinking “there’s nothing worth sharing.” Perhaps this is a lie I tell myself because people expressed: I liked getting to know you. Hmm. Who knew? The lesson then: I can’t be afraid to put myself out there; I can’t worry about if what I have to share is interesting or not because I can only be myself; and I can’t be afraid to share my truth.

3. Followers liked getting to know the characters in a different way.

The methods mentioned were sharing the music playlists, sharing the book lists, and the new content snippets that helped readers feel more connected to the characters. That’s cool (and I wish I could share with you how cool these people are in my head… still!)

4. Followers liked being able to “talk” with other followers about the books while reading.

One IG follower said that being able to talk about the books with other readers while reading was a little like a “social media book club.” Bookstagrammers have this on lock and are very prolific in this regard. It’s a great tool (though I won’t pretend I’ve figured out how to generate more engagement with this; I think it will continue to be time and consistency).

Well. Here we are fellow road trippers. We’ve parked the van in the garage. We’re popping the champagne. Let’s toast to nine weeks of bumping along this Indie Marketing Road to a job well done. Thank you for being on this journey with me.

What’s next? Not sure. I’m going to take a couple weeks to finish my current book and figure myself out.

Now, I have to figure out how to look at the “after publication” marketing. :)

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• January 2025
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  • May 24, 2023 The Dangers of Myopic Reading May 24, 2023
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• January 2023
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• December 2021
  • Dec 22, 2021 My Top 10 Songs (w/Lyrics) 2021 Dec 22, 2021
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• September 2021
  • Sep 1, 2021 Road to Echoes: 8 Tips for Using NaNoWriMo to Write Your Novel Sep 1, 2021
• August 2021
  • Aug 25, 2021 Road to Echoes: 4 Lessons I Learned Writing Maxwell Wallace Aug 25, 2021
  • Aug 18, 2021 Road to Echoes: Tropes Aug 18, 2021
  • Aug 11, 2021 The Road to Echoes: Loud Characters Aug 11, 2021
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• July 2021
  • Jul 28, 2021 The Road to Echoes: Research to Understand Griffin Jul 28, 2021
  • Jul 21, 2021 The Road to Echoes: Secondary Characters Primer Jul 21, 2021
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  • Jul 7, 2021 The Road of Echoes: What Inspired Griffin's Story? Jul 7, 2021
• June 2021
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• April 2021
  • Apr 28, 2021 April Challenge: Update No. 4 Apr 28, 2021
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• March 2021
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• February 2021
  • Feb 24, 2021 Character Speaks: Dear Paola, from Gabe Feb 24, 2021
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• January 2021
  • Jan 27, 2021 Ask the Author: Series or Stand Alone? Jan 27, 2021
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• October 2020
  • Oct 16, 2020 Rainy Day Collective Podcast & Purity Culture Oct 16, 2020
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• July 2020
  • Jul 1, 2020 Interview: Lauren-Marie with The Indigo Book Jul 1, 2020
• June 2020
  • Jun 24, 2020 This-Then-That: YA Dystopian and SciFi Edition Jun 24, 2020
  • Jun 17, 2020 This-Then-That: YA Contemporary Edition Jun 17, 2020
  • Jun 10, 2020 This-Then-That: YA Fantasy Edition Jun 10, 2020
• May 2020
  • May 27, 2020 Reading Wonderland Interview: Piper Bee May 27, 2020
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• February 2020
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• January 2020
  • Jan 29, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: A Hope and A Dream Jan 29, 2020
  • Jan 15, 2020 The Letters She Left Behind: It's here! Jan 15, 2020
• December 2019
  • Dec 18, 2019 The Letters She Left Behind: Character Interview Dec 18, 2019
  • Dec 11, 2019 The Letters She Left Behind: Annotated Playlist Dec 11, 2019
• October 2019
  • Oct 16, 2019 Awesome Writer Spotlight: Mary E. Pearson (again) Oct 16, 2019
  • Oct 7, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: Gratitude Oct 7, 2019
• September 2019
  • Sep 30, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: It's time. Sep 30, 2019
  • Sep 16, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: A Difficult Story Sep 16, 2019
  • Sep 9, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: Journey to Gabe Sep 9, 2019
• July 2019
  • Jul 8, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: Aesthetic Jul 8, 2019
• May 2019
  • May 26, 2019 Time Away May 26, 2019
  • May 20, 2019 Writing Inspiration: Music May 20, 2019
  • May 13, 2019 Awesome Writer Spotlight: Mary E. Pearson May 13, 2019
  • May 6, 2019 Happy Book Birthday: A Character Interview May 6, 2019
  • May 1, 2019 The Letters She Left Behind PLAYLIST May 1, 2019
• April 2019
  • Apr 29, 2019 YA Author Series - Author Spotlight: Genevieve Jane Apr 29, 2019
  • Apr 15, 2019 YA Author Series - Author Spotlight: M. Wednesday Apr 15, 2019
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• March 2019
  • Mar 25, 2019 YA Author Series Launch: CL Walters Mar 25, 2019
  • Mar 12, 2019 Book Mash-Up Fun Mar 12, 2019
  • Mar 4, 2019 Snappy Dialogue in 3 Minutes Mar 4, 2019
• February 2019
  • Feb 25, 2019 Pacing the Narrative: A New Tool Feb 25, 2019
  • Feb 18, 2019 Character and Conflict Part2: Motivation Feb 18, 2019
  • Feb 11, 2019 Character and Conflict, part one: Types of Conflict Feb 11, 2019
  • Feb 4, 2019 Point of View and Writing Feb 4, 2019
• January 2019
  • Jan 28, 2019 Off to Refill the Well . . . Jan 28, 2019
  • Jan 21, 2019 Character-Driven or Plot Driven Narrative? Jan 21, 2019
  • Jan 14, 2019 Character: Conversations Jan 14, 2019
• December 2018
  • Dec 3, 2018 The Ugly Truth: Cover Reveal and Playlist Dec 3, 2018
• October 2018
  • Oct 29, 2018 This Writer Reads Oct 29, 2018
  • Oct 8, 2018 Empathy is Our Superpower! Oct 8, 2018
  • Oct 4, 2018 The Writer Hoard Oct 4, 2018

Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 8

One more week until The Cantos Chronicles releases March 31, 2020!

Good News! IndieReader.com gave Swimming Sideways, Cantos Chronicles Book 1 a 4.5 stars out of 5 stars rating! That means it’s considered a, “IndieReader Approved” designation and will go on their “BEST OF…” YA round up. That’s AWESOME!

One another note:

With the chaos of the current situation, I wasn’t sure if I should even post, but I decided that regardless, I’d committed to this Indie Author Marketing Road Trip. Though I’ve been grounded to a halt due to a very flat tire, a bent rim, and inclement conditions, but that’s part of the journey right? It begs the question: How do we adapt in the face of challenges.

This is pretty challenging. :)

So here we are.

1. My events are cancelled for now. As difficult as this is to take, I’m choosing to look at it as an opportunity to develop and grow. I hope to eventually reschedule.

2. My IG friends have come in clutch by posting. Thank you to them for keeping things visible. I appreciate it so much. I haven’t seen any of the reviewers post yet. Hope those are forthcoming.

3. I’ve maintained my Social Media content - that’s about the extent to my abilities right now. It Is what it is.

4. I’m working on April’s newsletter for my subscribers and some new work to share with them.

5. I developed a #bookstagram challenge with the hashtag #quarINTEENd which I hope provides 1) something fun and creative to do in April while we’re all shut in; 2) sparks discussion between book lovers, and 3) adds to the community.

In light of the climate and the difficulties, I offered an Ebook copy of Swimming Sideways to interested readers via Instagram and Facebook. The offer still stands. You can sign up for my newsletter, you can email me (clwalters2015@gmail.com) or DM me on Instagram, and I will email you the ebook. This offer is valid until Tuesday, March 31. Happy reading.

Available March 31, 20202 in Ebook, Paperback and Hard Cover wherever books are sold.

CLWalters Blog RSS

• January 2025
  • Jan 17, 2025 Bring Back the Dystopian Craze of 2012 Jan 17, 2025
• July 2024
  • Jul 15, 2024 Imposter Syndrome: Tools for Authenticty Jul 15, 2024
• June 2024
  • Jun 1, 2024 June Read Along: In the Echo of this Ghost Town Jun 1, 2024
• March 2024
  • Mar 25, 2024 New Post on SubStack tomorrow! Mar 25, 2024
  • Mar 1, 2024 March Read Along: The Bone of Who We Are Mar 1, 2024
• January 2024
  • Jan 31, 2024 February Read Along: The Ugly Truth Jan 31, 2024
• December 2023
  • Dec 28, 2023 2024: Year of the Read Along Dec 28, 2023
• October 2023
  • Oct 25, 2023 Unhealthy Relationships and Romance Books Oct 25, 2023
  • Oct 25, 2023 Relationships: Isolation versus Autonomy Oct 25, 2023
  • Oct 22, 2023 Unhealthy Relationships: The Love Bomb Oct 22, 2023
  • Oct 22, 2023 Healthy Relationships: Hindsight is 20/20 Oct 22, 2023
  • Oct 22, 2023 Relationships: Beware Gaslighting Oct 22, 2023
• September 2023
  • Sep 25, 2023 Blog Digest from 2018-2023 Sep 25, 2023
• August 2023
  • Aug 26, 2023 Blog Moved to Substack Aug 26, 2023
• July 2023
  • Jul 31, 2023 The Trials of Imogene Sol: The Allies Jul 31, 2023
  • Jul 13, 2023 Foundational Books & Book Bans Jul 13, 2023
  • Jul 5, 2023 Tropes: Found Family Jul 5, 2023
• June 2023
  • Jun 21, 2023 3 Things I Learned About Reading Space Opera Jun 21, 2023
• May 2023
  • May 24, 2023 The Dangers of Myopic Reading May 24, 2023
  • May 17, 2023 My Trek...Journey...Quest to O'ahu Independent Bookstores May 17, 2023
  • May 10, 2023 My Life as an Alien Invader May 10, 2023
  • May 3, 2023 How I Got to Hawaiʻi, My Hawaiʻi Story May 3, 2023
• April 2023
  • Apr 26, 2023 You Can Go Home Again Apr 26, 2023
• March 2023
  • Mar 29, 2023 Cantos Love: Happy Anniversary! Mar 29, 2023
  • Mar 22, 2023 Cantos Love: Gabe Mar 22, 2023
  • Mar 15, 2023 Cantos Love: Seth Mar 15, 2023
  • Mar 8, 2023 Cantos Love: How They Came to Be Mar 8, 2023
  • Mar 1, 2023 Cantos Love: A Month of Cantos Mar 1, 2023
• January 2023
  • Jan 25, 2023 The Letters She Left Behind, 3 Years. Jan 25, 2023
  • Jan 18, 2023 Behind-the Scenes: The Trials of Imogene Sol Jan 18, 2023
  • Jan 11, 2023 Behind-the-Scenes: Reading & All My Rage Jan 11, 2023
• November 2022
  • Nov 16, 2022 Book Hangover List Nov 16, 2022
  • Nov 9, 2022 Advice: Find your People Nov 9, 2022
• October 2022
  • Oct 26, 2022 Contest Awarded Short Story: The Invalid Oct 26, 2022
  • Oct 13, 2022 The WHY Behind The Messy Truth About Love Oct 13, 2022
• June 2022
  • Jun 27, 2022 4 Things You Should Know about The Messy Truth About Love Before Reading Jun 27, 2022
• February 2022
  • Feb 2, 2022 February Ideals: Dreaming Feb 2, 2022
• December 2021
  • Dec 22, 2021 My Top 10 Songs (w/Lyrics) 2021 Dec 22, 2021
  • Dec 15, 2021 My Top 5 Characters I've Written Dec 15, 2021
  • Dec 1, 2021 My Top 5 of My Own Books Dec 1, 2021
• September 2021
  • Sep 1, 2021 Road to Echoes: 8 Tips for Using NaNoWriMo to Write Your Novel Sep 1, 2021
• August 2021
  • Aug 25, 2021 Road to Echoes: 4 Lessons I Learned Writing Maxwell Wallace Aug 25, 2021
  • Aug 18, 2021 Road to Echoes: Tropes Aug 18, 2021
  • Aug 11, 2021 The Road to Echoes: Loud Characters Aug 11, 2021
  • Aug 4, 2021 The Road to Echoes: Putting the Story Together Aug 4, 2021
• July 2021
  • Jul 28, 2021 The Road to Echoes: Research to Understand Griffin Jul 28, 2021
  • Jul 21, 2021 The Road to Echoes: Secondary Characters Primer Jul 21, 2021
  • Jul 14, 2021 The Road to Echoes: Writing Difficult Characters Jul 14, 2021
  • Jul 7, 2021 The Road of Echoes: What Inspired Griffin's Story? Jul 7, 2021
• June 2021
  • Jun 30, 2021 The Road of Echoes: New Blog Series Jun 30, 2021
• May 2021
  • May 26, 2021 Favorite Reads of 2021 So Far May 26, 2021
  • May 19, 2021 Cover Love May 19, 2021
  • May 12, 2021 Writing Limbo May 12, 2021
  • May 5, 2021 Writing In Between May 5, 2021
• April 2021
  • Apr 28, 2021 April Challenge: Update No. 4 Apr 28, 2021
  • Apr 21, 2021 April Challenge: Update No. 3 Apr 21, 2021
  • Apr 14, 2021 April Challenge: Update No. 2 Apr 14, 2021
  • Apr 7, 2021 April Challenge: Update No. 1 Apr 7, 2021
• March 2021
  • Mar 31, 2021 April Challenge: Finishing the Draft Mar 31, 2021
• February 2021
  • Feb 24, 2021 Character Speaks: Dear Paola, from Gabe Feb 24, 2021
  • Feb 17, 2021 Character Speaks: Dear Sam, from Seth Feb 17, 2021
  • Feb 10, 2021 Ask the Author: Advice for Newbie Writers? Feb 10, 2021
  • Feb 3, 2021 Ask the Author: What motivates you to write? Feb 3, 2021
• January 2021
  • Jan 27, 2021 Ask the Author: Series or Stand Alone? Jan 27, 2021
  • Jan 20, 2021 Ask the Author: Why did you choose to write YA? (Part 2) Jan 20, 2021
  • Jan 13, 2021 Ask the Author: Why did you choose to write YA? Jan 13, 2021
  • Jan 6, 2021 Ask the Author: Favorite Part of the Writing Process? Jan 6, 2021
• October 2020
  • Oct 16, 2020 Rainy Day Collective Podcast & Purity Culture Oct 16, 2020
  • Oct 14, 2020 The Stories Stars Tell: It's Here! Oct 14, 2020
• July 2020
  • Jul 1, 2020 Interview: Lauren-Marie with The Indigo Book Jul 1, 2020
• June 2020
  • Jun 24, 2020 This-Then-That: YA Dystopian and SciFi Edition Jun 24, 2020
  • Jun 17, 2020 This-Then-That: YA Contemporary Edition Jun 17, 2020
  • Jun 10, 2020 This-Then-That: YA Fantasy Edition Jun 10, 2020
• May 2020
  • May 27, 2020 Reading Wonderland Interview: Piper Bee May 27, 2020
  • May 20, 2020 Reading Wonderland Interview: Nancy Richardson Fischer May 20, 2020
  • May 13, 2020 Reading Wonderland Interview: Rob Rufus May 13, 2020
  • May 6, 2020 Reading Wonderland Interview: Lisa Brown Roberts May 6, 2020
• April 2020
  • Apr 29, 2020 Reading Wonderland: an Introduction Apr 29, 2020
  • Apr 22, 2020 Quarantine: 37 Days Apr 22, 2020
• March 2020
  • Mar 31, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Road Trip Wrap Up Mar 31, 2020
  • Mar 25, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 8 Mar 25, 2020
  • Mar 18, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 7 Mar 18, 2020
  • Mar 11, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 6 Mar 11, 2020
• February 2020
  • Feb 29, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 5 Feb 29, 2020
  • Feb 24, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 4 Feb 24, 2020
  • Feb 19, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 3 Feb 19, 2020
  • Feb 12, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 2 Feb 12, 2020
  • Feb 4, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 1 Feb 4, 2020
• January 2020
  • Jan 29, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: A Hope and A Dream Jan 29, 2020
  • Jan 15, 2020 The Letters She Left Behind: It's here! Jan 15, 2020
• December 2019
  • Dec 18, 2019 The Letters She Left Behind: Character Interview Dec 18, 2019
  • Dec 11, 2019 The Letters She Left Behind: Annotated Playlist Dec 11, 2019
• October 2019
  • Oct 16, 2019 Awesome Writer Spotlight: Mary E. Pearson (again) Oct 16, 2019
  • Oct 7, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: Gratitude Oct 7, 2019
• September 2019
  • Sep 30, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: It's time. Sep 30, 2019
  • Sep 16, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: A Difficult Story Sep 16, 2019
  • Sep 9, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: Journey to Gabe Sep 9, 2019
• July 2019
  • Jul 8, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: Aesthetic Jul 8, 2019
• May 2019
  • May 26, 2019 Time Away May 26, 2019
  • May 20, 2019 Writing Inspiration: Music May 20, 2019
  • May 13, 2019 Awesome Writer Spotlight: Mary E. Pearson May 13, 2019
  • May 6, 2019 Happy Book Birthday: A Character Interview May 6, 2019
  • May 1, 2019 The Letters She Left Behind PLAYLIST May 1, 2019
• April 2019
  • Apr 29, 2019 YA Author Series - Author Spotlight: Genevieve Jane Apr 29, 2019
  • Apr 15, 2019 YA Author Series - Author Spotlight: M. Wednesday Apr 15, 2019
  • Apr 8, 2019 YA Author Series - Author Spotlight: Leslie Arambula Apr 8, 2019
  • Apr 1, 2019 YA Author Series - Author Spotlight: Alison Aldridge Apr 1, 2019
• March 2019
  • Mar 25, 2019 YA Author Series Launch: CL Walters Mar 25, 2019
  • Mar 12, 2019 Book Mash-Up Fun Mar 12, 2019
  • Mar 4, 2019 Snappy Dialogue in 3 Minutes Mar 4, 2019
• February 2019
  • Feb 25, 2019 Pacing the Narrative: A New Tool Feb 25, 2019
  • Feb 18, 2019 Character and Conflict Part2: Motivation Feb 18, 2019
  • Feb 11, 2019 Character and Conflict, part one: Types of Conflict Feb 11, 2019
  • Feb 4, 2019 Point of View and Writing Feb 4, 2019
• January 2019
  • Jan 28, 2019 Off to Refill the Well . . . Jan 28, 2019
  • Jan 21, 2019 Character-Driven or Plot Driven Narrative? Jan 21, 2019
  • Jan 14, 2019 Character: Conversations Jan 14, 2019
• December 2018
  • Dec 3, 2018 The Ugly Truth: Cover Reveal and Playlist Dec 3, 2018
• October 2018
  • Oct 29, 2018 This Writer Reads Oct 29, 2018
  • Oct 8, 2018 Empathy is Our Superpower! Oct 8, 2018
  • Oct 4, 2018 The Writer Hoard Oct 4, 2018

Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 7

If I thought I didn’t know if I was coming or going last week, this week it’s all about staying put. I’ve had to park it. At home. Social Distancing. And with no end in site, it makes me wonder what’s to come? Well, hopefully I’ll offer some interesting content. Here’s a vlog brought to you from the inside of my bathroom (LOL) as I reflect about this week.

In the grand scheme of my Independent Author Book Marketing road trip, the vehicle sort of stalled on the side of the road. I got pulled over by the police and escorted to the next motel where I’ve been directed to hang out for the next couple of weeks. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Great. What does this mean for book marketing? Long term, I don’t know. My events might be shot. Short term, I’ve got Social Media.

One of the things I mention in the vlog was publishing the Book Playlists on Instagram for each of the books in The Cantos Chronicles. One of the biggest necessities of marketing is identifying the target audience. As a YA Writer, I’m speaking to teens, specifically 16-18 year olds (though I’m beginning to wonder since my books seem to have a crossover adult appeal. This begs the question: am I marketing to the correct audience?) Since art of all kinds speaks so loudly to me, and every teen I have known speaks music, I decided a playlist might be a solid interactive experience).

I’ve begun to consider that this isn’t a short term game, but a long one. I’m in the process of building a relationship with readers. That’s going to take time and consistency. So while we might be “In the Wait” (Oh hey, head over to Wattpad to read those short vignettes if you’re interested in them), I need to continue to be vigilant in offering the strongest content I can to showcase who I am as a writer and as a person.

Rerelease day for The Cantos Chronicles is right around the corner (March 31, 2020) though they are available for PreOrder. Two more weeks!

The Cantos Chronicles

Next Week: Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 8

CLWalters Blog RSS

• January 2025
  • Jan 17, 2025 Bring Back the Dystopian Craze of 2012 Jan 17, 2025
• July 2024
  • Jul 15, 2024 Imposter Syndrome: Tools for Authenticty Jul 15, 2024
• June 2024
  • Jun 1, 2024 June Read Along: In the Echo of this Ghost Town Jun 1, 2024
• March 2024
  • Mar 25, 2024 New Post on SubStack tomorrow! Mar 25, 2024
  • Mar 1, 2024 March Read Along: The Bone of Who We Are Mar 1, 2024
• January 2024
  • Jan 31, 2024 February Read Along: The Ugly Truth Jan 31, 2024
• December 2023
  • Dec 28, 2023 2024: Year of the Read Along Dec 28, 2023
• October 2023
  • Oct 25, 2023 Unhealthy Relationships and Romance Books Oct 25, 2023
  • Oct 25, 2023 Relationships: Isolation versus Autonomy Oct 25, 2023
  • Oct 22, 2023 Unhealthy Relationships: The Love Bomb Oct 22, 2023
  • Oct 22, 2023 Healthy Relationships: Hindsight is 20/20 Oct 22, 2023
  • Oct 22, 2023 Relationships: Beware Gaslighting Oct 22, 2023
• September 2023
  • Sep 25, 2023 Blog Digest from 2018-2023 Sep 25, 2023
• August 2023
  • Aug 26, 2023 Blog Moved to Substack Aug 26, 2023
• July 2023
  • Jul 31, 2023 The Trials of Imogene Sol: The Allies Jul 31, 2023
  • Jul 13, 2023 Foundational Books & Book Bans Jul 13, 2023
  • Jul 5, 2023 Tropes: Found Family Jul 5, 2023
• June 2023
  • Jun 21, 2023 3 Things I Learned About Reading Space Opera Jun 21, 2023
• May 2023
  • May 24, 2023 The Dangers of Myopic Reading May 24, 2023
  • May 17, 2023 My Trek...Journey...Quest to O'ahu Independent Bookstores May 17, 2023
  • May 10, 2023 My Life as an Alien Invader May 10, 2023
  • May 3, 2023 How I Got to Hawaiʻi, My Hawaiʻi Story May 3, 2023
• April 2023
  • Apr 26, 2023 You Can Go Home Again Apr 26, 2023
• March 2023
  • Mar 29, 2023 Cantos Love: Happy Anniversary! Mar 29, 2023
  • Mar 22, 2023 Cantos Love: Gabe Mar 22, 2023
  • Mar 15, 2023 Cantos Love: Seth Mar 15, 2023
  • Mar 8, 2023 Cantos Love: How They Came to Be Mar 8, 2023
  • Mar 1, 2023 Cantos Love: A Month of Cantos Mar 1, 2023
• January 2023
  • Jan 25, 2023 The Letters She Left Behind, 3 Years. Jan 25, 2023
  • Jan 18, 2023 Behind-the Scenes: The Trials of Imogene Sol Jan 18, 2023
  • Jan 11, 2023 Behind-the-Scenes: Reading & All My Rage Jan 11, 2023
• November 2022
  • Nov 16, 2022 Book Hangover List Nov 16, 2022
  • Nov 9, 2022 Advice: Find your People Nov 9, 2022
• October 2022
  • Oct 26, 2022 Contest Awarded Short Story: The Invalid Oct 26, 2022
  • Oct 13, 2022 The WHY Behind The Messy Truth About Love Oct 13, 2022
• June 2022
  • Jun 27, 2022 4 Things You Should Know about The Messy Truth About Love Before Reading Jun 27, 2022
• February 2022
  • Feb 2, 2022 February Ideals: Dreaming Feb 2, 2022
• December 2021
  • Dec 22, 2021 My Top 10 Songs (w/Lyrics) 2021 Dec 22, 2021
  • Dec 15, 2021 My Top 5 Characters I've Written Dec 15, 2021
  • Dec 1, 2021 My Top 5 of My Own Books Dec 1, 2021
• September 2021
  • Sep 1, 2021 Road to Echoes: 8 Tips for Using NaNoWriMo to Write Your Novel Sep 1, 2021
• August 2021
  • Aug 25, 2021 Road to Echoes: 4 Lessons I Learned Writing Maxwell Wallace Aug 25, 2021
  • Aug 18, 2021 Road to Echoes: Tropes Aug 18, 2021
  • Aug 11, 2021 The Road to Echoes: Loud Characters Aug 11, 2021
  • Aug 4, 2021 The Road to Echoes: Putting the Story Together Aug 4, 2021
• July 2021
  • Jul 28, 2021 The Road to Echoes: Research to Understand Griffin Jul 28, 2021
  • Jul 21, 2021 The Road to Echoes: Secondary Characters Primer Jul 21, 2021
  • Jul 14, 2021 The Road to Echoes: Writing Difficult Characters Jul 14, 2021
  • Jul 7, 2021 The Road of Echoes: What Inspired Griffin's Story? Jul 7, 2021
• June 2021
  • Jun 30, 2021 The Road of Echoes: New Blog Series Jun 30, 2021
• May 2021
  • May 26, 2021 Favorite Reads of 2021 So Far May 26, 2021
  • May 19, 2021 Cover Love May 19, 2021
  • May 12, 2021 Writing Limbo May 12, 2021
  • May 5, 2021 Writing In Between May 5, 2021
• April 2021
  • Apr 28, 2021 April Challenge: Update No. 4 Apr 28, 2021
  • Apr 21, 2021 April Challenge: Update No. 3 Apr 21, 2021
  • Apr 14, 2021 April Challenge: Update No. 2 Apr 14, 2021
  • Apr 7, 2021 April Challenge: Update No. 1 Apr 7, 2021
• March 2021
  • Mar 31, 2021 April Challenge: Finishing the Draft Mar 31, 2021
• February 2021
  • Feb 24, 2021 Character Speaks: Dear Paola, from Gabe Feb 24, 2021
  • Feb 17, 2021 Character Speaks: Dear Sam, from Seth Feb 17, 2021
  • Feb 10, 2021 Ask the Author: Advice for Newbie Writers? Feb 10, 2021
  • Feb 3, 2021 Ask the Author: What motivates you to write? Feb 3, 2021
• January 2021
  • Jan 27, 2021 Ask the Author: Series or Stand Alone? Jan 27, 2021
  • Jan 20, 2021 Ask the Author: Why did you choose to write YA? (Part 2) Jan 20, 2021
  • Jan 13, 2021 Ask the Author: Why did you choose to write YA? Jan 13, 2021
  • Jan 6, 2021 Ask the Author: Favorite Part of the Writing Process? Jan 6, 2021
• October 2020
  • Oct 16, 2020 Rainy Day Collective Podcast & Purity Culture Oct 16, 2020
  • Oct 14, 2020 The Stories Stars Tell: It's Here! Oct 14, 2020
• July 2020
  • Jul 1, 2020 Interview: Lauren-Marie with The Indigo Book Jul 1, 2020
• June 2020
  • Jun 24, 2020 This-Then-That: YA Dystopian and SciFi Edition Jun 24, 2020
  • Jun 17, 2020 This-Then-That: YA Contemporary Edition Jun 17, 2020
  • Jun 10, 2020 This-Then-That: YA Fantasy Edition Jun 10, 2020
• May 2020
  • May 27, 2020 Reading Wonderland Interview: Piper Bee May 27, 2020
  • May 20, 2020 Reading Wonderland Interview: Nancy Richardson Fischer May 20, 2020
  • May 13, 2020 Reading Wonderland Interview: Rob Rufus May 13, 2020
  • May 6, 2020 Reading Wonderland Interview: Lisa Brown Roberts May 6, 2020
• April 2020
  • Apr 29, 2020 Reading Wonderland: an Introduction Apr 29, 2020
  • Apr 22, 2020 Quarantine: 37 Days Apr 22, 2020
• March 2020
  • Mar 31, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Road Trip Wrap Up Mar 31, 2020
  • Mar 25, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 8 Mar 25, 2020
  • Mar 18, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 7 Mar 18, 2020
  • Mar 11, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 6 Mar 11, 2020
• February 2020
  • Feb 29, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 5 Feb 29, 2020
  • Feb 24, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 4 Feb 24, 2020
  • Feb 19, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 3 Feb 19, 2020
  • Feb 12, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 2 Feb 12, 2020
  • Feb 4, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 1 Feb 4, 2020
• January 2020
  • Jan 29, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: A Hope and A Dream Jan 29, 2020
  • Jan 15, 2020 The Letters She Left Behind: It's here! Jan 15, 2020
• December 2019
  • Dec 18, 2019 The Letters She Left Behind: Character Interview Dec 18, 2019
  • Dec 11, 2019 The Letters She Left Behind: Annotated Playlist Dec 11, 2019
• October 2019
  • Oct 16, 2019 Awesome Writer Spotlight: Mary E. Pearson (again) Oct 16, 2019
  • Oct 7, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: Gratitude Oct 7, 2019
• September 2019
  • Sep 30, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: It's time. Sep 30, 2019
  • Sep 16, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: A Difficult Story Sep 16, 2019
  • Sep 9, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: Journey to Gabe Sep 9, 2019
• July 2019
  • Jul 8, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: Aesthetic Jul 8, 2019
• May 2019
  • May 26, 2019 Time Away May 26, 2019
  • May 20, 2019 Writing Inspiration: Music May 20, 2019
  • May 13, 2019 Awesome Writer Spotlight: Mary E. Pearson May 13, 2019
  • May 6, 2019 Happy Book Birthday: A Character Interview May 6, 2019
  • May 1, 2019 The Letters She Left Behind PLAYLIST May 1, 2019
• April 2019
  • Apr 29, 2019 YA Author Series - Author Spotlight: Genevieve Jane Apr 29, 2019
  • Apr 15, 2019 YA Author Series - Author Spotlight: M. Wednesday Apr 15, 2019
  • Apr 8, 2019 YA Author Series - Author Spotlight: Leslie Arambula Apr 8, 2019
  • Apr 1, 2019 YA Author Series - Author Spotlight: Alison Aldridge Apr 1, 2019
• March 2019
  • Mar 25, 2019 YA Author Series Launch: CL Walters Mar 25, 2019
  • Mar 12, 2019 Book Mash-Up Fun Mar 12, 2019
  • Mar 4, 2019 Snappy Dialogue in 3 Minutes Mar 4, 2019
• February 2019
  • Feb 25, 2019 Pacing the Narrative: A New Tool Feb 25, 2019
  • Feb 18, 2019 Character and Conflict Part2: Motivation Feb 18, 2019
  • Feb 11, 2019 Character and Conflict, part one: Types of Conflict Feb 11, 2019
  • Feb 4, 2019 Point of View and Writing Feb 4, 2019
• January 2019
  • Jan 28, 2019 Off to Refill the Well . . . Jan 28, 2019
  • Jan 21, 2019 Character-Driven or Plot Driven Narrative? Jan 21, 2019
  • Jan 14, 2019 Character: Conversations Jan 14, 2019
• December 2018
  • Dec 3, 2018 The Ugly Truth: Cover Reveal and Playlist Dec 3, 2018
• October 2018
  • Oct 29, 2018 This Writer Reads Oct 29, 2018
  • Oct 8, 2018 Empathy is Our Superpower! Oct 8, 2018
  • Oct 4, 2018 The Writer Hoard Oct 4, 2018

Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 5

The covers to The Cantos Chronicles are out! Swimming Sideways, The Ugly Truth and The Bones of Who We Are look glorious both online and in person, because guess what came in the mail this week!?!? The books. The reveal video is an agenda item for this coming week.

The cover reveals and the book trailer were the biggest agenda items for this fifth week on the Indie Marketing Journey. It was a giant mountain with several switch back hairpin turns, but we made it! Several days removed, I’m happy, hopeful and grateful for the reception of the covers and the trailer reinforcing the efforts I made this month, though gains will remain to be seen.

What else did I work on this week?

1. My March Newsletter has been written and scheduled. One of my goals with the newsletter is to make it beneficial for people to sign up, so I offer items that only subscribers are provided. This month my subscribers are automatically entered into the next giveaway promotion as well as receive a deleted scene from Swimming Sideways that didn’t make it into the final version. I hope that things like this provide subscribers with the “extra” they are looking for by being subscribers.

2. After making sure the March blitz is planned and ready, I’m in the process now of planning out the content for this coming month. If the first four weeks was about building the bond between readers and the characters of the books, this second four weeks will be about maintaining the connection, trying to create visibility, and generating excitement.

3. My social media goals have also shifted some. While I am maintaining my author support system on IG, I am activity working to connect with my target audience. Last week, I wrote about posting to wattpad unsure about the cost-benefit analysis, but I can provide anecdotal evidence that I have had more people reading. Has this translated to people interested in committing to The Cantos Chronicles? I’m not sure yet, but I am hopeful.

Are you enjoying the journey with me? What have you tried? What are you thinking about? Talk to me so I don’t fall asleep at the wheel. Be sure to leave a comment. Oh, and would you turn up that song on the car radio too: “Sunflower” by Post Malone and Swae Lee.

Next Week: Indie Author Marketing Update No. 6

CLWalters Blog RSS

• January 2025
  • Jan 17, 2025 Bring Back the Dystopian Craze of 2012 Jan 17, 2025
• July 2024
  • Jul 15, 2024 Imposter Syndrome: Tools for Authenticty Jul 15, 2024
• June 2024
  • Jun 1, 2024 June Read Along: In the Echo of this Ghost Town Jun 1, 2024
• March 2024
  • Mar 25, 2024 New Post on SubStack tomorrow! Mar 25, 2024
  • Mar 1, 2024 March Read Along: The Bone of Who We Are Mar 1, 2024
• January 2024
  • Jan 31, 2024 February Read Along: The Ugly Truth Jan 31, 2024
• December 2023
  • Dec 28, 2023 2024: Year of the Read Along Dec 28, 2023
• October 2023
  • Oct 25, 2023 Unhealthy Relationships and Romance Books Oct 25, 2023
  • Oct 25, 2023 Relationships: Isolation versus Autonomy Oct 25, 2023
  • Oct 22, 2023 Unhealthy Relationships: The Love Bomb Oct 22, 2023
  • Oct 22, 2023 Healthy Relationships: Hindsight is 20/20 Oct 22, 2023
  • Oct 22, 2023 Relationships: Beware Gaslighting Oct 22, 2023
• September 2023
  • Sep 25, 2023 Blog Digest from 2018-2023 Sep 25, 2023
• August 2023
  • Aug 26, 2023 Blog Moved to Substack Aug 26, 2023
• July 2023
  • Jul 31, 2023 The Trials of Imogene Sol: The Allies Jul 31, 2023
  • Jul 13, 2023 Foundational Books & Book Bans Jul 13, 2023
  • Jul 5, 2023 Tropes: Found Family Jul 5, 2023
• June 2023
  • Jun 21, 2023 3 Things I Learned About Reading Space Opera Jun 21, 2023
• May 2023
  • May 24, 2023 The Dangers of Myopic Reading May 24, 2023
  • May 17, 2023 My Trek...Journey...Quest to O'ahu Independent Bookstores May 17, 2023
  • May 10, 2023 My Life as an Alien Invader May 10, 2023
  • May 3, 2023 How I Got to Hawaiʻi, My Hawaiʻi Story May 3, 2023
• April 2023
  • Apr 26, 2023 You Can Go Home Again Apr 26, 2023
• March 2023
  • Mar 29, 2023 Cantos Love: Happy Anniversary! Mar 29, 2023
  • Mar 22, 2023 Cantos Love: Gabe Mar 22, 2023
  • Mar 15, 2023 Cantos Love: Seth Mar 15, 2023
  • Mar 8, 2023 Cantos Love: How They Came to Be Mar 8, 2023
  • Mar 1, 2023 Cantos Love: A Month of Cantos Mar 1, 2023
• January 2023
  • Jan 25, 2023 The Letters She Left Behind, 3 Years. Jan 25, 2023
  • Jan 18, 2023 Behind-the Scenes: The Trials of Imogene Sol Jan 18, 2023
  • Jan 11, 2023 Behind-the-Scenes: Reading & All My Rage Jan 11, 2023
• November 2022
  • Nov 16, 2022 Book Hangover List Nov 16, 2022
  • Nov 9, 2022 Advice: Find your People Nov 9, 2022
• October 2022
  • Oct 26, 2022 Contest Awarded Short Story: The Invalid Oct 26, 2022
  • Oct 13, 2022 The WHY Behind The Messy Truth About Love Oct 13, 2022
• June 2022
  • Jun 27, 2022 4 Things You Should Know about The Messy Truth About Love Before Reading Jun 27, 2022
• February 2022
  • Feb 2, 2022 February Ideals: Dreaming Feb 2, 2022
• December 2021
  • Dec 22, 2021 My Top 10 Songs (w/Lyrics) 2021 Dec 22, 2021
  • Dec 15, 2021 My Top 5 Characters I've Written Dec 15, 2021
  • Dec 1, 2021 My Top 5 of My Own Books Dec 1, 2021
• September 2021
  • Sep 1, 2021 Road to Echoes: 8 Tips for Using NaNoWriMo to Write Your Novel Sep 1, 2021
• August 2021
  • Aug 25, 2021 Road to Echoes: 4 Lessons I Learned Writing Maxwell Wallace Aug 25, 2021
  • Aug 18, 2021 Road to Echoes: Tropes Aug 18, 2021
  • Aug 11, 2021 The Road to Echoes: Loud Characters Aug 11, 2021
  • Aug 4, 2021 The Road to Echoes: Putting the Story Together Aug 4, 2021
• July 2021
  • Jul 28, 2021 The Road to Echoes: Research to Understand Griffin Jul 28, 2021
  • Jul 21, 2021 The Road to Echoes: Secondary Characters Primer Jul 21, 2021
  • Jul 14, 2021 The Road to Echoes: Writing Difficult Characters Jul 14, 2021
  • Jul 7, 2021 The Road of Echoes: What Inspired Griffin's Story? Jul 7, 2021
• June 2021
  • Jun 30, 2021 The Road of Echoes: New Blog Series Jun 30, 2021
• May 2021
  • May 26, 2021 Favorite Reads of 2021 So Far May 26, 2021
  • May 19, 2021 Cover Love May 19, 2021
  • May 12, 2021 Writing Limbo May 12, 2021
  • May 5, 2021 Writing In Between May 5, 2021
• April 2021
  • Apr 28, 2021 April Challenge: Update No. 4 Apr 28, 2021
  • Apr 21, 2021 April Challenge: Update No. 3 Apr 21, 2021
  • Apr 14, 2021 April Challenge: Update No. 2 Apr 14, 2021
  • Apr 7, 2021 April Challenge: Update No. 1 Apr 7, 2021
• March 2021
  • Mar 31, 2021 April Challenge: Finishing the Draft Mar 31, 2021
• February 2021
  • Feb 24, 2021 Character Speaks: Dear Paola, from Gabe Feb 24, 2021
  • Feb 17, 2021 Character Speaks: Dear Sam, from Seth Feb 17, 2021
  • Feb 10, 2021 Ask the Author: Advice for Newbie Writers? Feb 10, 2021
  • Feb 3, 2021 Ask the Author: What motivates you to write? Feb 3, 2021
• January 2021
  • Jan 27, 2021 Ask the Author: Series or Stand Alone? Jan 27, 2021
  • Jan 20, 2021 Ask the Author: Why did you choose to write YA? (Part 2) Jan 20, 2021
  • Jan 13, 2021 Ask the Author: Why did you choose to write YA? Jan 13, 2021
  • Jan 6, 2021 Ask the Author: Favorite Part of the Writing Process? Jan 6, 2021
• October 2020
  • Oct 16, 2020 Rainy Day Collective Podcast & Purity Culture Oct 16, 2020
  • Oct 14, 2020 The Stories Stars Tell: It's Here! Oct 14, 2020
• July 2020
  • Jul 1, 2020 Interview: Lauren-Marie with The Indigo Book Jul 1, 2020
• June 2020
  • Jun 24, 2020 This-Then-That: YA Dystopian and SciFi Edition Jun 24, 2020
  • Jun 17, 2020 This-Then-That: YA Contemporary Edition Jun 17, 2020
  • Jun 10, 2020 This-Then-That: YA Fantasy Edition Jun 10, 2020
• May 2020
  • May 27, 2020 Reading Wonderland Interview: Piper Bee May 27, 2020
  • May 20, 2020 Reading Wonderland Interview: Nancy Richardson Fischer May 20, 2020
  • May 13, 2020 Reading Wonderland Interview: Rob Rufus May 13, 2020
  • May 6, 2020 Reading Wonderland Interview: Lisa Brown Roberts May 6, 2020
• April 2020
  • Apr 29, 2020 Reading Wonderland: an Introduction Apr 29, 2020
  • Apr 22, 2020 Quarantine: 37 Days Apr 22, 2020
• March 2020
  • Mar 31, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Road Trip Wrap Up Mar 31, 2020
  • Mar 25, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 8 Mar 25, 2020
  • Mar 18, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 7 Mar 18, 2020
  • Mar 11, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 6 Mar 11, 2020
• February 2020
  • Feb 29, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 5 Feb 29, 2020
  • Feb 24, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 4 Feb 24, 2020
  • Feb 19, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 3 Feb 19, 2020
  • Feb 12, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 2 Feb 12, 2020
  • Feb 4, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: Update No. 1 Feb 4, 2020
• January 2020
  • Jan 29, 2020 Indie Author Marketing: A Hope and A Dream Jan 29, 2020
  • Jan 15, 2020 The Letters She Left Behind: It's here! Jan 15, 2020
• December 2019
  • Dec 18, 2019 The Letters She Left Behind: Character Interview Dec 18, 2019
  • Dec 11, 2019 The Letters She Left Behind: Annotated Playlist Dec 11, 2019
• October 2019
  • Oct 16, 2019 Awesome Writer Spotlight: Mary E. Pearson (again) Oct 16, 2019
  • Oct 7, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: Gratitude Oct 7, 2019
• September 2019
  • Sep 30, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: It's time. Sep 30, 2019
  • Sep 16, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: A Difficult Story Sep 16, 2019
  • Sep 9, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: Journey to Gabe Sep 9, 2019
• July 2019
  • Jul 8, 2019 The Bones of Who We Are: Aesthetic Jul 8, 2019
• May 2019
  • May 26, 2019 Time Away May 26, 2019
  • May 20, 2019 Writing Inspiration: Music May 20, 2019
  • May 13, 2019 Awesome Writer Spotlight: Mary E. Pearson May 13, 2019
  • May 6, 2019 Happy Book Birthday: A Character Interview May 6, 2019
  • May 1, 2019 The Letters She Left Behind PLAYLIST May 1, 2019
• April 2019
  • Apr 29, 2019 YA Author Series - Author Spotlight: Genevieve Jane Apr 29, 2019
  • Apr 15, 2019 YA Author Series - Author Spotlight: M. Wednesday Apr 15, 2019
  • Apr 8, 2019 YA Author Series - Author Spotlight: Leslie Arambula Apr 8, 2019
  • Apr 1, 2019 YA Author Series - Author Spotlight: Alison Aldridge Apr 1, 2019
• March 2019
  • Mar 25, 2019 YA Author Series Launch: CL Walters Mar 25, 2019
  • Mar 12, 2019 Book Mash-Up Fun Mar 12, 2019
  • Mar 4, 2019 Snappy Dialogue in 3 Minutes Mar 4, 2019
• February 2019
  • Feb 25, 2019 Pacing the Narrative: A New Tool Feb 25, 2019
  • Feb 18, 2019 Character and Conflict Part2: Motivation Feb 18, 2019
  • Feb 11, 2019 Character and Conflict, part one: Types of Conflict Feb 11, 2019
  • Feb 4, 2019 Point of View and Writing Feb 4, 2019
• January 2019
  • Jan 28, 2019 Off to Refill the Well . . . Jan 28, 2019
  • Jan 21, 2019 Character-Driven or Plot Driven Narrative? Jan 21, 2019
  • Jan 14, 2019 Character: Conversations Jan 14, 2019
• December 2018
  • Dec 3, 2018 The Ugly Truth: Cover Reveal and Playlist Dec 3, 2018
• October 2018
  • Oct 29, 2018 This Writer Reads Oct 29, 2018
  • Oct 8, 2018 Empathy is Our Superpower! Oct 8, 2018
  • Oct 4, 2018 The Writer Hoard Oct 4, 2018