Tag: SPAAW

Spreading the Self-Pub Love in 2025 with Livia J. Elliot

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On July 22, 2025

In Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '25 Banner
I had so much fun with this last year (and grew my TBR–plus a few others’), that I’m bringing it back. In the spirit of “a rising tide lifts all boats,” for Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week I wanted to give some Self-Published authors a chance to spread some love.

(They also get to do a bit of self-promotion, I mean, c’mon, it’s hard out here…)
Spreading the Self-Pub Love in 20205 with Livia J. Elliot

An Elevator Pitch for Something You Love
Cover for The Scroungers by Thomas J. Devens

The Scroungers by Thomas J. Devens

The Lords have fallen. It was the war to end all wars. Violence had plagued the Fractured Kingdoms since the fall of the Old Empire. But as the generals and the lords died in the Valley of Torglen, the folk looked beyond their allegiances. Beyond their nations.

Dark, grim, and written in a concise, no-nonsense prose that’s both moody and mood-setting. Perfect for fans of Abercrombie.

My Elevator Pitches by Livia J. Elliot

Cover of The Genesis of Change by Livia J. Elliot
The Genesis of Change: Two alchemists, each sent on a mission by the leader of The Orders—The Rector. Élan must shatter their mentee’s humanity to train her as an alchemist, while Verve must define the unexplainable existing within a respected healer. When their missions reveal clues that could reformulate alchemy, they’ll edge closer to fathom The Rector’s goal while facing an endless conundrum—to remain as is, or to learn and adapt. The genesis of change is near.

Cover of Dance With Me by Livia J. Elliot
Dance With Me: In a world of beauty, a ceramic-made ballerina awakens atop her music box. She must dance for her elven owners, and so her ballet goes on and on. They praise her elegance, her poise and balance, until one day she falls and her ceramic fractures—but the ballerina dances again, ignoring her ever-increasing fissures. The music plays, captivating and demanding… but should she dance? Even when what she once loved becomes a trap?

About this Author
Livia J. Elliot writes dark fantasy with themes centred around struggle, control, identity, and bias. She’s the lead writer of Unearthed Stories, an app publishing interactive fantasy and sci-fi for adult readers. Livia also hosts the podcast Books Undone, featuring literary analyses of speculative fiction. She’s based in Australia, and currently releasing two series: Records of the Order (philosophical dark fantasy) and Tales of the Bookshelves (literary fantasy).

Twitter ~ Substack

Be sure to check out The Scroungers, The Genesis of Change and Dance with Me, let’s show them all some love!

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Footer

Image by Dawn Hudson/Prawny from PublicDomainPictures.net
The 2025 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

HC Chats About the Business Side of Self-Publishing with Tom Bookbeard

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On July 21, 2025

In Blog Series, HC Chats, Miscellany, News/Misc., Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week, Writing

Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '25 Banner
HC sat down with podcaster and almost-debut author Tom Bookbeard to talk about the business side of Self-Publishing.

You can (and should) learn more about Tom and check out his reviews, podcast, etc. at:
Secret Scribes
Tom Bookbeard | FanFiAddict
The Four Beardsmen of the Bookpocalypse

Also, be sure to see his contribution to Spreading the Self-Pub Love in 2025!

Spreading the Self-Pub Love in 2025 with Tom Bookbeard

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On July 21, 2025

In Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '25 Banner
I had so much fun with this last year (and grew my TBR–plus a few others’), that I’m bringing it back. In the spirit of “a rising tide lifts all boats,” for Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week I wanted to give some Self-Published authors a chance to spread some love.

(They also get to do a bit of self-promotion, I mean, c’mon, it’s hard out here…)
Spreading the Self-Pub Love in 20205 with Tom Bookbeard(A returning guest!)

An Elevator Pitch for Something You Love
Cover for Where Blood Runs Gold by A.C. Cross

Where Blood Runs Gold by A.C. Cross

Red Dead Redemption meets Bone Tomahawk, starring the Punisher.

A.C. Cross always takes me on a wild ride no matter what genre he’s writing in. But Where Blood Runs Gold feels like his highlight reel book. I reviewed this book for FanFiAddict in January this year after criminally allowing it to sit on my TBR for ages. Reviewing the Weird Western “Where Blood Runs Gold” by A.C. Cross.

My Elevator Pitch by Tom Bookbeard

Cover to be Revealed
The Corsair: Jim Hawkins sides with the pirates instead. And the ships can fly.

My debut novel is coming soon …

About this Author
I like books, I have a beard; I’m Tom Bookbeard. Former chef, now a podcast host, a writer of fantasy stories about sky pirates and TTRPG nerd.

Secret Scribes ~ Tom Bookbeard | FanFiAddict ~ The Four Beardsmen of the Bookpocalypse

Be sure to check out Tom Bookbeard’s activities and Where Blood Runs Gold, let’s show them both some love!

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Footer

Image by Dawn Hudson/Prawny from PublicDomainPictures.net
The 2025 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

Spreading the Self-Pub Love in 2025 with K. Q. Watson

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On July 21, 2025

In Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '25 Banner
I had so much fun with this last year (and grew my TBR–plus a few others’), that I’m bringing it back. In the spirit of “a rising tide lifts all boats,” for Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week I wanted to give some Self-Published authors a chance to spread some love.

(They also get to do a bit of self-promotion, I mean, c’mon, it’s hard out here…)
Spreading the Self-Pub Love in 20205 with K. Q. Watson
I’m bending the rules a little bit here, Watson describes herself as “unfamiliar with other self published works.” Which makes her a great person to start the week with–Self-Published Author Appreciation Week’s purpose is to celebrate and spread the word about self-published authors, right? So here’s a chance to get her familiar with some–either from her inclusion in this series (and I hope she checks out later installments) or through comments here.

My Elevator Pitch by K. Q. Watson

Cover of Clipped by K. Q. Watson
Clipped is the story of Zak, an engineer up in the Heavens, where the Exalted reign over Earth. After his son is born without wings, and cast from the Heavens, Zak chooses to sacrifice his own wings and fall to earth.

There, he must live as a mortal among mortals in a world ruined by corruption and sin. As he fights to find his place in this new existence, he is confronted by deadly angel hunters, false prophets, and cities of hedonism and blasphemy.

In his travels he comes across a conspiracy that could bring down the Heavens and make every exalted Angel above fall to the hell on earth below.

About this Author
K. Q. Watson is the cyborg that you don’t take home to meet your parents. She looks innocuous and gentle, but there are oodles of satanic death metal songs continually playing in her head. Sometimes, when she’s all alone, she thinks back to some of her favourite episodes of Intervention and the best scenes from The People Under the Stairs.

She writes because what else is she going to do, let’s be real here.

One legged Canadian who likes The Dark Crystal more than she will ever like you.

The characters in her head keep her sane.

Website ~ Kit.com ~ Bluesky ~ TikTok

Be sure to check out Clipped and show it some love!

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Footer

Image by Dawn Hudson/Prawny from PublicDomainPictures.net
The 2025 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

Spreading the Self-Pub Love This Week

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On July 21, 2025

In Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

(updated and modified 7/21/25)
Self-Published Author Appreciation Week '25 Banner. Banner has a gray bird on a black disk. Around the disk are the words, 'Self Published Authors Appreciation Week.' In the top left corner, it says, 'July 21-27, 2025.' In the bottom right corner it says, '#SPAAW'

Once again, it’s Self-Published Author Appreciation Week. This year, I’m all about spreading the love for self-published works…

This is our annual tribute to those authors who take it all on themselves–all the work, all the risks, all the costs, and all the (too small) rewards. They’re the independents, the mavericks, the risk-takers, those who won’t let their creative vision be reined in by others, they’re out there doing things on their own (with a small group of others they’ve teamed up with on their own). These are the Mal Reynoldses of the Literary World.

Really, every week on this blog is Author Appreciation Week, but you can see why we’re eager to take one week to focus on the Self-Pub warriors among them, right? I want to throw out my appreciation as well to Jodie of Witty & Sarcastic Book Club who started this some time back, and keeps it going.

How am I going to show my appreciation/love this year? Well, hopefully, I’ll be able to find the time to write posts about some recent self-published reads of mine and some great lists of Self-Published books I’ve read already for you to check out (this honestly doesn’t seem likely, but here’s hoping!). I will, of course, have my annually updated lists of Self-Published works by Genre that I’ve talked about on this site. I will also have four quick(ish) videos talking with some Self-Published Authors about the Business-side of Self-Publishing (more on that later today)

But the big focus this year is on Spreading the Self-Pub Love (see the title of this post). I enjoyed doing it last year, and wanted to do it again. The Number One thing that Self-Published Authors need are readers to appreciate them–and who better to recommend some than other self-published authors? So I’ve asked some to drop by and recommend a self-published book that deserves more eyeballs. (you’ll note that some of these authors couldn’t/wouldn’t limit themselves to one…such mavericks).

The featured posts this week will come from some names familiar to readers of this blog, and a good number of new names (hopefully they’ll pop up enough to be familiar to you soon):

JCM Berne
Tom Bookbeard
A.J. Calvin
Thomas J Devens
Livia J. Elliot
Shannon Knight
James T. Lambert		 David T. List
Vanessa Ricci-Thode
Michael Michel
DB Rook
Ben Schenkman
K. Q. Watson

Stick around and see what they recommend, and have to offer themselves!

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Footer

The 2025 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

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