Frequently Asked Questions

Shop Information

Are the physical books signed?

Yes!

All physical book orders are fulfilled by me, and are signed.

If you want the book personalized when I sign it, just make sure to put a note in your order comments!

How are my eBooks delivered?

My eBooks are fulfilled and delivered through BookFunnel.

When you place your order, you will get:

  1. A confirmation email from me
  2. An email from help@bookfunnel.com with your ebook download.

From the BookFunnel email, you'll be able to download the eBook to your preferred eReader of choice.

If you need more assistance getting your ebook to the device of your choice, reply to the email from help@bookfunnel.com and they'd be happy to assist!

How can I read the eBook?

Through BookFunnel, you're able to read on:

  • BookFunnel app available on Apple and Android
  • Kindle eReaders after 2015
  • Nook eReaders after 2014
  • Kobo eReaders (apart from Kobo Aura)
  • Apple Books on iPads, iPhones
  • Android Tablets and Phones
  • Your computer using Chrome or Firefox browser

You also have the option to have the ePUB file emailed to you, and from there you can manually load it onto the device of your choice.

If you have problems getting the book to your device of choice, please reply to the delivery email and the good people at help@bookfunnel.com will help you out!

Is there a download limit for eBooks?

Yes.

You can download the book once, and you have 14 days after you receive the email from BookFunnel before the download link will expire.

If you need to download it again, or you're not able to download it within the 14 day timeframe, please email me and I'll work with BookFunnel to get you a new link.

How do your preorders work?

Preorders will charge your payment method at checkout, and then once the book is ready, the order will be fulfilled on release day.

Physical preorders will begin shipping out the week before release day, with the hope it will arrive in time for release day.

eBook and audiobook preorders are automatically fulfilled at midnight EST on release day. You will get an email from help@bookfunnel.com with your preorder and the download link.

Do you ship internationally?

I am working on this! Currently, I ship to the US, Mexico, Canada, and the European Union.

I'm working with my accountant to be able to sell to the UK, Australia & New Zealand. VAT rules are complicated, so please be patient.

Once it's all ready, I'll make an announcement!

Why are some items in my order shipping separately?

I use Printful, a third-party dropshipping company, to fulfill and ship all apparel and the stickers on my site. I fulfill and ship all prints and books myself. If your order includes a combination of these items, your items may ship in separate packages. You will receive tracking information for all packages.

Book Information

Do I need to read the Seas of Caladhan duology in order?

Yes! Please yes.

If you just read book 2 you're going to be very, very confused.

Book 1: The Syren's Mutiny

Book 2: The Captain's Revenge

How do you pronounce (insert name or location)?

Most of my world building and language is based on Gaelic, and particularly Scottish Gaelic.

You can find a pronunciation guide in the front of all of my books (so if you're on an eReader, be sure to scroll back to the front matter).

You can also head to the Bonus Content page to see the pronunciation guide there as well.

Where did you get your inspiration from for your books?

Almost all of my insipiration starts with mythology, folklore, or legends.

The Syren's Mutiny began as a mashup retelling of The Little Mermaid and Peter Pan, tied together with a bow of Pirates of the Carribean and Celtic mythology. It took on a life of its own as we continued, but these core elements are still very prevalent and noticeable.

Hollowed is a bit more straightforward. It's a retelling of Sleepy Hollow, but my Headless Horseman is inspired by the Irish version of the myth of the Dullahan.

Are your books Young Adult or Adult?

The Syren's Mutiny duology is new adult fantasy romance.

My upcoming project, Hollowed, is new adult gothic fantasy.

New Adult is a transition genre between YA (young adult) and Adult. It typically targets readers age 16-25, and it features characters that are exploring being "new" to being adults and are typically aged 18-25.

New Adult books tend to explore darker themes more directly and more explicitly than YA books, and also tend to have more explicit romantic content, though that is not a requirement.

My books are appropriate for upper YA readers 15-16+ (which is why they are featured in teen categories on several retailers), or for adult readers.

If there are questions about any potentially inappropriate content in my books, please check the Tropes, Tags, and Triggers section on each book's information page. I take great care in extensively listing any potentially triggering or inappropraite content.

What genre are your books?

The Syren's Mutiny duology is fantasy romance.

This means that both the fantasy and the romance plots are important to the overall plot of the book. The book would not be the same without the romance aspect.

My upcoming project, Hollowed, is gothic fantasy, but has a romance subplot.

The romance is not the key plot point in Hollowed, though it does play an important role. That said, I wouldn't classify Hollowed as fantasy romance.

My books are also considered Fantasy Action & Adventure, and fall into the Myths & Legends & Folklore genre as well.

How spicy/smutty are your books?

Not very!

I'm not saying they're not at all, because both books have 1 explicit/detailed spicy scene, as well as heavy kissing.

I use the Romantic Content Rating Scale to categorize my books. This system is a scale of 1-10. My books fall on the 4-6 range, if that helps.

My husband describes my books in terms of spicy chicken nuggets, but the concept is the same. He dubs them 1 or 2 spicy nuggets.

I don't plan on ever writing anything beyond a level 6 on the RCRS scale, and actually, my upcoming books will be even lower on spice, like a 3-4.

I'm not the author you want if you're looking for smut, I'm sorry!

Will your books be released in audiobook?

Yes!

The audiobook for The Syren's Mutiny is currently available for preorder and will release June 5th!

The audiobook for The Captain's Revenge is currently in production. I do not have an anticipated release date for this yet.

Will your books be translated into my language?

Translations are very difficult for self-published authors, as they cost a lot of money up front.

The best way to get my books translated in your language is to tell a local publishing house in your country about me and my books!

That said, I am working on the following translations:

  • Italian - through Saga Edizioni, estimated release in 2024
  • Spanish (publisher and details TBA)

Will your books ever be in Kindle Unlimited?

No, they won't be.

Kindle Unlimited requires authors to have their eBooks be exclusive to Amazon, and for both personal and financial reasons, I'm not comfortable with that.

If you are looking for a subscription reading service similar to KU, I encourage you to check out Kobo Plus.

My books are also available via library-style sites like Scribd and Hoopla, and are available to request from your local library via Overdrive and Libby.

I also run sales often on multiple ebook platforms.

If price or accessibility is a concern for you, please email me and we can work out a solution!

Where can I buy your books?

You can buy my books at all major book retailers, as well as right here on my website!

I sell eBooks, audiobooks, and physical books direct here, but you can also go to the book information pages (not the sales pages) and find the links to all other retailers.

My books are also available to request from your local library. Just tell the librarians you'd like them to order me!

Where should I buy so you benefit the most?

Buying direct from the author will always benefit them the most, but I would much prefer that you buy from the retailer that's most convienent for you.

Will you write more books in The Syren's Mutiny world?

Maybe! I have a prequel novella in the works that will focus on Brigid's early years with the syrens.

I do have ideas for spin-off stories as well, but only if there's interest and time.

Will you write a Kyla/Cam book?

No, I will not.

To write a Kyla/Cam story, I would be writing from the point of view of a black woman, and that's not something I'm comfortable with.

Black authors already have to struggle for space in publishing, and I won't take up their space by writing a black FMC.

I am comfortable writing Kyla as a character, but writing her story is not my place as a white woman.

That said, I love Cam and Kyla together and will for the rest of my days!

Will there be special editions of The Captain's Revenge?

I hope so! I had 2 special editions of The Syren's Mutiny, one through Fabled Co and one through Obsidian Moon Crate. I'm not actively in talks with either for special editions of TCR, but I would love to get matching editions done.

What are you writing after the Seas of Caladhan duology is finished?

I have a lot of ideas for future projects, but my next book will be Hollowed: A Sleepy Hollow Retelling.

You can learn more about it here, and stay tuned for a cover reveal and release announcement in the summer.

Do you have a street team or an ARC team?

Not yet, but I'm actively working on building both!

Subscribe to my newsletter to get first dibs on the application once it's ready!

Who designed your covers?

The Syren's Mutiny & The Captain's Revenge - Moonpress Design

Hollowed - Cover Dungeon

Who is your editor?

I've used a variety of editors for all my books, and you can see the specific editors on the copyright page of each book.

Largely, I recommend and use Earley Editing LLC.

What events/signings will you be at?

My schedule for 2024 is still being finalized, but so far I will be at:

  • Imaginarium Book Festival - June 7-8, 2024
  • Authors in the Bluegrass - October 2024

Check my Events page for all the details and the most up to date information.

Author/Publishing Information

How do you get started self-publishing?

It's a very involved process, but the first step is to write your book! Then, research things like: editing, formatting, cover design, distribution options, and marketing. Take your time while you figure it out.

Where do you publish through?

I use a combination of direct publishing and aggregators.

In addition to selling all formats of my books here on my website, I also publish via:

Physical Books:

I publish directly to IngramSpark and they are a POD distributor that reaches retailers and libraries.

You also have the option to publish directly to Amazon KDP or Barnes & Noble Press, or to use aggregator/distributor Draft2Digital's new print distribution option.

eBooks:

I publish eBooks directly to: KDP, Kobo, Barnes & Noble Press, and Google Play.

To reach other marketplaces, I use the aggregator/distributor Draft2Digital.

Audiobooks:

I publish directly to Kobo (where I also reach Overdrive), and ACX (non-exclusive option).

I use the aggregator distributor Findaway Voices to reach other audiobook marketplaces.

When should I start marketing my book?

Whenever you feel reasonably confident that you're going to go through with publishing it.

If this is your very first book, I would wait until you've at least written the full first draft. I also recommend still filming and jotting down content while you're writing that first draft to use later.

Once you're sure it's actually going to happen (so you don't get people's hopes up), go for it! Start marketing!

What's the best way to market my books?

That depends on a lot of things, including: are you KU or wide, your genre, and your goals

However, the best way to market is the way that means you will actually go through with marketing. If that's only marketing on Facebook and not using TikTok or Instagram at all, that's fine. Do what you know you can do consistently.

What is Wide v. KU? Which one should I do?

Wide simply means that your book is available wherever you can publish it. For eBooks, that typically means publishing on sites like Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Google Play, Smashwords, and others.

KU means that your eBook is enrolled in Amazon's KDP Select program, meaning that your eBook has to be exclusively available on Amazon.

As for which you should do...that's a very personal decision.

Check out this blog post for more details on the differences and what to consider when making the decision.

How do I go wide?

This an extremely detailed topic, so I will give you some resources and some general tips, and in the meantime I will work on a blog post and when it's done, I'll link it here.

Resources:

  • Wide for the Win Facebook Group (start with the Tree of Wisdom in the Featured Posts) or Circle Group
  • Wide for the Win book
  • Book a consult with expert Skye Mackinnon
  • Book a consult or take a class with expert Erin Wright (use affiliate code JESS to save on your first class or consult)
  • Talk to other wide authors

General Tips:

  • BE PATIENT. Wide is a long game. Give it at least 6-9 months before you make any decisions.
  • Understand that what worked in KU will probably not work for wide. They're different readers.
  • When you link to your book, use a universal link like books2read.com or a landing page on your website. Give your readers ALL the options to choose from.
  • Joint promo with other wide authors, not KU authors. Your readership doesn't really overlap.
  • If you have long series or lots of books out, look into permafree strategies.
  • You don't have to be all or nothing. You can have some of your series in KU and some of them wide.
  • GET ORGANIZED. Please, please, get organized if you plan to go wide. There's a lot of moving parts and you will overlook something if you're not organized.

If you have specific questions, I am always more than happy to tell you what I can!

Do I need a newsletter?

Yes, if you want to have any semblance of control over your readership data. Social media is remarkably unpredictable. Sites can go down, accounts can get banned, trends change...but newsletters give you the control. Those emails are yours to collect and you control the content you send out.

That said, you don't have to go all out. Start simple, and build as you can. MailerLite has a free plan that works fantastically and is free up to 1,000 subscribers.

Check out this post for more info.

Do I need a website?

You need something. While you may not need a website as elaborate as mine, you at least need a linktree-esque platform to put in your social media bios that can direct people where to buy your books and find you. Even if it's just a free linktree plan with the link to your Amazon listing, and then the links to your other social media accounts, that's fine! But don't make it difficult for your readers to find your book. They will give up.

Should I be on (insert social media platform here)?

Not necessarily. Forcing yourself to be on social media platforms you don't enjoy is a recipe for resentment and burn out. If you don't like social media at all, marketing will be a bit harder, but it is still possible.

I recommend picking 1-2 social media platforms you genuinely enjoy (or at least, don't despise) and focus on those. You don't have to do everything.

Will you read my book and provide feedback?

While I'd love to say yes, I am not a good person to ask. I'm unreliable at best due to mental and physical health issues and the fact that I work a very demanding day job still. You can find much more qualified beta readers or critique partners than me. That said, if you'd still like me to take a peek or chat about your book with you, I'd be happy to! Shoot me an email or a DM on Instagram.

Do you offer author services still?

I am doing author services on an extremely limited basis.

Since becoming an author myself, and getting a promotion at my day job, I just don't have the time to take on new full time author clients.

I still work with a couple clients that I'll never let go, though (*cough Aleera cough*)

If you have questions or would like to inquire about working with me for a specific project, please shoot me an email and I have a plethora of PA friends I can refer you to!

My services right now include:

- Setting up Street/ARC teams

- Graphics creation

- Guidance/support on going wide or uploading to Ingram Spark

How do you make your marketing graphics?

I use Canva Pro to make nearly all of my promotional material, including reels and TikToks.

For stock images and videos, I always look for those licensed for commercial use and use both Canva Pro content, and Envato Elements.

Envato Elements has stock images, videos, sounds, and fonts available. to use for commercial purposes with a single subscription fee for your license. I highly recommend it if you plan to use a lot of images in your promotion!

Just make sure you have permission to use any images for commercial purposes. And Pinterest images are. a no-go.

How do you get invited to author events?

  • Follow similar authors and see where they're going
  • Join the Author Events Around the World on Facebook

Once you find some you think you'd like to attend, find their website and look for an interest form. Keep. in mind that you may be 1) too late, or 2) put on a waiting list.

Most multi-author conventions begin inviting authors to attend about a year in advance or more.

Personal/Miscellaneous Information

What are your favorite books?

Kate Daniels series - Ilona Andrews

Hidden Legacy series - Ilona Andrews

Mercy Thompson series - Patricia Briggs

The Hollow - Jessica Verday

Sea of Ruin - Pam Godwin

The Bridge Kingdom - Danielle L. Jensen

A Dance With Fire - Aleera Anaya Ceres

Hall of Smoke - H.M. Long

Daughter of the Pirate King - Tricia Levenseller

A Touch of Darkness - Scarlett St. Clair

A Cursed Kiss- Jenny Hickman

All the Stars and Teeth - Adalyn Grace

Shadow Grove Universe - Tate James

Who are authors you look up to?

Ilona Andrews, Scarlett St. Clair, Aleera Anaya Ceres, Adalyn Grace

What's your favorite color?

Pink.

Why did you decide to self-publish?

I'm a control freak.

Technically, my therapist calls it Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder, but control freak is just as accurate.

The idea of not having control over things and having to rely on someone else if there's an issue makes me physically itchy.

Have Other Questions?

Have a question that I didn't answer above? Shoot me an email or fill out my contact form!