Ana Manwaring and Fernando Leon Torrens will be attending the Guadalajara International Book Fair (Feria Internacional del Libro, FIL) from November 30 through December 5. Held at the Guadalajara Expo in Mexico, FIL is one of the most significant literary events in the Spanish-speaking world and draws publishers, literary agents, booksellers, and industry professionals from around the globe. During the event, Ana and Fernando will be meeting with rights agents and publishers

Negotiating with Reality November arrived carrying a clipboard. Not a sword. Not a flamethrower. Not a caffeinated raccoon in steampunk goggles. A clipboard. And on that clipboard was a list of things Reality would like to discuss. Apparently, I have reached the stage of the year where the universe feels I am ready for negotiations. I disagree. Reality disagrees with my disagreement. And so here we are. The first week of November has been a month of transitions. The Small Bit

Anthologies, Thankful Tales, and Cozy Literary Gatherings Hello again, dear readers! It's me, Quibble corners fluttering like falling leaves caught in a playful breeze, bookmark tail swishing with seasonal enthusiasm, and heart thumping like a well-loved novel being opened for the very first time. November has arrived, and ohhh, this month feels like a warm blanket wrapped around a stack of books. The air smells like cinnamon, coffee, pie crusts, and freshly turned pages. Ink

The Month That Looked at September and Said, "Hold my pumpkin spice." October didn't arrive. October kicked the door open, dumped half a year's worth of deadlines on the table, pointed dramatically at the calendar, and announced: "We're getting ahead for the holidays." And somehow... we did. Mostly. Possibly through caffeine. Possibly through sheer stubbornness. The jury is still out. The Great Year-End Push October marked the beginning of my annual attempt to convince Novemb

Lisa Towles Wins First Place at The BookFest Awards for The Weight of Cold Things Lisa Towles has received First Place in the Psychological Thriller category at the Fall 2026 BookFest Awards for her latest novel, The Weight of Cold Things. The BookFest is a twice-yearly virtual literary event that brings readers, authors, and publishing professionals together, with awards recognizing outstanding fiction and nonfiction across a wide range of genres. Books undergo a three-stage

How Ethical Publishers Support Authors Without Overstepping or Exploiting Overview Ethical hybrid publishing requires more than transparency — it requires boundaries. October’s insight explores how ethical service providers support authors without upselling, coercing, or inserting themselves into decisions that belong to the author. Clear service boundaries protect autonomy, prevent exploitation, and ensure that hybrid publishing remains a partnership rather than a power imba

Metal Viper Audiobook Now Available — Free Listener Copies! Sarah Lovett and Ron Schultz’s gripping thriller Metal Viper, Book One in the Kae Zhang Series, has officially launched in audiobook format and it’s now available to stream on Spotify. This story has already captured readers with its sharp writing, emotional depth, and high‑stakes suspense. Now listeners can dive into the world of Kae Zhang, and the dangerous forces closing in around them, brought to life through a p

The Illusion of Organization October didn’t just arrive... it materialized like a smug stage magician in a velvet coat, twirling a wand and whispering, “Behold… the illusion of organization.” And honestly? It’s right. With a house of more than eighty authors scattered across the country and around the world, “orderly” is not the order of the day. It never has been. It never will be. At this point, I’m convinced the universe hands out chaos like party favors. I started the mon

Spooky Shenanigans, Literary Mischief, and Autumn Antics Hello again, dear readers! It’s me, Quibble — corners fluttering like startled bats, bookmark tail swishing in dramatic slow-motion, and heart thumping like a haunted typewriter that absolutely knows more than it’s telling. October has arrived, and ohhh, this month is a deliciously eerie buffet of bookish joy. The air smells like cinnamon, crisp leaves, and freshly opened paperbacks. Inkrealm is glowing with autumn magi

Art, Literature, and the Persistence of Voice The program combines a curated selection from approximately 100 original Polish film posters created during Poland’s Communist era with a reading from my forthcoming novel, All There Is to Know, followed by an audience conversation about censorship, creativity, and the persistence of artistic expression. The Polish posters emerged from an extraordinary contradiction. Artists were working in a society where political censorship res

The Month That Looked at August and Said, “Hold my goggles and parasol.” September didn’t stroll in so much as it clanked, hissed, and steam‑vented its way into existence, dragging a heatwave behind it like an overly dramatic stagehand. The Steampunk Festival in Hannibal, MO was supposed to be whimsical, quirky, and full of brass gears and goggles — and it was — but it also decided to cosplay as the inside of a malfunctioning boiler. Friday hit 116 degrees. Saturday hit 120.

How Author Networks, Shared Expertise, and Collaborative Ecosystems Create Long‑Term Success Overview Community is one of the most powerful, and most overlooked, forces in modern publishing. September’s insight explores how author networks, shared expertise, and collaborative ecosystems create resilience, visibility, and long‑term success. Transparent hybrid publishing thrives when authors support one another, share knowledge, and grow together. Community isn’t an accessory t

Running on Coffee and Chaos September didn’t just arrive — it lunged into the room like a caffeinated raccoon wearing steampunk goggles and demanding attention. I thought I was prepared. I had a plan. A real plan. A tidy little roadmap that said, “This month will be manageable.” September took one look at that plan, snorted, and said, “Adorable. Anyway…” Because this month? This month has been fueled entirely by coffee, chaos, and temperatures that violated several laws of na

Shadows of Deceit praised as “brilliantly written” and “impossible to put down” Timothy R. Baldwin’s debut in the Cassie Maddox Mystery series, Shadows of Deceit, has earned a Bronze Medal in the Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest, adding another accolade to a novel already celebrated for its sharp suspense and compelling characters. The honor follows a five-star review from Readers’ Favorite reviewer Alma Boucher, who praised the book’s tension, pacing, and e

Preserving History, Illuminating Humanity Today we’re delighted to welcome Nancy Finston to the Indies United family — a writer whose work bridges the meticulous preservation of history with the deep exploration of human character. Based in Northern California, Nancy brings both precision and heart to her craft, uncovering the overlooked stories, memories, and legacies that shape our lives across generations. Drawing on her background in corporate America, Nancy writes with p

Stories of Home, Heart, and the Quiet Truths That Shape Us Today we’re delighted to welcome a new voice to the Indies United family — L. P. Arnold, an author whose work carries the unmistakable weight of lived experience, deep roots, and the kind of storytelling that feels like coming home. Arnold’s journey has taken him from the beautiful Missouri Ozarks to the small town charm of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, and onward through a life of service, grit, and community. A former fed

Historical Hijinks, Steampunk Shenanigans, and Autumn Adventures Hello again, dear readers! It’s me, Quibble — corners fluttering like crisp autumn leaves caught in a mischievous breeze, bookmark tail swishing with scholarly enthusiasm, and heart thumping like a typewriter warming up for a dramatic monologue. September has arrived, and ohhh, this month feels like stepping into a story that’s been waiting centuries to be told. The air smells like old maps, fresh notebooks, and

The Month That Looked at July and Said, “Hold my iced coffee.” August didn’t stroll in. It sauntered, with that smug little “I have plans” expression it always wears. And oh, it had plans. Between anniversaries, birthdays, wildlife encounters, and the usual publishing pandemonium, the month was loud, busy, emotional, and just a little sparkly around the edges. So… a typical month, really. Indies United Anniversary Shenanigans On August 12th, Indies United celebrated another y

We’re thrilled to share some exciting news from one of our long‑time Indies United authors, H. Max Hiller. This October, Max will be heading to Kansas City as an official vendor at the Heartland Book Festival — and this isn’t just any acceptance. Out of more than one hundred applicants, only twenty‑two were selected, and Max earned one of those coveted spots. The Heartland Book Festival is a celebration of storytelling, creativity, and community, bringing together readers and

Why Creative Control and Decision‑Making Power Define Ethical Publishing Overview Author autonomy is the cornerstone of ethical hybrid publishing. August’s insight explores how creative freedom, production independence, and decision‑making power shape an author’s long‑term success. Transparent hybrid models thrive because they empower authors to control their work, their process, and their career — without sacrificing the support of a professional house. Key Takeaways Autonom