End of the Month Chaos, February Edition

February came in like a caffeinated squirrel and left like… well, a caffeinated squirrel that found the espresso machine. It was short, it was loud, it was chaotic, and somehow I still got things done. Mostly. Probably. Let’s not look too closely.

Publishing Mayhem & Milestones

February was a lively month around Indies United, the good kind of lively, the kind that means things are happening, people are creating, and the house is humming.

We wrapped up our Small Bites Contest at the end of January and are now deep in the delicious chaos of reading submissions. Winners will be announced in March, and the talent this year is fierce in the best possible way.

Our Inklight Festival lineup expanded again, with a new speaker joining the roster and a full walkthrough of the venue completed. Seeing the space in person sparked all kinds of ideas, it’s going to be an event worth remembering.

We also continued building out our immersive book experiences, adding more personalized music pairings to titles across the catalog. Because if a book can have a vibe, it deserves a soundtrack.

New books moved through the pipeline, fresh voices joined our community, and our authors kept putting out work that makes us proud to stand behind them. The house is growing, the catalog is evolving, and the momentum is real.

Community Moments

This month carried a heavier emotional weight as we honored Robert Emery’s legacy. His memorial page is now live on the site, a small but heartfelt tribute to someone who shaped our community in ways that will echo for years.

My Writing Life (a.k.a. The Personal Chaos Corner)

I kept my Thursday writing ritual alive, even when the universe tried to derail it with surprise tasks, platform changes, and the occasional “why is this happening” moment. Words were written. Stories moved forward. And yes, there were Thursdays where the effort was made but thwarted, and that counts. But I’m still hopeful I will have the third book in my series completed before the end of the year.

Tech Gremlins & Workflow Shenanigans

Microsoft decided to play 52‑Pickup with my creative workflow this month, so I spent a few days rebuilding systems, rituals, and memory structures to keep everything running smoothly. Adaptation achieved. Grace optional. There may have been a few heartfelt vexed exclamations made during the process.

Looking Ahead

March is already peeking around the corner with that “I have plans” look. Thriller/Suspense Month is coming, the newsletter is brewing, and I have a stack of stories that are politely (and not‑so‑politely) demanding attention.

Chaos continues. But so do I.

Yours in caffeinated solidarity,

Lisa

(Director of Narrative Operations)