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This regular post from the Alliance of Independent Authors celebrates successes big and small from across our members as inspiration for all our indie author community. This month, our Member Milestones for April 2024 celebrates a Selfie Award win, two debut novelists, a finalist place in a writing contest and participation in literary festivals.
A big congratulations to those featured in this month's roundup: J.F.Penn, Sophia Raz, Jack Holt, Emma Stevens, Dave Palmer and Jeff Probst.
Do you have a member milestone to share?
We are always looking to hear from our members about your achievements; from those of you who are just setting out, to our most experienced Authorpreneurs. Whatever your achievement, if you are a Member of ALLi, please tell us about your recent success stories using this form. We will share a selection of stories each month with our members and our wider indie author network.
J.F. Penn
Authorpreneur Member: J.F. Penn
J.F. Penn is the Award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, dark fantasy, crime, horror, and travel memoir. You can follow Joanna on Instagram: @jfpennauthor or on X: @thecreativepenn
Member Milestone:
Winner of the Selfie Award for Best Non-Fiction/ Memoir at London Book Fair for Pilgrimage: Lessons Learned from Solo Walking Three Ancient Ways.
This is a very personal book about a difficult time in my life. It took years to write, and it's my first memoir. I've been an indie author for 15 years, and this is the first award I have won as J.F. Penn, so I am thrilled!
What have you learned?
If you want to win an award, you have to enter them — but first, write the book of your heart and you'll be a winner regardless!
Sophia Raz
Author Member: Sophia Raz
Author of Mafia Romance books. You can follow Sophia on Instagram: @sophia_raz_author, on Facebook: @sophiarazwriter or on TikTok: @sophiarazauthor.
Member Milestone:
I published my very first book on March 1st. I am also in the process of negotiating for translation rights to my book! Last year I did not know anything about writing a book. In August I sat down and wrote a book for myself. I finished it in one month. I learned everything I could. Enrolled in courses. Hired competent professionals such as editors, and proofreaders and I got it published by March 1st. I don't know if it is a huge success. But I got out of my comfort zone and asked some bookstagrammers to ARC read my book. They loved it and it was quite a success on social media, at least it was for me. This in turn got my book under the eye of a publishing company and now I am talking to them about translating my books.
What have you learned?
Where there is a will, there is a way.
Jack Holt
Authorpreneur Member: Jack Holt
Jack Holt can be found researching “the forgotten people of history's mysteries”. You can find Jack on Facebook at @JackHoltauthor or on LinkedIn.
Member Milestone:
My milestone is that I am a finalist in the Wishing Shelf adult fiction contest for 2024. This is my first finalist ranking writing historical fiction mystery/thrillers.
What have you learned?
Be persistent!
Emma Stevens
Author Member: Emma Stevens
Author of two self-published memoirs, The Gathering Place: An Adopter's Story and A Fire is Coming. Currently working on book number three. You can find Emma on Facebook: @emmastevensauthor or by looking her up on Instagram or TikTok.
Member Milestone:
Taking part in the Indie Author 2024 Tucson Festival of Books. I am proud because it feels wonderful to have manifested both of my books into being and to now be recognized for the achievement.
What have you learned?
I have learnt that writing to heal is a real thing and it's changed the course of my life for the better.
Dave Palmer
Author Member: Dave Palmer
Independent crime fiction author, living in London. You can find Dave on Facebook: @davepalmerauthor or X: @david_kingridge.
Member Milestone:
My first book, a Danny Mason crime thriller will be released on the 28th of March this month. This has been an almost two year journey “working” alongside a “hybrid” publisher (don't ask).
What have you learned?
Never use a vanity company to work with, the less said about that the better, but all my future works – and there are two more almost complete – will be self-published.
Jeff Probst
Author Member: Jeff Probst
I am American and have lived in London since 1990 with my South African wife. Novels: When the Moon was White and Bachelor Butterflies; memoir: Teaching Shakespeare to Hairdressers: an American Teacher in London.
Member Milestone:
I read my novel, When the Moon was White, for the first time at a literary festival – the Crouch End Literary Festival, in north London. The attendees seemed to be engaged, and had good questions. As the event was local, there was a personal feeling in the room. To be part of a literary festival, with other writers, comedians, journalists, musicians and actors/directors, is something I've always been interested in doing. I also spoke on BBC London radio beforehand to promote the festival, and helped put up flyers around where I live.
What have you learned?
The most important ‘takeaways' for me were the connections and contacts I made at the festival. I am now teaming up with another local novelist to campaign to get our books, and those of fellow local authors, into our local bookshops and libraries and other festivals. I also met a director of local theatre productions, who is now looking at my novel for possible adaptation.
Not yet an ALLi member?
Not yet an The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) is a global membership association for self-publishing authors. A non-profit, our mission is ethics and excellence in self-publishing.
Everyone on our team is a working indie author and we offer advice and advocacy for self-publishing authors within the literary, publishing, and creative industries around the world.
All the membership options and benefits, including free access to our collection of self-publishing advice ebooks, are on our website. Take a look and join us today.
