This regular post from the Alliance of Independent Authors celebrates ALLi member successes to inspire our indie author community. Our ALLi Member Milestones, April 2025, celebrate the successes of author members Kelle Lima, S. G. Baker, Amy M. Le, Gary Corbin, Marcha Fox, Barbara Mostella-Oliver, Catherine Matthews, Anna Lucia, L. S. Westhoff, and Mark David Gerson. Congratulations to all those featured in this month’s roundup and to everyone in our community who has hit a milestone!
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 success stories using this form. We will share a selection each month with our members and our wider indie author network.
Kelle Lima
Kelle Lima
Kelle Lima is an author, illustrator, and educator who is passionate about creating engaging books that inspire kids to learn through fun. With a background in teaching and developing educational videos and board games for children worldwide, she blends creativity, storytelling, and learning to craft experiences that spark curiosity and growth. As a single mom and entrepreneur, Kelle has built her publishing business from the ground up since 2021, driven by her love for helping kids thrive. Her stories range from vibrant picture books and interactive activity books to thrilling middle-grade adventures, each designed to entertain, educate, and empower young minds. You can find her on social media @writerversejourney.
Member Milestone
Launching my first upper middle grade novel, Lilith Fletcher and the Threads of Fate, and getting #1 New Release! It took me over a decade working on this book, and I'm proud to launch. I'm really proud of finally having it out in the world, getting the #1 New Release tag for three days in a row during preorders, and the best street team yet in my launching history! I can't wait to see what the future holds!
What Have You Learned?
Launch/Street teams are such an essential part of book launches!
S. G. Baker
S. G. Baker
S. G. Baker is a writer and editor of fiction who penned the Hopeful Wanderer web series. She has authored climate fiction, fantasy, and horror short stories in Freelancer, The Legacy, Little Blue Marble 2022: Warmer Worlds, With Words We Weave 2022: Hope, and Road Kill: Texas Horror by Texas Writers, Vol. 2. You can find Baker on her website, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Member Milestone
I won first place in West Texas A&M University's The Legacy: Weird Stories and Dark Tales 2025 Halloween contest! After multiple attempts to at least place in the top three of this contest, I finally placed—not only in the top three, but in first!
What Have You Learned?
As in most problem solving, sometimes I need to walk away from a challenge and let it simmer in the back of my mind before trying again. After multiple submissions to The Legacy’s Weird Stories and Dark Tales Halloween edition while attending WTAMU with no wins, I determined to focus my writing efforts elsewhere. Many years later, when I started getting a new idea to submit, I paused to consider what common element past winners shared and realized they all put the scary on the page rather than hinting at the horror or hiding the horror after the ending. So I pulled no punches and put the scary on the page from beginning to end, not only earning myself first place but also learning to apply this technique to all my horror genre stories.
Amy M. Le
Amy M. Le
Amy M. Le is a Vietnam War survivor and congenital heart disease (CHD) warrior. She is the award-winning author of the critically acclaimed book Snow in Vietnam, a women’s historical fiction based on true events of escaping Vietnam after the fall of Saigon. You can find her on Instagram.
Member Milestone
I started a hybrid publishing company in 2022, and since its launch, Quill Hawk Publishing has signed over 50 writers and published over 30 books. In three years, we’ve consistently helped authors achieve their goals and have received consistently five-star Google reviews! There are not a lot of Asian American, women-owned hybrid publishing companies out there. We’re dedicated to amplifying diverse voices. We value integrity and strive to earn every author’s trust and praise. The reviews are proof of this, but more importantly, our growth speaks to the demand for hybrid publishing, where writers have full rights to their works and creative control of their projects.
What Have You Learned?
A trusted brand and the integrity of one’s work and services is the best way to uplift and celebrate our storytellers.
Gary Corbin
Gary Corbin
Gary Corbin is a novelist and playwright in Camas, Washington, a homebrewer, a former LSU Tiger, and loves to roast his own coffee. You can find him on his author site, Facebook, Bluesky, LinkedIn, Goodreads, and YouTube.
Member Milestone
I completed my 11th novel, The Injustice of Valor, which was released Tuesday, March 25. Ten years ago, I was a struggling, unpublished writer. I never thought I’d publish one book, much less a six-book series.
What Have You Learned?
No writer is an island. If not for the invaluable input of my critique group and editor, and the encouragement and support of my wife, family, and friends, this book would never have happened.
Marcha Fox
Marcha Fox
Marcha Fox is a multi-genre author who obtained a bachelor’s degree in physics at the age of 39, worked for NASA for 21 years, then retired to pursue her lifelong dream to write science fiction. Her most recent work is an award-winning cross-cultural trilogy written with Cheyenne co-author Pete Risingsun. You can find her on Facebook.
Member Milestone
Since 2020, my Cheyenne co-author, Pete Risingsun, and I have authored an award-winning trilogy that totals over 1,500 pages. The first two books received five awards each, and the final volume has not been out long enough to gather its own, but has already received a Book Excellence Award. It took us four years to complete these books, which involved reading thousands of pages of research material, then integrating Native American history into what is otherwise a modern-day conspiracy thriller. Pete and I collaborated while living thousands of miles apart in different states and have never met face-to-face. He does not own a computer, so this was accomplished via phone calls, text messages, and mailing manuscript drafts back and forth for review. How I found him and convinced him to coauthor the books is a story in and of itself.
What Have You Learned?
When you commit to completing a major project, finishing it is not negotiable. Life was not always easy, with both of us in our seventies. Challenges we surmounted included COVID-19, my 2023 move from Texas to New York, and Pete being displaced from his home for months around that same time— to say nothing of collaborating with a bare minimum of electronic communication.
Barbara Mostella-Oliver
Barbara Mostella-Oliver
Barbara Mostella writes mystery, murder, and suspense books in the fiction genre. Her Who Would Have Thought trilogy is available on Amazon. You can find her on her website, Instagram, and Facebook.
Member Milestone
On March 16, 2025, the Enon Church honored me as a Trailblazer during Women’s History Month. My successful publication of a three-book series titled Who Would Have Thought was noteworthy at the church and in the community where I live in Georgia. They presented me with a canvas poster listing my publications and upcoming books for this summer. Writing has been a lifelong aspiration, unrealized for many years because of time constraints. I’m happy about this milestone and grateful that readers enjoy my work as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it.
What Have You Learned?
I've learned that you can't do it alone. My motto is, “Don't let anyone set the tone for your day except you and God.”
Catherine Matthews
Catherine Matthews
Catherine Matthews is an award-winning indie author from the Pacific Northwest. Through her novels, she tells the stories of strong women finding the courage to face the storm and live their dreams—usually in the company of a faithful hound. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook.
Member Milestone
My debut indie novel, Releasing the Reins, has won or is a finalist in nine awards so far:
2024 American Writing Awards – Winner, Western
2024 American Writing Awards – Winner, Thriller/Adventure
2024 American Writing Awards – Finalist, Women’s Fiction
2024 BookFest Award – First Place, Women’s Fiction (Thriller & Suspense)
2024 Fall Pencraft Award – Best Book, Women’s Fiction
2024 BookLife Prize – Quarterfinalist
12th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published eBook Awards – Honorable Mention, Contemporary Fiction
da Vinci Eye Award – Finalist (winner TBA)
2024 Foreword INDIES – Finalist, Thriller & Suspense (winner TBA)
The journey to publishing a debut novel is a long and arduous one. When I decided to abandon querying, it was because I believed in my work and was no longer willing to wait for an agent or publisher to love it. I dove into learning all the elements of indie publishing but, of course, I was riddled with doubts about the quality of my work.
These awards represent external validation of my art and skill. They are also a reflection of my determination to publish and my commitment to my own success. This gave me the courage to forego querying completely and move forward with publishing my second novel, which will be out in May.
What Have You Learned?
The quality of a book is not defined by the method of publishing. Not every reader will connect with or enjoy my book. Clarity about who my readers are is critical. Touching my readers’ minds and hearts is success. Indie authors are positioned to make the best decisions for their books. No one cares about my book more than I do. I can effectively and professionally accomplish all of the elements of indie publishing. What I don’t know, I can learn. Indie authors are incredibly generous with their time and knowledge. Ultimately, I did all of the things I feared I could not do.
Anna Lucia
Anna Lucia and Anna Davidson
Historical fiction author Anna Lucia draws on her Italian heritage to capture forgotten places and ways of life. She has been awarded support from Arts Council England for her writing and serves as Chair of Trustees of the literature development agency New Writing South. You can find her on Instagram, X, and Bluesky.
Member Milestone
I met Anna Davidson online through the ALLi help forum, where we were both trying to get to grips with metadata, discounts, and distribution. We struck up a friendship that’s grown into a supportive partnership, sharing expertise in all aspects of writing and publishing.
Together, we co-created the session Take Control of Your Writing Life – This Is Your Time for the first Forthwrite Festival for Women Writers in Brighton on 15 March 2025. In this inspiring and supportive opening session, we explored with women writers how to get the most from their writing lives. We tackled the big questions—why you write, what success looks like, the challenges we all face, and how to find support and community.
This was a great example of what happens when you collaborate. The event was sold out, with a real buzz in the room. We created something new and original, and the feedback reflected that: “Such a stimulating and enjoyable morning… far more than I imagined!”
What Have You Learned?
In a lively session, we encouraged writers to be proud of their work and to own their creativity—whatever that looks like for them. Participants took part in an exploration of their motivations, and there was a huge amount of energy in the room! We realized how much we’ve achieved in our first few months as indie authors and how our experience can help inspire others.
L. S. Westhoff
L. S. Westhoff
L. S. Westhoff is beginning a third career as an author and loves writing fiction. Learning and sharing life experiences are essential to her. She is inspired by the idea of creating a strong female character who stands against the insurmountable odds of tyranny and greed—with dashes of magic, humor, and love. You can learn more at lynnwesthoff.com.
Member Milestone
On March 15, 2025, I received this notification from Amazon: Chronicles of a Timebound Warrior Special Edition by L. S. Westhoff achieved a remarkable feat by becoming a Top 100 best seller in three of Amazon’s categories—No. 34 in Mythology & Folktale, No. 49 in Folklore, and No. 66 in Sword & Sorcery Fantasy. I’m so grateful for Amazon’s best seller recognition. If you saw me dancing and laughing in my office when I got the news, you might think I had a screw loose! I hope this recognition carries over to the next two books in the trilogy and encourages future readers to invest in them. Fingers crossed!
What Have You Learned?
The realization that you have to treat your novels as a business. That business requires a continual investment in research and time to track various advertising methods. One very successful approach was an interview with The Spotlight Network TV, which provided an excellent opportunity to talk about my book on television. My press release distribution report reached 1,000 news outlets and magazines. I also received a book endorsement from Logan Crawford—an Emmy Award–winning actor and author—along with social media publicity and help setting up Amazon Author Central through a production specialist. When the interview aired on YouTube, it received 12,500 views in just two days. It was also posted on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Facebook, and Vimeo—and it can still be found on YouTube.
Mark David Gerson
Mark David Gerson
Mark David Gerson is the award-winning author of more than 20 books, including classic works for writers, inspiring personal growth titles, compelling memoirs, and The Legend of Q’ntana and Sara Stories fiction series. He is also a popular writing coach and founder of The Mark David Gerson School of Writing. You can find him on Facebook.
Member Milestone
My novel The MoonQuest was just selected as one of only seven titles that the Sedona Public Library in Arizona is sharing with the Canmore Public Library in Alberta as part of the two libraries’ first Local Author Book Exchange. The choice feels especially fitting because not only am I a dual U.S./Canadian citizen, but in a sense, so is The MoonQuest. It was birthed in Toronto, its initial drafts were completed in Nova Scotia, its later drafts were written in various spots across the U.S., and it was published in New Mexico.
What Have You Learned?
Although The MoonQuest was my first book, first published in 2007, it's a gift that keeps on giving!
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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.
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