Library of Congress Invite, Award-Winning Cover, Editor’s Pick, and More: ALLi Member Milestones January 2025

January 4, 2025

This regular post from the Alliance of Independent Authors celebrates ALLi member successes to inspire our indie author community. Our ALLi Member Milestones for January 2025 celebrate the successes of author members Victoria Noe, Mary Mofit Small, Peter D. Brown, Michael Zajaczkowski, Dianne Scott, and Miles Garrett. 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.

Victoria Noe

Victoria Noe is a writer, speaker and activist. She has written eight groundbreaking books on friend grief and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. You can find her on Instagram, and Bluesky.

Member Milestone

I have been invited to serve on an advisory committee for a March 2026 symposium at the Library of Congress, hosted by the American Folklife Center’s COVID-19 American History Project. The symposium will explore how to document and commemorate individual and communal experiences of COVID-19, address gaps in the historical record, foster discussions among community members, academics, and documentarians, and empathetically address pandemic-related trauma. After publishing my book, What Our Friends Left Behind: Grief and Laughter in a Pandemic, I learned about the center’s efforts and reached out to its director during a visit to Washington in 2020. Our detailed discussion about documenting the pandemic led to this invitation, nearly a year later, which came as a surprise and a reminder of the value of reaching out and sharing my perspectives.

What have you learned?

First, never be afraid to make a cold call. And something that has proven itself over and over again the past few months: your book is your calling card.

Mary Mofit Small

Mary Mofit Small, a former wildlife biologist and returned Peace Corps volunteer, now creates adventures with a pen and paper instead of living them. You can find her on Bluesky and Instagram.

Member Milestone

I've self-published my first novel, a children's magical adventure. I'm proud that I was able to achieve a long-held goal that I at one time thought was impossible.

What have you learned?

I learned I couldn't have done it without the help of others, but that I also needed to trust myself. Most of the advice I found through books and organizations was excellent, and I hired skilled editors and a cover designer. Still, I was the one person who could judge what actions would fit me and this book. Making those decisions to create a unique writing and publishing path was one of the hardest but most rewarding things I've done–and I will continue to tweak it with the next book.

Peter D. Brown

Peter D. Brown is a Maine-based author of historical fiction with a deep interest in social justice. Through his work, Peter challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths and engage with the complexities of the human experience. You can find him on Facebook and Instagram.

Member Milestone

I finished and am publishing my first book, I Am Jayvyn. So gratifying! More than two years of research and writing. So far, it is being well received and is scheduled for release in January 2025. The book was written in response to the Florida Board of Education's amended standards for teaching Black history and Gov. Ron DeSantis's “anti-woke” ban on critical race theory, among other things. I believe my work can help bring about positive change.

What have you learned?

That I have it in me and want to write more. Also, there's a community of writers helping writers that I am happy to be a part of. Life has so many new beginnings to offer it you just keep your eyes and heart open.

Michael Zajaczkowski

The Color of Dreams is Michael Zajaczkowski's debut novel. He is also the author of The Owner’s Manual to Life: Simple Strategies to Worry Less and Enjoy Life More. He and his wife live in Raleigh, North Carolina. You can follow him on Facebook and his new Instagram page.

Member Milestone

Excited to announce that my first novel, The Color of Dreams, was designated an “Editor’s Pick” by BookLife. This book is the result of a 30-year dream, five years of writing, and expert help from two professional developmental editors, a copyeditor, and two professional proofreaders. The cover design is stunning (so I’ve been told!), and the story is endearing and heartwarming. The book releases on May 1, 2025, and I’ve decided to offer both a hardcover with a dust jacket and a professionally produced audiobook. It’s my dream come true, so why not? Persevering through fourteen drafts and finally manifesting my dream.

What have you learned?

You can’t do it alone. Get professional help as early in the writing process as you can. You won’t regret it!

Dianne Scott

Dianne Scott is the award-winning author of the Christine Lane Mystery series set on Toronto Island. You can find her on Instagram.

Member Milestone

My fourth mystery, Sabotage, won the Kobo Indie Author Cover Design Award 2024 in the Mystery category. Kobo shortlists six books in each category, and readers vote for their favorite covers over ten days. It was a nail-biter, but Sabotage squeaked by with a win. I’m proud of my designer, Lance Buckley. I’m also proud that I conducted intensive research into effective covers, helped by ALLi members like Joanna Penn. I also watched webinars by Alex Newton of K-lytics, which enabled me to give a detailed brief to my cover designer about the mystery covers I thought were effective.

What have you learned?

Apply for awards! There aren’t as many out there for indie authors, but they’re worth pursuing. Pay for quality book cover designers, and get informed about your genre to ensure effective collaborations. I’ve also learned that I use way too many exclamation marks! 🙂

Miles Garrett

Miles Garrett is a submarine officer in the United States Navy. You can find him on his website.

Member Milestone

I recently published a leadership book titled Executive Leadership. It marks my authorial debut. The work reflects twenty-five years of professional experience.

What have you learned?

I am learning the self-publishing process by way of drinking from a firehose. It is quite exhilarating.

Not yet an ALLi member?

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.

Thoughts or further questions on this post or any self-publishing issue?

If you’re an ALLi member, head over to the SelfPubConnect forum for support from our experienced community of indie authors, advisors, and our own ALLi team. Simply create an account (if you haven’t already) to request to join the forum and get going.

Non-members looking for more information can search our extensive archive of blog posts and podcast episodes packed with tips and advice at ALLi's Self-Publishing Advice Center.

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