This regular post from the Alliance of Independent Authors celebrates ALLi member successes to inspire our indie author community. Our ALLi Member Milestones, May 2025, celebrate the successes of author members Janus Lucky, Russell Phillips, Michael Zajaczkowski, Jerry Vanschaik, Fay A. Klingler, Jeff Probst, C. Ruth Taylor, and Maria Iliffe-Wood. 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.
Janus Lucky
Janus Lucky
Janus Lucky has debuted as a fiction writer with his novel The Birthmark Murders – Death is a Cabaret, Old Chum. He has expanded his literary universe with a prequel, Handful – A Boy at the End of the Rainbow, and is currently working on a third book, The Triumvirate Murders, further developing his Pekka Wall series. You can find him on Facebook.
Member Milestone
I published my first novel, The Birthmark Murders, on the 10th of April 2025. My lifelong determination to write murder mysteries and not nonfiction (I have published under a different name seven of them) became a reality, and now I am on my way to write six murder mysteries in my Pekka Wall series at the young age of 69. Like Elton John sings, “It’s never too late”! I am proud that I made the switch and started a new life as a novelist.
What Have You Learned?
Be persistent, consistent, have a method, the right tools, and have faith in your story. Somebody needs it—if not anybody else, at least you.
Russell Phillips
Russell Phillips
An award-winning author of military history and RPG books, Russell has been interviewed on radio, YouTube, and podcasts. You can find them on Mastodon.
Member Milestone
I’ve been confirmed as a speaker at We Have Ways Fest, a large Second World War history festival in September. I’d like to do more speaking, and this is by far the biggest event I’ve spoken at. The audience is a very good fit for my books, and I’m hoping this will lead to more speaking opportunities.
What Have You Learned?
I thought this was a long shot, but my pitch was tightly targeted to the festival. I set out exactly why festival attendees would be interested in my talk, and I think that probably helped a lot.
Michael Zajaczkowski
Author of The Color of Dreams (fiction) and The Owner’s Manual to Life: How to Worry Less & Enjoy Life More (nonfiction). You can find him on Instagram and Facebook.
Member Milestone
Launched my new novel, The Color of Dreams. Thirty-five-plus years in the dreaming, writing, publishing.
What Have You Learned?
Self-publishing is hard work!
Jerry Vanschaik
Jerry Vanschaik
Jerry Vanschaik is America’s premier coffee novelist—perhaps because he is the only one! He has written two original, full-length novels with very coffee-centric titles: Tripio and The Trier. You can learn more at tripiothenovel.com.
Member Milestone
I just launched my YA novella entitled Ironjaws. I am proud that I was able to adapt it to be a YA novella after first writing it on a typewriter many years ago.
What Have You Learned?
That a good fish story stands the test of time and reminds us that labels and genres don’t matter all that much.
Fay A. Klingler
Fay A. Klingler
Fay A. Klingler is an award-winning author and illustrator, known for her empowering work with women, her engaging children’s books, and her motivational speaking. Her stories inspire imagination, promote family bonds, and offer practical, faith-based guidance. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and klinglerauthor.com.
Member Milestone
Actually three milestones—(1) my second children’s book was released, (2) I was featured on a television segment of an acclaimed, local daytime show, (3) I am invited to be the featured author on a podcast directly impacting my audience. I’m proud of reaching these milestones because I wanted to give up but didn’t. I forced myself to keep trying, keep reaching out.
What Have You Learned?
I’ve gained confidence in my approach and my products. I realize I have to be my strongest advocate. I study what success others have and I measure how those might work for me. I determine which ones to discard (for now) and which ones to focus on.
Jeff Probst
Jeff Probst
Jeff Probst’s latest novel of the Sixties and the Moon Race is When the Moon Was White. In his Instagram Reels, words in his novel echo lyrics in songs. You can find him at jeffprobst.co.uk and on Instagram Reels.
Member Milestone
I finally got on the radio—twice, in Kent and Weybridge, England—to talk about my book. The presenters had actually read my book, seemed to have enjoyed it, and asked relevant questions.
What Have You Learned?
Keep trying.
C. Ruth Taylor
C. Ruth Taylor
Jamaican authorpreneur Cameka “Ruth” Taylor is the CEO and founder of Extra MILE Innovators Limited, trading as BambuSparks, where she serves as the Chief Publishing Consultant. Ruth has published 30 books, including six Amazon bestsellers. You can find her on Instagram.
Member Milestone
I am celebrating 10 years as an author entrepreneur. I registered my author business, Extra MILE Innovators, in January 2015 in Jamaica. On Sunday, May 4, 2025, I had a church service and book launch in Jamaica to mark the occasion and launch my 30th book. I am also launching my first book club based on the title of the book, Better Than I Dreamed: How Painful Journeys Can Lead to Beautiful Destinations. First of all, I never thought I would write more than one book, much less 30. People thought I was crazy to do this. I have been tempted to quit many times. I am glad I stayed the course to see the fruit of sustainable income and the impact on many lives 10 years later.
What Have You Learned?
Balance purpose and profit and fix your money mindset. You can write faster than you think. Don’t go it alone—get help, because I started seeing success after getting business coaching. If you stay the course, you will see the fruit.
Maria Iliffe-Wood
Maria Iliffe-Wood
Maria Iliffe-Wood is the author of four books: an academic book about coaching presence; a self-published personal narrative tracking her emotional journey through the pandemic; a spiritual memoir; and a book of poetry that explores deep existential questions. Her writing explores how the mind—and more intriguingly, how life—works. You can find her on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Member Milestone
I never thought I would be a poet. My writing has always been more on the pragmatic side, writing about the extraordinary in the ordinary. The poetry in this book took the most crafting of any of the books I have written to date. They were inspired by Rainer Maria Rilke’s Duino Elegies, which I studied on a writing course. When I read the elegies, my first thought was, I could never write like that. Not in a million years. When I finished the final manuscript, after what felt like hundreds of hours of editing, I put my pen down with the thought, I don’t think I will ever write as well as this again. It was scary and satisfying! To have got to a stage where I could honestly say I am proud of my writing—that was a milestone I was proud to achieve.
What Have You Learned?
There’s that saying, “If you think you can, you’re right. If you think you can’t, you’re right.” I thought I would never be able to write in a way that emulated Rainer Maria Rilke’s Duino Elegies, but I knew that thought was not trustworthy, so I didn’t let it stop me from trying. It was painstaking to start off with. But ultimately I achieved what I set out to achieve. I can stop myself from doing something before I start, or I can give it a go, keep persevering, and I will get there in the end. Even though I thought I might never write like this again, I know that is not true either.
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.
