Indie Author Life

Romance author D.W. Brooks has always surrounded herself with literature, starting at a young age when her and her cousins would create mystery novels in their youth. As D.W. grew up, she chose a career as a medical physician that for a long time preoccupied her daily life. That, and also starting a family put story creation on the back burner for a lot of her life. It was the time she had to come...

We need more animal fantasy that isn’t just for children/young adults. For the horse-girls who grew up to be horse-women, there is something powerful about the horse as a mythical creature in stories. Surrounded by an abundance of dragons, griffins and the like in fantasy literature, I love how H.A. Walker has gone down the magical equine route. With a background in veterinary nursing, she’s used...

Book shop owner (The Indie Realm, WA) and romantasy author, Shannon Riley is a presence in the West. There are lots of bookish things happening in Western Australia, and according to Shannon, it’s only getting started. Shannon noted that one of the challenges facing the bookish scene in WA is the limited number of book related events. There are many reasons for this; logistical and financial at th...

It is both daunting and special to share your book with other people. Writing can often feel solitary. As authors, we are alone with our thoughts of character arcs, dialogs and visions of far off fantasy lands. We bring our thoughts together into one vessel (paperback, electronically, or otherwise), offering it to the world at large. When we send our book out to the universe, it can also feel simi...

Welcome to a special episode of the indie author life show! This episode is a recording of my panel chat at Unbound Fantasy event, held on 27th August 2026. I was honoured to be on a panel with two fantastic authors: Olivia O’Flynn and Isobelle Carmody . We shared our thoughts on Fantasy writing, world building, magic and the publishing industry. I came to the chat with an indie author perspective...

“Our creative side can heal us,” was what Australian author Kelly Wilson declared in our conversation. I couldn’t agree more with her. We are thrown into environments and responsibilities that don’t leave room to priorities creativity. But returning to our creative or child-like side can offer us so much comfort and internal soothing. Through Wings for Grace , Kelly is an Education and Wellbeing C...

Gabby has always held a deep love and adoration for stories. It started way before creating a blog for her reviews, more so when she was a child. It was a passion that seemed to never disappear. Even when she originally pursued a psychology degree, the itch to be involved in the literary world never dissipated. And after pivoting to a Bachelor of English and Creative Writing, Gabby never looked ba...

In our chat, author Elaelah Harley joked about not having any hobbies. But with so many new story ideas constantly running through her mind, I don't think she'd have time for one anyway: writing and storytelling should consume all her energy. As indie authors, it's funny how our story writing sometimes feels less like a hobby and more like an extra job. Maybe that's because we take it so seriously...

In this bonus episode, I chat about: * The editing process for my next book Dakrness in the flesh, * Marketing Darkness in the Flesh as well as some insights into the illustrations and design choices made for the book * Some shoutouts to some important author friends in my lfie * The official book launch for Darkness in the Flesh. Please note: In the video I said the book event is 11 September, th...

When people hear the term ghostwriting, a lot of thoughts can arise. Is the book authentic to the author if it is ghost-written? But Kaitlan firmly believes it is a crucial and accessible way for people to share their memoirs. She hopes to instil a renewed confidence in an author’s writing to believe that self-publishing is a beautiful chance to share one’s story. We discuss in detail about the wa...

I always feel like I’m spinning plates: 9–5 graphic designer, 5–9 author/illustrator/podcast host. But then I look at Jess Weber: mum of three, bookshop owner, and the event‑planning force behind Adelaide’s iconic A Romantic Affair (ARA) . Suddenly I realise I’m in good company. This non‑stop, multi‑job hustle is the creative reality for so many of us in the indie author space. Chatting with Jess,...

Currently living in Malaysia, proud Wiradjuri woman, Demi Clorissa , grew up in Kempsey, New South Wales. Growing up in a small town, reading was her safe haven. And even in times of growing up and coming of age, when priorities shifted from books to reckless social behaviours, rediscovering her passion for writing and literature transformed her life. She even described it as something akin to ‘sa...

Author Julie Kay has dived head first into the self-publishing world. Inspired by the places she’s visited, her family experiences and a nudge from a clairvoyant, she’s embraced her passion for writing. First seen with her debut novel, ‘ Not My Father ’ was inspired by Japanese travel and her father’s war time experiences. But she is not limited by genre, and her next few books have shifted in the...

Growing up in rural Victoria, then spending time with First Nation’s communities in Central Australia, E.J. Riley has always carried a passion for storytelling close to her heart. Throughout her adolescence, her concept for her debut book series, The Seekers Guild, was a lifeline that carried her through multiple schools and ups and downs of tertiary education. E.J. Riley has always valued the art...

Once again, I had the pleasure of chatting with MM romance author and friend of the show, Rachel O’Rourke . From our first episode recorded together in 2025, it felt like Rachel had a clear vision for what she wanted her author career to look like: ambitious and always moving forward. Her dreams have become a reality and more, with the release of her light-hearted MM romance ‘ Pretending in Paradi...

I have powerhouse indie author SK May to thank for birthing the current format of the Indie Author Life Show. For she was the first author that took a chance on me. She was my first guest on the show! That was way back in October 2024, and it feels like so much has changed and evolved from then. If you’re curious, check out the first episode of Indie Author Life featuring SK May For round two of S...

As a child, author E. Solofoni found solace in reading and the magic of being taken away into new fantasy worlds. It was also was a massive aid in improving her literacy skills. Chatting with E. Solofoni reminded me how powerful reading is and how daydreaming can boost your creativity. We’ve heard it so often now about the negative sides to overconsumption of social media, a tool that I am self co...

Author Chloe O’Connor has written across multiple genres, beginning in romance and now focusing on fantasy in her current series. Elemental magic is a favourite trope of mine, so to hear Chloe discuss all about her magic system in The Elemental Series makes me keen to delve into her latest publication, The Lure of Fire . Not wanting to be labelled by genre or trope, Chloe also writes about other t...

I think I’m the luckiest indie author in the world—I spent the whole weekend chatting with one of my author besties while we shared a table at Book Fair Australia, Melbourne. Throughout the busy weekend selling our books, we were able to find time to chat about Jess’s upcoming projects. The exciting final book in the Arasgain Rule series, King of Stags will be coming out 7th May 2026, almost a yea...

When the world feels like it’s going to shit, sometimes the best escape is diving into distant realities that, strangely enough, mirror your own. I have always gravitated to dystopian fiction. There is something so engaging and thought provoking about the concepts presented in these stories. So coming across indie author Nikki Brooke’s YA (Young Adult)/Dystopian fantasies was such a pleasure, and...

In the Indie Author space, no one really knows the industry quite like the indie authors themselves. For such a niche industry like publishing, and even niche-er still in self-publishing, it is often the community members themselves learning, growing and paving the way for themselves, and others to succeed. Today, I have travelled to Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, to chat to the wonderful individu...

Growing up during the era of The Lion King or the Warrior Cats books, it makes perfect sense that indie author Morgana Sandpiper has build her shifter universe around big cats. I too was a child of the early 90’s/2000’s, where animal-themed cartoons were big in my life. The excitement and drama of these cartoons definitely inspired a deep appreciation for animal stories (also, anyone remember Kimb...

Author Nicole Rowles has lived a lot of lives; from dancing at the Moulin Rouge in Paris, to being a political journalist back in her home country of Australia. All of this has undoubtedly influenced her latest creative pursuit: the self-publication of her debut novel, Anarchist Underground . Nicole Rowles’ debut epic brims with mystery, peeling back layers of society to reveal truths hidden benea...

If I could sum up 2025 in one word it would be, invigorating. I found a new strength in writing and honing in on my creativity, while putting the social media noise and pressure to perform and be perceived a certain way on the back-burner. Plans to release by debut novel Still Waters Run Deep had stalled 2024, but 2025 was a rebirth in so many ways. In April, Still Waters Run Deep was officially r...

When EM Greville was pregnant with her fifth child in the turbulent year of 2020, she decided to do a creative writing course. Completing this course was like the final puzzle piece in an already existing creative writing tapestry, and encouraged EM Greville to get her to publish debut middle-grade novel, Raine in the Underlands . Throughout her life, EM Greville has explored many facets of a writ...