Support Indie Authors – Write on the World

There’s something grounding about wandering through a local market this time of year — the scents of handmade candles and soaps, the sound of live music, and the tables stacked with handmade goods and books you won’t find in chain stores. It’s a reminder that real people, not algorithms, make and sell the things we love.

Crowds, chaos, and checkout lines—Black Friday madness is in full swing. This holiday season, consider the impact of where you shop.

As prices rise and global supply chains feel the strain of new tariffs, it’s worth thinking about where your money goes. Local artisans, authors, and small-business owners may have inventory they stocked before costs increased, meaning your purchases support both your community and your own budget. I stocked up my pop-up book and gift shop earlier this year and haven’t had to raise my prices yet — a small act of foresight that’s keeping things affordable for my local shoppers.

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Author Interview

Author interview with Christina Wallace

November 19, 2024November 7, 2024 Mandy Webster

Christina Wallace is an author of Middle-Grade, YA, & Romance novels. She has been a lifelong writer, but didn’t enter the world of publishing until 2023. Wallace grew up in a military family and has lived in many places. During her own time in the U.S. Navy, she was deployed to Afghanistan and the Philippines, where she met her husband, who was stationed with another unit. Even during her Navy career, she worked tirelessly on her writing.

The idea for Wallace’s novel, The Light Keeper, first appeared during NaNoWriMo 2017, and from there, it was developed into a novel and eventually grew into a series.

Now, Christina enjoys sharing her stories far and wide, while also inspiring children to explore their creative side and to follow their dreams. She lives in Florida with her husband, two children, a dog, and a cat.

Q: When did you first catch the writing bug? What drove you to persist?

A: I began writing obsessively when I was in Middle School, about 22 years ago! I’d always had a very active imagination, my friends and I role-played our favorite shows all of the time. In the middle of 7^th grade we moved and I didn’t make friends easily. So, I poured myself into writing. The characters I wrote all had tight friend groups, and it made me feel less lonely. The more I wrote, the more I knew sharing stories was what I was made to do.

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Author Interview

Author interview with Dr. Joel Anthony Hamilton

October 29, 2024October 24, 2024 Mandy Webster

Dr. Joel Anthony Hamilton is the author of the Mud Crab Kingdom series, which is set in a world where “being mud-skinned is worse than murder, and being “different” is worse than being mud-skinned.”

Hamilton’s works include three books in the Mud Crab Kingdom series: The Soft-Shelled Prince, My People or My Peace?, and Let It Be Known, I Exist and Black Brilliance, the unheard ancient Egyptian tale of the great musician and scientist, Aqil.

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Author Interview

Author interview with suspense/horror author Sue Rovens

October 8, 2024September 29, 2024 Mandy Webster

Sue Rovens is an indie suspense/horror author who lives in Normal, Illinois. She has written five novels and two books of short horror stories.

Track 9, her second novel, received a starred review in Publisher’s Weekly (May 2018). Roven’s short story, “Coming Over,” from her book, In a Corner, Darkly (Volume 1) was turned into a screenplay and short student indie film by the theater department of Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.

Another short story, “When the Earth Bled,” won 2nd place in the Support Indie Authors short story contest. Her three most recent books (Buried, Rage, and Sanctum) are under Plump Toad Press.

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