Hi there! (Well…hello to you in the future because at the moment my website is incomplete and therefore private so…)

Figured I’d go ahead and type a little something just to get the ball rolling even though you won’t be able to read it for months haha. Basically I’ve finally decided to self-publish my work. I’ve been writing for years and allowing my books to gather dust. I had a couple paperbacks printed (with truly terrible covers I made in Paint) just for the thrill of it and to give to my parents as Christmas gifts (because there’s no better budget-friendly & heart-warming gift than something you made yourself). But yeah, I’ve pursued the traditional route for a few years and have finally decided to just do it myself.

I know I know I know that so many authors preach patience. And it’s solid advice for many reasons. Some get a book deal on their first query while others wait a decade or so but for me…I don’t want to throw away every manuscript I wrote just because the Big 5 aren’t interested. So it doesn’t fit a trend right now or maybe the agents I’m querying aren’t in the mood for it, why should that mean those books die in a forgotten file on my computer? TRUE some of my stuff is not publish-worthy. I’m not trying to say that everything I write is gold, but I have managed to crank out a few books I happen to be proud of and if the only thing keeping them from reaching readers is that it’s not trending?? Well that’s just not good enough for me.

And even agents and publishers themselves will tell you that rejection doesn’t mean your book wasn’t good. Which I believe because although the self-publishing market is flooded with um subpar writing, it is also teeming with hidden gems that are just as good if not better than what you’ll find on the shelves of major retailers. It’s as simple as everyone having a different opinion and that goes for any book no matter who published it. Basically there’s an audience for every book and the challenge is bridging that connection whether it’s with an industry professional or with a casual reader from some town you’ve never heard of.

So here I am, attempting to assemble my life as an indie author so that I can self-publish the novels New York doesn’t want. Maybe one day they’ll vibe with one of my books, but I’m not going to cry about it and wait around desperately for that day to come. No book is loved by everyone, and that’s fine. It just means we’re not brainwashed or robots.

But yeah, what a crazy time trying to figure all of this publishing and promotion stuff out on my own. I’ve relied heavily on resources scoured from the web from traditional authors, indie authors, industry professionals, and writing resource sites. I’ve created social media accounts, mood boards, music playlists, quote teasers, banners, cover art, and am currently building my website as the last big hurrah before really getting this wagon rolling. You’ve no idea how many hours, nay days, I’ve spent doing my research. And of course it might all be fruitless labor. I mean I hope not, but I’m not going to be so simple as to believe I’ll be the next J.K. Rowling or J.R.R. Tolkien. Because let’s face it, I’m not. And that’s fine. It’s not why I write.

While seeking traditional publishing I mostly sought being a part of that “in” crowd. I wanted to banter with my favorite authors, go on book tours, have lines of fans waiting hours in the rain just for a quick photo and book signing. But why? Why put so much effort into seeking superficial validation? Don’t get me wrong, I definitely still want all of those things but I realized that that is not enough. It’s not a good enough reason to spend hours and days and weeks and months putting in the crazy amount of work that it takes to create a novel. Those things should be the icing on the cake.

Once I took a break and really looked inward I realized that getting a book tour would be amazing but hearing from just one person that my book made them miss their stop on the bus, stay up all night reading, or got stuck in their thoughts…Honestly that would be the best gift I could ever receive. Ever. I don’t usually cry but if I could make just one person fall in love with my novels like I love them then I’d be one hell of a leaky faucet. I’d be on cloud nine for days.

So I write for many reasons but mostly because I love it. I write because I love it. I’ll continue nosing around the traditional route for financial reasons (being a self-published author is expensive with minimum return and I’m not exactly making it rain with dolla dolla bills) but I’ll also keep on self-publishing because there’s nothing greater (or scarier) than putting out your work for the world. To have it finally feel finished. I’ll work with local libraries, local independent bookstores, schools, whoever to get my books out there because I love them and if someone out there decides to love them back then that’s all I ask.

So yes, hello, my name is Talis and I’m an indie author. Welcome to my website of all things Talis, bookish, and rogue.

Cheers.