RE: The main storyline of my novel takes place during the month of October 1993 in a small town located in North Georgia, USA. I never name the town - it could be any of several in that area. The street-names, names of community officials, public places, civic facilities, local schools, hospitals, businesses and eateries, etc., are fictitious. I have however included the real place names of nearby towns and cities in the region, and the names of locally, regionally, and nationally known landmarks, public parks and tourist attractions, highways, universities, one motel chain, one popular restaurant chain, three fast food franchises, a regional grocer - all of which are still viable, - as well as a franchised movie rental outlet that's no longer in business. To add time-period authenticity, I've also specifically identified a couple of civic and police organizations, military and religious institutions, and refer to automobiles, planes, railways, boats, guns, and motorcycles either used or owned by the characters in the story, by their manufactured name, model, and year. I know this can be trickly. I understand the rules concerning names of books, movies, musical compositions, and the use of business and product trademarks within a story-line. I've secured permissions for the use of individual products. The front matter of the book contains a detailed disclaimer along with the publishing information. My question: do I need to acquire permissions for the use of the names of the motel, the restaurant chain, the three fast food franchises, the movie rental outlet, or the grocery store, or for the sake of time, money, and possible legal issues (if any), should I rename them with generic substitutes? (PS: If any of the other items I've mentioned raise notable red flags, I'd really appreciate input from helpful voices of experience. Thanks!) 🫡

The girl no one wanted just inherited a fortune, and painted a target on her own back. Scarlett Rose grew up with no name, no family, and no one looking for her. Now she finally has something that's hers: a little bookstore, a fresh start, a life built from nothing. Then a stranger walks in with a check for one million dollars and a secret that unravels everything. She isn't the nobody she thought she was. She's the missing heir to a family with more money than mercy, and more secrets than either of them can outrun. And the gorgeous, ice cold billionaire who just walked into her shop? Her best friend swore he'd flip her world upside down. She wasn't wrong. Finnegan Kincaid doesn't believe in fate. He believes in spreadsheets, boardrooms, and staying in control, because the one time he let his guard down, he lost everything. Then a strawberry blonde bookseller with a smart mouth and sad eyes walks straight through every wall he's built, and the closer he gets to her, the more danger follows. He built an empire to protect the people he loves. He isn't about to lose her to a prophecy, a mafia grudge, or anyone else standing in his way. Family secrets. A protective alpha who refuses to back down. A prophecy neither of them wanted to believe, until it started coming true. The Scarlett Rose Prophecy is a full length, spicy standalone romance with mafia danger, a possessive alpha hero, and a guaranteed happily ever after. It's the first book in the Psychic Flames series, but it stands complete on its own. If you love billionaire romance with real heat, small town charm, and a heroine who finally gets everything she deserves, Scarlett and Finnegan's story is waiting for you.

Last year, my books had only a small number of reviews and ratings on Goodreads, and I didn’t pay much attention to how much that might affect visibility. This year, I started experimenting more with Goodreads promotion, and I’ve noticed quite a difference in how my books are being discovered. I even created a reader account so I could look at Goodreads from a reader’s perspective instead of only looking at it as an author. One thing really stood out to me. When I finished looking at a book, Goodreads seemed to show me other books from authors whose books had a lot of reviews and ratings. That got me thinking about how much reader activity and engagement might influence which books get more visibility on the platform. I’m not saying I’ve figured out exactly how the Goodreads algorithm works, but after watching it for myself, I definitely see a connection between books with a lot of reader activity and the books that seem to get more exposure. It’s been an interesting experiment, and now I’m paying much closer attention to what happens when a book starts building more reviews and ratings.

I'll go first... Today is our chance to share something we’ve learned from the publishing process that might make another author’s journey a little easier. It can be something that worked beautifully, something you wish you had done differently, a resource you found helpful, or something you’re still figuring out. Editing, proofreading, book covers, formatting, ISBNs, copyright, KDP, IngramSpark, ebooks, printing, distribution, launch preparation, hiring publishing professionals—it’s all fair game. Tell me in the comments: What is one thing you’ve learned about publishing that could help another author? You don’t need to be an expert. Sometimes the most useful information is simply: “Here’s what happened when I tried this.” Let’s help each other publish smarter!