I’m a contemporary romance author writing dark, high-stakes love stories with morally gray alpha heroes, strong heroines, and guaranteed HEAs. My books blend fast-paced drama, intense emotion, and a touch of danger often in mafia, medical, and romantic suspense settings. I live in Nashville with my family and four dogs, and a lot of inspiration for my stories comes from my real-life world of aviation and high-pressure, fast-moving lifestyles. Excited to be here and connect with other writers and readers what do you love most about romance stories?

For the past 50 years I have been a songwriter who has occasionally written short stories and the occasional poem. About six years ago, having more time on my hands, I began writing fiction in the 30,000 to 70,000 word range. The Big Question I have at this point is, what am I going to do with all this material? I have no idea if it’s terrible, not so bad, or maybe, just maybe, pretty good. At this point I am stricken with the paralysis-of-analysis. Any input re what the next step should be? What would you do if you were in my shoes?

Hi everyone, thank you for accepting me into this community! Excited to be here among fellow authors. A bit about me: I work as an Author Relations & Book Marketing Consultant, If any of you are looking for guidance on book marketing, building author relationships, or getting reader reviews, feel free to reach out, happy to help where I can. Looking forward to getting to know everyone and learning from all the great work happening here!

As the Independent Authors Guild continues to grow, I’m becoming more and more aware of the tremendous opportunity we have here to help authors in a meaningful way. My goal has always been to create a thoughtful, practical, high-caliber space where independent authors can get grounded guidance, real encouragement, and honest conversations about writing, publishing, marketing, and building a sustainable author life. To do that well, I need the right people beside me. That’s why I’m so happy to officially welcome @Kelsey Sanders as a moderator here in the Independent Authors Guild. I've known Kelsey professionally for about seven years, and she is extraordinary. Kelsey has been professionally writing and editing for almost 18 years, with experience that includes National Geographic Children’s Books, SchoolZone Publishing, Brilliance Audio/Amazon Publishing, Splattered Ink Publishing, Shape Corp., and contract work for businesses and authors around the country. She brings a strong editorial eye, real publishing experience, and a deep respect for helping writers strengthen their work without losing their voice. Outside the world of words, Kelsey also runs a wellness business as a certified health coach, personal trainer, and nutrition coach, creating custom wellness plans for individuals. She lives in West Michigan and is a mom of two young kids, so she understands both professional creative work and the very real demands of everyday life. Please join me in welcoming Kelsey. I’m grateful to have her helping me support the Guild and keep this community empowering and encouraging for independent authors.

Your book is being judged before anyone reads a page. That may sound harsh, but it’s simply how readers make decisions. Before they know your story, your message, your expertise, or your heart, they see the cover. They read the title. They glance at the subtitle. They skim the description. And guess what...it's not just readers. Amazon's algorithm is doing the same thing. And in just a few seconds, readers and robots alike decide whether they understand the book well enough to click it, buy it, or share it across the platform. That’s what we’re going to talk about in this free workshop: The First-Impression Fix: The First Step to Getting Traction on Amazon This is our first workshop in the Guild, next Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 6:30 PM CDT. We’ll look at how your book’s first impression shapes what readers think it is, who they believe it’s for, and whether they feel curious enough to keep reading. We’ll be looking at the full first-impression package: Cover Title Subtitle Book description And, perhaps most importantly of all, how to dial it in as a single branded package to get traction on Amazon. This workshop is for you if you’re preparing to publish, already published and wondering why readers aren’t responding, or even considering a relaunch of a book on your list that hasn't seen the light of day in years. Join me Tuesday, July 14th at 6:30 PM Central inside the Guild. Bring your book if you have one. Bring questions if you’re still working on one. And bring a willingness to look at your book the way a reader sees it. This is where we start making the book easier to love, easier to trust, and easier to buy.