One of the first people I had the privilege of meeting at The Underground Book Fair, hosted by Wordier Than Thou, was Kate Johnson. Kate and her husband opened the bookstore Pages & Perks, and she graciously extended an invitation for me to set up a table at her event this morning alongside other local authors.

Shifting Destiny is now in the hands of several more readers—and, incredibly, has its own spot on a shelf inside an independently owned bookstore! If you're looking for your own physical copy, check out Kate's store.

This was such an incredible experience. I had a great time meeting and networking with other authors, bookstore owners, bookstagrammers, and readers. I also thoroughly enjoyed socializing and joking with my fellow fantasy romance table buddy, Kate Bexell. I seriously look forward to reading her novel, Through the Wardrobe.

One thing I'm learning as I attend these events and expand my network of local indie authors is just how friendly and collaborative the writing world can be. Instead of competing for readers, it's a community where people build each other up, share resources, exchange knowledge, and celebrate one another's successes.

I'm so grateful to everyone who purchased a copy of my novel today, everyone who shared their expertise, and everyone who simply sat back, socialized, and made the day fun.

If anyone out there is thinking about entering the world of indie authors, I'm here to tell you that it's a welcoming and wonderful community.

Think about it. We write stories and work out our frustrations through fiction.

How bad can we be?