Now that the new book platform for based indie books is up and running, it's gaining attention. You may be asking why or even thinking "Finally!" I did too... I just never imagined that person would be me, but I reached a point that I realized someone had to do something. Since no one else was, I did it. That something started as Spotlight on Indie SFF. I've been an indie science fiction and fantasy author since a small press published my first book in 2008. In 2009, I started self-publishing and never looked back. In the 2011-2012 era, I was briefly a bestselling author on Amazon. I qualified for SFWA membership but discontinued after a few years. I have a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and have been a small business owner (still am with Spotlight on Indie, LLC). I've been working as a part-time office manager and conference organizer for a small organization. I know how to manage the minutiae and put it all together! I've loved sci-fi and fantasy since I was a child (and saw the original Return of the Jedi in the theater when it was first released). Both my kids are big into the genres, which is no surprise since both myself and my husband love speculative fiction. I am a Christian before all things, a horseperson of over forty years (and still going, although he's mostly a fat pasture-pet), a cat mom, tea lover (not coffee), and mom to two high school valedictorians. I continue to write and, by the time I finish the last few books of my current series, will have written and published fifty books (mostly novels, but also some novellas and a couple of novelettes). Spotlight on Indie is the result of several years of wanting to do something for readers and writers of fiction to help with matching the right books to the right readers. I don't like certain things in books and tired of DNFing books, so I developed a system of rating content to help readers find just what they want. I was able to make this vision a reality and opened Spotlight on Indie SFF with the help of an amazing professional website developer. It was a simple site, basic in many ways... But I continued to ask for little alterations, and then the tools available to my developer improved and we decided it was time to see how big we could get. All the basic features of the original site are incorporated into the new platform, but we added MUCH more than I ever thought possible, for both readers and authors. Authors submit their books with many more purchase link options than the old site allowed and provide readers with content ratings to help readers determine if a book is right for them, which is the reason for my tagline, The Discerning Reader's Book Resource. In the upgrade, we added far more tools to help readers create recommendation lists from the available books on the site with the types of themes, tropes, settings, tones, and points-of-view they like. For authors, we were able to set up books so they have full control and analytics to track activity on each individual book listed on the site. As an author, I know this is invaluable. Authors can now add far more details of their books, and the site also allows for serial fiction to be listed, so that writers with serialized stories on sites like Royal Road, Substack, or their own blogs can participate in gaining an audience. We also created the platform as a place for the indie community to connect with one another by including a forum and the ability to rate and review each book. I put in the money to make this happen, the culmination of a lifetime of loving books and nearly as long writing them. The goal is to build a catalog that connects readers with exactly the types of stories from the indie community that they want to find; but the books must be based--no modern ideologies. I and my moderators curate the catalog of stories by giving each submission a background check to be sure it's a good fit. Whether you're a self-published author or small press, we're all part of the indie community. Sign-up today! spotlightonindie.com

Modern feminism has ruined reading with its hatred of traditional values and healthy masculinity. Tradpub has basically said they don't want books by real men, so the male writers have turned to indie publishing. Spotlight on Indie is a home for male (and female) authors who refuse to cooperate with the liberal elite tradpub establishment and are telling the fiction that real men (and non-woke women) want to read. Step into the imaginative worlds of indie authors and enjoy the growing catalog of based books at spotlightonindie.com!

It was a beautiful day here before the first chance of snow hits in my neck of the woods this week. I have a few projects to work on, some personal and some for Spotlight; but I couldn't resist taking a break to visit the pasture-pet on this perfect October day. I didn't plan on riding today, but the main arena was in use for mounted shooting practice, so that worked out. My Buddy is beginning to get a bit shaggy with his winter coat growing, and I had some cockleburs to pull out of his tail and forelock. And after a few freezes, the bugs are gone for the season.

If you ever want to know what's happening at Spotlight, we have two good places to look - the Support and Help in the footer and the forum of the Community area. Authors, readers, and publishers are all welcome to contribute to discussions! Some questions from the community area (and even some questions posted to me here) are added to the help sections for easy future reference.

Happy Sunday, readers and authors! I hope everyone has a great day!

We have another small publisher with a catalog of books in the process of adding them--Catholic fiction in multiple genres by Full Quiver Publishing from @EllenGable. We also have the catalog from @TuscanyBayBooks listed. If you know of any other small publishers of based books, we can set up publisher accounts for them also to add their catalogs. Contact me here or through the contact form at spotlightonindie.com/contact.

I haven't posted it in a while... If you have KU/Kindle+ books exclusive to Amazon, you can submit them to the platform. We're not a retailer, so your exclusivity is not at risk! You can also submit comics/graphic novels (including manga and manhwa) and serial fiction--these two are length options since they aren't set in word counts like the normal book length descriptors. The BISAC categories are also available for comics/graphic novels sub-genres, including manga, manhua, and manhwa.

Friday is the time to find good fall reading for the weekend! We have a growing variety of genres waiting for you. Check out these and hundreds more at Spotlight on Indie! Scan the QR code or enter the link in the image or click the link in our profile.

With all the PHP security issues in the news, I checked with my website developer. He was ahead of me and had already made sure the site was updated and secured.

I know people hate them, but I'm working on setting up Google ads to promote the site. We're approaching 1000 books and I think it's time to go wider with ads to get the word out beyond my minimal social media reach... So, if you see it in the wild somewhere outside of YouTube, X, or Truth, let me know!

I saw an indie news item that mentioned YouTube possibly getting into audiobooks. Authors, if you don't already have an audiobook, we have some great talent listed on the Author Services page. And if you don't have a video embedded with your book listing, an audiobook link from YouTube is one of the great ways to use that feature on the platform!

Book lovers! Readers! Indie authors! We have a FREE new book platform unique in many of its features-- combining some of the best of other sites and adding even more. Authors and small publishers, submit your based books and maintain complete control of your listings, including the option to add a featured video to highlight your book(s). (Small publishers, contact us to set up an account to manage multiple authors' books that you've published.) Readers, set up your account to create your virtual book shelves and manage your TBR! Join us today to support the indie community of booklovers and explore a whole new way of finding the right books for you! (Check out the URL in the image below or in this profile.)