Ep 92: Amazon or Wide? The Secret Self-Publishing Strategy That Turns Newbies into Bestsellers in 2026!

Ep 97: AI Books Aren't the REAL Threat to Indie Authors (Here's What IS)!

When it comes to AI and the author community, it’s time for people to put down the pitchforks, have a reality check moment, and come together instead of tearing each other down! AI has officially become one of the most divisive topics in the publishing industry, and emotions are running HIGH. After the internet exploded over the largely misrepresented comments made by Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt regarding AI-generated books, this conversation dives headfirst into the growing fear, outrage, cancel culture, and confusion surrounding AI in the author world. From the ethical line between using AI to generate entire books versus using it as a modern business tool for things like marketing and productivity, to why refusing to acknowledge this technology at all may leave authors behind long-term, this is an honest, nuanced, no-BS discussion about where publishing is headed, what actually threatens authentic storytelling, and why authors should stop attacking each other and start focusing on protecting the value of human-created books before fear and mob mentality do more damage than the technology itself. What You’ll Learn in This Episode ·        What Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt actually said ·        Where authors should really draw the line with AI ·        What most authors are totally ignoring about AI and books ·        What should really be the focus of our attention with AI ·        Why it’s ridiculous to get so angry about AI in the first place RESOURCES & LINKS Learn More About Me: https://christinakaye.com/ [https://christinakaye.com/] My Etsy Shop (The Bookish Swag Shop): https://thebookishswagshop.etsy.com [https://thebookishswagshop.etsy.com/] Find Me, Follow Me, DM Me on These Platforms: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@christinakayeofficial [https://www.tiktok.com/@christinakayeofficial] Substack: https://substack.com/@christinakayeofficial [https://substack.com/@christinakayeofficial] Facebook: https://facebook.com/christinakayeofficial [https://facebook.com/christinakayeofficial] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaKayeOfficial [https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaKayeOfficial] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinakayeofficial/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinakayeofficial/] SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW THIS SHOW If you enjoyed this episode, follow and/or subscribe to Write! Grow! Launch! wherever you listen to podcasts, so you don’t miss future episodes on successfully self-publishing, profitably launching your book, and building a sustainable indie author career…without burnout or BS.

Ep 96: The Ultimate Guide to Indie Author Branding (Part 1: The Aesthetics)

If you haven’t spent time building a full, cohesive, and effective author brand, you’re not just missing out on potential readers for your book…you’re likely repelling them! Most indie authors think branding starts and ends with a logo, a pretty website, or a matching Instagram feed. Meanwhile, readers are scrolling right past authors who feel disconnected, forgettable, inconsistent, or impossible to relate to online. In today’s publishing industry, readers don’t just buy books anymore — they buy connection, personality, trust, and familiarity. And if your online presence feels random, faceless, or visually all over the place, you could be losing potential readers every single day without even realizing it. But this is totally fixable. This episode kicks off Part 1 of a brand-new 3-part series where I’ll walk you through the three crucial elements of building an author brand that stands out in today’s crowded online world. This week, we’re diving into the visual side of branding…your aesthetics. I’m breaking down how to create a recognizable online presence that instantly feels professional, relatable, and aligned with your genre and audience. So, sit back, relax, and maybe even take notes, and let me teach you how to attract the right readers and build deeper audience trust when your brand finally feels intentional. What You’ll Learn in This Episode ·        Why readers connect with relatable and visible authors more than faceless ·        The biggest visual branding mistakes indie authors make online ·        How to choose an aesthetic that fits your genre, personality, and target audience ·        The core visual elements every indie author brand MUST have ·        Why cohesive branding increases trust, recognition, and reader connection RESOURCES & LINKS Learn More About Me: https://christinakaye.com/ [https://christinakaye.com/] Free Resource: https://bit.ly/3PoGgsM [https://bit.ly/3PoGgsM] Helpful Links: https://pixabay.com/ [https://pixabay.com/] https://www.creativefabrica.com/ [https://www.creativefabrica.com/] https://www.dreamstime.com/ [https://www.dreamstime.com/] https://redketchup.io/color-picker [https://redketchup.io/color-picker] My Etsy Shop (The Bookish Swag Shop): https://thebookishswagshop.etsy.com [https://thebookishswagshop.etsy.com/] Find Me, Follow Me, DM Me on These Platforms: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@christinakayeofficial [https://www.tiktok.com/@christinakayeofficial] Substack: https://substack.com/@christinakayeofficial [https://substack.com/@christinakayeofficial] Facebook: https://facebook.com/christinakayeofficial [https://facebook.com/christinakayeofficial] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaKayeOfficial [https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaKayeOfficial] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinakayeofficial/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinakayeofficial/] SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW THIS SHOW If you enjoyed this episode, follow and/or subscribe to Write! Grow! Launch! wherever you listen to podcasts, so you don’t miss future episodes on successfully self-publishing, profitably launching your book, and building a sustainable indie author career…without burnout or BS.

Ep 95: How to Build a Fandom Filled with Readers Who Will Show Up on Launch Day and Buy Your Book!

81% of consumers must trust a brand first before they ever consider buying from it, and readers are consumers, just like authors are brands. “People buy from people they know, like, and trust” may sound cliché at this point, but there’s a reason marketers have repeated it for decades: it works. Most indie authors don’t struggle because their books are bad. They struggle because they launch to an audience of strangers. In this week’s episode, we’re talking about one of the biggest mistakes authors make before publishing — waiting until launch week to start trying to get readers’ attention. By then, the Amazon algorithm is already watching, readers are overwhelmed with content, and shouting “my book is out now!” into the void rarely creates the momentum authors hoped for. The good news? There’s a far better way to approach book marketing, and it doesn’t require going viral, becoming an influencer, or constantly selling to people online. In this episode, you’ll learn why building genuine relationships with readers long before your launch can completely change your publishing career, how loyal reader communities are created, and why showing up to launch day with an existing fanbase can dramatically impact your visibility, sales, reviews, and long-term success as an indie author. What You’ll Learn in This Episode ·        Why you must become friends with your readers first ·        How to connect with your ideal readers organically ·        What to do once you connect with them to build relationships ·        How to nurture the relationships you’ve started and build a fandom ·        When you need to start this strategy and how to do it RESOURCES & LINKS Learn More About Me: https://christinakaye.com/ [https://christinakaye.com/] Free Resource: https://bit.ly/430ToqZ [https://bit.ly/430ToqZ] Book a FREE Session: https://hello.dubsado.com/public/form/view/69634d3f7a5de72a93761652 [https://hello.dubsado.com/public/form/view/69634d3f7a5de72a93761652] My Etsy Shop (The Bookish Swag Shop): https://thebookishswagshop.etsy.com [https://thebookishswagshop.etsy.com/] Find Me, Follow Me, DM Me on These Platforms: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@christinakayeofficial [https://www.tiktok.com/@christinakayeofficial] Substack: https://substack.com/@christinakayeofficial [https://substack.com/@christinakayeofficial] Facebook: https://facebook.com/christinakayeofficial [https://facebook.com/christinakayeofficial] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaKayeOfficial [https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaKayeOfficial] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinakayeofficial/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinakayeofficial/] SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW THIS SHOW If you enjoyed this episode, follow and/or subscribe to Write! Grow! Launch! wherever you listen to podcasts, so you don’t miss future episodes on successfully self-publishing, profitably launching your book, and building a sustainable indie author career…without burnout or BS.

Ep 94: Find Your Ideal Readers and Turn them Into a Super Fanbase!

Episode Title: Finding Your Audience and Build a Super Fanbase! Episode Summary If you don’t know who is actively looking for books like yours and are far more likely to buy your book, you’re shouting into the void, and that never sells books! Most indie authors don’t struggle because their book isn’t good—they struggle because they skipped the step of building an audience before they hit publish. In this episode, I break down why spending at least 90 days finding and understanding your ideal readers is non-negotiable if you want your book to succeed. I explain how platforms like Amazon evaluate your book’s performance during the first seven days after launch—and how little to no activity can signal to the algorithm that your book isn’t worth promoting. The good news? This is completely fixable when you know what to do ahead of time. I walk you through a simple, strategic process to identify and connect with your readers using three powerful research methods: analyzing book reviews on Amazon to uncover reader expectations, studying reader behavior and conversations on TikTok and Instagram, and diving into niche-specific reader groups on Facebook. You’ll also learn how to organize your findings and turn them into a clear Ideal Reader Avatar so you can write, market, and connect with confidence. This is the foundation for building a loyal fanbase that’s ready and excited to support your book before it ever launches. What You’ll Learn in This Episode ·        Why you can’t sell books to “everyone” ·        How the book marketing industry works in 2026 ·        How to figure out who will actually read your book ·        How and where to find your target audience ·        What to do once you find your target audience RESOURCES & LINKS Learn More About Me: https://christinakaye.com/ [https://christinakaye.com/] Free Resource: https://bit.ly/48rXprJ [https://bit.ly/48rXprJ] My Etsy Shop (The Bookish Swag Shop): https://thebookishswagshop.etsy.com [https://thebookishswagshop.etsy.com/] Find Me, Follow Me, DM Me on These Platforms: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@christinakayeofficial [https://www.tiktok.com/@christinakayeofficial] Substack: https://substack.com/@christinakayeofficial [https://substack.com/@christinakayeofficial] Facebook: https://facebook.com/christinakayeofficial [https://facebook.com/christinakayeofficial] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaKayeOfficial [https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaKayeOfficial] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinakayeofficial/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinakayeofficial/] SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW THIS SHOW If you enjoyed this episode, follow and/or subscribe to Write! Grow! Launch! wherever you listen to podcasts, so you don’t miss future episodes on successfully self-publishing, profitably launching your book, and building a sustainable indie author career…without burnout or BS.

Ep 93: The Blurb Writing Formula That Actually Sells More Books!

If your book blurb isn’t written perfectly (and correctly), you’re losing readers, not to mention money, by the minute! Your book blurb isn’t just a summary of facts. It’s your sales pitch, and if it’s not doing its job, your book isn’t selling. Too many authors think they’re supposed to summarize their plot in great detail and/or show off their amazing ninja writer skills. But nothing could be more incorrect! Your blurb needs to be written in a certain way with your target audience and their expectations in mind, otherwise, you’re missing out on potentially thousands of book sales. In this episode, I break down exactly how to write a compelling, high-converting blurb that grabs attention, hooks your ideal readers, and makes them need to click “Buy Now.” You’ll learn what a blurb actually is (and what it’s not), the biggest mistakes indie authors are still making, and the simple but powerful structure I use to turn casual browsers into buyers. If your book isn’t selling the way it should, there’s a very good chance your blurb is the missing piece. And I’m helping you fix that today. What You’ll Learn in This Episode ·        What a blurb is and where it is used ·        The importance of nailing your blurb ·        Why your blurb is THE key factor in sales conversions ·        The bestselling book blurb template I teach my clients ·        Tips on how to make your blurb “chef’s kiss perfect!” RESOURCES & LINKS Learn More About Me: https://christinakaye.com/ [https://christinakaye.com/] My Course (The Bestselling Indie Author Playbook): https://bit.ly/49HT4AB [https://bit.ly/49HT4AB] My Etsy Shop (The Bookish Swag Shop): https://thebookishswagshop.etsy.com [https://thebookishswagshop.etsy.com/] Find Me, Follow Me, DM Me on These Platforms: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@christinakayeofficial [https://www.tiktok.com/@christinakayeofficial] Substack: https://substack.com/@christinakayeofficial [https://substack.com/@christinakayeofficial] Facebook: https://facebook.com/christinakayeofficial [https://facebook.com/christinakayeofficial] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaKayeOfficial [https://www.youtube.com/@ChristinaKayeOfficial] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinakayeofficial/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinakayeofficial/] SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW THIS SHOW If you enjoyed this episode, follow and/or subscribe to Write! Grow! Launch! wherever you listen to podcasts, so you don’t miss future episodes on successfully self-publishing, profitably launching your book, and building a sustainable indie author career…without burnout or BS.