YA Fantasy and Science Fiction writer. Founder of Mahogany Griot LLC. I connect readers with diverse books and share my Indie Publishing experiences with aspiring writers. Proud member of the Independent Book Publishing Association.
Hi, [first! Check out my novel's cover :)
βHey, Reader! I have lots of updates and goodies for you today, so I'm so happy you're here. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to follow me on this publishing journey. π News π° My first comic book, Songs of Aryam: The Moon King's Daughter will be available for sale in March. You'll be the first to know the official date. I'm making a few final edits to the lettering while one of the artists touches up a few of the panels. Why did I choose to launch Aryam's story with a comic book? Well, for a few reasons. For my capstone project in grad school, I studied how transmedia storytelling (telling stories through various media) can increase visibility for marginalized authors. Also, I wanted to make the story more accessible for my students, most of whom are English Language Learners and many of whom are avid manga and anime fans (like yours truly). As a teacher, I'm also excited to bring this story to teens who are struggling and reluctant readers. I hope that the comic will serve as an engaging entry point for them into the world I've created. Sneak Peek! π This month's sneak peek is a glimpse at the cover of the first novel in my Songs of Aryam series. I've collaborated with the amazing artist, Helena Santana, before on a special page in the comic book. I just knew I had to work with her again. Both the front cover and back cover are gorgeous. I love it for its retro blanime (black + anime) feel, and I just adore the tension between Aryam and Kyrel. Look for the full spread when I make the official post on Mahogany Griot's website. Adventures in Indie Publishing This month, I've been learning about industry standards and what it takes to publish a polished, professional novel. I joined The Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), put together a marketing strategy, and learned a ton more about running a small business. I also purchased ISBNs, barcodes, and a "look inside" widget that will help me sell and market books. Publishing your own work is beyond daunting and the learning curve is steep, but when I decided it was the right path for me, I also decided that I was going to do it RIGHT. Periodt. Ways to Get Involved Each month I'll offer one free or low-cost way you can support indie and marginalized authors. This month, you can support them by encouraging friends and family to read more diversely (free option). Research shows that people who read more are better at empathizing, so what better way to empathize with people from other communities than by reading stories by and about them? But did you know some people find black and brown characters unrelatable? It's a little wild for me to imagine that because I read stories from all over the place and stan the characters. That's also why I launched my own bookish merch shop encouraging people to Read Black, because it's for everyone. Not sure how to bring up this conversation with friends? β
β Sharing / purchasing one of these shirts also contributes towards my cost of producing and publishing a novel (paid option). I've already taken care of a lot of the costs, but next on the agenda is hiring a professional, qualified editor. I know lots of creatives start kickstarters and GoFundMe projects to raise money, which I have no problem with for any one else. Unfortunately, a weakness of mine has always been an inability to receive gifts without needing to immediately offer something in return π. That's why I want my supporters to receive a tangible reward that they can have in their hands almost instantly. I hope to have some Songs of Aryam merch available soon! Something That Gave Me Life This Month One of the highlights of my month was gathering at Socialight Societyβa black-owned, woman-owned, bookstore in Lansing, MIβand creating a vision board for 2024. Nyshell Lawrence is an amazing human being who has been a wonderful support and resource to me during my publishing journey. (P.S. π€« My launch party this summer will be in her store.) If you're in Michigan, be sure to stop by and see her at the Lansing Mall. More details about my official publishing date will be available soon. I'm zeroing in on late July/early August, depending on the editing and ARC time frames. That's it for today! If you made it this far (π ), thank you again for your time. I hope you will share something that resonated with you, and I look forward to sharing new developments next month. Stay safe and read on! |
βMahogany Griot
Indie Fantasy Author and Founder
YA Fantasy and Science Fiction writer. Founder of Mahogany Griot LLC. I connect readers with diverse books and share my Indie Publishing experiences with aspiring writers. Proud member of the Independent Book Publishing Association.
February 2024 Hey, Reader! Have you ever heard of Parkinson's Law? Basically, the law states that if you give yourself a certain amount of time to complete a task, you'll probably end up using all that time to accomplish it, even if you don't need the time. That's why I'm so happy it's a leap year. I 100% used this extra day to write this newsletter. π News I finished the second draft of my novel! Songs of Aryam: Book 1 (Title coming soon) is now sitting at 26 chapters and 81,820 words. In...