I’m ALWAYS on the hunt for books that feature complex platonic relationships between men – brotherhood, bromances, rivals, frenemies, and a mix of everything in between!
Since I love this trope so much, I feel like I’ve read all the ones mentioned on lists, forums, and blogs online. So I’m always delighted to discover hidden gems, like at indie book events! I recently returned from the Realm Makers expo, and rounded up 7 that I’m excited to read!
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Fates Defiant by Brigitte Cromey and C.M. Banschbach
Fates Defiant was one of my favorite reads last year, so I was so excited when it won the Realm Makers award for the fantasy category! I got to meet the co-authors C.M. Banschbach (pictured top) and Brigitte Cromey (pictured bottom).
“The story follows Bastian, a disgraced soldier, and Cyrus, the reigning arena champion. Gladiator opponents – turned allies, turned brothers.” – C.M. Banschbach
An unexpected alliance forms when two gladiators come face to face, but in order to survive long enough to see freedom, they’ll have to fight… to the death.
“This is Magician’s Apprentice. It stars Jericho Carver and Aurik Spellsmith. Jericho is the common sense son of a carpenter and is also a magician’s apprentice. Aurik is the son of the magician who was away studying in the city. They are competing to see who gets the shop when the magician retires… and havoc ensues!” – H.L. Burke
An estranged son. An adopted heir. A magical attack that forces them to work together.
“There is a fierce rivalry between two brothers who are born just seconds apart from each other. One of them is rather evil-hearted and his name is Morlan Stormgarden. He and his brother Aravel have never gotten along. Morlan always insists there’s a better way to rule the entire kingdom. Well, Aravel ends up being king. That doesn’t sit well with his younger brother…” – Wayne Thomas Batson
From the bestselling author of The Door Within Trilogy comes an epic tale of two powerful kings whose rivalry threatens to tear the world of Myriad apart.
“This one is about an outcast soldier who finds an unlikely friendship in a slave he kind of accidentally acquires and the two of them have a lot of unresolved issues they get to work out together. They turn out to be the best of friends. Bromance for the win!” – Laura VanArendonk Baugh
A bastard, mage, and monster must set aside prejudices and rivalries to find an end to centuries of conflict, before they die as traitors.
“Two of the protagonists are Voldigar, a famous chanter of the Order, and Lanathor, a famous teller of the Order. Lanathor is steeped in tradition, following the code. Whereas Voldigar, old as he is, has seen many things – he loves the code as well, but he’s willing to break it to do what he thinks is right. Which brings them to loggerheads at times, but they are fast friends and learn to forgive one another throughout.” – Ezra Ferguson
A devout order of warrior monks had rid the world of demonic power. But when their oath-sworn prince rises to the throne, his folly threatens to undo everything.
“We have Captain Marik who is a pirate and Grayden who is a young man trying to get to the air military academy. Marik hijacks the airship he’s on, so obviously they don’t like each other at first, but eventually they do have to work together.” – Jenelle Leanne Schmidt
A rogue airship captain. An ambitious youth. A clash of powers beyond their imagination.
“Kaid (an impulsive adventure seeker) and Brazen (the reluctant, overthinking tagalong), share a bond only twins can understand. When they learn the truth about their father’s death, however, their responses are so wildly opposite, they wonder if they’ll ever share that bond again.” – Brett Hibbler
Monstrous beasts lay waste to the world of Voiyanna, and their only hope lies in a group of divided ambassadors sent to petition an ancient—and supposedly long-dead—hero.
“We have Comran and Etran who are half brothers, very embittered, who gradually become allies, who gradually become the brothers they’ve wanted their entire life.” – C.M. Banschbach
A man born for war. A bastard raised in contempt. Only together can they defend their tribe from slaughter.
If you know of more fantasy books with complex brotherhood dynamics, please share below!
Hi, I’m Caylah Coffeen, a freelance editor and marketer of sci-fi and fantasy books. I love reading and writing and am a follower of Jesus Christ.
I’ve worked for Monster Ivy Publishing, Eschler Editing, and Havok Magazine. Reach out to chat about books and publishing!
Thanks for stopping by my website! I hope you’ve found some helpful resources about reading, writing, and publishing. If you liked this article, here’s some more free content…
Did you know that there are about 8,000 English books listed in Amazon’s “Religious Science Fiction and Fantasy” category right now?
You can find this number by going to Amazon’s book department and selecting categories and subcategories. In this instance I chose Books>Religion and Spirituality>Literature and Fiction>Science Fiction and Fantasy. The number of search results at the top indicates the number of listings in this category.
This does include different editions and formats (print, Kindle, audiobook) for the same titles, however. Meaning the real number of unique Christian SFF titles is far smaller than 8,000.
The number of paperbacks is about 5,000. So if we exclude the numerous alternate editions of Lewis, Tolkien, and classic writers like Bunyan and Dante, and ignore the nonfiction that slipped in (mythology coloring books) should we estimate half that: 2,500?
Is that how many Christian fantasy and sci-fi books there are right now?
Using Publisher Rocket for Market Research
Amazon shows you the number of results available for specific searches like “Christian Fantasy,” but programs like Publisher Rocket by Dave Chesson do it faster, pulling the data directly from Amazon.
Amazon itself called Chesson a “Kindleprenuer,” leading to the title of his website where he shares he has “worked with many New York Times bestselling authors like Ted Dekker, Orson Scott Card, Kevin J. Anderson… [plus] multiple major publishing companies.”
It’s useful for completing market research, but there can be glitches when using this program. For instance, when I first searched “Christian Fantasy,” it told me there were 60,000 titles listed under that keyword on Amazon and 50,000 filed under the keyword “Christian science fiction.”
That seemed astonishingly high to me, and when I reached out to their team, they indicated that there was indeed a disconnect between their and Amazon’s data. A direct query into Amazon’s search bar for “Christian fantasy” produced over 200 results, which Publisher Rocket then began showing.
So when compiling the numbers below, I double checked all results by searching the terms in Amazon directly and found them to be correct. Note that because these are monthly averages, you may get different results when you search the same terms. The number of competitors should change gradually though, as new books are only published so quickly.
The State of Christian Fantasy Publishing
Here is additional data about the types of Christian fantasy books which are being published, and significantly, how many shoppers are searching for such books.
The most important columns to analyze are “Number of Competitors,” which counts the number of books using the selected keyword, and “Est. Amazon Searches/Month” which tells you how many shoppers are searching for that keyword.
Looking at the number of books competing for these keywords, we can roughly estimate that there are between 200-800 Christian fantasy books of various sub-genres currently on Amazon. That’s our supply. Goodreads users seem to agree – there are 794 books on this list “Christian Fantasy.”
What’s the demand?
These are most searched-for terms from shoppers per month:
YA christian paranormal romance: 1,586 Biblical mythology fantasy: 1,439 Christian romantasy: 1,016 Christian fantasy: 869 Christian fantasy for children: 816 Christian paranormal fiction: 639 Christian young adult fantasy: 345 Christian epic fantasy: 243
So let’s estimate that there are roughly 200-1,500 readers looking for varied Christian fantasy each month.
That’s great news for writers, authors, and publishers of Christian fantasy. At worst, supply is just keeping up with demand, and at best there’s about twice as much interest per month as the current market supplies!
That’s simplifying the data. The specific numbers do much more to show where there are gaps in the market that Christian publishers and authors can meet.
Where Demand Exceeds Supply
There’s about 7 TIMES more interest in YA christian paranormal romance per month than there are books available for such readers. And about 4 times more monthly demand for Christian romantasy than supply!
That first revelation surprised me. The second did not.
I was also surprised by the apparently small interest in epic and medieval Christian fantasy. That’s the “easiest” type of Christian fantasy to pull off well, and is still one of the most popular sub-genres of fantasy in the general market, so I expected the most readers to be looking for such books. But supply and demand are about equal in this area, with 211 books listed as “Christian epic fantasy” and about 243 readers looking for such titles each month.
No doubt my own preferences colored my expectations, which is why hard data is so important for approaching publishing as a business, rather than just a passion.
Let’s look at some other surprises in the data.
Ironically, the keywords authors used most frequently – “supernatural christian fantasy:” 807 titles, and “christian medieval fantasy:” 435 titles – have the least amount of search interest, at under 100 queries a month.
This tells authors that they’re not marketing their books correctly to readers. That’s what this program was designed to accomplish – to help authors pick keywords that actually match buyer intent. (That’s what the “competition score” column at the end means – it’s telling you how hard it’d be to rank for the keyword.)
There commonly exists a gap between how authors anticipate readers look for books, and how shoppers actually search for their next read.
For instance, more shoppers are searching “fantasy like Narnia” (1,500/mo) than are searching “Christian fantasy” (870/mo).
Here’s an another example: I work in publishing, so I tend to use more “exact” terminology. I searched “middle grade christian fantasy” to see how many books existed in that sub-genre. It was around the 200 mark, just like you see above under “christian fantasy for children.” However, the search numbers were abysmal, at <100. I knew there’s no way there was that little interest in middle grade christian fantasy, so I typed in other terms, and discovered the much more accurate-sounding number of 816 average searches a month for “christian fantasy for children.”
So here we see that 807 supernatural christian fantasy books exist, with less than 100 interested readers, while less than 200 biblical mythology fantasy books exist, with over 1,400 interested readers. Could it be the case that readers are using the latter term to refer to story concepts like demons and angels, while authors are using the term supernatural instead? Or do readers think of “biblical mythology” as “stories set in bible times plus magic?”
That’s a question that polling could help answer. But for the main purpose of this article, analyzing supply and demand, my point is that there does appear to be greater interest in sub-genres of Christian fantasy than just the top 2 keywords reveal.
Follow the Money
It’s also important to factor in the data about “average monthly earnings” for each keyword, because that indicates how many readers are actually buying Christian fantasy. The number of people searching a term doesn’t equal the number of people who actually made a purchase. Many people searching this term didn’t end up buying anything, while many other shoppers who didn’t start with that specific search term did make a purchase.
It’s important to note that the column “average monthly earnings” records “the estimated average monthly earnings of the top books that rank for this keyword.” In other words, the fact that “Christian fantasy” sells an average of $36,701 a month means titles like Narnia sell that much a month, not that all books listed under that keyword combined sell this much a month.
That’s good news – shoppers are spending more than $36K a month to buy Christian fantasy books. But Publisher Rocket can create better estimates for the top performers.
The State of Christian Science Fiction Publishing
Now, let’s take a look at the state of Christian science fiction. They get lumped together in the parent category “Religious Science Fiction and Fantasy,” but we can learn more by separating them out.
I also threw in a stat for Christian horror at the bottom since it gets lumped in under the category “Christian speculative fiction.”
It was easier to round out the number of available titles here, as regardless of the sci-fi “sub-genre” or “thematic” terms I used, I consistently came up with around 200 titles. That’s fewer than the fantasy titles, which does not surprise me. The highest earners in this category also make far less than in the fantasy category.
There seems to be much less demand for Christian sci-fi across the board, though the top search query still indicates there is 3x as much demand as supply. I must also note that shoppers do weird things.
Apparently, more readers are searching with keywords like:
A Christian science fiction: 1,646 monthly queries Scifi books with christian plot: 746 (this keywords’s top titles earn >$15K/mo!) Science fiction for christian: 312 Christian science fiction series: 287 Christian sci-fi fiction: 265 (compared to <100 for just “Christian sci-fi,” go figure) Christian futuristic fiction: 245
So again, when we go a bit deeper down the rabbit hole of what shoppers are actually typing into Amazon, we see that there’s more demand than the dismal <100 searches we see for some of the more sensible terms above.
And by looking at the monthly revenue for top books, we see there are definitely more than 100 readers a month willing to purchase “christian hard scifi,” “christian science fiction for youth,” and “children christian science fiction.”
Likely, many of these purchasers searched the book titles or authors directly, which indicates word of mouth is probably a better sales tactic for Christian science fiction specifically, while more readers are evidently willing to “cold search” for Christian fantasy.
I will note another unfortunate fact, which could be skewing data. Authors, desperate to find readers who would be at all interested in their book, tend to ignore genre distinctions. For instance, I’ve seen straight up wizard, medieval fantasy books listed as sci-fi when they really shouldn’t be because authors know readers in one genre are usually interested in the other too, and they want as many views as possible.
Next Steps
If we combine all of these listings, do we reach the estimated 2,500 titles? I’m not sure if there’s a gap here, but I think we can say with confidence that the current body of Christian speculative fiction lies somewhere between 1,000-3,000 titles.
Does this fit your observations?
I’m going to keep an eye on these keywords in the coming months to track any major changes or see if the numbers remain similar.
This number is growing each year, as is reader interest and generated revenue! Amazon’s data agrees.
Considering shopper interest, it seems like the most promising paths for growth are YA Christian paranormal romance, Christian romantasy, and biblical mythology fantasy. Looking at the areas of greatest revenue production, there is potential for children’s Christian fantasy and children’s Christian science fiction as well.
I think it would be greatly fruitful for Christian speculative fiction publishers and authors with a wide reader base to initiate polling among their audiences to clarify how readers define certain sub-genres of Christian fantasy and sci-fi and verify if these expectations match up with how the books are being marketed.
For the keywords that have a decent number of searches but comparatively abysmal sales, it’d be worth asking readers how existing books have failed to motivate a purchase. For instance, there are 223 monthly searches for christian scifi space exploration which result in only a measly $13 of monthly earnings for the top title. Or 1,016 monthly searches for christian romantasy compared to only $160 of monthly revenue for the top book.
It’s possible this data is incorrect or incomplete. But it’s also possible that the Christian romantasy and space exploration books currently on the market are of poor quality, lack the necessary metadata for readers to discover them, or do not actually possess what readers want.
Also, obviously Amazon isn’t the only source of data for the book industry, but it is one of the most readily available and understandable sources, especially for indie authors and presses.
Let’s find out the answer to these questions so as authors, publishers, and industry professionals, we can create better Christian science fiction and fantasy and help readers actually find our work!
If you have data which contradicts or enhances any of these findings, I’d be incredibly grateful if you shared them. Please weigh in on the conversation so we can all make a better plan for the future. Thanks!
Hi, I’m Caylah Coffeen, a freelance editor and marketer of sci-fi and fantasy books. I love reading and writing and am a follower of Jesus Christ.
I’ve worked for Monster Ivy Publishing, Eschler Editing, and Havok Magazine. Reach out to chat about books and publishing!
Thanks for stopping by my website! I hope you’ve found some helpful resources about reading, writing, and publishing. If you liked this article, here’s some more free content…
I started hitting the con circuit in about 2018 and fell in love – book lovers, authors, cosplay, night owls, drool-worthy merch, and so on! But I still felt like kind of the odd one out, because while there were some Christians at these events, and the friends I made were kind when I mentioned my faith, it just wasn’t an interest most attendees shared.
I thought how amazing it would be if there was a Christian literary convention where I could nerd out about all my fandoms and crack Bible jokes too! Much to my disappointment, no such thing existed. But in my initially dismal Googling, I discovered Realm Makers!
Realm Makers started out in 2013 as a a cohesive, professional conference for Christian speculative fiction authors. In 2016, they added an awards program for Christian fantasy and science fiction – at the time, I believe no other awards existed for this sub-genre. On their website, they describe the exact same feeling I had experienced at secular cons and in “mainstream” Christian circles – I couldn’t quite be myself fully in either.
But they still weren’t a convention. And I didn’t have ~$1500 to drop on travel, lodging, food, and conference fees. So I bided my time and stalked their amazing FB group, in which I made many friends and learned so much about this budding industry.
Ralene Burke, Rebecca P. Minor, Caylah CoffeenRich CoffeenKathy Tyers book signingHavok Magazine at Realm Makers
Then, last year (2025), they hosted their first EXPO for fans in Grand Rapids! FINALLY, I could afford to come and hang out with fellow creatives, browse book stalls, learn about Christian video game creators, and meet the publishers I had followed for years. Plus the geniuses behind Realm Makers: Rebecca (pictured above) and Scott Minor!
It was a blast! I got to meet one of my favorite authors, Kathy Tyers, who later kindly gave an interview on this blog. I got to help my dad (author Rich Coffeen) and Havok Magazine (with whom I was an editor at the time) vend at their tables. Of course, I ran around in cosplay, collecting stickers and business cards, and meeting indie Christian SFF authors I never would have discovered if not for this expo. I came home with a juicy stack of new books that marginally consoled me as I sulked about having to wait a whole year to return.
But now the time is near!
This year they’re hosting their conference and expo in St. Louis. The conference runs from Wed, June 24th – Sat, June 27th, with their awards banquet Thurs evening. The expo runs all day Fri, June 26th and Sat, June 27th. And this year, they’re not even charging for entry to shop the expo (screenings and events within the expo do cost extra).
It really was a wonderful event, great for both networking and sharing common passions, so I highly recommend that you attend if you can. I would love to meet you there!
Here’s one of the official fliers from their press kit, linked to their website where you can find more details.
Hi, I’m Caylah Coffeen, a freelance editor and marketer of sci-fi and fantasy books. I love reading and writing and am a follower of Jesus Christ.
I’ve worked for Monster Ivy Publishing, Eschler Editing, and Havok Magazine. Reach out to chat about books and publishing!
Thanks for stopping by my website! I hope you’ve found some helpful resources about reading, writing, and publishing. If you liked this article, here’s some more free content…
As an avid fan of the fantasy genre, I consume fantasy stories any which way I can (novels, television, movies, and video games).
Recently, I had a chance to play the Oblivion remake released by Bethesda. After I finished the main storyline quests, I decided to pick up Skyrim (its sequel) while I was at it. I was surprised at the stark contrast between the two worlds. Where the world of Oblivion is beautiful to behold and full of humorous, even slightly silly characters, Skyrim is harsh and jagged, and full of meaner characters.
That was when it dawned on me what the difference was between the two stories. In Oblivion, the world was worth fighting for. In Skyrim, the world was worth fighting.
I have since noticed that these are the two basic types of fantasy settings: the world worth fighting for and the world worth fighting. When we have a world worth fighting for, it is clear that the world the story takes place in is a good one, and the main character wants to keep it. When we have a world worth fighting, the focus is far more on the main character (or characters), and the way they rise to the challenges that the world throws at them.
We can see this in a few other examples.
Middle Earth is a world worth fighting for, demonstrated most by the Shire and Rivendell. Samwise Gamgee even makes a speech reinforcing this point.
SAM: But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn’t. Because they were holding on to something.
FRODO: What are we holding on to, Sam?
SAM: That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.
Westeros is a world worth fighting. It’s awful, dark, and full of murder and betrayal.
Prydain from the Chronicles of Prydain series is a world worth fighting for. There is beauty in it, and wonderful people. Even some of the more self-serving people are still inclined toward good, and then there are the forces of darkness looking to conquer it.
Warhammer 40K has no bright spot in it, no place where the soul-crushing inevitability of demise hasn’t tainted everything. It is a mad universe where the only constant is war. It is a world worth fighting.
Not Just Grimdark vs. Noblebright
Now, I know that some people will simplify this to being the difference between the Grimdark (what is grimdark?) and Noblebright (what is noblebright?) genres. That is fair, because every Grimdark story’s setting can be summed up as “a world worth fighting.”
However, not every Noblebright story takes place in a world worth fighting for.
Take, for example, Star Wars. I would call Star Wars Noblebright because it features good triumphing over evil, and it is generally pretty clear who the heroes and villains are. Yes, recent stories in the Star Wars universe have brought in more moral ambiguity, but while the heroes may do morally questionably things on occasion, the sheer wickedness of the villains makes it clear that they are the evil ones.
But in the original trilogy, the Empire has control over everything. Making it worse, wherever the Empire doesn’t have control we get hives of scum and villainy, hostile nomadic tribes, monsters, and far-reaching criminal gangs like the Hutts.
Thus, I would argue that the Star Wars setting (true to its name) is a world worth fighting rather than a world worth fighting for. Luke Skywalker doesn’t fight for Tattooine, Yavin 4, or Hoth; he fights for those individuals he loves.
The King Arthur myth gives us a world worth fighting for: Camelot.
Sometimes what determines a world as worth fighting for is something small in it, a specific place. As I mentioned before, Middle Earth has the Shire. Harry Potter’s world has Hogwarts, which, for all its faults, becomes his bastion against the evils of the rest of the world (both the Muggle world and the Wizarding world). In the film Willow, it’s the Nelwyn village, to which Willow wants to return so that he can see his family again.
I would also argue that it could be possible to write a Grimdark story, but make it a world worth fighting for if the hero has some place in it where he can be at peace with his loved ones.
Depending on how you play it, Fallout 4 could be an example of this. The world surrounding the main character is full of mutants, radiation, violent robots, and murderous people. However, in that game you have the option to build places of sanctuary (literally starting with a neighborhood called “Sanctuary Hills”). The sanctuary you build can bring hope to an otherwise desolate wasteland, turning the post-apocalyptic setting into a world worth fighting for.
Where does your story fit?
This forced me to take a look at my own epic fantasy series: The Third Genesis. I had to ask myself if the world of Ymir where the story takes place is a world worth fighting or a world worth fighting for.
It is a world where false gods with space age technology have genetically-engineered an ecosystem made up of mythical creatures in order to exploit the planet Ymir’s unique resources. These false gods pit the people and creatures they’ve created against each other, and there are inquisitions, crusades, and holy wars. At first, I thought this made it a world worth fighting. But then I remembered that the people of Ymir live with the promise of the Third Genesis: a day when the false gods shall be defeated and the True Deity, The One, will reign. Thus, I realized that the world of Ymir is a world worth fighting for.
This also got me to examine the Bible to assess the world we live in according to the Good Book. Does the Bible speak of this world as one worth fighting or worth fighting for? While there are many places in Scripture that speak to the corruption of this world, and even places where it is implied that the Devil has dominion over the physical realm, we cannot forget the LORD’s promises of a day when He will wash away that corruption. And we cannot forget John 3:16, the most famous Bible verse of all, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
The Supreme Being has declared this world worth fighting for. So, let us do so every day, and ensure that we always follow the orders of our King when we do.
Nicholas is a prolific author who has written mostly westerns, but his true passion is for fantasy novels. Starting from the age of six (with stories about a mouse wizard named “Mousey”), he has honed his craft through years of dedicated writing.
His studies in history, religion, mythology, folklore, and classical literature have informed his works. Each of Casale’s works hit emotional notes and raise fascinating questions about the nature of life, love, morality, and existence.
Hi, I’m Caylah Coffeen, a freelance editor and marketer of sci-fi and fantasy books. I love reading and writing and am a follower of Jesus Christ.
I’ve worked for Monster Ivy Publishing and Eschler Editing, and am currently a weekly editor with Havok Publishing. Reach out to chat about books and publishing!
Thanks for stopping by my website! I hope you’ve found some helpful resources about reading, writing, and publishing. If you liked this article, here’s some more free content…
“And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.” – Psalm 39:7 (NKJV)
Father,
It’s so hard to wait. I confess my impatience and difficulty with waiting. We’re conditioned to have difficulty waiting seconds, let alone weeks, months, or years. But, as the old saying goes, “Good things come to those who wait.”
O Lord, You are more than worth the wait! There is no other hope found in the universe outside of You. You have indeed been my arm every morning and my salvation in the time of trouble. Help me not to miss all of the gems within the waiting. Though I would love to press the publish button today, help me see each and every lesson along this writing journey.
I long to wait patiently for what You have for me. Help me not to settle for the tempting shortcut. Give me the courage to stand strong in the face of a culture promoting instant gratification.
Finally, before I begin today’s writing session, I wait for the gift of Your Spirit to empower me and illuminate my mind. Give me the endurance I need to persevere and overcome every obstacle the enemy throws in front me. May this writing session be rewarded with the fruit of waiting.
It’s in the name of Jesus in whom we wait,
Amen.
“O LORD, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble.” – Isaiah 33:2 (ESV)
“Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.” – Psalm 27:14
“On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.” – Acts 1:4 (NIV)
PRAYING GOD’S WORD In your own journal or notepad, write out your own personal prayer regarding waiting. Feel free to incorporate the scriptures above or others of your choosing.
Since 2008, CJ and Shelley Hitz have written and published over 70 books through their independent publishing company, Body and Soul Publishing. They have mentored writers since 2010 and now help Kingdom writers, like you, take the courageous step of writing, self-publishing, and marketing your books inside their online membership, Christian Book Academy. Together they create a powerful team to help you accomplish the goals God has placed on your heart and have been called “pastors for writers.” Find out more and join their community of Kingdom writers here: christianbookacademy.com. Or find resources for authors at TrainingAuthors.com.
Hi, I’m Caylah Coffeen, a freelance editor and marketer of sci-fi and fantasy books. I love reading and writing and am a follower of Jesus Christ.
I’ve worked for Monster Ivy Publishing and Eschler Editing, and am currently a weekly editor with Havok Publishing. Reach out to chat about books and publishing!
Thanks for stopping by my website! I hope you’ve found some helpful resources about reading, writing, and publishing. If you liked this article, here’s some more free content…
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-20
Heavenly Father,
Bless me with confidence in the anointing You have given me to write.
You are the Author and Perfecter of our faith (see Hebrews 12:2), and I pray that You will help me as I author the words you have called me to share that will bring You honor and glory and breathe hope into the hearts of my readers.
Help me to not get distracted by worldly busyness and building my own platform, but to be busy building Your Kingdom and pursuing the calling You have given me, just as Jesus did (see Luke 2:49).
Protect me from the lies and deceit of the evil one. May I rest confidently in your truths and in my calling, rather than getting sidetracked by doubts, insecurities, and distractions. Equip me to write with courage, confidence, and faithful obedience.
Help me to focus on my readers, on their needs, on their struggles and desires. May every word, every message You want me to share flow into my writing.
Holy Spirit, You are welcome here. Strengthen and guide every word I write. Help align my motivations and desires with Yours.
Amen
*This is an edited excerpt from the anthology Prayers for Writers, to which Jenn contributed.
She also loves spending time with her husband and two sons, savoring coffee chats with friends, curling up with a good book, and enjoying a wonder walk through nature.
For additional resources to help you pray for your writing, check out her site Prayer Empowered Writer.
Hi, I’m Caylah Coffeen, a freelance editor and marketer of sci-fi and fantasy books. I love reading and writing and am a follower of Jesus Christ.
I’ve worked for Monster Ivy Publishing and Eschler Editing, and am currently a weekly editor with Havok Publishing. Reach out to chat about books and publishing!
Thanks for stopping by my website! I hope you’ve found some helpful resources about reading, writing, and publishing. If you liked this article, here’s some more free content…
Kathy Tyers writes character-driven science fiction with a deep heart and an inquiring spirit. She is the author of the Firebird series – Firebird, Fusion Fire, Crown of Fire, Wind and Shadow, and Daystar – of the Star Wars universe novels Truce at Bakura and New Jedi Order: Balance Point, and of several stand-alones.
She returns to the Firebird universe with her upcoming release Firebreak, which takes place between Crown of Fire and Wind and Shadow. Releasing March 10, 2026 and now available for preorder, with 20% off on Enclave Publishing’s website!
Cover art by Kirk DouPonce at DogEared Designs
Lady Firebird Caldwell returns to the world of her birth, Netaia, intending to introduce her young sons to the noble Electors while her husband, Brennen, conducts a military inspection. When mysterious ships in distress suddenly approach the planet, the Electorate sends her to initiate first contact. Forced to work alongside a vengeful childhood enemy, Firebird uses everything within her power—even her passion for music—to negotiate, only to discover their alien technology threatens all the worlds she holds dear.
Facing ruthless betrayal, Firebird undertakes a deadly journey to salvage the mission. Brennen must make daring use of his telepathic powers to save human life in the galactic Whorl, including that of their young sons. But saving the worlds might force Brennen to give the order that would mean Firebird’s death. In a galaxy poised on the edge of ruin, survival may demand the ultimate sacrifice—from them both.
Caylah: I’m so excited to hear that you’re releasing a new book in the Firebird universe! The new cover looks stunning! Could you tell us more about Firebreak and how the story came to you?
One of the hardest choices an author can make is where to start and end their story – after all, the universe and characters never “end” in our own minds! It’s been quite a few years since your last book in the Firebird universe. How did you decide it was “right” to return?
Kathy: Caylah, thank you for the opportunity to talk about writing Firebird’s story again. If you don’t mind, I’d like to combine my answers to your first two questions.
In 2022, I thought I would never be able to write again. Long COVID had done bizarre things to my brain. Sometimes, I could barely wake up for two or three days, and then I’d have insomnia for most of a week. The worst of it was the sensation that something seemed to be creepy-crawling inside my skull. I barely had the energy to get through a day and cook dinner. Some people thought I was doing pretty well, but I had no energy left to write, which made me feel sad and old.
Still, every second Monday evening, I got together with some new writers from my church and helped them learn the craft. I tried to resurrect an old project of mine, Holy Ground, a rural fantasy novel. I’d written it in third person limited POV, and my writing friends encouraged me to try rewriting it in first person. Week after week, I simply had nothing to bring to the writers group. The passion just wasn’t there. I couldn’t persevere through the long, long process of writing a full first draft, even though the novel was substantially written already.
Finally, Broose–another founding member of that group, and a former Disney animator–challenged me to simply write something that brought me joy and fed my spirit. I had thoroughly enjoyed writing the Firebird series. They filled up something inside of me that had gone empty and dry during COVID. So, out of a sense of grateful nostalgia, I re-read all five of them. I found myself wondering what Firebird and Brennen were doing between Crown of Fire and Wind and Shadow. (Books 3 and 4) The next thing I knew, a new story was pouring out of me. The post-COVID lethargy was gone. Kathy Tyers was alive again.
Caylah: That is wonderful advice – returning to joy when our muse decides to hide under a rock. What did you enjoy most about this story and what are you excited for readers to experience (no spoilers of course!)? I’m personally excited to see more about Netaia’s culture and how it transforms over the years.
Kathy: The characters! I’ve known Lady Firebird for most of my life. Over the years, she has matured into someone who feels very real to me. So does Brennen. Letting them find each other and embark on their adventures together satisfied a hunger in my soul. In our fallen world, we long for a happy ending–but doesn’t a happy ending usually lead to the next challenge?
Caylah: Indeed! Firebird came so alive to me, so I’m excited to see more of her story.
How does your relationship with God influence your writing process and story planning? e.g. perhaps you have a prayer you like to pray as you sit down to write.
Kathy: I try to get to work immediately after my quiet time each morning. One of my favorite C.S. Lewis quotes says, in effect, that who/what you are will come out in your writing whether or not you try to put it there. So I work hard on telling a good story and, occasionally, on bringing forward the faith elements. Lightly but genuinely! The exception to “lightly” was Wind and Shadow, which was written as a Master’s degree project for Regent College, a wonderful theological school in Vancouver, BC. One of the main characters was a priest in training, you see….
Caylah: Amen! Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. I remember you published a different edition of Firebird before your deal with Enclave. How did you choose to release a version with enhanced religious themes (is that the biggest difference)? Have you received criticism from fans of your general market (Star Wars) work?
Kathy: My editor Steve Laube had been a fan of my writing before I moved over from Bantam Books to Bethany House publishing, where he worked at the time. During our first conversation, he told me he had suspected for some time that I was a Christian because he’d found hints here and there in my writing (see C.S. Lewis quote above!). Yes, people have left reviews online warning other readers that my books from a Christian publisher have Christian themes. Surprise!
Caylah: Personally, I found the themes of shame, faith, and new life incredibly challenging and encouraging – they make the story have eternal significance. Are there any readers who’ve approached you over the years to share how the Christian message impacted them? All authors want to think that their stories have the power to transform at least one life!
Kathy: One of the most moving experiences in my life was attending the baptism of a young woman who said she’d decided to become a Christian after reading the Firebird books.
Caylah: I love how much you weave music into the chapter titles and into Firebird’s thought processes! In my opinion, that’s one of the elements that takes a character from “good” to “great” – their hobbies and passions actually transform how they view and interact with the world. I actually use your trilogy as an example when I offer this advance to new writers! Are there any other tips for character development that you’d share with budding writers?
Kathy: My characters usually reveal themselves to me slowly. I need to spend time with them, thinking through what they find beautiful, meaningful,or challenging. Often, it’s through the process of writing a first draft that I learn what drives them. I enjoy involving some of my characters in music or other arts because that’s been a big part of my background since childhood. I grew up in a musical family. I might ask a hopeful writer, “What do you enjoy, what do you know something about, besides your fiction? Can you layer that into your story in some way that enriches the plot?”
Now and then, though, inspiration hits in an instant. For example, I first glimpsed one of my favorite characters, Tel Tellai, when he was standing at the foot of a breakaway strip while a space-and-atmosphere fighter took off. He was just standing there in shock and protest, holding both of his arms stiffly down at his sides. “Who in the world is that?” I wondered. Calmly, he told me his name (honestly, that’s how it felt) and that he loved Phoena Angelo. I was shocked. “You love HER?? What???? How could ANYONE….”
Caylah: Moments of “conception” like that make storytelling feel like such a superpower! Since we’re quoting C.S. Lewis, your description reminds me of how his main character in Till We Have Faces says, “I was with book, as a woman is with child.”
The interrogation scene between Brennen and Firebird is one of the most tensely compelling scenes I’ve ever read – the chemistry! I remember the first time I read it, how Brennen’s act of clicking his heels together and shifting forward to begin accessing Firebird’s mind was such a tangible moment that made me physically feel the tension in the room. Then I reread your annotated version and realized you did this deliberately (as good authors do, haha)! You articulated so clearly how physical actions can punctuate energy and emotion and create turning points within a scene without the characters using any words. Are you able to expand upon that idea, maybe going into when this tactic works and when it might not, for some writers?
Kathy: Thanks, Caylah. I love that scene too. I wrote at length about tagging dialogue with action beats in my book for the Christian Writers Institute, Writing Deep Viewpoint: Invite your Readers Into the Story.It isn’t always easy to find the right action beat. I hear my characters speak to each other long before I can see their body language or their surroundings. Every writer’s process is just a bit different.
Caylah: That sounds like a great resource – thank you! It’s encouraging to know that even elements which might not come as naturally or quickly to writers can still become a great strength.
There’s a lot of disagreement about what makes a “strong female character.” Some people have complained that Firebird too quickly gets “shunted into the role of wife and mother,” but I think you did a wonderful job of showing a variety of feminine strengths in Firebird. Being a lethal fighter pilot isn’t the only way to kick butt, which she still does throughout the rest of the trilogy! How would you describe your approach to writing female characters and do you think Christians “should” write women differently than we see in mainstream media?
Kathy: I’m especially glad you asked about this. “The role of wife and mother” is not the end of any story. In and of itself, it’s a high calling for many. For others, it’s a vital step into their unique future. When I brought Firebird and Brennen together, I knew that they both had strong reasons for wanting to create a family.
Still, they obviously weren’t the kind of people to live quietly-ever-after. How, then, would they balance parenting with the other calls on their lives? It’s been a challenge for me, just as it’s been a challenge for them. But they’re doing it! Just wait till you read how they get there in Firebreak.
Caylah: I can’t wait to see the kind of trouble Kiel and Kinnor got into as kids!
Ok, now for my “fan girl” moment. When Brennen first feels Firebird’s mental shout he expects to find brotherhood. Though it didn’t turn out that way, I’ve been fascinated by what that dynamic would look like in their culture. I would LOVE to see a short story about a Sentinel “blood brother” pair!!! Do they have any famous “Gilgamesh-Enkidu” pairs or stories about sisterhood (which is rarer to find in fiction, sadly)?
Can individuals have more than one pair bond? For instance, would a pair bonded husband also be able to pair bond with a brother in arms? Would his bonded wife feel his brother through their connection at all? I then had fun imagining what would have happened if one of the Shuhr assassins had discovered they were connatural with one of the men in the Caldwell bloodline. What do you think would have happened – would they have stayed their hand as Brennen did with Firebird?
Kathy: You may have given me a great subplot idea. Thank you.
Caylah: Ooh, yes! Is there anything else you’d like to share about your story, process, or world?
Kathy: Thank you again for the chance to share a bit about Firebreak, my favorite characters, and my writing process. It was a treat to meet you at Realm Makers, and I hope to see you there again in 2026, when Firebreak is finally available!
Caylah: Thanks! It was lovely meeting you too. And congrats on the birth of your grandson!
Kathy: Thank you!
Follow Kathy Tyers on Facebook for more news and discussions, and find the first book in her Firebird trilogy here. Firebreak, releasing March 10, 2026, is now available for preorder on Amazon or through Enclave Publishing’s website (20% off there).
Amazon links are affiliate links – I may earn from qualifying purchases.
Hi, I’m Caylah Coffeen, a freelance editor and marketer of sci-fi and fantasy books. I love reading and writing and am a follower of Jesus Christ.
I’ve worked for Monster Ivy Publishing and Eschler Editing, and am currently a weekly editor with Havok Publishing. Reach out to chat about books and publishing!
Thanks for stopping by my website! I hope you’ve found some helpful resources about reading, writing, and publishing. If you liked this article, here’s some more free content…
Firebird is a thrilling Christian space opera, filled with planetary battles, telepathic warriors, familial betrayal, and the deep longing for one’s soul to be seen – by one’s people, lover, and God himself.
Synopsis
As the third princess of the planet Netaia, Firebird has been ordered to die. Her people consider her a wastling, an extraneous heir whose only role is to die in service to her people. A fighter pilot and Major, Firebird is sent with the leading strike force to conquer a nearby planet which holds mineral resources vital to weapons of mass destruction. Captured by the Federate forces who defend the system, she is shocked when they offer her mercy. Shielded by the telepathic warrior who spared her life, she begins to question the fanatic loyalty her people and gods expect of her.
Characters: 5/5
Characters are the heart of this story, and the dialogue and dynamics between characters have physically palpable energy and tension.
Lady Firebird Angelo is one of, if not the only, female character who I’d consider one of my favorite characters in fiction. I prefer reading about male leads because I never connect well with female protagonists. Not so here! Firebird displays a delightful mix of vulnerability, loyalty, grit, poise, intelligence, and more. She is much better fleshed out than most female characters I encounter, with a strongly incorporated skill for music, a complex dynamic with her family and authority figures, inside jokes and regrets about the past, and maturity beyond her years. She is torn apart by a complex moral dilemma – serve the lies and violent agenda of the planet she loves (but which has rejected her), or embrace truth, eternal salvation, and a new life among the strangers who were once her enemies.
Brennen Caldwell is super hot – it’s true. A fighter pilot, commander, and Sentinel (genetically engineered user of telekinetic and telepathic abilities), he’s the most desirable bachelor in his culture (not even accounting for his religiously significant bloodline). But he’s not just a love interest – we get his POV as he runs ops, struggles to develop his leadership, chafes against the prejudice of the Federacy, and tries to help Firebird heal from the mental abuse she’s lived with her whole life. His driving motivation is to find a true companion who can share his life and soul with him. Their people (Thyrian-Ehretans) form telepathic pair bonds with individuals who are connatural, or share a high mental, spiritual, and physical resonance. And, oh, the dramatic tension when he discovers an enemy is more of a kindred spirit to him than any of his own people.
Plot: 4/5
This is a character-driven story, so while there are some epic (and realistically written) battles, there’s a much greater focus on politics, family dynamics, and cross-cultural encounters.
The first time I read this book, the middle portion irritated me a little, because the plot slows down and the two main characters end up on different planets for a time – however, this is quite necessary for the long-term health of the main characters’ relationship. Brennan was in a position of power over Firebird, who was extremely vulnerable mentally, emotionally, and politically. Separating them for a time allowed Firebird to get her feet under her and explore a new planet and ideology without pressure. If not for this distance, Brennan could easily have come across as predatory – something he himself is highly aware of throughout all their interactions. I admire how Tyers planned this out, allowing both leads to do some soul searching independently before eventually joining forces to address the larger political problems they face.
The ending felt a bit abrupt to me, both the physical conflict and spiritual outcome, but I think the rest of the trilogy did an excellent job of expanding on the themes and ideas present in this book, and progressing the relationship between characters in a realistic way. It is also true that soldiers often make major decisions that would seem abrupt to regular people, because we don’t understand the stakes they live through when risking their lives every day.
Writing: 5/5
I love Kathy Tyers’ writing style! Her dialogue is poignant, sharp, emotional, and filled with tension. She’s an expert at describing body language and using physical motions to punctuate emotion and create breaks within scenes. Her scenes have excellent internal pacing. There are several scenes in this book that are seared into my memory because of how physically visceral it feels reading them. The tension and draw between characters is palpable. Many stories explore the concept of telepathic bonds, but some fall flat because they don’t manage to make readers feel how the characters’ souls sing to one another.
This story explores how mental beliefs and passions, spiritual longings, and physical compatibility all weave together to create truly deep relationships. So many love stories and friendships in fiction omit anything of spiritual significance, but this story is all the richer for raising questions like “will I face more condemnation in the afterlife for committing a moral wrong in loyalty to my people, or for betraying them to save many lives?” Firebird must confront the manipulation, abuse, and state-leveraged religion that has twisted around her her whole life, and she does so because one of her enemies shows her more compassion and forgiveness than any of her mentors or blood relatives ever did. That, is a relationship worth writing home about.
Worldbuilding: 4/5
It’s SO hard to find space opera without aliens, and I’m always delighted when I do. This world is completely focused on human cultures, politics, and relationships, reminiscent of both Star Wars and Lois McMaster Bujold’s world (Shards of Honor). I loved the unique cultural dynamics on Firebird’s planet, Netaia – a society ruled by an aristocratic class, a line of Queens, and a religion of 9 Powers. Their culture reminded me somewhat of Imperial Japan and Russia.
The underlying premise in Brennen’s culture is fascinating too: what if Jesus didn’t come 4,000 years after Creation, but waited many more millennia? His people are essentially the Jews, and his family is like the line of Judah, from which the prophesied Messiah will one day come. Firebird, then, is like Ruth.
The Federacy that rules a large portion of the universe is characterized as a benevolent Empire despite its obvious bureaucratic corruption, self-serving politics, and prejudice against Ehretans. It bothered me, especially in later books, that the Ehretans let the Federacy treat them like trained dogs, and the ones who split off (the Shuhr) to create their own society outside of the Federacy’s self-serving restrictions on ability users are shown as completely evil and in the wrong. In fact, every time an Ehretan acted outside of the extremely controlling rules, they are shown to be despicable people. It rubbed me the wrong way because it reminded me of a brand of Christian authoritarianism that advocates submission to rule following even when leaders are treating you unfairly.
Of course, the strictures they place upon themselves make sense considering how they were nearly wiped out in the past by humans who feared their abilities. They limit individuals out of desperation to maintain the survival of their race. But it still bothers me that Brennan acts as though it would be objectively wrong not to follow the restrictions placed on him by his people and the Federacy alike. The Ehretan government runs personality tests to see how “moral” people are, and then forcibly prevents them from studying their abilities to a greater level if they don’t like what they see – an incredibly self-righteous form of enslavement that implies that any form of ambition is evil. An Ehretan that tries to learn more about their abilities or leave their society is essentially treated like a criminal.
It’s taken for granted that the government has the right to control their people to this extreme because their leaders are holy and God-serving. Imagine if our government was formally Christian and tested people to see how serious they are about their faith or if they have a tendency toward certain sins (not even open sin, but the probability for sin), and based on the results, prevented them from carrying weapons or achieving higher education. And anyone who left was considered a deserter and criminal… It’s a dangerous implication – that if a society is Christian, they can limit human rights if they think the freedoms could hinder God’s “greater good.”
But the best sci-fi makes people think and ask questions like this! I love rereading this book because each time I get to chew on something new. Her story sparked my imagination and helped inspire my own sci-fi world!
Hi, I’m Caylah Coffeen, a freelance editor and marketer of sci-fi and fantasy books. I love reading and writing and am a follower of Jesus Christ.
I’ve worked for Monster Ivy Publishing and Eschler Editing, and am currently a weekly editor with Havok Publishing. Reach out to chat about books and publishing!
Thanks for stopping by my website! I hope you’ve found some helpful resources about reading, writing, and publishing. If you liked this article, here’s some more free content…
There are many benefits to selling books at in-person, local events, including finding repeat customers, gaining reviews, and selling more books in one day than you can sell in a whole month online! I’ve outlined some more benefits in a previous article: 8 Reasons Authors Should Sell Books at In-Person Events.
But here, I’ll share what I’ve learned from years of successfully selling books at markets, library fairs, and more. Knowing what to do, and just as importantly, what not to do, will ensure you actually make a profit. I’ll explain some vital tips like:
Ask other vendors or the even organizer what you can expect at their event. They won’t be offended and can give you an idea of the type of crowd to expect, and whether the event is worth your time.
High Traffic Events
The most important element to look for is high shopping traffic. If 10 people come to your event and you historically sell to 10% of the people you speak with, you might sell only 1 book at this event. If 500 people come to your event and you manage to speak to 100 of them, you might sell 10 books.
It’s most likely that the traffic will be high if you:
Table up on a Saturday. Saturdays are the very best day for sales events, hands down. Friday evenings are the next best. Sundays are a gamble. Sometimes a Sunday can give you decent traffic and other times the event is a complete ghost town.
Pick an event in a big/medium size city that is close to major highways and civilization. If you table up on a farm in the middle of nowhere in a town having a name you’ve never heard of and has a population of < 5,000, you probably shouldn’t expect much traffic, and you probably shouldn’t table up there, unless you know from experience that this event really does draw crowds. And don’t assume that just because a podunk venue draws a moderate crowd on a Saturday, you can expect a decent crowd on Sunday. Sometimes the switch to Sunday kills shopping traffic.
Sell at established markets with known traffic instead of inviting friends to your own private book signing event. If you invite 20 people to a signing and only 5% actually show up (which is about the average), you might get 1 person to show up! Many authors end up with NO attendees and get discouraged. Unless you’re a big name author, or you invited over a hundred people, don’t do this! Sell at markets that you know get at least 500 shoppers.
Choose a market that happens every week. These are the safest events, because the event organizers typically do much more advertising of the event and the crowds are usually bigger. I make one local farmers market the backbone of my in-person sales—I go every Saturday from 9a to 2p. I do other events on Friday nights/Saturday nights/Sunday afternoons when I find them in addition to my regular Saturday morning market.
Low or no vendor fee
Let’s assume each book you sell nets you $5 of profit and your table fee was $100 for your event. If you sold only 10 books, that nets you $50. After you pay your fee, you just lost $50 to be at that event. On the other hand, if your fee was only $20, you earned $30. If you did a free public library event, you earned all $50.
Organizer doesn’t require vendor insurance
I’ve heard of events that require this, and in many cases that insurance can cost thousands of dollars each year! Avoid those events. Pick ones that only ask you to sign a form saying you accept risk for your own wares.
Close to home
If you have to drive a few hours to the event and a few hours home, you will burn away all your profits in gas expenses. And if you travel far enough, you’ll want to stay at a motel if it’s a multi-day event. If you pay $50 in gas and $100 in hotel fees, plus a $50 table fee for 2 days, that’s a total expense of $200.
How many books would you have to sell just to break even? Assuming from before that you net $5 profit on each book sale, that means you have to sell 40 books that weekend. If you think you can sell at least 20 books each day, you might cover your table fee. If you can’t, then you will lose money.
Simple tactics to sell books – inoffensively
Call out to passersby
If you only smile and wave, the vast majority of people will breeze right past your table. You’d think these people would proactively approach your table because they came to the event to shop, but they have to be drawn over to you.
Often they have dozens of tables to choose from. Even people who love the genre you sell will fail to recognize your books with their very obvious genre-hinted cover art and your large-lettered signage.
What should you call out? I use a variety of lines:
“Free chocolate! Calorie-free books!” while pointing to my candy dish and books
“Science fiction and fantasy!”
“Buy a book and get a free spouse! Erm… I mean a free bookmark!”
Be funny and relaxed. Many will stop and chat because you got their attention. If you keep it silly and lighthearted, people are less likely to be annoyed that you’re hawking them.
Put your book in their hands
If someone stops and asks what your book is about, don’t answer verbally. Instead, put your paperback in their hands with the back cover facing up and say that the book description says it best. This does several important things:
The book has now become real to them. They can feel the texture and weight of it.
By reading your back blurb, they’re getting a sampling of your writing style. If you’ve written it well, you can impress them with your writing skill and intrigue them about the book.
If the blurb gets their attention, they will often start flipping through the book. And if your formatting is top-notch, they will see how professional the product is and their confidence in you goes way up. If you have interesting chapter titles, they may notice those and be drawn in further. They might even start reading the first page!
Every second they spend examining your book invests them further in it. Now they’re spending time. Once they’ve done that, they are more likely to spend money on it. This has now become an event.
While people are reading your blurb, you get to watch their face and see their visceral reaction to it. If their brows rise and their faces glow, your blurb is doing its job. If you never get such a response from dozens of visitors to your table, you know it’s time to rework your blurb.
While people are reading your blurb, you’re also freed up to call out to other people.
If you explain your book’s plot to each person who asks, your voice will get tired quickly. Especially if you have to shout over loud street musicians.
How to Set Up Your Table for Maximum Engagement
Location is Paramount
It doesn’t take much at all to discourage shoppers from approaching your table. They will never tell you the reason. It’s up to us as vendors to figure out what that obstacle is, and remove it.
If removal is possible. You might have to ask the event organizer if you can shift your table over a few feet to avoid something like a tree stump or a narrow part of a hallway, or to move you to a completely different spot along a street.
If you get to choose your table location, think carefully about possible traffic flow. For example, if your vendor area is divided into 3 columns of tables with 2 aisles, pick a spot on the right-hand column. Especially if that aisle is wider than the other! I learned this lesson the hard way at one of my library events:
Remove psychological barriers
Here’s a list of some I’ve discovered:
Distance
Move your table as close to the flow of foot traffic as you can. If visitors are walking in the middle of a street and your popup canopy is 7 feet away, most people will let their momentum drag them right past. And if your table is near the back of your canopy, such that visitors have to enter the canopy and walk a few feet inside to see your book covers, that’s too far.
It presents a subtle psych barrier that discourages all but the most determined visitors. And if you only talk to the most determined visitors, you will not sell many books at your event. I promise you.
Objects
At one event, I moved my table to the front of my canopy, but due to space constraints, one corner of my table butted up against a canopy pole. And my books were sitting on that end of the table. Could visitors easily avoid the pole? Sure. Did visitors let that pole deter them from approaching? Absolutely. Once I moved my books to the other end of the table, more visitors stopped to check them out.
Flooring
At an outdoor event, the ground was muddy from recent rain and I didn’t want someone dropping my books in the mud. So I laid down puzzle piece rubber waffle boards in a 9ft square and set my table on that. It jutted out a good 4 feet from the front of my table and I remembered thinking people might hesitate to approach for fear of tracking their muddy shoes on my clean waffle boards.
Guess what? The very first couple stood a few feet back from those boards and squinted. I immediately removed that layer of flooring and people started coming up to the table.
Turnaround Point
This is the worst obstacle of all. At one event, my table was near the end of a long street. There was nothing exciting at the very end of the street to draw people to walk the whole length. And so, for the first hour, most shoppers would walk to what I called “the turnaround point”.
About 2 tables away from mine, there was this spot on the road where I saw hundreds of people stop, squint down the road, decide they were at the end, turned around, and walked back the way they came. This was the most discouraging experience I’d ever had as a vendor.
At least until the shaved ice truck came and parked at the very end of the road! And then a street musician started strumming a guitar across from that. Then I had shoppers lining up in front of my table for shaved ice on a very cold day. And only then did I sell books.
Smart event organizers are aware of the turnaround effect and will place attractions at the end of hallways and streets to mitigate it.
Wide lanes
Similar to the point about distance, you want to try to avoid placing your table in a section of a path or street that is wider than the other sections. Shoppers will naturally tend to walk at the farthest point in the path from vendor tables, so if you pick a very wide section, shoppers may be too far away to see or hear you, and may feel the distance to be socially acceptable to ignore you from.
If you are able to relocate your table or move other structures (such as a friend’s tent or table) into the path across from you to narrow it down, you may turn a zero sale night into a big night.
What to Bring
Interactive Materials to Make Your Table Memorable
I bring the video game version of my debut novel for visitors to play:
This big monitor and the gaggle of kids and their laughter draw lots of people over (not to mention the parents). But you might not be able to create your own video game.
There are other gimmicks you can try: set up a gumball machine that dispenses slips of paper containing neat one-liners from your books, and make one of them a coupon for a free book. Or dress up in a costume related to your protag or villain. Just make it visually obvious that something about your table is different.
People should be able to say, “his table is the one with the [blank]!”
Ample Lighting
For outdoor, evening events during fall and winter, bring plenty of lighting, including hand lamps that visitors can hold up to your book. Don’t count on general area lighting and lights you string along the top of your canopy to provide enough light for reading your book’s back cover. At some events, they’ll ask you not to bring a popup canopy because it would block the lighting they provide and take up too much floor/ground space.
two tables
Always bring a small table along with your normal, big one. Sometimes events will let you in without prior notice or give you really juicy spots if you let them know you can fit your stuff on a 4ft by 2ft table and don’t need to use your 10ft by 10ft canopy. Some events promise to provide a table and chair for you. I always bring my own just in case they run out or there’s something about their table and chair I really don’t like.
a card reader
I recommend Square. The small reader is free with your account and the thing is durable—it can survive a trip through the washing machine! And don’t sign up for your account right away. Instead, ask another author who already has Square (like me!) to send you a referral email.
Only sign up with that referral and both you and the referring person enjoys a free $1000 of processing fees waived for 6 months, starting from your first card swipe. Just find a dedicated place to keep your square reader (not your pocket) so you don’t lose it and you don’t send it through the wash. Also, you must keep your smartphone charged in order to use the swiper (if you get the free swiper model, that is).
Make sure to ask about WiFi availability ahead of time!
Insider Tips
Chat with other author vendors
Ask them what other events they’re going to next. Be friendly to them—they just might end up inviting you to awesome events you didn’t know anything about. And they might offer to split their table with you. That lets you pay half the fee and gets you into events for which the submission deadline is long past.
I’ve gone to events that I heard about the day before! In order to capitalize on these last-minute event invites, try to keep your weekends open (if you don’t already have events scheduled, that is).
Sell at the last minute
When breaking down your setup, put your books away last. I can’t remember how many times I’ve sold books to passersby while I was packing away other things. One time I sold books after I’d broken down my entire setup because my backpack has a full sales kit in it, and I pulled books and a card swiper out from that.
At my farmer’s market on 10/12/2024, I sold 10 books after I started breaking down my table! All I did was look up for passersby, point to my books, and say, “I still have books out, if you’d like a look.”
Here’s what I’ve noticed: Many shoppers walking around after the official end of an event are happy when a vendor notices them and gives them something to shop for after all other vendors are closed. The last-minute nature can help nudge them to buy something. This is why I pack away my books last. I even bring down my tent and pack that away before I box up the books. I recommend you do the same.
The First Day of Events is the Most Important
If you sell at an event that lasts 2 or more days (of equal duration), and you can only show up on one of those days, pick day one.
Push for early sales on day one of multi-day events. Many shoppers may not feel any urgency to shop until later in that weekend. Always try to encourage them to buy sooner, because they may not return to you later like they promised!
As the event wears on, you’ll start hearing shoppers say things like, “I’ve already spent all my money.” And what they really mean is, “I’ve already spent all my money on other vendors’ goods. You’re too late.” The younger the shopper, the truer this is.
My sales and marketing guide has WAY more content like this. Just email me at dylan.west@dylanwestauthor.com if you want me to share that google document with you for free!
Dylan West writes faith-based, young adult science fiction and fantasy novels. He is a Jesus lover, web and video game developer, former Navy nuclear operator, foreign language nut, and a nut in general.
While other people are busy thinking normal thoughts, he’s crafting corny jokes. Dylan lives in Chesapeake, VA, with his wife and daughter.
For authors struggling to sell a single book on Amazon in a whole month: how would you like to sell 10 to 20 of them in a single day? When you table up at a local sales event, that’s not hard to do. That’s just one reason to vend at regular, local events. Here are some more:
1. Brand awareness
if you hang a big, clear, beautifully designed banner at your table, you let passersby know that your business exists. Because I table up at a decent-sized event each Saturday, over 50,000 people see my books and banner every year.
2. Fan building
When shoppers walk by or visit my table, people take actions like:
Check out my books and ask me questions
Buy my books or sign up for my newsletter (often both)
Buy the related merchandise. If they buy my t-shirt, they may wear it, providing free advertising
Give me donations (sometimes large ones)
In-person events are the best way to increase word of mouth and gain further opportunities. Some people will:
Tell other passersby to check out my books and rave about how good they are – this happens to me quite a bit, and it’s driven lots of sales 🙂
Tell friends about my books. Some may even buy my book as a gift or haul their friend over to my table
Invite me to some other sales event or speaking engagement. One person invited me to speak at a local college, which paid me a $100 speaking fee and bought 3 of my books to display at the front of their campus library!
Seeing you in person will make people remember:
To finish the book they bought from me last year
To buy more books because they loved the first one
To sign up for my newsletter or read the newsletter articles I’ve been sending them
That my books exist – that’s a huge thing. If someone buys a book from you a few years ago, it’s easy for them to forget about you if they didn’t sub to your newsletter
3. Sales Practice
Nothing makes you better at sales than getting hundreds of sales opportunities each month. Each shopper that stops is a live-fire practice session.
4. Steady cash flow
The money I make at my sales events funds my next book. I don’t have to pay anything out of pocket after my initial investment. I use sales earnings to pay for book cover art, ISBNs, formatting, software, copyright filings, business licenses, author copies, web hosting, domain names, paid ads, and a lot more I’m forgetting.
5. Newsletter building
The best way to gain new newsletter subscribers is to collect emails from people who just bought your book(s). They are more likely to open and read your emails than people who signed up for a free novella and then unsubbed right after.
6. Fun
I could go on for hours about all the wacky and funny things I’ve experienced at farmers markets and comic cons while vending. I get to meet neat people, pet cute doggies, crack lots of corny jokes, hear corny jokes in return, see really interesting performers, hear live music, and have the thrill of making big sales.
And I have fans hunting me down at events when they learn that my newest book just came out!
7. Identity
Nothing reminds you that you are, in fact, a published author like going to regular sales events. Many indies who published a book long ago have almost forgotten that they are a published author and that they should be selling their books.
Going to in-person events makes your authorship more real than if you lob an e-book onto Amazon and do nothing more.
8. Reviews
You will get more reviews for your books if you table up at sales events. Especially if you remember to ask shoppers to leave a review!
Now that I’ve persuaded you to table up at local events, let me share some tips for how to run them so you actually sell books – based on my years of experience!
Dylan West writes faith-based, young adult science fiction and fantasy novels. He is a Jesus lover, web and video game developer, former Navy nuclear operator, foreign language nut, and a nut in general.
While other people are busy thinking normal thoughts, he’s crafting corny jokes. Dylan lives in Chesapeake, VA, with his wife and daughter.
Please sign up for his newsletter to get the geekiest science research tidbits that go into the making of his books: https://dylanwestauthor.com/.
