Is self-publishing actually better than a book deal? With Georgina Kiersten

As traditional publishers adapt to Trump Era Part II, there is concern in Romancelandia that books are about to get a lot whiter, straighter, and more conventional. Luckily, indie authors don't have to deal with gatekeepers. Is self-publishing the future for diverse, queer, progressive romance novels? What should you know before you decide to go indie? My guest this week is Georgina Kiersten, who also writes as Jasper Hale. Their work includes Fall Into You, More to Love, their diverse Sleepy Hollow retelling Splinter, and the serial Dracula retelling A Vicious Thirst.  Georgina walked me through the many ways you can self-publish your work today, from print-on-demand to Wattpad to serialized newsletters. We talked about marketing, monetization and merch, and why going indie can be a better fit for neurodivergent writers than a traditional book deal. Then we addressed the elephant in the room. How do we keep writing when the situation in the United States is this dire? Is it true that dangerous times lead to incredible protest art? And why did so many MAGA women think politics would never touch their favorite romances?  You can find all of Georgina's books and sign up for their newsletter at georginakiersten.com. Follow them on all social media platforms @ingloriousgigi. Join my cover reveal team for the updated But How Are You, Really ebook artwork at bit.ly/ButHowCoverReveal Listen to the first Rebel Ever After PREMIUM episode about STI stigma in romance at bit.ly/REABonusEp1 This show is brought to you by the support of my patrons! For $3/month you can join my Patreon and help make this podcast sustainable, as well as get access to bonus episodes. Make sure you join on your computer and not on the Patreon iOS app on your iPhone, because Apple tacks on an extra 30% fee. Tech monopolies are bad! You can subscribe at patreon.com/brosandprose