They can be a mixed bag. Christchurch was the best I've ever done at any con ever, but then Auckland Spring was the worst I've ever done at any multi-day event 😅 so swings and roundabouts.

Thank you to everyone who has bought, reviewed, supported and cheered me on over the last twelve months. Onward and upward to 2026 📚

The most surprising stat? The number of books I sold. I honestly didn't think it was anywhere near 600. While over half were ebook sales (no surprise there) nearly a third were also direct sales from the five conventions I attended this year!

Phew, what a year! Quite possibly the biggest year I've done in terms of word counts—and it was all for one (still unfinished) project 🫠

#2025wrapped #YearInReview #EndofYearWrap #authorlife

A banner image featuring colourful firework-inspired background and the text: 2025, the year in indie books. The structured ramblings of Nils and Tru.

We're almost at the end of the year! 🥳 It's customary to reflect back on the books we've read, so here is our year in books 2025 featuring the books Nils and Trudie have enjoyed:

www.readindiefantasy.com/2025-a-year-...

Naw, thanks for the shoutout. Stoked to be in such fine company 🥰

When you can't self rec due to group rules but your book fits the request for recommendation so darn well – might as well turn it into a bit of easy marketing 🤣

#TheRarkynTrilogy #epicfantasy #fantasyseries #nzbooks

Guilty as charged 😂

#bookgirl #bookshop #readersgonnaread #bookaddict

And I had such grand ambitions of finishing the draft of Rarkyn 3 before the end of the year... 😮‍💨

Same sentiment also applies to my TBR 📚🙈📚

#authorlife #dragons #christmas #toreadpile

Agree! The perfect amount of books is always n=+1 😆

Sooo, how much have we spent on books leading up to Christmas? Or is it too soon to tell? 📚

#books #reading #bookaddict

That's right folks, THE RARKYN'S FALL, book 2 of The Rarkyn Trilogy is now out in audio from all the usual places! Head to www.books2read.com/rarkynsfall for the links 🔗

#audiobook #fantasygram #indiebooks #epicfantasy #TheRarkynTrilogy

It turns out my Kiwi colleagues have never heard of the term "Gen Y". Apparently this generation has always been called "Millennials" in NZ. Is the Gen Y name just an Aussie thing that I assumed was universal?

I find it quite good for book bundles like this. Solo sales less so.

Myself and 63 other authors have come together to offer this mega deal on itch.io for December!

Buy 64 books—including THE RARKYN'S FAMILAR–for $45!
Normally ~$224 (Save 79%!)

Get it while you can 👉 itch.io/b/3409/end-o...

Sale ends 15th December.

#booksale #bookdeal #bookbundle #indieauthors

Oh ffs. I wish governments would stop using access to heathcare as a political football 😡

Oh no, what have I missed? I'm scared to look.

A reminder to my NZ spec fic author friends – don't forget to enter your works into Te Pae Tawhiti Awards, Aotearoa's first judged speculative fiction awards! We're looking for novels, novellas, YA, MG, short stories, graphic novels and more!

tepaetawhitiawards.nz/how-to-enter/

#nzbooks #nzauthor

Nice little write up from the @tepaetawhitiawards.bsky.social team 🥰
tepaetawhitiawards.nz/getting-to-k...

#nzbooks #nzspecfic #tepaetawhitiawards

A reminder to my NZ spec fic author friends – don't forget to enter your works into Te Pae Tawhiti Awards, Aotearoa's first judged speculative fiction awards! We're looking for novels, novellas, YA, MG, short stories, graphic novels and more!

tepaetawhitiawards.nz/how-to-enter/

#nzbooks #nzauthor

I'm so ready for this draft to be done!

It's been a bit of a slog, but Rarkyn book 3 is at 240k words! Almost there 😮‍💨

#therarkyntrilogy #amwriting #epicfantasy #darkfantasy #drafting #authorlife #writing

Narratess Indie Book Sale, August 23-25. Banner shows several ebooks around a graphic of a dragon, skulls, crystals and planets.

The Narratess Indie August Sale is ALMOST OVER! Dozens of indie fantasy, sci-fi and horror books are on sale or even free! Go check out this amazing sale before it ends!!!

indiebook.sale

💙📚

@fondalee.bsky.social on the “why fantasy” panel, telling us why she likes fantasy. She also said “it tells the truth by lowering the defenses”

The Narratess Book Sale is on! 320+ fantasy, science-fiction and horror books for Free, 0.99, or 1.99—including The Rarkyn's Familiar!

🪶Blood magic
🪶Kickass heroine
🪶Monster companion
🪶Enemies to begrudging allies
🪶Multiple magic systems
🪶Mental health rep

+ Now in audiobook 🎧

🔗➡️ indiebook.sale

One is from StoryOrigin and the other one from Trackbear 😊

Whelp, I hit my 220,000 word target and I'm not done (so many loose ends to tie up 😵‍💫). The good news is I'm solidly into act three and the end is in sight.

#therarkyntrilogy #booksky #amwriting #epicfantasy #nzbooks

There are sooo many in here. I had to stop myself from buying them all!

I have a number of these already in my 'to be read' mountain, but a couple that I have read, enjoyed and recommend are:

The Thirteenth Hour by Trudie Skies

Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne

The Skin by J.E. Hannaford

2/2

Beloved SFF book sale graphic - August 7-11th Over 100 recommended books on sale

Heads up book lovers! This weekend is the Beloved SFF Sale. Check out the amazing, curated list of recommended indie fantasy and sci-fi books that are either free or US$0.99!

talesfromthecircle.com/epicsale2025...

1/2

#Booksky #booklovers #indiebooks #booksale