Braided Story

A braided memoir features two or more narrative strands interwoven throughout the book. Each strand has its own story, tension, characters, and trajectory. The two strands may occur in different places, at different time periods, or involve different people. As much as possible, the storylines should intersect in ways that relate to the previous or following chapter. Both stories provide the reader with a deeper understanding of the book’s theme.

It is not necessary to alternate strands in every chapter; one strand can go on for a few chapters before returning to the other storyline. The two strands need to lead the reader to a deeper understanding of the main character or the book’s central theme by the end. In a memoir, when the two strands are about the same person, they help the reader gain a deeper understanding of the author by using two different timelines. Alternatively, the two strands can be about different people, but it’s essential to highlight the way they influence each other.

My memoir braids together the two parts of my life’s story—my early life and my year in Kenya. I worked hard to create parallel chapters, including one about my birth mother and another about my surrogate Rendille Mama.

Flashbacks

A flashback, by contrast, is a backward look in time, typically used when an author presents a linear storyline. The purpose of the flashback is to support the primary narrative, character development, or theme. The flashback should be a brief scene within a scene to avoid distracting the reader from the main story. Use active voice and specific details in a flashback rather than summarizing what happened long ago. Let the present moment organically demand the memory, rather than resorting to the cliché of dreaming or a simple I remember when.

Whether using a braided format or flashbacks, let the scenes give the reader the opportunity to understand why you put two strands together or use a flashback within a scene. No need to spell it out in detail in either case. Trust the reader.

Like a propeller on a small plane, she’s constantly moving— cooking breakfast, making tea, and helping dress her three children while they pull at her skirt. She has so much energy that I feel ashamed of sitting idly on the bed. She kisses her two older children and begins to nurse her youngest one. I stare at them enviously; it’s been a long time since I’ve had a loving mother, or anyone at all to love me.

Memoir vs Flashback

When choosing a braid, one strand should have changed how we understand the other strand—and vice versa. If using a flashback, ask whether the past scene primarily provides information that enriches the main story. If you find yourself relying too heavily on flashbacks, you may want to consider braiding your narrative. (Though there are, indeed, authors who use extensive flashbacks.)

Whether choosing a braid or flashback, you don’t need to write chronologically (though I did). Furthermore, you can use flashbacks as needed, even in a braided memoir (as I have done above). They are not mutually exclusive.

The choices are:

• a linear memoir with flashbacks

• a nonlinear memoir (moving in time)

• a braided memoir

• a braided memoir containing flashbacks

When braiding or writing in a nonlinear chronology with flashbacks, it can help to write chapter descriptions (as in a book proposal), along with the first and last sentences. You can then rearrange them on Post-its to decide how to organize your chapters.

As I chose to write a braided memoir, I hope that readers will not simply see alternating stories. Instead, I sought to create a third story—the one that exists in the space between the strands.

Please check out my forthcoming memoir: Living with Strangers: Healing a Wounded Heart in a Distant Land.

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***

We often walk into danger unaware, though sometimes with our eyes wide open. More often, we bring the fear from the world into ourselves – holding it inside, watching it grow and sometimes fester.

The challenge is to walk away when we can; turn in the opposite direction, away from the anxiety life can bring.

Darkness, too, we can pull over ourselves. Does it come from fear?

I saw the wolves howl, enclosed, safely behind locked gates, leaving me protected. Can I do the same?

My shadows of hurt from long ago have mostly faded. I have learned ways to engage while isolating or compartmentalizing bad memories. Like my summer suntan, they fade slowly.

I am learning to recognize the dangers that befall me. I try to distinguish them from those I willingly draw into my orbit.

So little control we have, yet so much strength, like the way

wolves live in the world.

I, too, can howl and move on!

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With the help of my guidance counselor and scholarships, I enrolled in an international college and set out on what would prove to be a life-saving path. This journey gave me the chance to live once again among strangers; this time, it was my decision.

A year later, at nineteen, I traveled to Kenya, where I’d spend nine months teaching elementary school. I first spent several months on a college campus in a small town 80 miles from Nairobi, studying the national language, culture, government, and related topics in preparation for a work-study project and immersion in the local culture. I then made my way to a remote village called Songa, hidden deep within the forest in the Northern Rangeland region of Kenya, closer to the Ethiopian border than to the capital, Nairobi.

With eyes wide open, I found myself living among strangers with unfamiliar customs. I knew from experience that I would walk an uphill path toward acceptance. I’d lived with strangers many times during my adolescence, struggling to find my place in families not my own and finding it impossible to get the love I longed for.

Most Samburu and Rendille in Songa lived in mud huts. Electricity, running water, and indoor toilets had yet to reach anyone’s home. I knew this before coming, but doubts danced before me when I first arrived. I knew I was in for what could be a bumpy ride in the village of Songa, where I was the only white foreigner. I knew I wanted to experience how other people lived and find new ways to live my life. The question was: would the local people accept me?

I wanted to move forward and slowly shed the yoke of my less-than-happy life as a foster teen. I made a personal commitment to stride with resolve toward a different destiny. I did not want to be stuck in a sinkhole of the abandonment I had left behind. I had to prove to myself that I was a survivor. I tried to grasp the distant confidence that had first brought me there.

I wanted to believe in myself, to see this adventure through, to find a way – this time – to fit in, to be part of the community, and maybe discover a new family of sorts. I’d tried to do this before, with little success.

I was committed to staying open to this cross-cultural experience and to holding on to the optimism and intrepid spirit of adventure that brought me here. This time I was determined to make it work.

NOTE: The story of my time in Kenya (and my years in foster care) unfolds in my forthcoming memoir, Living with Strangers: Healing a Wounded Heart in a Distant Land. It is available now for pre-order and will be published on October 27, 2026.

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One of the first things she did was design and prepare a media sheet to send to media outlets. While I hope she gets coverage to publicize my book, I understand there is no guarantee. As such, I suggest local media she may not know about. Of course, if an author or an author’s friend knows someone in the media, we should reach out directly. I used the same sheet when approaching bookstores.

One way I’ve been trying to garner attention for my book is by connecting with national and local foster care agencies. My publicist approached Fostering Families, a national magazine, and I wrote an essay about teens in the foster care system. At the end of any published essay or article, I include information about my forthcoming book. I have also connected with other foster care agencies. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption will post a blog on their website about my foster care experience and my memoir. KidSave also interviewed me and will post on their website and tag me on their social media sites.

We are responsible for securing blurbs for our book, ideally before our Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) are printed. My publicist applies for professional reviews, including Publishers’ Weekly, Foreword Reviews, Library Journal, and Booklist. She guided me through applying for a Kirkus Review (which I paid for). She has also identified outlets where I could place articles or excerpts from my memoir or its theme. As a result, two articles will be online in October, before my pub date. She also managed my NetGalley placement, where reviewers gain access to a PDF of my memoir to write a review; she monitors who requests a copy.

A publicist helps find podcasts; she found one for me that’s confirmed for late August and an interview with another. She’s exploring two others. I found one by reaching out to a former co-worker who hosts a weekly podcast, and another by meeting someone while talking to a woman who happened to be a podcaster at a garden tour. (The message: be open and ready to talk about our books.)

She finds awards I can apply for. I have also sent her awards I’ve seen online, and she either encourages or discourages an application. She has suggested people to work with to get more reviews, including bookstagrammers.

Publicists actively plan and advise on public launch events. I secured my two New York and California launches; my publicist is securing a venue in Washington, D.C. A friend reached out to someone she knows in Philadelphia, and I hope to secure an evening there. While a publicist can offer tips and suggestions for promotional materials at a book launch, we authors have to plan our programs and pay for banners and similar items.

My contract included three one-hour sessions with a social media expert who helped me navigate how I engage with different outlets. She suggested ways to improve my Substack (now changing up the topics) and to use Instagram and Facebook more effectively. For Facebook, I’ve joined many groups where I can post about the book, including my college, former workplaces, and general memoir-related groups. I’ve been posting on these sites and have also used LinkedIn. Social media promotion takes time and commitment, and it is not something my publicist does.

I have built a large email list, which I will soon use to publicize my pre-order campaign, announce my launch events, and engage friends by using a portion of that list to help promote my events and my book. I’ve also reached out to the professional and volunteer groups I work with. For example, Women in Development (an association for fundraisers) is including a story about “reinventing myself as an author” in their newsletter and will organize an event where I will speak with another published author who coincidentally published with She Writes Press, as I have.

As my publication date approaches, my publicist will, of course, prepare press packages for national and regional media outlets and reach out to local media before each local book event. Soon, we will work together to make decisions about paid advertising, including advice on placements, creative design, and timing.

It is not inexpensive, but I think it is great for a debut author to have guidance on how to maximize publicity for our books. I consider it a paid education in publicity and marketing.

To be cliché, it takes two to tango. We may want to rely on our publicist to handle our book promotions, but we need to do everything we can as partners.

If you have a publicist, please share your stories.

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We had been friends for three years, but then something changed.

One beautiful day, we drove to the Blue Ridge Mountains in nearby Virginia to hike. I loved it when she recited, almost word-for-word, her memory of her favorite childhood book about a poor girl with a neglectful mother who collects and sells natural specimens to pay for her education. She told me this even before I told her how much that story resonated with mine. That day we shared stories from our childhoods.

As we passed the verdant mountains looming above us, I noticed how she observed the different shades of green in the grass and trees. We discovered we shared a love of the same music, especially Grover Washington, whose album “Winelight” we played on the drive to and from the mountains.

I told her stories about the year I spent living in different countries around the world, and I loved how she often stopped me to ask, “How did you feel when you were there?”

We found a café called Le Rat, stopped for a glass of wine, and laughed hysterically, wondering what kind of person would name a café after a rat. We talked about our past relationships, the political work we were doing, and our dreams for the future. I could have talked with her for hours.

Before we left Le Rat -- that perfect day -- and returned to our everyday lives, I took a matchbook from the café to remember how special the day had been. Much later, she told me she had taken a napkin from the café and kept it.

Depending on how you count time, we have been together for over forty years. It was clear how much we loved each other when I moved to New York the same year, and she stayed in Washington, D.C., where we first met. We traveled to each other’s city every other weekend to test our commitment, which never wavered. Some months later, she moved to New York to be with me.

A year later, we held a commitment ceremony, inviting two couples who’d been together longer than we had. We declared our love for each other and exchanged rings in 1984, when same-sex marriage was not on the horizon or in my dreams. Although that dream took almost thirty more years to become a reality, I knew she was the one for me and that my dream of love and a family was real, not a fantasy.

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Let me know your thoughts and suggestions about topics.

***

Living and Learning with an Open Heart

One of the reasons I decided to go to Friends World College, besides my long-term desire to break free from the constraints of being a foster teen in New York and to travel the globe, was the school’s philosophy, which stated, “There is that of God in every man, and every man is a teacher.” Okay, I hate the focus on “man,” but the message came across loud and clear to me. The school was designed to take students out of the classroom and into living and learning in at least two different cultures.

The school’s experiential learning immersed learners in real-world scenarios, simulations, or hands-on projects to develop knowledge, skills, and values. It moved student learning beyond passive, lecture-based methods toward a practice that purposefully engages learners in direct experience and focused reflection, building students’ capacity to contribute to their communities.

Whether or not a person has a college degree, lives in what is considered an “underdeveloped country,” or is of a different race or religion than the student, there is much to be learned by listening, sharing in day-to-day experiences, and rejecting the view, “I have come to teach you what I know.”

When I moved to a semi-nomadic village in the Northern Rangeland region of Kenya, I arrived with an open mind, a desire to live as the locals did (or almost so), and to participate in the community’s daily activities. I tried to refrain from judgment due to the significant cultural distance between us. Most important was the idea that the people I lived with had different experiences, and knew things I knew little or nothing about, and that each person could teach me something. My framework was not that I was there to show people how to live and improve their lives, as local missionaries often do. While I offered literacy and gardening instruction, it was what the local people requested. I still believe that we can learn so much by being open to people from other cultures.

In this country, the prevailing belief that people from different cultures do not belong here is abhorrent to me. What makes anyone think they are better than anyone else? Why can’t we just accept that we all bring something different to the world?

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Unlike ChatGPT and Claude, which are adaptive writing tools, the following apps do not take your document or text and craft new work that adjusts its tone and voice to match your previous writing. The tools below allow authors to accept or reject any editorial suggestions.

I use Grammarly - https://www.grammarly.com/

I started with the free version, which limits the number of corrections AI can assist with. I decided to pay for the Pro version ($144 yearly fee) when I began editing my memoir. The Pro version also includes vetting, full sentences for clarity, vocabulary enhancements, and tone/fluency adjustments. For authors, it features plagiarism detection and AI writing detection. Grammarly will never attempt to sell, publish, or distribute any document or text it edited.

Many writers use other software.

ProWritingAid

https://prowritingaid.com/

This tool goes beyond basic spell check. It acts as a personal developmental editor, checking pacing, dialogue, and overused words. The free version allows suggestions for 500 words at a time. With a Premium or Premium Pro license, you can use ProWritingAid with documents of any length. It costs $120 a year or $399 for lifetime use. It is only usable on the computer; I’ve read that it is a bit more difficult to use than Grammarly.

Edit GPT https://editgpt.app/blog/prowritingaid-vs-editgpt-which-ai-proofreader-for-2025

This one proofreads, edits, and improves your text. “It is like having a human editor who marks changes with a red pen.” Like all of these tools, it lets writers accept or reject every change. It offers editing styles such as “Natural,” “Streamline,” or “Formal” to ensure the AI preserves your original voice. Its free plan lets you edit up to 10,000 words per month. It costs about $12 per month for up to 300,000 words, plus additional batch-editing features. Reddit notes there are often technical problems with this app.

Hemingway Editor ⁠- https://hemingwayapp.com/

This app focuses on clarity and readability, but it lacks deep grammar checks. It highlights passive voice, complex sentences, and adverbs so you can cut the fluff. It positions itself not as a mere proofreader but as a “style coach” or a “second set of eyes.” It flags adverbs, passive voice, and complicated phrasing to force you to use stronger, more direct language. A central feature of the Hemingway App is its “Readability Score.” The desktop app is a $19.99 one-time purchase.

What do you use?

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My Tin House: Where I lived for most of my stay in Songa, the semi-nomadic village in Northern Kenya

I stayed with Esiteri when I first arrived and helped to fill in the walls of her hut. She gave me the only room with a closed door to stay in.

Mama Lachoya, who became like a surrogate mama to me, with a young neighbor. She is holding the basket I started when she taught me to weave.

Mama and I at 19 years old.

Teaching school outdoors with a local moran watching over us.

Karaba, my fellow teacher, with his mother.

One of the last photos of my mother with my sister, Penny.

Living with Strangers: Healing a Wounded Heart in a Distant Land is available for pre-ordering. Check out my website at: https://www.robinrosenbluth.com/ or on the Simon & Schuster site: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Living-with-Strangers/Robin-Rosenbluth/9798896361886

More than a few of these emails look legitimate. Some include photos and email addresses, have LinkedIn profiles, and claim to be from real publishing houses. Some even impersonate an established publisher, publicist, or editor. This is less common with agents because most authors know that we do not pay agents, but it happens. These duplicitous appeals are sophisticated, unlike those that use poor English. These scam artists -- in the US and overseas -- use artificial intelligence, impersonate publishing figures, and use flattery to hook debut and established authors into paying fees for services; I would be surprised if they ever rendered any. I find it ridiculous that they use wording available online to describe my memoir and feign interest in the topic. Most promise to promote our books at a trade show with global reach, get us on podcasts, or help us achieve a future in which we sell more books than we could realistically imagine.

Many authors already have a publisher or publicist, or are actively promoting their books, and are unlikely to need or want to pay for additional services, especially from someone who contacted us rather than from us reaching out to professionals. We usually decide to hire someone based on a recommendation, which is a much safer route. I have been fortunate NOT to fall for a book scam.

Watch Out for the Red Flags

· Flattery should be a warning sign. Is the writer trying to woo you by praising your unpublished or self-published work?

· When the sender says, “I have spent time reviewing your book,” delete it if you have not yet been published.

· Check the email address carefully. Scammers often use free providers (like Gmail) or slightly altered domains to look like real publishers.

· When someone promises you the moon, recognize that it is not for sale. Legitimate marketers or publishers cannot guarantee what they can deliver; they can only tell you what they can do. No one can ensure you get into an elite or celebrity book club, nor can they promise you a glowing message from an organization or library offering to feature you with guaranteed positive Amazon or Goodreads reviews.

· For self-published authors on Amazon, beware of scammers who claim they “discovered” your work on Amazon and offer a unique traditional publishing deal.

· I haven’t received this, but I’ve read that some scammers impersonate famous authors and offer mentorship or friendship. They play a slow game before asking for personal information or money.

· Some marketing and PR companies contact authors, offering to produce “cinematic trailers,” pay-to-play interviews, or international publicity. If you want to proceed, find a company yourself and vet it first. You could lose thousands of dollars.

· Set up multifactor authentication on your social media accounts and your author website, so that if someone tries to take over your accounts, you will be notified.

Be Cautious: Check Everyone Out

· Don’t give anyone who calls you out of the blue any personal information.

· If a famous author, publisher, or agent reaches out, contact them directly through their official public website rather than replying to the email. It is important to inform the person when someone is using their name or identity.

· Look up the sender on LinkedIn, then visit the company site they claim to represent to see if they are on staff.

· Trust your instincts if you are suspicious.

· Check out industry watchdogs:

• Post online in writing forums and talk with peers

• Writer Beware - https://writerbeware.blog/

• Authors’ Republic - https://www.authorsrepublic.com/ members can ask questions

• Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/ Anyone can post

• Association of Authors’ Representatives https://literary-agents.com/association-of-authors-representatives/

• Publishers Weekly, a paid service, to find publishers and agents

  https://www.publishersweekly.com/

• Duotrope, a paid service, to find publishers and agents - https://duotrope.com/

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Here are a few of the scams I received; none of these people could have read my book, which will not be published until October 27th.

I’m Rosie, Founder of Wandering Worlds Book Club Hub. I’ll get straight to the point: Your work has been generating some serious chatter in our community lately. Our readers are deeply connecting with your storytelling, and honestly, it deserves a much bigger stage. We are currently curating our exclusive Wandering Worlds Book Festival, a high-impact, dedicated showcase engineered to put exceptional authors front and center for our massive audience of passionate, active book buyers…Rosie, Founder, Wandering Worlds Book Club Hub

I recently saw your book and found myself curious about the story behind it. As someone who writes as well, I always enjoy hearing what sparks an author’s creativity and how a project comes together. Writing can be such a personal journey, so I thought I’d reach out and say hello. What inspired this book, and what was your favorite part of bringing it to life? Mary.

My name is Sabrina Glanguzzi, and I’m a Bookclub Connector and Author Outreach & Engagement Specialist. I’ve been meaning to reach out earlier, but several projects at my end delayed me. I’ve been studying Living with Strangers: Healing a Wounded Heart in a Distant Land — A Memoir for a while now, and I genuinely appreciate the honesty, emotional depth, and resilience reflected throughout your journey. What stood out most to me is how you transform experiences of hardship, foster care, and uncertainty into a powerful story about identity, belonging, and finding purpose in unexpected places. I was especially moved by the way your life in a Kenyan community becomes more than just a change of location—it becomes part of a deeper process of healing and rebuilding. The contrast between a difficult early life and the discovery of connection, community, and a new sense of self creates a memoir that feels deeply human and inspiring. I believe your work would resonate strongly with readers who enjoy memoirs, resilience stories, personal transformation narratives, cross-cultural experiences, and books exploring healing after difficult beginnings. Some communities that may be a great fit include:

• Goodreads memoir and inspirational nonfiction groups

• Bookstagram communities focused on personal growth and life stories

• Reddit communities such as r/Memoir and r/books

• Facebook book clubs centered on resilience, healing journeys, and cross-cultural memoirs

I would love to explore potential reader engagement opportunities, book club features, and collaboration ideas that could help introduce Living with Strangers to more readers who connect with authentic stories of survival, belonging, and transformation.

Sabrina Glanguzzi

Bookclub Connector and Author Outreach & Engagement Specialist

I am Sophie McLoughlin, Publisher of Picador, specializing in literary fiction and narrative non-fiction. As part of our ongoing editorial research and review of a wide range of contemporary writing, your work was recently brought to our attention. At Macmillian, (Wrong Spelling) we are continually interested in engaging with writers whose work demonstrates a strong sense of voice, narrative clarity, and the potential to connect with audiences across formats and platforms. Our editorial team regularly explores both published work and developing projects across a broad spectrum of subject areas and creative approaches. We are currently open to initial conversations with authors to better understand their body of work, current focus, and any future projects they may be considering. I would welcome the opportunity to learn more about your writing background and to ask whether you are represented by a literary agent. If you do have representation, I would be happy to continue any discussion through them; if not, I would be glad to outline possible next steps.

There is little we can do to STOP these emails. We can, however, be on alert for these awful scams.

If you have a story to share, please post it in the comments.

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So now I will need to pick a narrator. When asked for my preferences, this is what I wrote about what should be read by the three to five narrators the agency will identify and what characteristics are important to me:

Excerpts

The excerpts should be one as a child—maybe when Dad tells me my mother is dead.

Another should be in Songa—maybe one of the scenes where I talk with Karaba.

Let me know if you want me to send those to you; happy to do so.

Narrator’s Voice

Most of all, a pleasant voice to listen to (as I don’t like hearing my own voice or some narrators in the audiobooks I’ve listened to). The narrator should sound like a child (ages 8 to 19), be able to show fear and reticence when talking with my father, stepmother, and foster parents, and a blossoming leadership persona in high school (only with friends). I want someone who can be emotional when reading my reflections and questions about my guardians.

She should convey insecurity about being in Songa (can I teach… will I be accepted) and strengthen her voice as I find my way and finally discover that I can be vulnerable (in the scenes where I regain my friendship with Karaba) and that everyone who turns away from me will not abandon me. She should express the joy I feel upon receiving accolades before I leave.

Familiarity with Jewish culture is a plus, as is any awareness of the foster care system (just to enhance empathy). I don’t expect or want a Kenyan person but maybe listen to the voices of Kenyans to give it a bit more authenticity.

I can pronounce some Swahili words, as can AI; for the most part, I am the one speaking most of the Swahili words, so a Kenyan accent is not necessary. I have a glossary in the back with every Swahili word/phrase in the book. There are multiple male voices in dialogue, so using a different tone would be helpful.

While my voice is the dominant one, other women include:

• My mother in one chapter only

• My stepmother (her daughter)

• Sylvia (my father’s evil girlfriend)

• Girls in the children’s shelter

• My foster mother

• My girlfriends in high school

• My surrogate mama - Mama Lachoya (her daughters)

• Ester - who first houses me

• Bibi - Baranaba’s wife

• Adult ed women, friends, and their mothers …

Male voices include:

• My father and brothers - important to get my father’s attitude about having things his way

• The shelter director

• My foster father

• Mr. Kamau - the head of the National Christian Council of Kenya

• Robertson - the missionary

• Fred - a government worker who becomes a lover (and Joe - another government worker who says little)

• Karaba - my fellow teacher

• Baranaba - the Songa manager

• Joseph - my friend

• Le Rendille - an elder neighbor

• Philip - the new teacher

• Young male students

• Few older men (Joseph’s father, the Turkana I help, etc.)

Overall, there is a significant amount of dialogue and inner thinking on my part. The narrator must be able to carry these multiple characters.

Okay, so what else should I do before and after I get the narrators’ tapes reading from my memoir?

• Listen to audiobook memoirs to get a sense of what I like, what I don’t like, and what to look for.

• Try listening to books narrated by top narrators who have already recorded them.

• Ask the narrator(s) I like if they have narrated other memoirs and listen to one or more of them.

• Look out for any pauses, coughs, audible breath, or background noise.

• Does the narrator’s tone vary with different characters; can she use a distinct and recognizable voice each time the same character appears in the book?

• Can she speak the Swahili words without stumbling

• Check out the pace: is it too fast, too slow, or just right?

Every author may look for something different, depending on the genre of their book, the mood they wish to evoke, and their personal preferences.

What other things might you suggest or have you found if you’ve done an audiobook?

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**

I realize that I am living in Songa, Kenya, the semi-nomadic village where I am teaching as part of my college internship program, under conditions most urban Americans would label as primitive or underdeveloped. Yet I reflect on how this “primitive” lifestyle is not that dissimilar from how Native people and European pioneers survived years ago. Today, some people are still trying to recapture a smaller, or simpler, lifestyle, as in Buckminster Fuller’s Small is Beautiful. I’m thinking about followers of the Back to the Land Movement and the Whole Earth Catalog in the 1970s, who desired to live a healthy, alternative lifestyle. I laugh out loud, thinking in many ways that is just what I am doing.

I remember the commune I visited in 1971, in Virginia, a place called Twin Oaks. I was traveling through the South in my first semester at Friends World College, just after my first legal escape from foster car in NYC. I was finally independent and could go where I wanted for the first time in my life. At Twin Oaks, there was a similarity to people in Songa in how people built their housing: some built traditional houses, and many lived in tents. An area of land was allocated to each family for them to grow food, which they stored for use during the colder weather. Moral values were enforced by group pressure, and the outside society had little influence. Premarital sex was at the discretion of the individual and was not taboo. Individuals with particular expertise lent their skills to benefit the community at large, constructing buildings or joining together for other activities. In Songa, residents work together to build a school or run pipes. Mothers in both places frequently give birth at home and usually with the help of a midwife. Songa could be a commune; it is an intentional community, a collective, in some ways a cooperative, or simply a settlement as it is known.

Why, I wonder, do people search for differences between different cultures, instead of what we have in common? How quickly do people classify the lives of others not like our own yet fail to look at our own flaws? Why do most people think their way is best, or their religion is the only true belief? Why are so many Europeans and Americans coming to Africa to show locals what they perceive as the more “developed” path to progress? Why is there a shift away from rural living to urban centers, where it is often harder to find employment without a quality education, and where there is no land to offer sustenance? I recognize that Songa residents want running water, electricity, vehicles, and other modern conveniences. I don’t want to see life here with eyes blinded by what I think is best for the people. I want to hear what the local people describe as their own needs. They asked for teachers for their children; the adults begged for adult literacy classes; the women wanted to continue sewing more modern clothing, and I am happy to do what I can. I think more white people should follow the leadership of those with less power in the world. It may likely make the world a more just society, but I know I have always been a dreamer.

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It’s designed to help grow an email list, run ARC campaigns, organize newsletter swaps, or distribute reader magnets, while also making it easy to handle the technical issues of sending eBooks. It’s considered the “industry standard” among successful indies.

It can help authors with:

• Deliver reader magnets/freebies to promote your book. Reader magnets should be genre-specific (e.g., a prequel or bonus scenes) to attract readers. Authors who do this often include a link to their website when offering the magnet.

• Build email lists - This happens when people respond to your magnets.

• Organize newsletter swaps - This includes Substack; it’s another way to collect email addresses when someone subscribes

• Join multi-author promotions - Promos are a good way to build your subscriber list and track who opens your email.

• Run ARC campaigns - This service makes it easy to deliver books to readers, which is considered its greatest strength.

• Deliver direct sales - If you are selling your own book, BookFunnel is designed to deliver the digital version of your book.

One of BookFunnel’s biggest selling points is that it handles the technical side of eBook delivery for readers. It can save authors time. If someone doesn’t know how to sideload an EPUB to a Kindle, BookFunnel support helps them directly.

I have read about some downsides:

• Freebies Don’t Make a Book Buyer - Promos can drag down open rates and attract many non-buyers.

• Scammers Follow You - The platform has issues with authors who don’t share or use deceptive tactics, which reduce promo value.

• Reduced Effectiveness - People receive too many emails, leading to a decline in ROI over time.

• Can Be Expensive - Debut writers already face many expenses, and the lowest level lacks all the bells and whistles.

• Not a Necessity: Authors can distribute and do most of what this app does without it, though it may take longer.

Who Should Consider It?

• Recommended If: You want easy file delivery, fewer tech support headaches, and tools for building and automating mailing lists.

• Be Cautious If: You expect immediate sales from large promo-driven lists or dislike cleaning and segmenting them—freebie traffic may hurt engagement metrics.

BookFunnel pricing changes occasionally, but historically it has included tiers like:

Plan Type Approx Cost Main Features

First-Time Author ~$20/year Basic delivery

Mid-List Author ~$100/year Email collection, promos

Bestseller ~$250/year Larger list tools

To get the features most indie authors actually want (email signup pages, integrations, swaps, etc.), many people end up on Mid-List or higher.

No service works if authors do not have:

• a good cover

• a marketable genre

• a compelling reader magnet

• consistent newsletter strategy

My thought now: I do not expect to use it. If you have found it useful, please let us know.

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Share My Jagged Journey as a Debut Writer

There are many places that accept personal essays and micro-memoirs. After working for almost ten years on my memoir, Living with Strangers: Healing a Wounded Heart in a Distant Land, it is refreshing to write something else. I’m writing about stories that aren’t included in my memoir but share a related theme. I think it is a good practice to do this to publicize your book.

What is a micro-memoir?

· It’s a short piece, usually no more than 100 to 300 words. Some micro-memoirs are only 100 words, like the TinyLove story in the New York Times.

· The story must be true, and it must be about the author.

· It is not part of a larger narrative; it’s designed to stand alone.

· When sharing a story, make it specific and self-contained, without the need for backstory, yet demonstrate how you experienced some form of transformation. There still needs to be a story arc.

What about craft?

· While a hook is important, a short piece should end with a powerful emotional punch, a lingering thought, or thematic resonance. It doesn’t need to tie everything up in a neat bow; it just needs to leave a lasting impression.

· Every sentence -- even every word -- should be needed for your story.

· Writers need to eliminate unnecessary words, such as “that” and “very,” which is even more important in this form of writing.

· Of course, we need to show instead of telling, using our senses to put the reader right there with you.

When finding places to submit, it is important to read some of the stories that have been published and apply to those that align with who you are, e.g., for LGBT or people of color.

A few current places to apply are:

https://herstryblg.com/micromemoirs-contest Opens June 1, 2026: under 1000 words.

https://brevity.wordpress.com/about/ Rolling submission: 500 to 1,000-word range

https://www.hippocampusmagazine.com/submissions/ Rolling submission: max 4,000 words for essays and 800 words for flash creative nonfiction

https://www.fiveminutelit.com/submissions Rolling submission: exactly 100 words, 15-character title, and a short time period.

https://100wordstory.org/submit/ Re-opens June 1: micro-pieces exactly 100 words

I am determined to submit at least one micro-memoir for publication in June. Will you join me?

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It was challenging to select the excerpts. As my memoir is braided, I chose a five-minute story about entering the foster care system and two shorter pieces about the two Rendille characters with whom I developed the closest relationships in Songa, Kenya, where I lived at age 19.

That done, I printed the pieces in 14pt font so I could read my words easily. About thirty-five people were squeezed into the backroom of a bar in Brooklyn. A few friends were kind enough to attend, and my teacher from the Writers Studio was there, too.

The open-mike presenters went first. The man I was sitting near was poised to read a poem and looked nervous. I caught him reading while others were presenting, getting ready. I had already read my pieces a few times out loud, and I practiced deep breathing while listening to others share their stories.

This was the first time I read about my childhood in foster care, even though my bio notes that I am a former foster teen, and I’ve posted about it on social media. Reading excerpts from a debut memoir about a difficult childhood felt different from the many times I’ve stood in front of a crowd to talk about fundraising, something I’ve done throughout my career. This time, the pages trembled slightly in my hands.

Telling stories that have been privately held for years, shared only with close friends, is like coming out of the closet. Few of my work colleagues know about my challenging childhood. The moment my story leaves my mouth, the past steps into the room beside me. For a moment, I got choked up reading about the time my father, who had abandoned me in a children’s shelter to await foster placement, hugged me for the first time in months, what I thought might be the last time. Not something I planned to feel.

Certain words may sting years later. Our voices may crack. Tears may interrupt our sentences. But audiences rarely remember technical perfection. They remember authenticity. When I hear memoirists read about the difficult times they’ve endured, I think about the courage it takes to share a story that may, in some way, help a reader who resonates with it. We want listeners and readers to recognize fragments of themselves in our words. Even those who’ve never lived through the same experiences can understand the emotional truth beneath them: the longing to be loved, to be safe, to belong.

Because our memoirs include stories of how we grow beyond the difficulties of our past, I read about the encounters that helped me heal. I tried to show that my story is not just about pain but also a map of survival and shared lessons. The goal is for our stories to become a shared human experience.

And then comes the applause. The applause says: We hear you. Public storytelling does not erase pain, but it changes its shape. Secrets isolate; stories connect.

Of course, it helps, too, when people say, I can’t wait to read your book.

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Share My Jagged Journey as a Debut Writer

Neither of these well-known book clubs accepts unsolicited submissions. So what does it take?

• Publishing a well-written book with a strong story arc that lends itself to good conversations for book clubs.

• Traditional publishers and their associated literary agents often have personal contacts with these clubs’ staff. Unfortunately, most of the promoted books come from the “Big Five” publishers,

• Securing glowing reviews and early buzz certainly helps.

• Being recognized by BookTokkers

Oprah’s Book Club - She has run a literary platform for the past 30 years, selecting influential books that spark conversation. She often highlights new authors. The club now uses Oprah’s Book Club on Instagram and Facebook, along with a podcast, for in-depth discussions featuring author interviews. The club has featured 65+ major selections, spanning diverse fiction and memoirs by women and men.

• Check out the “Top Ten” featured each month.

• Ask your publisher to send our books to the editors at O, the digital Oprah Magazine

• Oprah often chooses books with deep, emotionally engaging stories that spark conversation.

Reese’s Book Club - Reese Witherspoon runs a successful club that primarily focuses on fiction, featuring stories centered on and written by women. It is known for its high-profile selections, many of which Witherspoon later adapts for film or TV. Her stamp of approval has a major impact on the lives of writers spotlighted by the club.

• Read More: https://www.women.com/1861654/getting-picked-reeses-book-club-changes-everything-author-work/

• She has a monthly subscription program where authors can pay to play and communicate with each other (depending on the pay level). This could help direct some attention to our books.

• She offers the LitUp Fellowship (https://reesesbookclub.com/lit-up/), a mentorship and marketing program for unpublished, diverse women and non-binary writers. Being accepted is one way to gain recognition.

Who else has book clubs:

• Read With Jenna (Jenna Bush Hager): https://www.today.com/read-with-jenna

  This club, produced by the TODAY Show, focuses on contemporary novels with “propulsive plots.” Jenna’s picks often become instant New York Times bestsellers.

• GMA Book Club https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/bookclub

  This club spotlights a diverse, monthly selection of fiction and non-fiction, focusing on compelling storytelling across various genres.

• Service95 Book Club (Dua Lipa): https://www.service95.com/subscribe-to-service95?

  Launched on her lifestyle platform, the club is known for its intellectual and global approach, featuring in-depth interviews with major literary figures, including Khaled Hosseini.

• Belletrist (Emma Roberts & Karah Preiss) https://www.belletrist.com

  Focuses on unusual or “indie” literary offerings that readers might not discover on their own.

• Library Science (Kaia Gerber) https://libraryscience.net/

  A newer online book club designed to promote reading through curated, non-traditional, and underrepresented literature, including debut authors, poetry, and translations, often hosting live author interviews on Instagram.

• TeaTime Book Club (Dakota Johnson) https://bookshop.org/shop/teatimebookclub An Instagram-based community focusing on literary fiction, female-forward stories, and debut novelists. The club offers monthly, thought-provoking selections with accompanying deep-dive audio and visual content.

• Book of the Month (BOTM) https://www.bookofthemonth.com

  One of the oldest and most successful subscription-based clubs, operating since 1926. Awards a golden Lolly, which members vote for the best fiction.

Let me know your thoughts.

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It took time to select a few excerpts (which I wrote about on my Substack on March 2, 2026). I already have printed bookmarks to distribute with a link to my author website, where my book can now be pre-ordered. That led me to think about what I might need once my books are available for retail sale.

When authors are ready to sell their books (though many leave that to bookstores, libraries, and online outlets), they need not only to choose carefully what to read but also to think a bit like a marketer. For attendees who buy your book right away, you want a few thoughtful items to help them remember you after they leave.

What to have at a reading:

• Copies of your book – these are the most obvious items to bring, unless the bookstore hosts the sale of your book.

• A good pen – ideally one that doesn’t smear. Pick one that leaves a clean signature for those who might ask you to sign a copy of your book.

• Create a simple table display – even a small stand to prop your book cover facing outward helps catch attention.

• Bookmarks – are an inexpensive item to give to attendees (include your book cover, author name, and author website; you might add one or more blurbs, too.)

• Author business card – these are alternative or additions you might distribute, though their size limits what you can include. (Include a QR code linking to your book page; note: look for a free QR code.)

• Postcards with cover art – larger in size, they can include your cover image, blurbs, and a link to your author website. They can also double as mini posters on your display table, positioned on a small easel. Postcards can also be used to include a personal note when you mail your books or thank reviewers.

So as not to overwhelm the table, I might stop here with some of the above items. Don’t overwhelm people with too many items. Two or three well-designed pieces beat a pile of random swag. However, when you visit conferences or book fairs, or even if you are someone who mails out books, you might want more.

• Table banners – a banner creates a visual anchor to attract viewers who may be walking by at a book fair. Personally, I think it’s a bit much at a bookstore. Think of using it to attract people walking by a busy place, something that could grab their attention. Include your book cover image, a hook or tagline, author names, and website QR code.

• A one-page book description sheet – these sheets, which have more information, can be handed out at bookstores and community centers to more fully inform people about your book. It might include a short book summary (similar to how your book is promoted online), possibly a short excerpt, a few blurbs or endorsements (if you have them), and a link to purchase/order your books.

• Stickers – these may be good if you have a part of your book cover, or a symbolic image from your story, that lends itself to a small sticker. Alternatively, you might consider a quote from the book or something about your book’s theme. Stickers might be put on water bottles, laptops, or the like – giving free visibility.

Have you ordered anything else?

What’s worked best for you?

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Spending money on Amazon ads is likely one of the best ways to boost book sales. These ads let you target people searching for books on Amazon. I researched how to create these ads because I will likely use them when my book is published. (It is not recommended to boost pre-ordering.)

There are entire books and webinars on buying Amazon Ads; this is my humble approach to understanding the basics. (For more detailed information, check out Jane Friedman’s blog: https://janefriedman.com/amazon-ads-authors-comprehensive-guide/

You can run ads for a single book with Sponsored Products or for multiple books or a series with Sponsored Brands. Start at advertising.amazon.com to set up your Amazon Ads account. You need to register and add billing information.

These ads make your book appear in search results or on other book pages. The keywords authors choose are important to drive traffic to their books. Before deciding on the top keywords, test the keywords on Amazon and compare your book’s results to the results.

Like some Meta ads, you pay when someone clicks (which is good because many people will still see your book even if they don’t click through). The cost per click can range from $0.20 to $3.00+, though I’ve read that the realistic average last year was around $0.70 to $1.00 per click.

While ads drive traffic, your cover, reviews, and description determine whether that traffic converts to sales.

Authors create one “campaign” for a book, and if it works, they can run the same campaign continuously or update the ad to post again. Online advice suggests being prepared to spend $200 to $500 to test the effectiveness of these ads. Daily expenditures can range from $5 to $100. Testing should likely last for at least two to four weeks.

Single-book authors often don’t earn as much as authors with multiple books or series. Amazon rewards: High conversion rate, good reviews, and professional covers.

While debut authors may lose money initially, campaigns can be used to

• Get reviews

• Improve ranking

• Increase sales

For authors, like me, who will start their first campaign, it’s suggested that we:

• Start with one campaign

• Budget $5 to $10 a day

• Test the campaign for 2–3 weeks

• Choose the best keywords

When reviewing, drop the keywords that don’t bring in clicks

Amazon has a built-in analytics dashboard that shows which keywords were most effective and how many clicks converted to sales. You will be able to see:

• How many times have our ads been shown

• The # of clicks per keyword (helping us learn what’s most effective)

• The “click-through-rate

• Our cost

• The number of sales (though only if a customer purchased the book within seven days of clicking)

We don’t see:

• Names, emails, or identities

• Demographic info

• Individual user tracking

Once I jump in, I will let you know how it goes. Readers: if you have tried Amazon Ads, please share with us how it went.

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Paid ads can increase visibility for our books and help us target readers. For debut/indie authors, paying for marketing may push social media algorithms to favor better-known, published authors over them.

Base your strategy on your goals, resources (time, money, and sweat equity), and the competitive landscape. There are other, less costly ways to promote our books: attending conferences, giving readings at bookstores and libraries, running an email campaign, exchanging promotions with other Substack authors, and more.

Here is what I learned about how Meta ads might work.

Facebook and Instagram Ads

There are multiple choices in advertising here. CPC, or cost-per-click advertising, and CPM, or cost-per-mille advertising, are two of the most common pricing models. There are some minimal costs, so vet them before creating advertisements.

Usually, a short reel with a “great hook” that encourages viewers to click to learn more or get something needs to be created. You might produce multiple versions and test each one.

CPC ads are based on who sees the ad. For example, each click can cost anywhere from $.60 to $1.70. Authors pay a set price every time someone clicks on an ad they’ve posted. With this pricing model, many more people might see the ad, and you only pay if they click on it. Ad networks monitor the performance of CPC-funded ads to determine when and to whom to display them. A CPC model guarantees clicks, so you might earn more revenue if an ad leads to an easy-to-use and appealing website.

CPM ads are a pricing model based on impressions. For example, authors pay between $8 and $16 for every 1,000 views. With CPM, whether people engage with the ad doesn’t affect the cost. The goal is to create an appealing ad that encourages viewers to click and take action, such as buying your book or visiting your author website.

For a first-time “soft launch,” a total investment of $50–$100 can be enough to test different covers or blurbs to see what resonates with readers.

Authors can use Facebook Ads Manager to capture their viewers’ data. To do this, the first step is to connect a Facebook Author Page (not a personal profile) to a Meta Ads Manager account. Once ads are running:

• Go to your Ads Manager dashboard and select the Campaigns, Ad Sets, or Ads tab to view specific results.

• Visual Charts: Hover over an ad and click “View Charts” to see a visual breakdown of demographics, delivery, and performance.

• Custom Reporting: Use the “Analyze and Report” section to build custom reports, choosing metrics relevant to your goals (e.g., reach, clicks, or ROI).

Authors will be able to see the following information:

· Engagement Data: How many people viewed the ad (impressions), clicked (clicks), and their Click-Through Rate (CTR).

· Audience Demographics: Data on the age, gender, location, and interests of the people who interacted with your ads.

• Viewer Behavior: How long they stayed on your site, which pages they visited, and if they completed a “conversion” like a purchase or sign-up.

• Technical Specs: You see which devices (iPhone vs. Android) or browsers (Chrome vs. Safari) your audience uses most frequently; not sure I care about this.

While this information is useful, it does not include the email address of the person who clicks or views your site. To capture that, consider offering something the viewer can receive, known in the industry as a lead magnet.

• Discount Codes: “Enter your email for 15% off your first order.”

• Exclusive Content: eBooks, whitepapers, or checklists.

• Webinars: Sign-ups for a free online class or demo.

Next week: Amazon ads - love it or leave it. What else interests you about book marketing?

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Share My Jagged Journey as a Debut Writer

Once a book has a cover, ISBN number, and relevant metadata, it can be listed on online sites such as Barnes & Noble, Simon & Schuster, Amazon, Books-A-Million, Indigo, and most other retail book sites (unless an author has an exclusive e-book with Amazon). The promotion applies to both print and e-books. Audiobooks can also be pre-ordered on major platforms before their release, with the content automatically added to your library when published.

• For Booksellers: Pre-order campaigns bring attention to books for bookstore purchasers. Pre-order sales quantities may indicate the size of orders bookstores will stock.

• For Libraries: Similarly, high pre-order numbers may encourage librarians to order new books in multiple formats. Encouraging readers to let librarians know they want to read the book when it comes out can increase pre-orders, ensuring patrons have the book when it is released.

• For Authors: Preorders count toward a book’s first-week sales, which is critical for hitting bestseller lists.

Ways to Build a Pre-Order Campaign

• Make sure you have an author website that details the book and provides direct links to retailers.

• If authors have not already had a book cover reveal, it can be coordinated as a way to kickstart a preorder campaign and engagement.

• Swap newsletter mentions or shout out other authors in your genre who have upcoming releases.

· Produce a short-form video to build momentum that carries through to launch week.

· Consider offering a gift to encourage preorders, such as early access to a chapter, a deleted scene, signed bookplates, downloadable bonuses (e.g., a prequel, character art, behind-the-scenes content), or special swag.

When Should it Begin?

· Active marketing begins about 3 months before publication to avoid wearing out your audience.

Where to Promote Pre-Orders?

• Facebook: A way to access authors’ personal networks -- or make public to reach new audiences.

• Instagram (Bookstagram): This can be used to post photographs and reels to connect authors with potential readers.

• YouTube/YouTube Shorts: Consider posting Insta reels, tapes from book readings, talks about the book’s creation, and other short clips.

• Email Newsletter: Don’t forget to use your email list to make a direct connection with friends, families, and volunteer and work-related connections.

NOTE: On all but the last bullet above, and other sites, authors can pay to promote their books. I will look into these fees in another Substack post.

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When I decided I had a final draft (have to laugh at the word “final” used here), it was a story about the year I spent living in northern Kenya with the Samburu and Rendille people while I was in college. I used flashbacks to highlight how I was finding more connection there to people than I had with my father, stepmother, or foster parents.

I found the courage to send the manuscript to Brooke Warner at She Writes Press for objective feedback and editorial advice. While she did not edit each chapter, she highlighted what worked and what didn’t. The most important comment, however, was that she wanted to read more about my childhood, and she suggested I redo my book using a braided format: writing some chapters about my life since my mother’s death and another strand about my time in Kenya.

Well, you can imagine that took me quite some time. My story about Kenya came from multiple journals I kept during that time. I had to create the stories from my years before, during, and after my teen years in foster care. Not sure how many years that took, but I did finish that first “final” draft of my braided memoir.

Once again, I sought feedback and shared the manuscript with my book group as our monthly read. Each person provided general feedback and specific editorial comments, which helped me reread my book and make revisions. I also asked other friends and my writing buddies to read the manuscript.

Once I thought the book was in “good enough” shape, I tried for almost a year to find an agent for it. One agent asked for the full manuscript, and she liked it, BUT she said she didn’t think she could sell it to one of the big five publishers.

When I submitted my manuscript to She Writes Press, I received a yellow light! That’s when they agree to publish your book but suggest more editing. So, I had a developmental editor review my manuscript, and she made significant changes to the order of my chapters and clarified where I needed to add more storytelling.

I read and reread the manuscript to review her comments and decide whether to accept or reject her edits. Then I had a copy editor review the manuscript, because developmental editors do not focus on each word in every paragraph. Again, I reread her suggestions and did the same review.

Then, She Writes Press has a proofreader review the manuscript. I was shocked to see how many small changes she still found. Again, I reviewed the manuscript in its proofed version.

I am in the process of rereading the final print copy … the exact way my soon-to-be-published book will look when I finally hold a solid book in my hands.

Soon, I will have an advanced reader copy to share with reviewers and close friends before my October 27 pub date. That’s all, folks! No more editing.

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