A Self-Publisher’s Dream Come True – Literally!

If you’ve ever self-published a book, you know that writing the story is only the beginning. After the book is printed, a new job begins—one filled with book signings, community events, social media posts, emails, networking, and countless conversations about your book. As a self-publisher, you quickly learn that marketing isn’t something you do once in a while; it becomes part of your everyday life.

You work hard because you believe in your book and hope that each event, each conversation, and each connection will open a new door. Along the way, you dream about those milestone moments that every independent author hopes for. One of the biggest? Walking into a local bookstore and seeing your book sitting on the shelf alongside traditionally published titles.

For many self-published authors, that opportunity can feel just out of reach. You keep showing up, keep promoting, and keep believing that one day someone will give your book—and you—a chance. Sometimes, after all the hard work, that dream becomes a reality. And when it does, it reminds you why you never stopped believing in your story.

This past week, I made a list of places I wanted to go; places I had not been yet to talk about my book and to see if I could get an author’s night, or if I could get my book on a shelf. One of my sisters went with me. We started in the downtown area of the city I live in, Wichita, Kansas, and then we were going to work our way back to the west side of town. I had heard about a new bookstore opening in the Delano district. The Delano district has always (well, within the last twenty years or so) been an upbeat, happening area to be. There are a few longtime favorites that have stood the test of time; places that have been around since dining on patios with friends and discovering French cuisine first became the trendy thing to do. And over the years, the Delano district has evolved and remains one of the most popular places to be. So, I was excited to hear about this new bookstore, which is also a coffee shop/bookstore by day, and a nice place to sit, relax, read, and have a drink in the evening (unless you like to have a glass of champagne, or a cocktail, or even a mocktail in the afternoon. No judgement here!). My point is, how cool is it to go to a bookstore, peruse the shelves of many genres (approximately 4,500), order a pastry, coffee, and/or another drink, and either sit in comfy chairs, at the bar, or at a table with or without a friend! And it is not a chain, which makes it even better!

So, that is where we went first. The bookstore is called Final Draft. Oh my gosh! Obviously, I love bookstores, but this one is so quaint and unique. The way it is designed is intentional and well thought out. It’s just the right amount of space; one that doesn’t feel overwhelming when you walk in the door. Large, historic windows let an abundance of sunlight pour into the bookstore, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. When we walked up to the counter, we were welcomed with smiles. I introduced myself, told the ladies behind the counter why I was there, and asked if I could speak to the manager/owner. Without any hesitation, one of the women pointed out the owner, Natalie Macy, to me. (She and her husband, John, own the business.) Natalie was very polite and told me she would love to talk with us as soon as she finished helping a customer. So, my sister and I ordered two coffees and sat down at one of the tables. Natalie came over to the table shortly. I showed her my children’s book, A Birthday Surprise In Triple Oaks Forest, and told her a little bit about it and that it has a message for children. I also told her that my niece, Stephanie, is my illustrator and that my sister is my editor. Natalie, after looking at the book, said she loved the book and thought it was very beautiful. I explained to her that Stephanie had put a lot of work (and tears) into designing the characters. We also explained that the characters were not only hand-drawn but were painted with acrylic paints, making it unique.

And then those words that every self-publisher dreams of hearing were spoken! Natalie said she wanted to buy ten books and put them on the ‘local author’ bookshelf! I was so excited! The next day, my husband and I took the books to her, and she immediately rearranged the shelves and put my books on them. It was pretty surreal. I had only imagined that something like this would happen.

A few days later, Stephanie, another sister of mine, and I went there because I wanted to introduce Stephanie to Natalie. It was Grand Opening weekend. The store was packed with people browsing every book aisle, visiting, eating, and drinking. Everyone had smiles on their faces. We went over to where A Birthday Surprise In Triple Oaks Forest sat on the bookshelf. We wanted to take some pictures, but someone was standing in front of them. My heart leapt a little. This person turned around, smiled as we waited patiently, and asked if that was our book. Excitedly, we told her it was. She got even more excited and said she had looked at the book, and she was going to buy it, but only if we would sign it for her! Of course we said yes. Later, as we sat and visited and toasted with the champagne we had ordered, we saw someone else in line holding the book. Two books (that I know of) were bought that day. And even though I only saw two people buying, that was enough to make me grateful and know that I am doing something right not only as a writer, but as a self-publisher.

Self-publishing is not easy, and it certainly is a full-time job if a person wants to do the necessary legwork to get the book visible. It takes patience. LOTS of patience! But, if you give yourself grace and work hard, eventually someone will say, “yes” and put your books in their store, on their shelves!