Here’s a list of work you can buy directly from authors. This is often one of the most direct ways to support an author whose work you enjoy (or a specific cause), with the plus side that you might encounter writing that’s more unusual, niche or out of the mainstream.
A quick FYI: typical royalties from a self-published ebook are around 70%, while some platforms such as Gumroad offer as much as 90%. A standard publishing contract by contrast offers the author a 25% royalty for ebooks, dropping to 7-8% or a paperback sale.
I’ll try to keep this list updated as and when things come to my attention, but for now, check out the below. There are short stories, novellas, fantasy, songs, poetry, art books and more.
Darlin’ by Olivia Stephens
Two guides are hired to lead a hunting party.
A 16-page, B&W supernatural western comic.
Lore and Disorder Folklore Anthology, ed. Magda Knight, Rym Kechacha
Lore And Disorder is a mutated folklore and folk horror fiction anthology with 13 extraordinary tales by talented writers in the field. All proceeds go to the Fareshare food bank charity.
Editors: Magda Knight, Rym Kechacha
Foreword: Andy Paciorek
Authors (Alphabetical): C.B. Blanchard, Peter Haynes, Tom Hirons, Verity Holloway, Natasha Kindred, Elizabeth Lee, Tobi Ogundiran, George Sandison, David Southwell, Sylvia Warren, Aliya Whiteley.
Cover Image: Nell Latimer. The Green Man, 2019.
The Apple-Tree Throne by Premee Mohamed
It is the turn of the century in an England that never was. Bright new aqua-plants are generating electricity for the streetlights; news can be easily had on the radio-viz; and in Gundisalvus’ Land, the war is over and the soldiers are beginning to trickle home. Amongst these is Lt. Benjamin Braddock, survivor of the massacre that ended the war, and begrudgingly ready to return to a world that, well, doesn’t seem to need him any more than it did in peacetime. His friends have homes and families to return to, while he’s got nothing but his discharge papers and a couple of unwanted medals. Oh, and one new thing: the furious ghost of his commanding officer.
Dominion of the Fallen stories and other novellas, by Aliette de Bodard
In a Paris that never was, a city of magical factions where Fallen angels mingle with magicians, alchemists and witches… Emmanuelle is the Fallen archivist of House Silverspires, and only wants a quiet life with her books. But when Selene, the latest student of Lucifer Morningstar, walks into the library, Emmanuelle finds herself drawn in an adventure to steal from another House. It’s a thrilling and dangerous task, but the most dangerous thing about it might just be Selene herself — aloof and resourceful, and unexpectedly attractive…
Set in the universe of the critically acclaimed The House of Shattered Wings.
Wild Time by Rose Biggin and Keir Cooper
The Duke of Athens and the Amazon Queen are getting married in the morning. It’s going to be a big one, and everyone’s invited. The King and Queen of the Fairies arrive into ancient Athens, ready to be guests of honour at the party of the age. There’s a gifted new Changeling in town — a uniquely talented human who’s attracting some attention. Titania has plans, Oberon’s wound up about it, there’s a long night ahead and naturally it all comes down to who does what. The planets have their own ideas, and elsewhere, deep within the forest, we see a leatherworker and part-time male stripper rehearsing a play that’s ahead of its time…
(FESTIVE ALERT: Signed paperback editions of Wild Time are currently on sale for a mere £5.00!)
Johannes Cabal Stories and Goon Squad by Jonathan L. Howard
The entirety of Jonathan L Howard’s prose-comic Goon Squad series is available online, plus a selection of stories featuring everyone’s favourite necromancer, such as Exeunt Demon King:
Johannes Cabal, a necromancer of some little infamy, has faced many horrors during his career, but in this tale he tells of an early encounter with something that horrified even him.
Pantomime.
A provincial theatre has seen a series of strange deaths. The young Cabal investigates, even though this requires him to don red tights, a curling moustache, and become… the Demon King.
Beyond the Line of Trees by Vida Cruz
What will you find beyond the tree line?
A warrior and a cook’s hidden relationship provokes the wrath of the jungle. An ill-tempered handmaiden goes to live with her dead brother-turned-mango tree. An apathetic mother goes to retrieve half her heart from a sinister first love. A strong-willed farm girl plays housekeeper to a kapre with a secret.
This first illustrated short story collection — with a foreword by Nikki Alfar — by British Science Fiction Association longlisted author Vida Cruz is full of fantastic tales and sweeping epics of love, loss, adventure, and history.
Romancing the Page by Laura Ambrose
The pseudonym of award-winning speculative fiction author Laura Lam, Romancing the Page is a series of f/f novellas set within the world of science fiction and fantasy publishing.
Natalie and El used to be writing critique partners, sharing their work chapter by chapter. Falling in love off-page was like the next part of the story.
Now three years have passed in bitter silence. So when Natalie attends a convention and El’s appearing under a pseudonym, she’s horrified. When ignoring each other proves to be impossible, she begins to contemplate the unthinkable. Should she let a hidden hope fly?
Interment and The Social Diary of a Ghoul by RJ Barker, illustrated by Mikko Sovijarvi
Not everything in the garden wants to be there.
Interment is a disturbing and idiosyncratic work of psychological horror. Part graphic novelette, part story, part poem and partly art.
This is the first of three illustrated prose poems written by RJ Barker and illustrated by Mikko Sovijärvi .
A Pocketful of Crows by Joanne Harris and the Storytime Band
A Pocketful of Crows is a continuous suite of original music, songs and spoken word, based on Joanne Harris’ 2018 novella.
Plus check out the Ko.fi for regular storytime posts, short stories, exclusive excerpts and more.
The Ships of Aleph by Jaine Fenn
Lachin is a dreamer. He’s just too curious for his own good. When he gets the chance to be part of an expedition which will allow him to escape the confines of his village, of course he takes it; he wants to see the world. But the world is not what he thought it was…
The Ships of Aleph is a fantastical adventure set on a world like no other, which fits into Jaine Fenn’s popular Hidden Empire universe.
The Ballad of Sir Benfro by James Oswald
James Oswald’s Sir Benfro series is self-published in the US, as are several of his Inspector McLean crime thrillers.
In a small village, miles from the great cities of the Twin Kingdoms, a young boy called Errol tries to find his way in the world. He’s an outsider – he looks different from other children and has never known his father. No one, not even himself, has any knowledge of his true lineage.
Deep in the forest, Benfro, the young male dragon begins his training in the subtle arts. Like his mother, Morgwm the Green, he is destined to be a great Mage. No one could imagine that the future of all life in the Twin Kingdoms rests in the hands of these two unlikely heroes.
But it is a destiny that will change the lives of boy and dragon forever …
Rememory by Frasier Armitage
In the future, memory is currency. Felix is broke, on the run, with nothing in his head but a combination of numbers.
Someone robbed him of his mind. Now it’s time he took it back.
“Armitage deftly executes the fresh concept of memory as currency. REMEMORY is part cyberpunk, part thriller, and a total blast to read. Truly captivating.”–EL Strife, Author of the Infinite Spark series and Zedger
My own self-published Triggernometry series continues on April 8th with Advanced Triggernometry, which is available for pre-order from Amazon and Gumroad.
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