Bookworm Orchard Bookstore Opens Galentine’s Day, Author Feature: Jonathan Goodman - Unhinged Habits, New Book Releases, Book Signings, Festivals, Fairs, & More…
Indie Author Insights February 2026
“Put less emphasis on your book’s launch and more on what you do post-launch. Don’t view the launch as the end-all. Instead, think of it as the beginning of a ten-year flywheel.” ~ Jonathan Goodman
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WELCOME
Let’s welcome new subscribers by checking out their books, newsletters, or other creative projects: ASF DeWeese, David Chadderton, Jennifer Maughan, JM Smith, Jonas Paxson🧙♂️Fantasy Author, Lasana Ritchie, Lenny, Marcin Pilarczyk, Michael Coulombe, Mill Ie, Miranda P. Charles, Sajid Fzal, and Subtle Matters.
Welcome to Indie Author Insights! We are looking forward to getting to know you and your writing journey. Please share your book launches, signings, and other events by posting info in the comments or emailing kathy@indieauthorsassociation.com.
Happy February, Indie Authors, Book Lovers, and Curious Creatives
A lot is happening in February!
Bookworm Orchard is getting in on the “Read Every Day” challenge for the American Cancer Society virtual campaign during the month of February. Check out our Bookworm Orchard Facebook Page for details and to join in the daily reading adventure!
Sunday, February 1, 2026, 2-4 PM, Creatives Meeting at Lasana Ritchie’s home. Contact her if you are a local (Grant County, Indiana) author, artist, musician, or other creative who wants to join us for faith, fellowship, and fun!
Friday, February 6, 2026: Dracula: A Love Tale. I’ve been doing a countdown to see this remake!
Thursday, February 12, 2026: Wuthering Heights! I get giddy when I discover another Wuthering Heights remake. It’s my favorite gothic classic tale of all time. My dream is to write a story that is talked about, with movie remakes, over a century after it’s published. I’m still in awe that it was Emily Brontë’s only novel. Look for my review on Medium!
Friday, February 13, 2026, 5-8 PM, Bookworm Orchard Bookstore first day open! We will do a soft opening during Boston Hill Center’s Galentine’s Event. If you are in the area (428 S Washington St, Suite 101, Marion, Indiana), we hope you are among the first to visit! During our remaining “soft opening” days, February 14 - April 24, 2026, our hours will be: Thursdays & Fridays 12 - 6 PM and Saturdays 10 AM - 6 PM.
We are looking forward to introducing book lovers to indie authors with books in our bookstore, including: Sheri Ann Richerson, Erin Hayden, Leland Gamson, Terry Shepherd, Tiffany Simmons, Amy Smith, Christine Lawrence, Chris McWhirt, Dale Mcfarlane, Floyd Barringer, Ginger Ring, Jana Strickler, Jessica Miller, Laura Petrucce-Bailey, Lisa Coffey, Liz Flaherty, Lynda Cox, Mark Saluke, McKayla Jade, Pilar Del Rey, Tina Susedik, Thomas Freel, and Valeria Horton. Of course you can also find the co-owners books in the shop: J.J. Devine, Teresa Keefer, and me (Kathy Gerstorff)!
February 23rd - My birthday! I would love to launch our Stories From The Orchard Kickstarter on my birthday. We need at least 25 followers to launch. If you would like to help me celebrate and spread the good word about our crowdfunding anthology to help fund the bookstore startup, please follow and share storiesfromtheorchard.com.
Author Feature: Jonathan Goodman
Unhinged Habits: A Counterintuitive Guide for Humans to Have More by Doing Less by Jonathan Goodman.
Jonathan Goodman is the author of the newly released Unhinged Habits: A Counterintuitive Guide for Humans to Have More by Doing Less. It’s full of helpful frameworks to break bad habits and build your rich life by mastering the art of strategic subtraction.
Unhinged Habits is Goodman’s 12th book and second traditionally published mass-market non-fiction book. He has sold over 200,000 self-published books to personal trainers and gym owners.
If you liked Atomic Habits or Essentialism, you’ll love this book. Same lane, but a contrarian spin with more focus on the deeper values of relationships, health, and purpose.
Jonathan Goodman’s home is Toronto. He currently lives in Sanur Indonesia with his wife and three kids. This is their 13th winter living abroad.
Read on to learn more about Jonathan Goodman…
What do you hope readers will take away from your book?
That they will break free of the patterns, routines, and habits they’ve accepted as normal, yet no longer serve them by building back into their lives the seasonality they’ve been designed to crave.
How did you come up with the idea for your book?
I wanted to write about my 8:4 seasonal way of living and how much it positively impacts my health, relationships, and work. As I spoke and she asked questions, we both knew it was a big idea.
Most modern self-help is rebranded Stoicism, Buddhism, or research. Fine, but those books have already been done well by Manson, Clear, Robbins, Holiday, et al.
These concepts, on the other hand, felt rich, new, and useful. The type of ideas that can only come from deep lived experience, exploration, and a tremendous amount of reading and introspection.
For 14 years, I’ve challenged both social and educational norms, accepting nothing as status quo. My entire adult life has been a search for a more exciting, purposeful, and meaningful life.
I’ve built businesses, lived in 10 countries, enrolled my kid in a school in Mexico, in Spanish, when he doesn’t speak the language, and he thrived. Heck, I even built the first-ever certification for a new field (online fitness training).
My agent and I both agreed that the timing is perfect for this book. It’s 2026––doing work you hate and being surrounded by people who don’t light you up is dumb. We all have the tools we need. You can just do things. What’s missing are the mindset shifts, permission, and frameworks for our modern world.
Honestly, the idea was so big that it scared me. There’s a strange anxiety that comes with releasing work you believe is life-changing.
What is your favorite genre?
I read 90% fiction to non-fiction these days. Most mass-market non-fiction, I’ve found, is a rehashing of 101-level material because it has the largest potential appeal. On most topics I’m interested in, I’ve already learned the basics covered in those books. Fiction has a way of helping me better understand nuance and apply deep life-lessons to my life. For this reason, my non-fiction books have a lot of storytelling and elements from fiction intertwined.
What is your writing routine, and any specific habits or rituals that have helped you stay productive?
Nearly every morning I wake up at 6 a.m., drink coffee, and write for two hours. I’m 40 years old and have three kids (8, 3, and newborn). Over the past 15 years I’ve published 12 books and lived in 13 countries on the side of building multiple companies. I credit my morning routine for this output. It’s fluid enough to work at home, in hotels, and rentals in over 30 countries. And it worked when I was a single guy just the same as it does now for me as the father of three.
I’ve written out the details of my (admittedly mundane) writing routine on Diary of a Book Launch:
Where is the most exciting or unusual place you have promoted your book?
I once self-published two books from an off-of-the-grid eco-home in the North of Uruguay. The first time that I held my book was 26 days after its release. By this time I had sold 1,312 copies, invested $16,797.90 and was 7,532 km from home. You can learn more about my self-publishing journey on Medium: How to Self-Publish a Niche Book from an Off-the-Grid Eco-Home in Uruguay.
What do you love about being an author?
It satisfies my desired lifestyle properties. I want to be able to work from anywhere, put in a few focused hours of work each day, and disappear for a month (or more) and not have anyone care.
What advice do you have for aspiring authors?
Put less emphasis on your book’s launch and more on what you do post-launch. Don’t view the launch as the end-all. Instead, think of it as the beginning of a ten-year flywheel.
What is your favorite quote?
“I will act now. I will act now. I will act now. Henceforth, I will repeat these words each hour, each day, everyday, until the words become as much a habit as my breathing, and the action which follows becomes as instinctive as the blinking of my eyelids. With these words I can condition my mind to perform every action necessary for my success. I will act now. I will repeat these words again and again and again. I will walk where failures fear to walk. I will work when failures seek rest. I will act now for now is all I have. Tomorrow is the day reserved for the labor of the lazy. I am not lazy. Tomorrow is the day when the failure will succeed. I am not a failure. I will act now. Success will not wait. If I delay, success will become wed to another and lost to me forever. This is the time. This is the place. I am the person.” ~ Og Mandino
Where can we find you?
My new book: Unhinged Habits: A Counterintuitive Guide for Humans to Have More by Doing Less
Diary of a Book Launch on Substack: itscoachgoodman.substack.com
5 Reps Friday Newsletter: 5repsfriday.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jon-goodman/
Instagram: instagram.com/itscoachgoodman
Facebook: facebook.com/jonathan.goodman101/
Do YOU Want to Be a Featured Author?
If you would like to be a featured author, simply write something up or answer the author interview questions you can find at writerkat.com, and I’ll take it from there. There is no charge for this service thanks to the generous support of Indie Author Insights patrons.
New Book Releases
Unhinged Habits: A Counterintuitive Guide for Humans to Have More by Doing Less by Jonathan Goodman
When Imperfect Becomes Enough by Robert Nguyen
Scribe Bytes
ChatGPT continues to be my “bonus brain” that I use for everything from polishing my marketing copy to decoding lab results.
Now, I just need to find an AI that automatically formats books!
Hmm…
I asked ChatGPT, out of curiosity, if it can format books, and it replied, YES. Oh happy day, I love saving time and money!
I typically use Atticus or Canva to format my books. Atticus is a bit wonky, especially with poetry. I spend a lot of time cleaning up gaps and overlaps. Canva isn’t great for long prose. It’s better suited for picture books and poetry.
Once again, ChatGPT to the rescue. Let’s go!
ChatGPT asked if I wanted a sample or the full book formatted. A sample would be nice to make sure I like the layout and fonts.
So, I asked for a sample and waited. ChatGPT usually responds within seconds to requests.
Cue the wah-wah music…
After 15 minutes I asked where my sample was. It responded that it could take 24-48 hours.
Three days later…
I’m still waiting.
I guess it still hallucinates. :/
Back to dreaming about an app that automatically formats books!
2026 Indie Author Calendar of Events
Book Marketing, Networking & Selling Opportunities
Do you want to connect with authors, meet book lovers, and sell more books? Check out these opportunities:
FEBRUARY 2026
February 5-8, 2026, The Savannah Book Festival, Savannah’s Historic District, Savannah Georgia
Saturday, February 28, 2026, 9 AM - 3 PM, Appalachian Word Fest, Event Center at The Ridge, 1250 Middle Creek Rd, Sevierville, Tennessee
MARCH 2026
March 7, 2026, 10-11:30 AM, Indie Author Group Network Meeting, 428 S Washington St, Suite 121, Marion, Indiana.
APRIL 2026
April 1, 2026, 6-8 PM, Bookworm Orchard’s first Poetry Open Mic Night to celebrate National Poetry Month. Fellow poet Stacy Savage and I will be the MCs. Hosted by Los Amores, 428 S Washington Street, Marion, Indiana. It’s in the lower-level of the Boston Hill Center. This Poetry (and Prose) Open Mic Event will be held the first Wednesday of every month starting April 1st. Come join us for food, fellowship, and fun!
BOOKWORM ORCHARD GRAND OPENING & AUTHOR BOOK SIGNING EVENT, 10 AM - 4 PM, 428 S Washington St, Suite 101 & 121, Marion, Indiana.
Stories From The Orchard Book Launch & Bookworm Orchard Grand Opening After Party! Saturday, April 25, 2026, 4-6 PM, 428 S Washington St, Suite 121, Marion, Indiana.
Check out this Google Spreadsheet of Author Events to see if there is an event that interests you!
Do you have an upcoming book signing or event to share? Post in the comments or email kathy@indieauthorsassociation.com.
Thank You!
Thank you for reading the February 2026 issue of Indie Author Insights (#70). I hope you found it helpful. You can share information about your books, events, and what you want to see in future editions by emailing kathy@indieauthorsassociation.com.
Special thanks to Indie Author Insights patrons and Indie Authors Association members:
Ashley Gary Johnson of Vita Continuat, author of Silent Tears and Tiny Warriors: Lena & Luca.
Bess Sturgis (ghoulianastories.com), author of Where’s Bear?, Delamous the Dragon and the Terrible Nightmare, A Helping Hand: A Fairy Grandmother Tale, Algernon Zef, Ear Trouble, Ghouliana Stories’ The Shoe Troll Book #1, Ghouliana Stories’ The Gift Book #2, and The Kitchen Fairy.
Chris McWhirt, author of Glory Daze, Intervention: Book one of Adamic Chronicles Trilogy, Deception: Book two of Adamic Chronicles Trilogy.
Chris Stolle, author of 101 Leadership Lessons From Baseball’s Greatest Managers and 101 Leadership Lessons From Basketball’s Greatest Coaches.
Herman Floyd Renfro author of From Black Mountain to Blue Skies.
Jennifer Huston Schaeffer (whitedogeditorial.com), author of Mommy’s Boy.
Jill Ebstein, author of Alfred’s Journey to Be Liked, Hannah’s Journal to Be Happy, and Coming of Age at Forty.
J.J. Devine, author of Cheyenne Bride, Come Home with Me, Destiny’s Price, Into the Darkness, and Prisoner of the Night.
John Sherman, author of War Stories: A Memoir of Nigeria, Biafra, Marjorie Main: Rural Documentary Poetry, Santa Fe: A Pictorial History, and other books.
Karen Smiley, author of Every Day Ethical AI: A Guide for Families and Small Businesses.
Kay Castaneda, author of Emmie of Indianapolis: The Story of an American Girl.
Leland P. Gamson, author of Malgrim Joins A Gang, Toby the Lighthouse Keeper, ‘Twas The Night Before Christ’s Birth, If Your Dog Were a Human, Samson at the Olympics, Samuel and the Mystery Puppy, My Buddy and Me, The Pony Who Wanted to be a Unicorn, If Your Cat Were A Human, Little Red Riding Wolf, I’m Not A Bad Dog, Lokael The Donkey Who Carried Jesus, Why Can’t Dogs Talk?, Where is Grandpa?, Puppy School, Tamim: The Passover Lamb, Why Do Dogs Bark?, and The Irish Setter Is Mailing a Letter.
Lloyd Mullins (moonsthoughts.com), author of Thumperica and A Rare and Dangerous Beast.
Mark Saluke author of Lucy’s Way.
Mike Nelson (Michael Deeze), author of Annie Abbott and the Race to the Red Queen, Annie Abbott and the Druid Stones, The Deathbed Confessions, The Heretic, For I Have Sinned, and Bless Me Father.
Nancy Nau Sullivan (nancynausullivan.com), author of The Boys of Alpha Block, Trouble Down Mexico Way, Saving Tuna Street, The Last Cadillac, and Mission Improbable: Vietnam.
Paul Cobbin, author of Decode Your Diagnosis.
Sarah Styf, author of Embracing the Journey, The Life I Never Knew I Wanted, Find Your Wander, and Daily Advent Reflections for the Wandering and Wondering.
Stella Fosse author of Rock On: Power, Sex & Money after Sixty, Write & Sell a Well-Seasoned Romance, The Erotic Pandemic Collection, Vampires of a Certain Age, Brilliant Charming Bastard, and Aphrodite’s Pen: The Power of Writing Erotica After Midlife.
Teresa Keefer (teresakeeferromance.com), author of Coming Home, Vincent, Samhain, Yule: Wheel of the Witch Book 2, Home Stretch, Lone Vengeance, Jude, Andrew, Saved by Luke, The Magickal Christmas Quilt, Christmas Magick, Cupid’s Magick Kiss, Rowena’s Song, Watermelon Moonshine, Namaste, Deadly Vision, Threefold, A Wing and a Prayer, Yesterday’s Promises, One Magick Yule, Blessed Be, A Home for Dixie, Beneath the Magick Oak, and Blood Vengeance.
Terra Chism, author of Fellow Fireflies, Who Told You That, and On a Wing and Prayer.
Tina Susedik, author of A Beacon for the Heart, Beyond Time’s Embrace, Galena Getaway, Love Beyond Lies, Love’s Second Ride, Love With a Side of Crazy, Missing Innocence, Missing My Heart, Operation Santa, Picturing Anabella, Saving Ellis, The Balcony Girl, The Banker’s Wife, The School Marm, The Trail To Love, The Unconventional Blacksmith, and Wild in Deadwood.
Wendy Mayhew, author of WISER: The Definitive Guide to Starting a Business After the Age of 50.
Thanks also to the Substack Publications recommending Indie Author Insights! Here are the top three:
Thank you for supporting independent authors. We appreciate you!
Kathy Gerstorff
WriterKat
Indie Authors Association
Bookworm Orchard