Celebrate National Poetry Month and Earth Day With Us, New Releases, Book Signings and Events
Indie Author Insights #60 - April 2025
"Earth and poets share a secret—both shape beauty from chaos." ~ WriterKat
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Welcome!
Let’s welcome new subscribers by checking out their books, newsletters, or other creative projects:
, , , , D.L. Longwell, , Pattson, , , Johnson, , Maria Williams, James, , and .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 comment section or emailing kathy@indieauthorsassociation.com.
Earth Day and National Poetry Month
April is my favorite month of the year for many reasons including Earth Day and National Poetry Month. I love that these awareness events provide opportunities for creativity and meaningful engagement. Here are some ideas for your author platform:
Share excerpts, blog posts, or short stories that highlight nature, sustainability, or climate awareness.
Highlight sustainable book printing options, digital formats, or indie bookstores that support eco-conscious publishing.
Host a nature-themed writing challenge or encourage readers to share their favorite environmentally conscious books.
If your work includes lyrical or poetic elements, showcase those on social media.
Try haiku, free verse, or blackout poetry based on your book themes.
If you're a novelist, pair poetry with your prose—perhaps a poem from a character’s perspective.
Create an “Earth & Words” book bundle featuring nature-focused books or poetry collections.
Host a virtual or live event where you and other authors read nature-inspired poems or discuss eco-conscious writing.
Use #EarthDayReads, #NationalPoetryMonth, and related hashtags to reach wider audiences.
I am doing a few of these including a live event to read poems at the Minnetrista Nature Trail. If you love poetry, nature, and meeting fellow Creatives, please join us!
New Book Releases
Malgrim Joins a Gang by Leland P. Gamson
Leland has a new children’s book out! He enjoys telling animal stories to children and children’s stories to animals. After retiring from the VA and U.S. Army, Leland is focusing on writing stories for young people. In his latest book, Leland writes about what happens when Malgrim leaves the safety and comfort of living with his human friends to hang out with a pack of stray dogs.
The Profitable Entrepreneur by Mike Cassidy
Learn how to discover profitable opportunities to grow and sustain your business with The Profitable Entrepreneur: Your Practical, Essential Roadmap to Grow and Sustain Your Business written by Mike Cassidy, a corporate CEO, highly successful startup entrepreneur, angel investor, consultant, and award-winning lecturer in the Purdue University Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation program. Teaching entrepreneurs to excel is the subject of Mike’s comprehensive, groundbreaking book that releases April 22, 2025.
What He Left Behind by Benjamin Bradley
Benjamin Bradley is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. He's the author of the Shepard & Kelly Mystery series through Indies United Publishing House. His short fiction has appeared in literary magazines including Reckon Review and Flash Fiction Magazine. He works in public health and homelessness and lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife, their cat Fox, and their dog Harper.
What He Left Behind releases April 29, 2025 from CamCat Books.
In this town, everyone has a secret they’d kill to keep. Oak Hill is a sleepy community where nothing exciting ever happens. When a stranger is found murdered in a field, Detective Grace Bingham must reunite with Sawyer, who broke her heart and fled the town years prior, in order to uncover the explosive truth and evade the dangerous attacks of the relentless Dockery Family, who will stop at nothing to hide their secrets. As Grace ID’s the stranger, she and Sawyer race to piece together enough evidence to make their case stick, even if the town has turned against them. After all, everybody has a secret they’d kill to keep.
Do you have an upcoming book signing or event to share? Post in the comments or email kathy@indieauthorsassociation.com.
2025 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!
April 2025
4/4/25 – Symbiosis: Poets & Visual Artists in Collaboration Beyond Gallery Art & Poetry Opening Reception, Friday, April 4, 2025, 5-8 PM, Beyond Gallery & Gift Shop, 414 Main Street Lafayette, Indiana. Artwork and poems will be on display through May 31, 2025. I’m excited to have two of my poems featured at this event!
4/5/25 — Bookz and Brewz Book Signing, Saturday, April 5, 2025, 12 - 2 PM, The Green Bean, 11802 E Washington St, Indianapolis, Indiana. Look for
at this event.4/5/25 – Local Author Book Fair, Saturday, April 5, 2025, 11 AM - 1 PM, Warsaw Community Public Library, 310 E Main St, Warsaw, Indiana.
4/12/25 – Hamilton East Public Library (HEPL) Local Author Fair, Saturday, April 12, 2025, 1-4 PM, at the FORUM Events Center, 11313 USA Pkwy, Fishers, Indiana. Look for Mona Mehas at this event.
4/12/25 – Poetry Open Mic, Saturday, April 12, 2025, 1-3 PM, Elwood Public Library, 1600 Main St, Elwood, Indiana.
4/19/25 – Poetry Reading with Stacy Savage and Kathy Gerstorff, Saturday, April 19, 2025, 2-4 PM, at Minnetrista Nature Area Loop Trail. I will be at this event along with fellow poet and nature lover, Stacy Savage, and other members of the Poetry Society of Indiana. YOU are invited to join us. Bring your favorite poems to celebrate Earth Day, National Poetry Month, and the great outdoors with nature and poetry-loving friends!
4/26/25 – Indy Author Event, Saturday, April 26, 2025, 12-5 PM, 502 East Event Center, 502 East Carmel Drive, Carmel, Indiana.
4/27/25 – Words In Motion dance recital and poetry reading in collaboration with Stage 1 Dance Academy and the Poetry Society of Indiana. This is my second year being selected to have my poem interpreted by the dance team along with a few other members of the Poetry Society of Indiana. I LOVE when the arts fuse together on projects like this. Words in Motion will be held at Franklin High School, Franklin, 2600 Cumberland Dr, Indiana on Sunday, April 27, 2025 at 5 PM.
4/29/25 –
Book Signing, Tuesday, April 29, 2025, 7 PM, Quail Ridge Books, 4209 Lassiter Mill Road Suite 100, Raleigh, North Carolina
May 2025
5/3/25 – Ohioana Book Festival, Saturday, May 3, 2025, State Library of Ohio, 274 E. First Ave. #100, Columbus Ohio.
June 2025
6/7/25 – Words & Wonders, Saturday, June 7, 2025, 12-6 PM, Jackson Live & Event Center, 989 C Avenue E, Seymour, Indiana. Look for
and at this event.
6/14/25 – Wild Deadwood Reads, Saturday, June 14, 2025, 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM CST, The Lodge at Deadwood, 100 Pine Crest Drive, Deadwood, South Dakota. Look for Teresa Keefer at this event.
6/28-29/25 – Midwest Bookish Fest, Saturday, June 28, 2025, 8 AM - 8 PM, and Sunday, June 29, 2025, 8 AM - 6 PM, Minneapolis Marriott West, 9960 Wayzata Blvd, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
July 2025
7/10-12/25 – Midwest Writers Workshop, Thursday, July 10, 2025 - Saturday, July 12, 2025, Ball State Alumni Center in Muncie, Indiana—or virtually, from the comfort of your own computer. You can sell your books on consignment at this event even if you attend virtually!
7/18-20/25 – Imaginarium Convention, Holiday Inn Louisville East, KY. Look for Dan Klefstad at this event.
7/25-26/25 – Taylor University Professional Writers Conference, Friday, July 25 - Saturday, 26, 2025. You can sell your books on consignment during this event. This is my favorite writers’ conference. Let me know if you register so we can connect to talk shop and share our workshop notes at lunch or dinner!
Thank You!
Thank you for reading the April 2025 issue of Indie Author Insights (#60). 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 our patrons and founding members: Ashley Gary Johnson, Bess Sturgis, Bonnie Lieberman, Herman Floyd Renfro, Jill Ebstein, Leland P. Gamson, Lloyd Mullins, Nancy Nau Sullivan, Sarah Styf, and Teresa Keefer. Thank you for supporting aspiring and independent authors!
Kathy Gerstorff
P.S. The next Indie Author Insights Substack Live will be Saturday, April 12, 2025, at 2 PM Eastern Standard Time. You are invited to hop on during the live and talk about your book or ask any questions about self-publishing. A recording will be sent to paid subscribers!
Thanks for the mention! Appreciated. Lots of interesting stuff to check out.