✨📚 Hey! Hi! Hello!
It’s officially launch day, and in this very special episode, I'm going to pull back the curtain on what it really takes to go indie—from the chaos of last-minute uploads to the deep, career-shaping why behind choosing self-publishing in the first place.

Also, I'll share some of my top tips I've found for launch day survival, real-world advice from other indie authors crushing it on their own terms, and a whole lot of encouragement if you’re dreaming of doing this yourself one day.

So take a deep breath, crack your knuckles, and join me in the behind-the-scenes mess and magic of publishing a book your way.

🖤 You don’t need permission to create something powerful. You just need to hit publish.

💌 Links & Extras
Ready to read the book that launched this whole thing? Head to ⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/chicklingchronicles⁠⁠⁠ for The Missing Reflection, social links, and more behind-the-scenes goodness.
💬 Got launch day vibes of your own? DM me on Instagram, tag me in your book stack photos, or drop a 🎉 emoji in your review so I know you were here for the big moment.

📚 Sources I Mentioned & Indie Authors to Follow
Jenna Moreci – AuthorTube & Self-Publishing Coach
Abbie Emmons – Author, Storyteller, & YouTube Educator
Sarra Cannon – Heart Breathings, HB90, & the Publish & Thrive Course
@AuthorIsabelleWoodward – Gothic Horror Writer
@WriteNiaWrite – Speculative Fiction Author
@TheRealKariJames – Contemporary Author & Launch Strategist
@MGBlackwood – Fantasy Author & Emotional Support Witch
@IndieBookHive – Indie Publishing Resource Page
@CleoWritesThrillers – Thriller Author & Kindle Top 100 Indie
@AuthorDaniHart – Romance/Fantasy Author & Launch Buddy Creator

🎧 Tools & Platforms Mentioned/Researched:

• Amazon KDP

• IngramSpark

• Linktree / Beacons / Notion

• Canva

• StoryOrigin / BookFunnel

• Goodreads

• Reedsy Marketplace

• Fiverr (for promo design & other assistance)

✨🩸 She didn’t just bite — she built a genre.
Hey! Hi! Hello!

In Part Two of our Anita Blake deep dive, we’re stepping out of the graveyard and into the bigger picture: the birth of urban fantasy as we know it. From vampires paying taxes to necromancers testifying in court, Laurell K. Hamilton rewrote the rules of what fantasy could be — and readers have been debating her choices ever since.

We’ll unravel the crime-procedural-to-erotica pivot that divided the fandom, trace how Anita’s legacy shaped authors from Jim Butcher to Patricia Briggs, and pull together a whole list of books, shows, and movies for when you need your next dark, witty, monster-filled fix. (Yes, including my own The Missing Reflection, because Anita made me the writer I am today.)

So lace up those combat boots, sharpen your sarcasm, and let’s talk about the guilty pleasures and necessary obsessions that built an entire genre.

💌 Links & Extras
Looking for more haunted delights? Head to ⁠⁠linktr.ee/chicklingchronicles⁠⁠ for The Missing Reflection, social links, and more.

💬 Got hot takes? DM me on Instagram, drop a 🩸 emoji in your review, or tag me in your favorite vampire boyfriend debates. I live for it!

📚 Sources I Used & Further Reading/Watching

• • Laurell K. Hamilton – Guilty Pleasures (1993)

  • Charles de Lint – Moonheart (1984)

  • Emma Bull – War for the Oaks (1987)

  • Charlaine Harris – The Sookie Stackhouse Series

  • Patricia Briggs – Mercy Thompson Series

  • Jim Butcher – The Dresden Files

  • Ilona Andrews – Kate Daniels Series

  • Kim Harrison – The Hollows

  • Hailey Edwards – The Beginner’s Guide to Necromancy

  • Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003, TV)

  • Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992, Film)

  • The Craft (1996)

  • The Craft: Legacy (2020)

  • True Blood (2008–2014)

  • Penny Dreadful (2014–2016)

  • Being Human (2008–2014)

  • Grimm (2011–2017)

  • The Witch (2015)

  • Constantine (2005)

  • Underworld (2003)

  • Underworld: Blood Wars (2016)

  • Doctor Strange (2016)

  • Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

What if the monster under the bed wasn’t there to scare you… but to flirt, threaten, and maybe change your life?
🩸✨ Hey! Hi! Hello!

In this first part of our Anita Blake deep dive, we’re going back to where it all began: Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton. We’ll slip into the eerie streets of 1990s St. Louis, wander through Hamilton’s genre-bending legacy, and pick apart the crime-soaked, blood-smeared plot that introduced Anita Blake to the world. Then, we’ll do a character autopsy (don’t worry, she’d approve) on Anita herself — from her witty comebacks to her moral contradictions — and explore why this debut still feels sharp decades later.

It’s a journey into first impressions, dangerous charm, and a heroine who refused to play victim — even when standing toe-to-toe with nightmares. So grab your silver crosses, keep a witty comeback on hand, and let’s talk about the book that taught us guilty pleasures can be anything but.

🌒 If you’ve ever fallen for a story that rewired your taste in characters forever, this one’s for you.

💌 Links & Extras
Want more dark delights? Head to ⁠linktr.ee/chicklingchronicles⁠ for The Missing Reflection and all the ways we can connect.

💬 Got thoughts? DM me on Instagram or tag me in your vampire boyfriend debates — Jean-Claude or bust, right?

📚 Sources & Further Reading
📖 Laurell K. Hamilton – Guilty Pleasures (1993)
📖 Laurell K. Hamilton – Nightseer (1992)
📖 Anne Rice – Interview with the Vampire (1976)
📖 P.N. Elrod – The Vampire Files series (1990s)
📖 Tanya Huff – Blood Price (1991)
📺 The X-Files (1993–2018)
📺 Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003)
🌐 Laurell K. Hamilton – Official Website (author bio & career background)