Ailsa Stuart

Low stakes sapphic paranormal romance, you say? I can help with that. The Werewolf's Rival is out now: www.amazon.com/Werewolfs-Ri... #booksky

My low-stakes sapphic paranormal romance, The Werewolf's Rival, is out now! You can get a copy anywhere books are sold, or request it through your library 💜 (And if you have Kobo Plus, you can read it there for free...) www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/...

Took a little time away from social media over the summer, but with a new work & childcare schedule, I'm jumping back in - hello, Bluesky! Here to chat about books and marketing 💜

White sand. A gentle sea breeze. A good book with a slice of cake. If this all sounds lovely to you, you might enjoy Summer On A Scottish Isle, which is now available wherever ebooks are sold (plus libraries!) www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/...

My debut book, Summer On A Scottish Isle, is published today! It's currently ranked 105 for Travel & Vacation fiction on Amazon UK, which is blowing my mind a little. Here's a little taste of what you can expect inside (full description at the link): www.amazon.com/Summer-Scott... #RomanceBookRec

My debut novel, Summer on a Scottish Isle, comes out TOMORROW! If that wasn't exciting enough on its own, I can see it's just outside the top 100 for one of its Amazon categories, which is far above what I was hoping for with my happy little summer island romance. www.amazon.com/Summer-Scott...

Nervous and excited that my debut novel comes out next month! Summer On A Scottish Isle is a cosy, feel-good island romance & you can preorder it from your favourite ebook seller uk.bookshop.org/p/books/summ...

Saturday tip for authors: replying to other people and joining in on bookish community conversations is a great way to build connections & get your name seen. #Authorsky

Question for authors: if you had paid for a proofreader, but the book was still full of errors, would you want someone to flag that up? I recently read a book that credits a proofreader by name, and I know the odd thing always slips through, but this was chock full of mistakes. #AuthorsOfBsky

Due to a late cancellation, I have a last minute offer available! Book a customised book marketing plan for just £150! 1 available, 20% deposit required, remainder paid on delivery. Feel free to ask questions, or check my website for more details. #Authorsky #IndieAuthorsUnite

HarperFire has signed a new YA duology set in the world of Veronica Roth's Divergent series 👇 #BookSky

It's very hard to identify individual hedgehogs. We can distinguish big, middling and little visitors over the course of an evening, but did we see the same ones in yesterday's video clips? One thing that does highlight a newcomer to the garden though, is unfamiliarity with the steps #TinyJoys

Friday book marketing content suggestion: what books are closest to your desk today? Are you reading them now, are they inspiration, are they craft related? Showing readers your 'behind the scenes' can be simple, and is an effective way to build connections. #Authorsky

In good news, nearly all of the Philadelphia libraries (PA) will reopen Saturday hours: www.phillyvoice.com/free-library...

Book marketing tip of the day: give yourself enough time. Just because your edits and cover will be done by a certain date doesn't mean the best time to publish is right after that. Do you have a marketing plan in place? Do you have the time to follow that plan before your pub date? #AuthorSky

Come join The Bluemoose Birthday Bash at Leeds Central Library on June 13th. Part of The Leeds Literature Festival. Sharon Duggal, Simon Crump & Rob Potts will be chatting about their books. And I'll be nattering about 20 years as an Indy publisher. www.ticketsource.com/leedslibrary...

Having a lovely break in Scotland with family while daughter is off school, and I'm now looking ahead to my April and May freelance book marketing projects. I still have a few slots, so do get in touch, here, through my website, or through Reedsy if you'd like help reaching new readers! #Authorsky

Monday morning means catching up on my Reedsy inbox! I'll be closing for requests later this week while my kids are on their school break, and re-open in late April. (My direct inbox is always open.)

Just to be very clear, I am very open to working on LGBTQ+ books of all kinds. Bring me your sapphic romcoms, your m/m sports books, your queer space romps, and your poly high fantasy - I would love to help you get these books to more readers 🏳️‍🌈 #QueerLit

Had a lovely author strategy call this week where we discussed promoting a debut with eyes firmly on a career of writing: first book in a series, multiple other books planned in the world, etc. Exactly the sort of romance books I love to find, and it was a pleasure to help strategise.

Working from my favourite independent cafe this morning while little one is at nursery. Client projects, then editing another chapter of my own story before it goes to the proofreader next week. #FreelanceLife #BookMarketing #ParentJuggle

Sure, using trial videos will indeed grow your following. But that's just not realistic for most authors. The best way to market your book on socials is to find a platform you enjoy using, and a posting schedule that works *for you*, based around your own availability and interests. #Authorsky

I see lots of indie authors asking questions about timelines for marketing activity. When should you send ARCs? When should you start a newsletter? When do you start promoting on socials? To answer these questions (& *why*) I've put together a timeline, packed with tips:

ICYMI: Independent publisher Dead Ink Books has rebranded to mark its 10th anniversary, with a new logo, website and visual identity 👇 #BookSky

Here’s my next weekend read: The Love Plot by Samantha Young. Grumpy vet, sunshine character actor, he hires her as a fake girlfriend so his rich family stop pestering him. What’s next on your tbr pile? #BookSky #WeekendReads #Romancelandia

It is one of my favourite things when I find a new-to-me author I love and they have lots of books out already for me to glom through. I'm racing through authorchelseacurto.bsky.social's DC Stars series at the moment. #Romancelandia

Ah, the weekend. Where I try to fit in some relaxing time around also parenting two children, catching up on jobs I was too exhausted for in the week, and still replying to Reedsy requests within 48 hours to meet their best practice guidelines #FreelanceLife

The majority of authors who ask me for help need to start by fixing either their cover or their book description; a lot of the time it's both. If you've done the editorial work on the inside, could you get some friends or family who read a lot to look at your cover and blurb? #BookMarketing

Zimbabwean writer Andrew Chatora has founded a new independent literary publisher, Friesian Publishing, championing fiction and memoir “distinguished by clarity of voice” 👇 #BookSky

My marketing advice to self-publishing authors with a limited budget is always to invest in a cover. Covers are the first thing that most people see: you need it to look polished. #BookMarketing #SelfPublishingTips

Would you like to join our 2026 committee? We would love to have you! We have a new Events Officer position opening up, for those who would like to develop valuable skills and connect with fellow professionals in the publishing industry. Apply via this link by January 15th! lnkd.in/es-P2SHH

Looking ahead, I have two spaces left in January for fully-personalised book marketing plans. Pop me a message or reach out to ailsa@ailsastuart.com to book. in your spot! #AuthorSky #BookMarketing

We had an incredible evening on Tuesday at our event: Launching BookBindr – an exciting new way of collaborating in publishing, brought to you by Byte The Book & Bookswarm 📚 We loved seeing our community come together and network! Here’s a few of our fave event photos 📸

Unsolicited writing advice, no. 230: Be honest. Write what you care about. Give of yourself. If you try to hold back, you'll fail to connect with your readers. (And yes, it feels scary, being vulnerable. Do it anyway.)

If you’re going to cold-email someone wanting them to buy a service, maybe give it more than 24 hours before you follow up?

I invite people to imagine how many times I mis-spelled ‘serendipitous’ during the writing of this book.

Excited to be one of the marketers listed on new platform BookBindr which helps authors connect with publishing industry-experienced freelancers. #AuthorSky #IndiePublishing

Join us TOMORROW on Nov 18th for “Introducing BookBindr – an exciting new way of collaborating in publishing, brought to you by Byte The Book and Bookswarm” 📚 We’ll be exploring the future of publishing and showcase our new platform BookBindr. bytethebook.com/event/book-b...

I have 2 spaces for book marketing projects in January! Do you need help with your marketing strategy? Calls start from £35, written plans from £250. #AuthorSky #BookMarketing #RomanceAuthors #FantasyAuthors

I’m fully booked for November, but I have a couple of spots left for December if you’re looking for help marketing your book. Video consultation calls and custom marketing plans available, or message to discuss your needs ❤️📚 #AuthorSky #BookSky

If you love science fiction, fantasy, and horror you MUST already subscribe to Locus Magazine... Right? linktr.ee/locusmagazine link in bio!

I have one more spot in November to create a bespoke book marketing plan for someone! If you've got a book releasing in 2026, this is a great time to start planning your marketing activity. For £250/$335 I can make a fully customised plan for you to carry out in your own time. #AuthorSky