Welcome to A Month of Rain and Reads, a celebration of self-published and indie SFF throughout the entire month of November. To find out how you can take part and view the whole list of content, visit our introduction post.
Today we’re interviewing Mitch Miller, amateur filmmaker, jack of all trades and author of Monitored Activity, as they launch their crowdfund campaign on Backerkit as part of The Book Bazaar 2025.
Mitch is raising funds for Monitored Activity. The Backrooms meets Willy’s Wonderland in this queer horror novella where two security guards—one of them a serial killer and the other a potential victim—must escape the Mall before it digests them whole.
Follow the campaign and pledge your support!
Please tell us a little about yourself and your Backerkit project.
I’m a huge geek and olden internet dweller who enjoys experimenting with traditional writing styles! Monitored Activity, my Backerkit project, was inspired by a web-based method of storytelling called ‘unfiction’—a method known for mixing and matching all sorts of mediums to tell one overarching story.
Why did you join The Book Bazaar 2025?
I’ve been in the querying trenches for a good three years now, and was debating trying out self-publishing shorter fictions when a post about The Book Bazaar crossed my BlueSky feed. I was on the fence for a good week or so until I figured there was no harm in giving it a shot! I was very surprised to hear I had been accepted.
Have you crowdfunded before? What do you hope to achieve with your project?
Yes and no. I haven’t crowdfunded anything that was uniquely mine, but I’ve helped my close artist friends with multiple massive campaigns. With Monitored Activity being my first personal project, as well as my first ever physical book, my aim with a fully funded campaign is to hire a professional editor. I want that finished product to be 100% polished if folks are going to own a piece of it forever.
Tease us with your Backerkit campaign! What rewards can we expect?
Paperbacks! Limited edition, too. The only physical copies of Monitored Activity that will ever exist will be through this campaign. Some other goodies include digital horror shorts, postcard-sized character prints, and some neat unlockables if we smash through those stretch goals.
What is your favourite thing about being an indie author?
Having absolute control of the entire process—creative and otherwise. There’s a certain rawness that comes from being indie, alongside not being beholden to trends and algorithms. Being an indie author feels like I’m truly here out of love for the art form.
What tips can you share on self-publishing or crowdfunding with your fellow indies?
Have a plan and make sure you have it all written down! Self-publishing and crowdfunding are two incredibly stressful things to do that require a lot of work and time, but you can set yourself up for success by planning accordingly way ahead of time. You got this.
Can you recommend a few of your favourite SFF books from indie/self-published authors?
Some of these contain high levels of “heat” alongside a dash of horror, but Enter The Machine by Bam Stroker, Hard Times At The Aprostate Crater by Persephone Possum, and Synthetic Sea by Franklyn Newt are the first to come to mind!
What are you working on after your campaign?
More Monitored Activity! Gotta get to work with that editor and make sure it’s all golden. Afterwards, who knows? Might tackle this universe’s next medium: film.
Do you have any last words?
Do yourself a favor and take a short break. Step outside and get some sunshine; I heard Vitamin D does wonders for the writerly brain.
About the Author
Mitch Miller is a queer, nonbinary author of horror and other weird fictions. When not writing—chronic pain permitting—they can be found out on the trails or wandering around for a glimpse at classic cars. Hailing from Puerto Rico, they currently reside somewhere in Colorado with their mischievous void of a cat.
- Website: mitchmiller.carrd.co
- Bluesky: astramachina.bsky.social
