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 J.S. Living, author of the Blood Ties series as she launches her crowdfund campaign on Backerkit as part of The Book Bazaar 2025.
J.S. Living is raising funds for the audiobook to Blood Ties. The voices of Jynelle Brown, Prince Bolton, and Carlos Kasse come together for the audiobook production of Blood Ties: A Collection of Three Covenant of Blood Shorts. Your new fave Urban Fantasy X Historical Fiction book.
Follow the campaign and pledge your support!
Please tell us a little about yourself and your Backerkit project.
I thought that’s what the bio was for! Just kidding. Hi! I’m J.S. Living, but you can call me Jaleesa. Though I began my writing journey in 2nd grade, I’ve only been a published author since 2022. My day job is a Communications Specialist, which means I’m relegated to writing before and after work hours and on weekends. Since I have chronic fatigue, my writing process is fairly slow, and it takes time for me to churn out novels—I’m much slower than my counterparts. Yet, I wouldn’t trade the joy of writing for anything in the world.
My Backerkit project this time around is an audiobook. With my chronic fatigue, it’s easier for me to listen to books and, as a writer, I feel like—when possible—it’s my job to produce literature in all forms of media. So, I figured I’d crowdfund anaudiobook version of my short story collection Blood Ties: A Collection of Three Covenant of Blood Shorts. Though the stories are based on character’s from my debut novel, The Covenant of Blood, Blood Ties is an interconnected standalone. You can enjoy the three stories and the art within the book without reading the other books in the series.
Listen to the story of Liz, who is trapped in a mind prison. Voiced by Jynelle Brown, Liz’s story is about being on the inside looking out.
The story of Dmitri is simple: He wants to marry the girl of his dreams. Prince Bolton will immerse you in the past with descriptions of castles, clothing, and love.
When you’ve completed that section of the book, the amazing Carlos Kasse will use his voice to transport you to Angelo who must do his father’s bidding or have his research destroyed.
Listen to samples of each on my website www.thejsliving.com/bloodtiesaudioexcerpt or, check it out on YouTube at youtube.com/@thejsliving under the Crowdfunding playlist.
Why did you join The Book Bazaar 2025?
I joined the Book Bazaar 2025 so I could be a part of a cross-collab group focused on indie authors. More importantly, I wanted to be part of a group that ensures everyone succeeds at reaching their crowdfunding goals. Also, as an indie author with a small fan base, I rely on word of mouth advertisements for sales and have found there’s no bigger advocate for me then my fellow indie author friends.
Have you crowdfunded before? What do you hope to achieve with your project?
I have successfully crowdfunded two other projects, both of them short story collections. For this project, however, I’m hoping to turn one of my short story collections into an audiobook. I love the idea of bringing my words to life in an audio format for individuals with disabilities, like myself, and for those who just prefer audiobooks because it makes reading easier for them.
Tease us with your Backerkit campaign! What rewards can we expect?
The main reward for backing the project is, of course, the audiobook. But I have a few other fun things like postcards, character art, 3D Printed Blood Drops and Coffins, bookmarks, and more!
Why did you decide to self-publish/publish with a small press and what has been your biggest success so far?
I decided to self-publish for three reasons: First, it seemed like a really fun way to get my books out. Second, I wanted creative control over some of my work because you can’t always make your own decisions with trad pub. Last, because my dream is to become a hybrid author who’s able to make a sustainable income writing, I wanted practice at writing a book series before querying in a traditional setting. With trad pub, sales numbers are important, so I wanted to give myself time to improve my craft and my sales numbers.
What is your favourite thing about being an indie author?
My favorite thing about being an indie author is the community! Everyone I’ve met is supportive and so willing to share their indie pub journey, as well as tips on how to be a better writer and what resources are best suited toward your needs. I wouldn’t trade this community for anything!
What tips can you share on self-publishing or crowdfunding with your fellow indies?
None. I’m just kidding! For self-publishing I think it’s really important to understand there’s a learning curve. You’re probably not going to get it right on the first try, and that’s okay. But! Here are a few things you should definitely know if you’re going indie in the U.S.: 1) Buy your ISBN from Bowker. It’s the only place with valid ISBNs. Anywhere else is a scam. 2) Register for your LCCN before you publish. It’s free and makes it easier to get your book into libraries. 3) Beware of vanity presses. If it sounds too good to be true, it is! 4) Always use a professional cover artist and editor to create a quality book. Instagram is great for finding cover artists, and the EFA and ACES are great resources for editors. 5) No matter what, don’t give up. You’ve got this!
For crowdfunding, I’d say if you’re a smaller author like me, I have three tips: 1) Start your crowdfunding off in group collab projects like The Book Bazaar. It’s a great way to build your audience; and you’re more likely to get your projects funded. 2) Begin with smaller goals that reimburse you for money already spent on whatever you’re trying to create. There’s a possibility you may not be able to fund your entire project, but having some financial cushion is better than having none. 3) Be responsive pre, post, and during the campaign. You want to keep those who supported you in the loop at all times. No one likes it when a creator goes dark and they don’t receive updates on a project for months on end.
Can you recommend a few of your favourite SFF books from indie/self-published authors?
I don’t know if these are SFF per se, but they are all fantasy. Check out: A Weave of a Thousand Lies by A.E. Zeigler (TBB Participant); Dire Contact by J.C. Spark; Fine Print by Claudia Blood; The Gallery of Nightmares: Fractured Dreams by Doug Hoppes (TBB Crowdfunding Project); Fairy Seasons by Machelle Berglund (TBB Crowdfunding Project); Children of the Dragon by Melissa Stone (TBB Crowdfunding Project); The Dark Side of Super by Matthew Siadak (TBB Crowdfunding Project).
What are you working on after your campaign?
After I crowdfund the Blood Ties Audiobook, I’ll be working on the next book in my series: The Brotherhood of Blood. I ran a previous campaign for its companion book, Blood Lies, and can’t wait to update the manuscript with new character information, background, and an updated plot.
Do you have any last words?
Make sure you follow and pledge to all the projects on The Book Bazaar! Even if you only donate $1 or $2, you’ll be helping a lot!
About the Author
From novels and novellas to comic books and short stories, J.S. Living writes character-driven urban fiction that will excite you with its fresh lore and slow-burn romances. Originally a Georgia Peach, J.S. Living currently resides in Maryland. When she not working as a Communications Specialist, she enjoys playing with her cat; reading books by BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and indie authors; and, of course, writing like her life depends on it.
- Website: TheJSLiving.com/links
- Bluesky: thejsliving.bsky.social
- Facebook: facebook.com/thejsliving
- Instagram: @thejsliving
- Threads: @thejsliving
- TikTok: @thejsliving
