Frequently Asked Questions
About the Shop
Are the physical books signed?
Yes!
All physical book orders are fulfilled by me, and are signed.
If you want the book personalized when I sign it, just make sure to put a note in your order comments!
How do eBooks and Audiobooks purchases work?
My eBooks and audiobooks are both fulfilled and delivered through BookFunnel.
After Purchase:
When you place an order for an eBook or an audiobook, you will receive:
- A confirmation email from me
- An email from help@bookfunnel.com with your download link
From that BookFunnel email, you’ll be able to download your purchase and begin reading or listening.
How to Read/Listen:
eBooks are able to be sent to any eReader device of your choice, or be read in BookFunnel’s app.
Through BookFunnel, you're able to read on:
- BookFunnel app available on Apple and Android
- Kindle eReaders after 2015
- Nook eReaders after 2014
- Kobo eReaders (apart from Kobo Aura)
- Apple Books on iPads, iPhones
- Android Tablets and Phones
- Your computer using Chrome or Firefox browser
You also have the option to have the ePUB file emailed to you (if the author has this enabled), and from there you can manually load it onto the device of your choice.
Audiobooks are available to listen through via your preferred web browser, or in the free BookFunnel app (available on the iTunes and Android App Stores).
You can download the book once but there's no time limit on when you have to download it by.
Technical Help:
If you didn't get the email from Bookfunnel within 10 minutes of your purchase, please reach out to me at jess@authorjessicastaylor.com
If you need technical support accessing your ebook or audiobook, please reply to the Bookfunnel email (help@bookfunnel.com) and the very intelligent and nice people there will help you out!
How do your preorders work?
Preorders will charge your payment method at checkout, and then once the book is ready, the order will be fulfilled on release day.
Physical preorders will begin shipping out the week before release day, with the hope it will arrive in time for release day.
eBook and audiobook preorders are automatically fulfilled at midnight Eastern Time (US / Canada) on release day. You will get an email from help@bookfunnel.com with your preorder and the download link.
Do you ship internationally?
Currently, we ship to the US, EU, Canada, Australia, New Zealand.
VAT is included in checkout for EU customers.
You may have to pay additional customs fees upon delivery depending on your location.
We are currently working through tax registration for the UK to be able to legally sell there.
If you have any issues during checkout regarding shipping, please email me.
If you are in a country that we are not currently shipping to, please reach out and we will see if we can figure out an alternative.
You can read our shipping policy here.
Why are some items in my order shipping separately?
I use Printful, a third-party dropshipping company, to fulfill and ship all apparel and the stickers on my site. I fulfill and ship all prints and books myself. If your order includes a combination of these items, your items may ship in separate packages. You will receive tracking information for all packages.
About the Books
Are your books on Kindle Unlimited?
No, and they likely never will be.
Kindle Unlimited requires authors to have their eBooks exclusive to Amazon, and for both personal and professional reasons, I am not comfortable with that.
If you're looking for a subscription program similar to KU, I encourage you to check out Kobo Plus.
My books are also available via library sites like Hoopla and Libby, and through other subscription services like Scribd.
I run sales on my eBooks fairly often, and if accessibility or financial situations are still a concern, please email me and inquire about my eBook Access Review program.
Will all of your books be available in audiobook format?
Yes! Though likely not at the same time as the other formats release.
The Seas of Caladhan audio is in process. The Syren's Mutiny audio is out now and The Captain's Revenge audio should be released by the end of 2023.
For any audiobook publishers interested in future works, including Hollowed, you can inquire at subrights@browerliterary.com!
Will your books be translated into other languages?
If you're interested in seeing my books translated into your language, the BEST way to get that is to reach out to local publishers in your country and tell them about my book!
That said, I am under contract for the following translations for the Seas of Caladhan duology:
For any translators or foreign publishers who are interested in my works, you can contact subrights@browerliterary.com to inquire!
Are your books part of the same world? Are you writing more books in these worlds?
Not at all. The Seas of Caladhan duology is completely separate from Hollowed. The duology should be read in order, The Syren's Mutiny first and then The Captain's Revenge. I am currently working on a prequel novella for this duology, but I have no other plans to come back to this world. I have so many more ideas I want to explore first!
Hollowed is planned (right now) to be a standalone, and will have no other books set in the same world.
Will you write a Cam/Kyla story?
I will not be writing a Cam/Kyla book, even if I do return to the world of Caladhan.
Kyla is a black woman, and as someone who is whiter than white bread, it is so far beyond my place to write her experiences and her story. The story she wants to tell is her experience as a black woman, as a black mother, and as a black wife, and that is not my lane.
I could write Kyla as a side character all day long and I love her to death, but it's not my place to write her story.
Cam says that he loves y'all for asking though, but he's selfish and wants to keep Kyla to himself for a while.
How do you pronounce...?
I know, I know, I picked words that are super hard to pronounce. You can continue making the weird noises in your head when you read over them, but if you do truly want to know how they're pronounced, there is a pronunciation guide at the front of all my books.
If you're reading the eBook version, some eReaders might skip past it, so just flip back to the beginning. It's there with the map and the playlist!
You can also find pronunciation details for all my books here.
How spicy are your books?
Not very! If you've come here looking for panty melting, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to send you on your way...
My books are steamy, and they're romantic, so there's kissing and some sexual content, but they are not what I would ever dream of calling smutty or spicy.
On a scale of 1-5 spicy chicken nuggets (5 being the spiciest), my books are a 1-2 nugget.
Where can I buy your books?
You can buy my books directly from my shop, in all formats! Pricing is the same on my shop as other retailers, and in some instances, a little lower. I also run frequent coupon code sales here.
My books are also available everywhere eBooks are sold and at most major book retailers. For specific retailer links for my books, please visit the individual book pages.
Where should I buy to benefit you the most?
Buying direct will always benefit authors the most, but I encourage you to buy from wherever is most convenient for you!
Do you do ARCs or PR boxes for your new releases? How do I get one?
I do offer them!
At this time, both eARCs and PR boxes for Hollowed are closed. Be sure to follow me on social media and my newsletter to be the first to hear about them for upcoming releases.
I open sign-ups for eARCs and my Street Team usually 3+ months before release, so keep an eye out!
Are there special editions of your books?
My books have been featured before in book boxes. While they're not for sale now, you can browse Mercari and PangoBooks and likely find:
Fabled Co is planning to do a matching edition of The Captain's Revenge and that will launch some time in 2023. They are potentially doing a reprint of The Syren's Mutiny as well.
I do not have any special editions in the works for Hollowed at this time.
I want to sell art or merch (including book boxes or special edition books) based on your books, how can I license with you?
I'm truly honored! If you're planning to sell it, please reach out to my agent at subrights@browerliterary.com for my merchandising agreement.
If the art is just fan art and you aren't planning to sell it or use it commercially, I'd love to see it! Please post it and tag me in it, or email it to me!
About the Author
Are you self-published or traditionally published?
I am self-published! All of my eBooks, print books, and audiobooks (so far) have been self-published.
My subsidiary rights (audio, foreign translations, merchandising, film/TV, etc.) have been taken over by an agent, so those rights have potential to go through traditional publishing avenues, but at the end of the day, I'm still a self-published author, and likely always will be!
Do you accept blurb/Review requests?
I do on a limited basis. I'm very, very busy so I'm currently only open to dark fantasy (romantic or otherwise) requests.
You can email me, or reach out via my contact form.
Are you a full time author?
I am absolutely not. And I don't think I ever want to be.
My day job is in legal & regulatory compliance, and I think it gives me a nice balance of analytical and creative avenues. It's a good balance.
What's your favorite book you've written so far?
Right now, probably Hollowed. Writing Katrina was very cathartic in many ways, but Brigid will always have a special place in my heart too!
What are your favorite books/authors?
I am a fantasy and fantasy romance girly through and through! I have way too many favorites (and add more every day), but my all time faves are:
- Ilona Andrews
- Patricia Briggs
- Jeaniene Frost
- Adalyn Grace
- HM Long
Which of your characters do you relate to the most?
I think I relate to all of my characters in some way. My writing is a very personal journey and I try to let that shine through. The character most like me, right now at least, is Katrina. Brigid represented my anger, Sorcha represented my naivety, and Katrina is now representing both my disability, and my journey to grow into myself and my confidence.
What are your hobbies outside of reading/writing?
I don't have TIME for hobbies, haha! But when I can, I enjoy going to music festivals and concerts.
About Writing & Publishing
How do I get started self-publishing?
Do your research. A lot of it.
Self-publishing is a very involved process. Unlike traditional publishing, you have control over every single decision that needs to be made.
It may not be for everyone. Before leaping in, research self-publishing and traditional publishing, and see which one would fit the best for you.
After writing your first draft of your book and deciding you're going to go the self-publishing route, being by researching the biggies: editing, cover design, formatting, distribution options, and marketing techniques.
Take your time, and make a plan. I have documented a lot of my own research process over on my blog, so be sure to go check those posts out.
Just remember, everyone's self-publishing path is DIFFERENT. What works for someone may not work for you. And what works for you may not work for someone else.
What platforms do you publish on?
My ebooks are published direct through: KDP, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and Google Play. I use the aggregator distributor Draft2Digital to reach other eBook retailers.
My print books are published through IngramSpark. They push my books to their global catalog, making them available to most major book retailers to order. This does not guarantee in-store placement, but does (usually) get you on their online shop.
I also list all of my books on my website shop.
If you're curious about the nuanced differences between each self-publishing platform, head to my blog and check out this post.
What is wide? Should I go wide?
WIDE means that your eBook is available on all eBook retailers, rather than just on Amazon. This typically includes retailers like: Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Google Play, Smashwords, Thalia, etc.
I am not one to tell anyone they should do anything. But if you would like to learn more about the differences between publishing Amazon only and publishing wide, you can check out this blog post.
How do I get my books into bookstores?
Getting into physical bookstores depends on where you publish through. If you want to get into physical bookstores, you need to publish through IngramSpark, you need to have returns on, and you need to offer 53-55% wholesale/retail discount.
Self-published authors usually do not focus on physical bookstores as a major revenue stream, due in part to the difficulties associated with it. But it is possible. Check out this blog post for more information.
It needs to be a targeted and intentional strategy, not just something you do hoping it happens.
Do you have recommendations for author service providers?
I do! I've worked with a lot of amazing service providers while publishing, and I've compiled a list here. This list will be updated as I meet more amazing people in the indie space!
Do I need a website or newsletter?
Yes to both.
Social media is fickle. It can die (MySpace), you can get banned and booted (Facebook), or it can turn into a raging trash can (Twitter). If any of those happen, you've just lost your reader base. That's why you need a newsletter. You need direct access to those people who are telling you they WANT to hear about your book.
Start with Mailerlite. They have a free plan up to 1,000 subscribers. Just pop that signup form in the back of your books and on your website. You don't even have to do anything with it yet, just have it for now.
And when you're ready, go check out this blog post to get your newsletter started.
For websites, same thing. You can't share all your updates and info on social media. It's not easily searchable content, it's not organized, and it's not YOURS. Even if it's just a linktree or a quick landing page, you need something that can house your book links and info.
Statistics show that if you either have no link, or it takes readers more than 4 clicks to buy your book, they're not going to do it. Make it easy for them.
Should I be on XX social media?
That's up to you.
I think social media is a fantastic marketing tool, so I'd recommend you be on at least one, but I'm not your mom. You can do whatever you want.
I'm on Instagram primarily, Facebook and Twitter to share updates only, and TikTok when I'm in the mood (which is rarely). It doesn't have to be a huge, formal thing if you don't want it to be.
Who do you use for your...?
Cover Designer: Bianca at Moonpress Designs, Fran at Cover Dungeon
Editor: Earley Editing, LLC
Website: Wordpress, theme from Hello You Designs, set up and management by me
Shop: Shopify, theme is Craft (free), eBook/audiobook fulfilled by BookFunnel, print fulfilled by me (and my guest room closet), merch and apparel fulfilled by Printful
Newsletter: MailerLite
Logo/Branding: Books and Moods, Sam's Creative Cure
PA: Leah at Wicked Reads Services
PR: Book of Matches Media, Hidden Hollow Book Tours, RR Book Tours