Community Over Competition
We believe there is room for everyone to succeed. We encourage collaboration over competition, celebrate one another's wins, and work together to create opportunities that benefit the entire bookish community.
Our story
About Us
Get to know the people and vision behind The Indie Author Insider.
The people behind the pages
Meet Candace & Micah
Hi, we are Micah and Candace! We are a couple living in the Midwest, building something we never saw coming! At the end of 2025, Candace underwent surgery that nearly ended her life and made her re-evaluate what she really wanted out of life. After nearly 20 years in corporate America, she knew she needed a change, and with the skillset she had to offer, she wanted to do something that truly made her happy, while simultaneously helping others get ahead in life!
So, she started a book club, which led to a BookTok account being created, and from there, she began connecting with authors and readers. Before long, those connections led to conversations about starting a podcast and working as a PA for authors. What started as a little idea quickly grew into something much bigger.
Now, if you know us, you know Candace is the book lover. She's the one who fell headfirst into this world and found a passion for helping indie authors. Micah? Well, he's much happier outdoors or just spending time in nature altogether. He never expected to find himself involved in the book world, but here he is!
As the business grew, Micah saw just how much time, effort, and heart these authors put into their work. He saw the long hours, the challenges, and how much it means to have someone in your corner. Even though books weren't originally his thing, supporting these authors became something he cared about, too. He wanted to be part of helping them succeed.
Eventually, we decided to take a chance and build The Indie Author Insider together. Candace handles the PA, PR, and Podcast recording side, while Micah takes care of the bookstore, distribution and the podcast editing side. We may have different interests, but we're working toward the same goal: helping indie authors get their books into more hands and connecting them with the readers who will love them.
This business started with a love of books, a little encouragement, and a huge leap of faith. Now, we are excited to see where it takes us, and we are glad you are here to be part of it.
Welcome to The Indie Author Insider, where we bridge the gap between authors and readers.
Our purpose
Our Mission
Our mission is simple: to bridge the gap between authors and readers.
We believe in bringing people together, creating opportunities, and helping indie authors and small bookish businesses get the support and connections they deserve. Whether it's helping a reader find their next favorite author, getting a book into more hands, or helping a small business grow, we want to be part of making it happen.
We believe there is room for everyone to succeed. This community is stronger when we work together, share opportunities, and celebrate each other's wins instead of competing. We want to create a space where authors, readers, influencers, bookstores, and small businesses can connect, support one another, and grow together.
Honesty, transparency, diversity, and inclusion matter to us. We want everyone to feel welcome here, no matter their background, following, or where they are in their journey. Everyone deserves a chance to be seen, supported, and valued.
Most importantly, we believe in building a community with the community, not just for it. We want to listen, learn, and grow alongside the people who make this bookish world so special.
At the end of the day, The Indie Author Insider is about more than books. It's about the people behind them, the readers who love them, and the small businesses working hard to make their dreams a reality.
Together, we're building a community where everyone has the opportunity to connect, grow, and succeed.
What matters to us
Our Core Values
Ten principles guiding the community we build together.
Honesty & Transparency
We believe trust is earned through honest communication, clear expectations, and accountability. We strive to be upfront about our processes, decisions, services, and opportunities, even when the conversation is difficult.
Diversity & Inclusion
We believe every voice deserves the opportunity to be heard. We welcome people from all backgrounds, identities, experiences, and walks of life. We are committed to fostering a community where people feel respected, valued, and included.
Safety & Respect
We are committed to creating a welcoming space where people can show up as themselves without fear of harassment, discrimination, bullying, or judgment. We expect everyone in our community to treat others with kindness and respect.
Supporting Small Businesses
We believe small businesses deserve opportunities to grow, thrive, and be seen. We are passionate about supporting independent authors, bookish businesses, and small business owners who bring creativity and heart to this community.
Accessibility & Opportunity
We believe meaningful opportunities should not be limited by follower counts, popularity, or industry connections. We strive to create opportunities for authors, readers, and businesses at every stage of their journey.
Collaboration & Connection
We believe powerful things happen when people come together. We work to build meaningful relationships between authors, readers, influencers, bookstores, and other bookish businesses that go beyond a single campaign or business transaction.
Growth & Empowerment
We believe in helping others grow without losing sight of who they are. We aim to provide resources, connections, and opportunities that empower our community to build confidence, strengthen their businesses, and reach their goals.
Celebrating Every Win
Every milestone matters. Whether it is an author's first sale, a reader finding a new favorite book/author, a bookstore gaining a new customer, or a small business reaching a goal, we believe every success deserves to be celebrated.
Community-Driven Purpose
We believe the strongest communities are built with the people they serve. We value feedback, listen to the needs of our community, and strive to grow alongside them rather than simply building something for them.
Welcome to The Indie Author Insider
Built by the community.
For the community.
Where we bridge the gap between authors and readers.