“You have to set time aside. At least an hour a day on your computer, because otherwise it’s just not gonna get done.”
“When you think you’re done, you’re not done. Edit, edit, edit some more.”
Episode Summary:
A.N. Cook is a Jacksonville, Florida author and illustrator who writes across genres, from picture books to adult fantasy, with 11 published books and more in progress.
She publishes exclusively on Amazon under her own imprint, operates as a fully indie author, and has no plans to go wide.
Her flagship work is the Pharian Chronicles, a completed four-book fantasy series featuring a princess born different from her people, magic, mythology, and a coming-of-age journey. If you love Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, or Chronicles of Narnia, this series is for you.
Her most recent release is Nightmare Race, published in 2025.
A.N. illustrates all of her own covers and has rebranded her fantasy series three times before landing on the version that now works.
Her top advice for new writers: schedule daily writing time as if it is a job, and keep editing long after you think you are done.
She is a member of SCBWI, attends the Amelia Island Book Festival and Comic-Cons, and is considering Substack as her next platform move.
She works as a full-time nurse, kayaks Silver Springs, and is a regular Disney visitor. Proof that you can build a creative career alongside a demanding life.
The episode also covers: libraries and hardcover distribution through IngramSpark, audiobook options for indie authors, AI concerns, and the class action suit authors are filing over unauthorized training data use.
Guest Links:
Website: aileencook.com
Facebook: facebook.com/authorA.N.Cook
Instagram: @fantasynovelist
TikTok: @a.n.cook
Pharian Chronicles series: amzn.to/4uqB1Hi
Until next time, keep writing.
Jolene MacFadden
Host, Jolene’s Book & Writers Talk
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