Episodes
A podcast for aspiring writers and first-time indie authors who have always wanted to write a book but don’t know where to start. Encouragement, resources, and honest conversations from host Inger Johnson. New episodes every week.
All Episodes
- In this special launch-day episode of Your Book Is In There, host Inger E. Johnson pauses to reflect on the journey from “Can I really do this?” to “Look what I did.” Yesterday marked the official release of her debut novel, Veiled Halos: A Saga of Betrayal and Redemption, and today she’s taking a moment…
- Ever published a book only to have no one find it? The problem might not be your writing it might be your metadata. In this episode of Your Book Is In There, host Inger E. Johnson demystifies book metadata: what it actually is, why it matters, and how to use it to help the right…
- A monster mix-up in the last episode (manticore vs. minotaur, if you’re keeping track) sends host Inger E. Johnson down an unexpected path this week — straight into one of publishing’s hottest debates: AI. She unpacks the difference between generative and assistive AI, shares her own experiment running a manuscript through an AI writing platform,…
- Book distribution can feel like a maze once you decide to go wide — and in this episode, Inger Johnson maps out exactly how it works. She breaks down the two biggest distributors, IngramSpark and Draft2Digital, covering pricing, royalties, pros and cons, and the hybrid strategy most successful indie authors are using in 2026. Drawing…
- In this candid, unscripted episode, Inger Johnson steps away from her promised book-distribution deep-dive to share something more personal: the joy of holding her debut novel, Veiled Halos, in print for the first time — and the overwhelm that followed. She opens up about her writing process, why she switched to Scrivener, and the moment…
- Ever wondered if you need to copyright your manuscript before sending it to beta readers? In this episode, Inger Johnson demystifies one of the most misunderstood topics for aspiring authors: copyright. She breaks down what copyright actually is, when it kicks in automatically, why (and how) to officially register it with the US Copyright Office,…
- A solo episode that demystifies the ISBN (International Standard Book Number) for aspiring and first-time self-publishing authors. Inger explains what an ISBN is, why it matters, the difference between free platform ISBNs and owning your own, and how to set yourself up correctly for wide distribution — including navigating KDP and IngramSpark together. Show Notes…
- Have you been carrying a story inside you — for years, maybe decades — but never quite given yourself permission to begin? In this episode, Inger shares the personal journey that led her to finally write Veiled Halos after nearly thirty years of “someday.” From the galvanizing moment that pulled the story out of her…
- Publishing your first book is supposed to feel like winning — so why do so many authors feel lost, exposed, and strangely empty afterward? In this episode, Inger Johnson gets honest about the emotional reality of what it actually feels like to publish your first book: the euphoria, the vulnerability, the post-launch silence, the creative…
- Should your book be a standalone or a series? It sounds like a simple creative question — but it shapes everything: your writing process, your reader expectations, your marketing strategy, and your long-term author career. In this episode, Inger Johnson breaks down the real differences between standalones and series, explores the psychology of readers, and…
- In this episode, host Inger Johnson dives into the second half of publishing — distribution and marketing — for authors who don’t have a $60,000 budget. She breaks down the KU vs. going wide decision, explains the acronyms nobody warned you about, and shares practical, realistic strategies for getting your book discovered. Plus, a mindset…
- You typed “The End” — so now what? Inger walks through what happens after the manuscript is done, drawing on her own experience publishing Veiled Halos: choosing the self-publishing path, navigating publishing services, and learning why professional editing matters.
- If you’ve ever had a story living inside you but had no idea where to begin, this podcast is for you. Host Inger Johnson is not a publishing expert — she’s a first-time indie author who started from absolute zero and is figuring it all out in real time. In this debut episode, Inger introduces…