Alethea's Sunshine | Substack

Alethea's Sunshine

Writing Life, Fairy Tales, and Other Adventures

By Alethea Kontis

· Over 1,000 subscribers

Where Should I Buy Your Book That Will Make You the Most Money?

Buy it...and then tell 12 people!

Alethea Kontis
Jun 24, 2026

tl;dr: You can buy it directly from the printer (Ingram), but I honestly make more when you tell a dozen people about my book (or give it to them…and your local library…and your kids’ school library…)

I get asked this question a lot, and far more frequently when I have a new book out. Since I happen to have a new book out (YAY!) I decided to make a little post I can put on my website as an answer I can refer back to later.

1. It doesn’t matter; just buy the book and tell ten people about it!

This was the answer I used to give everyone when I was first published back in 2006, and it’s basically still true. Word of mouth continues to be THE BEST WAY to help any author and their career. You don’t have to be an influencer, you just have to be a person who loves books. Like I know you are!

My traditionally published and small press books make me somewhere around $1 or less per book, no matter what price you buy them at (as long as you buy them new). If you find them on sale, snap them up! I will make the same amount, no matter what.

My independently published books (the ones through the Alethea Kontis imprint) make me closer to $2-3 on average across the board. That $50 hardcover book with the color interior, too? Yup. Printing full-color books is really expensive. I’ve just always wanted to have a book with color interior. There once was a version of The Neverending Story that had different colored text every time Bastian was in Fantastica. I never owned a copy like that, but I dreamed about it. And now—whenever I can afford to buy them for myself—I can finally have a novel like that of my own!

I use two printers for my books: Amazon and Ingram. Amazon pays out in 2 months. Ingram’s payout is closer to 6 months. The goal is to achieve a balance between the two so I am able to maintain a steady income. (That’s the dream, anyway.)

Now, if you use the special links I give everyone to buy directly from Ingram, I make closer to $10 a book…but you have to pay for shipping. And Ingram’s user interface is terrible—you can order 100 of the same book in one go, but you can’t put multiple books on one order. But if you’re just picking up the new book, or buying a gift for a friend, this would be the link I’d give you.

2. PREORDER!

Preorders are helpful for both independently and traditionally published books because all the orders (read: $$) drop on the day of the book’s release. This counts toward the New York Times (and other) bestseller lists, because those places look at the demand of the top selling books every Monday. Both Ingram and Amazon report to the New York Times (this was one of my jobs when I worked at Ingram).

On the independent publishing front, I can tell you that preorders really, really help with an author’s mental health. Imagine spending 2.5 years finishing the novel that’s supposed to save your life, and the day of release you see all of $250 in sales.

Yup. That’s it. I’m here to tell you: your ego definitely takes a blow. Books do take time to sell. We all know that. But if and when possible, for the sake of every author you love and want to keep writing, PLEASE preorder that book you’ve been waiting on.

3. Just Buy What You Love

Everyone loves something different. That’s why I made several varieties of formats. Buy what will look good on your bookshelf (eventually they will all have new covers that match). Buy what makes you happy. Just buy it. And tell a dozen friends.

Personally, my reach right now isn’t a tenth of what it was when I was traditionally published. Current social media and those suppressive algorithms of theirs don’t help. I KNOW there are people out there who think I stopped writing in 2015. I do what I can…but y’all can do so much more. This is one of those circumstances where you truly can make a difference. And I am grateful for each and every one of you.

My life is better with you in it!

xox

Princess Alethea

PS: If you still feel like you haven’t done enough because you bought my books at a thrift store or library book sale or whatever (you’ve totally done enough) you’re always welcome to support me on Patreon. Or throw money at me in these ways. 💜

Happy Prime & Anti-Prime Day!

Support human authors, no matter how you celebrate

Alethea Kontis
Jun 23, 2026

Happy Prime and Anti-Prime Day! (which I think now happens over multiple days?)

If you decide to partake in the Amazon Prime Day festivities, don’t forget to stop in to Alethea’s Magic Shop to see what’s new and on sale there! (remember: if you use my Affiliate link to get to Amazon before you check out, I get a kickback no matter what you buy!)

New in the Magic Shop! 💜

If you’re in the Anti-Prime Day camp, be sure to use this BookShop Affiliate link to get a copy of Thieftess for yourself or a friend (or your local library) while also supporting your favorite local bookstore!

And if you’re a rebel who wants to be SUPER ANTI PRIME, go here and use any of the “Ingram Direct” links to get a copy of one or more of my books! I make the most $ when you use these links (even though I won’t see that $ for 6 months…).

Much love and happy bargaining! 🖤⚔️🏴‍☠️

xox

Princess Alethea

THIEFTESS links for all formats

Your one stop shop for pirates, mayhem, and adventure! 🏴‍☠️

Alethea Kontis
Jun 19, 2026

Dearest Squad - here they are! All the links you will (hopefully) need to order Thieftess for yourself! (and a friend, and your neighbor, and your local library, and your kid’s school library…) 😊

Audiobook – Not available

e-book – Kindle Unlimited

THIEFTESS: Little One

Always write when you're in love.

Jun 18, 2026

Dearest Squad,

“Always write when you’re in love.”

My mother said this to me once upon a time and, like many such things she’s said to me over the years (“Everything happens for a reason,” “Go write me a new fairy tale”), it stuck with me. Keep in mind—this is my mother we’re talking about. Mom Kontis. OG Mama Woodcutter. These words were not just some lofty platitude for her constantly scribbling daughter.

This was an order.

My mother was my first first-reader. She still reads all my drafts. (She’s probably reading this right now—hi, Mom!) She tells me if something hits wrong. She asks questions. She fixes typos. She pulls no punches. If my writing manages to make her cry, I know that is a mark of excellence.

When well-published writers give advice to newbies on panels, they’ll say, “Don’t let your mother edit your books.” I laugh every time. They’ve never met my mother.

It’s safe to say Mom knows my writing really well. She also knows me.

I…have always loved love.

I love the idea of being in love. I love falling in love. I love actually being in love. I wholeheartedly admire people who have been able to sustain love for decades. There are different species and varieties and flavors of love, and I love every one of them. When I was a small child I used to lock myself in the bathroom with a cassette recorder and give TED talks about how there was not enough love in this world, and how important it was for us all to just love each other. (Unfortunately, all those cassette tapes eventually got lost. But my little sister remembers. I was 100% a Buddhist ahead of my time.)

When I fall in love with something (or someone), I dive in headfirst and go full immersion.

That first part, too—that’s the best. There’s a beautiful feeling of euphoria that comes with falling in love. Everything is shiny, the sky is bluer, and everything’s coming up roses.

If you think emotion doesn’t affect writing, you’ve never met a poet. My mother has read enough of my work over the years to know: Alethea does her best work in that mindset.

Twenty-two years ago, I fell in love with a boy so hard that I barely ate or slept for two weeks. I wrote a story during that time—it took me two days. The first day I wrote 250 words. The second day I wrote 9000. That story was called “Sunday.” It was published in Realms of Fantasy magazine…and then went on to become a little novel called Enchanted.

I have never had a 9000-word day again in my life. But I still fall in love. A lot. Lately, it’s been happening about once a year. Usually in the Spring.

So…it’s 2026 now. I started out this year as horribly depressed and anxiety-ridden as I was in 2021 after Petra died. But the jade plant by my front door burst into flowers in February, and I was reminded that I shouldn’t give up hope. Because Spring historically—and pretty regularly—has presented me with something for my heart to fall madly in love with.

What is it this year? I don’t know. Maybe it’s BTS. Maybe it’s this book. Maybe it’s something I don’t know about yet that will come completely out of left field, like most of those loves that came before it. Maybe by the time this essay is published, it will be SO obvious to you that this sentence will make you laugh. I hope that’s true.

But I have hope.

Love you all so very much (and I have from the moment my Brute Squad made themselves known in 2012),

xox

Princess Alethea

THE UNICORN HUNTER 99¢ E-Book SALE

The Sales of Arilland - MAY-JUNE

Jun 17, 2026

As part of celebrating the THIEFTESS release on June 3, all of the other books and stories of Arilland have been going on sale! (Do you have them all yet?)

Now it’s time for the story this series could not exist without: THE UNICORN HUNTER, JUNE 17-24. (If for some reason Amazon glitches again and it’s not on sale yet, wait a few hours and try again. That’s what happened with HERO last week)

If you see this fun graphic while you’re out & about, please share it!

And while you’re at it, please share this email with someone you know who might love this fairy tale series as much as we do!

Love you, Squad! 💚

xox

Princess Alethea