Meet the Woman Who Made Me An Author: My Mentor, Lindsey Teske

Lindsey Teske
Of Ink And Pearls Publishing

Today I'd like you to meet the woman who made me an author: my mentor, Lindsey Teske! 

Lindsey is the owner of Of Ink and Pearls Publishing, an ALli (Alliance of Independent Authors)-approved self-publishing services provider and mentor with a heart of pure, selfless gold and the knowledge to tame the largest publishing lions. 

The path to publication is not a solo journey. I learned the hard way after flopping two books I wrote in college and self-published without editing them correctly or marketing them (or even getting a decent cover for one of them) that publishing was NOT a mountain I can scale on my own. 

And thus after weeks of research (and debating whether to self publish, indie publish, or traditionally publish my books), I was finally able to meet the woman who made me an author: my mentor, Lindsey Teske. 

Anyone who has spent time researching the self-published author scene knows to be wary of "vanity publishers" (although I'm sure that route may work for some). When I saw Lindsey's website for Of Ink and Pearls Publishing, I was initially wary because she herself had many high-priced self-publishing packages. That concern faded when she offered not to sell me a package (with many more packages repeated for future books), but to mentor me and teach me the process side-by-side so I have the experience and tools I need to do all of it on my own for future books. 

Lindsey could have easily kept charging me thousands of dollars on every book just to make herself money and keep me in the dark. Instead, she chose my long-term success over her financial gain. That kind of character in a professional today speaks volumes to her character, and I can never recommend or thank her enough!

You cannot spend any amount of time speaking with Lindsey without seeing the true passion and heart she has not only for publishing, but also for lifting up indie authors. There's a sparkle in Lindsey's eye when she listens to my dreams and hopes for my book. Genuine excitement when I meet my goals and pass milestone radiates from her even over a virtual meeting. She guides my rabbit-trails back to the main train track, and keeps me focused on the many, VERY MANY next steps. 

I've gone to Lindsey's mentoring sessions feeling elated from success and she celebrates with me, then helps me plan the next steps to blaze ahead. I've also spilled my doubts, my struggle with imposter syndrome, and my exhaustion in the process with her, which she empathizes with genuinely while managing to re-light the passion I have for my book and this process. 

I began my mentoring sessions with Lindsey back in October 2021. In that time I have:

-Discovered my brand 
-Found my ideal readers & what we have in common
-Rebuilt my website (with some help from my amazing husband as well)
-Gone from no Instagram account to an Instagram account of over 1,750 followers--fellow indie authors and readers combined.
-Launched an e-mail list (having not had one before) that now almost has 250 of the most AMAZING people who are interested in my books
-Marketed my professional side as a content editor (and gotten hired as a contractor for an editing company)
-Launched The Vow That Twisted Fate to advance readers, book bloggers, reviewers, and YouTubers for 16 ratings on Goodreads averaging 4.8 stars so far
-Launched The Vow That Twisted Fate and Down Falls the Queen: A Splitting World Novella, for pre-order

And SO MUCH MORE. 

A good mentor is worth more than words can ever say. Lindsey is more than a guide and a professional. She is the woman who helped me capture my dreams and make them a reality--making me an author. There is no price tag to be placed on that.

Not a day goes by where I am not thankful I had the opportunity to meet the woman who made me an author: my mentor Lindsey Teske. If you're reading this, Lindsey, I hope you know that I appreciate all you've done for me, and that I'm now on the path I only ever dreamed I could be. Thank you for making me an author!

If you are a fellow author looking for a genuine and reliable mentor, or if you think you'd like to know more about this writing adventure for yourself, please send Lindsey a message! I know she'll take great care of you. You can find her website HERE. 

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