How a self-published book became a mega bestseller

I met some of the peers and mentors during the 2025 Summer Tin House Workshop last year. Nikesha Alice Williams performed a short skit with one of my fellow workshop participants and Disha Fillaw (it was hilarious), and Diana Khoi Nguyen signed a book of poetry, which I later gave to my friend as thanks for hosting me in Portland. Then there was Chisarokwu Asomugha, who did a thing that was so ancestral, it felt like a calling. I am very much looking forward to what all the partners and mentors will produce over the next few years.

How a self-published book became a mega bestseller

Theo of Golden It is currently one of the best selling books, making it to all the lists right now, but It has a bit of an unconventional start. It was written by a 70-year-old former judge who took the self-publishing route before getting his book distributed by top five publishers. This is one of the few books that achieves success in a way that is not romance. It seems to have been able to do this mostly through word of mouth — it was published through Amazon’s self-publishing service in October 2023, then sent to book clubs, libraries, and other book organizations. And…it really worked. I can’t tell you how many promotional emails I get every day promoting a new book, and I’m sure there were similar emails promoting this book, but it was eventually picked up by Simon & Schuster, and Katie Couric chose it for her book club.

To me, Alan Levy’s debut is another example of the uplifting fiction trend. What Katie Couric said about it makes my point (she said she “ultimately liked it and really appreciated the purity of it”). Although, to be fair, I’m not sure it’s entirely accurate to call uplifting fiction a trend, because I think people have always sought to escape doom and gloom, and were doing so even before we started paying attention to literary trends.

These 5 books shed light on America

I’m looking at all these “Great American Lit” lists with automatic caution. A lot of them are coming up as America celebrates its 250th anniversary, as I mentioned earlier in books today Are posting, and people are looking to celebrate this event. Since anniversaries are inherently celebratory, I understand the desire to include books on these lists that reflect that positivity. But there needs to be a balance between the real and the festive. so i really appreciate Vox’s A list of the five books that defined America. Although I would change a few here and there, I think it does a pretty good job of highlighting books that explore major American ideologies and periods. the Scarlet Letter, DearAnd the great Gatsby While all appear in the main list there there, invisible manAnd great believer Another list compiled by non-Vocal Book expert.

Personally, I think the main list should be replaced by moby-dick With historical narratives by and about First Nations characters, such as garden in the dunes By Leslie Marmon Silko. In general there needs to be more women, black, gay and indigenous writers included in the list. Ever since we started reading about America we have been reading books on America written from the white cis-hetero male perspective. And what we know is that things are left out of these narratives. A list of books that define America should reflect how America really is and has been, not just what a certain demographic expected. This is partly why Stephen Graham Jones buffalo hunter hunter This was one of the best books of 2025 for me – it gave me a glimpse into the lives and beliefs of a First Nations community (and taught me about a forgotten, real genocide from the perspective of a First Nations person).

Best historical story of July

Speaking of historical fiction, this will give you something to learn, I always look forward to Rachel Brittain’s historical fiction round-up every month. Growing up, I sometimes felt that the historical fiction I read taught me more about history than my classes, and this month’s Best of the Best releases will show you everything from 1989 Romania to a slave nanny’s journey through 1940s Mexico.