In this episode, I open up and look back about navigating life with cancer back in 2017—receiving tough PET news, seeking second opinions, and finding support in unexpected places. I talk about how therapy really helped, how romance novels reminded me to escape into stories, and how creativity (not necessarily mine) brought moments of light during some of the hardest times. This episode explores the small yet powerful ways hope can appear, even when it feels out of reach.

www.elodienowodazkij.com or www.dasdog.net

authorelodienowodazkij AT gmail.com

Amazon announced on October 28th that it’s closing Kindle Vella. To quote their press release: “We’ve made the difficult decision to gradually wind down Kindle Vella in February 2025 as the program hasn’t caught on as we’d hoped…”

Right when they announced it, I was in the middle of doing this huge analysis on what had been working for me—digging into my Facebook ad data, my reads, my bonus… especially since they’d been slashing that bonus pool for the past few months.

This episode is about: a recap of my reads, monthly bonus and royalties writing romance serials on Kindle Vella, my theories and what's next for my serials (pivoting, again).

Check out my website: www.elodienowodazkij.com

In this episode: I'll talk about how anxiety and writing didn't prepare me for cancer. And for entering the Hospital World. The Patient World.

First of all, how dare anxiety not prepare me for this? I thought we had a deal—you'd give me fears, I'd be anxious about them. I'd learn, become a Google MD.

Heck, I'd even develop OCD—starting young because why not? And boom, when something happens, I'd know how to handle it. Like. A. Pro.

And maybe sometimes, yes.

But when I got diagnosed, that plan went out the window. My brain didn't like that plan. Or it skipped that lesson entirely for me.

Because things didn't go the way I thought.

As always if you have any questions, don't hesitate.

For my books: www.elodienowodazkij.com or thanks to my genius husband: www.dasdog.net :P

I think I finally found a writing/self-publishing goals tracking that works for me. In this one, I talk about my Gallup Strengths and how Becca Syme's helped me come up with ways to get more organized, my Sarra Cannon's HB90-inspired adapted board and more.

I also share what happened in the past two weeks in my writing/self-publishing world, including my newsletters, Facebook Groups I joined and more.

To read the actual newsletters mentioned: check out my Substack - https://elodienowodazkij.substack.com/

Mentioned in this episode:

• Becca Syme Better Faster Patreon
• Sarra Cannon: HB90
• Claire Taylor's Podcast
• Leslye Penelope When Less Is More / Are We Just Burning To Shine?
• Alison Miller Love Lists
• Facebook Group: Kickstarter For Authors
• Facebook Group: CKM - Marketing & Advertising Support Group for Authors
• Holly Darling (Newsletter Tips For Authors)
• Newsletter Ninja (Newsletter Tips For Authors)
• Golden Angel - Just the Tip

Thank you so much for listening!

This isn't your typical how-to guide, because let's be real—it’s more about the messy art of balancing (or not balancing) self-publishing, creativity, and cancer treatments. I’m publishing this episode on my fifth second birthday (my second birthday was the day I received my stem cells back during my autologous stem cell transplant). And I've been in remission for now five years after three years of treatment for refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma, and while I won’t shy away from the tough stuff (we’ve all cried in the shower, right?), I’m hoping to fill this series with humor, hope, and maybe a bit of awkward laughter. Join me on the first Monday of every month for Big, but Not Romance Big: Looking Back at Cancer Treatments, Creativity, and All the Weird Stuff In Between.

And hey, if spicy paranormal or fantasy romance is your thing, check out Elizabeth Briggs' books to support a fellow author going through treatments for stage IV colon cancer: https://elizabethbriggs.com.

Questions about writing, self-publishing or those weird stuff in-between? Shoot me an email at authorelodienowodazkij@gmail.com.

My writing and self-publishing love list (for those days, you know). Also an update on Kindle Vella, a local event and Claire Taylor's kickstarter...

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Kickstarter Claire Taylor: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ffsmedia/sustain-your-author-career

Leave me a comment/share your own self-publishing/writing love list with me: https://elodienowodazkij.substack.com/p/my-writing-and-self-publishing-love

Today, I share my BookBub Featured Deal Results as well as my self-publishing ups and downs of the month.

Get the posts per email: https://elodienowodazkij.substack.com/p/i-broke-tiktok-and-what-that-means

Today, I dive into my word of the year: Appreciate (well, our word of the year - since the Chemical Engineer chose the same one) and what it means for my writing and self-publishing.

For the ups and downs of my week as a self-published author, some of my ups are my Kindle Vella bonus, DMARC, and more...

For all links and images, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter here:

https://elodienowodazkij.substack.com/