Indie Author Spotlight, Episode 24

S.E. Reed
Mar 16
4 min read

Hello! S.E. Reed here! I'm an Indie Author who has been on the hunt for the last year to meet new and interesting people in the writing world. Along the way I've had the chance to interview some great writers, like today's guest, Nancy Christie.

Nancy has hit some major milestones in the writing world. Like reaching double digits with the number of published books she has out there. And there is not slowing her down! She has more lovely novels in the works and releasing soon. So make sure you catch up and read the others in her series and short story collections. I was very pleased to have this opportunity to meet her. I know you will be too.

Hey Nancy! So happy to meet you. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I have always been a writer—I wrote my first short story when I was in second grade!—but it never occurred to me to write a book or that I could be an author. I wrote the way I breathed—because I had to. Stories came to me, I wrote them down by hand (later on a typewriter, much, much later on a computer) and then put them away. My first short story was published when I was 40, and it was 10 years later when my first book, The Gifts of Change, was released. To say I was a late-bloomer would be putting it mildly!

Now I’m up to 10 books—seven are fiction (novels and short story collections) and three are nonfiction (an essay collection and two books for writers). Book 11 (and Midlife Moxie novel 4), Transforming Tessa, will be out in May 2026, and I’ve already started on my next novel, Investing in Iris. Plus, I’m playing around with two short story collections. And then there are some stories for children simmering on the back burner. I can’t help myself! I love to write!

Tell us about your writing style.

My short stories are primarily literary fiction, and my Midlife Moxie novels are women’s contemporary or book club fiction. The novels are standalones, but under the Midlife Moxie umbrella, and are about women 50 and older navigating their way through the next stage of life. All of my fiction is for young adults/adults.

Tell us about a project you’re proud of and link it.

That would have to be my first short story collection, Traveling Left of Center and Other Stories. Even though I had been writing short stories for years, I never thought I could actually have an entire collection published. And when it happened, I finally felt like I was really a writer. I was 60 when it came out and it was the best present I could have received.

Spill the tea, what are you currently working on?

I’m currently in the early stages of writing Investing in Iris, my next Midlife Moxie novel that I plan to release in 2027. It’s about a 62-year-old high school English teacher who, after a year of retirement, wants to give back to the community where she had taught for so long and decides to open a bookstore. Her idealism is matched by the pragmatic approach of her niece and business partner who wants to make this a viable business, not just a passion project. All the indie bookstores where I’ve done signings are willing to provide me with the benefit of their experience and share the mistakes they made in their journey so it should be lots of fun!

What is your biggest/best piece of advice for other Indie Authors?

Only one???? Okay, here’s the topline one: treat your author business like a business. Be professional (on and off social media!), be willing to invest money (but do it wisely), be committed (don’t wait for the muse but write consistently), and be in it for the long haul. Don’t expect success overnight. If it happens, good for you, but generally speaking, it takes a long time to be profitable.

Who is your favorite Indie Author?

Maybe because I’m a hybrid author—some of my books are trad published and some indie—but I honestly don’t identify authors by their publishing path. I have lots of writers I love, and I’m always adding to the list and reviewing books on my blogs. So I can’t possibly name a favorite. (Sorry, not sorry!)