September 2025 – Page 2 – Stories Rule Press

The Truth About Writers’ Lives (It’s Not What You Think)

15 September 2025 / Tracy Cooper-Posey

Most people think writers live glamorous lives — champagne book launches, exotic research trips, and endless hours of leisure to dream up stories. The truth is a lot less Parisian café and a lot more 4:30 a.m. alarm clocks, fourteen-hour workdays, and muttering at characters who won’t behave while the laundry piles up.

In this post, I pull back the curtain on what writers’ lives really look like, why the myths persist, and how those rosy assumptions can sometimes hurt more than help.

When Writing Isn’t Enough: The Harsh New Reality of Indie Income

13 September 2025 / Tracy Cooper-Posey

In the early days of indie publishing, simply hitting “publish” could bring in income. Now? Discoverability is a battle, the market is saturated, and writing fiction full-time is a dream that more and more authors are having to compromise. This post digs into why multiple income streams aren’t a failure—they’re the new normal—and how indie authors can adapt without giving up.

Passive Voice: The Sneaky SOB in Your Manuscript (and How to Kick It Out)

10 September 2025 / Author Services, Editing, Mark Posey

Passive voice sneaks into even the sharpest manuscripts, draining life out of your prose and leaving it limp as wet cardboard. Learn how to spot the culprits—“was eaten,” “were taken,” and those sneaky “by” phrases—and flip them into strong, active sentences that keep readers hooked.

Help Me Decide What to Write Next

9 September 2025 / Mark Posey

Mark’s got three thrilling projects fighting for attention in his brain—another Jacobine adventure, a high-octane Billings sequel, or a brand-new season of Credible Threat. He’s throwing the decision to readers: which story should he dive into next?

“If Amazon Collapsed Tomorrow…”

5 September 2025 / Cameron Cooper, Science Fiction, Space Opera

What if Amazon collapsed tomorrow? Thousands of exclusive authors would lose their income overnight, and Kindle Unlimited readers would find their go-to content gone. In this speculative thought experiment, I explore how such a collapse would reshape the indie publishing landscape—for authors, readers, and the future of storytelling.

Solarpunk from SRP Author Cameron Cooper

4 September 2025 / Cameron Cooper, Science Fiction

Today, SRP author Cameron Cooper released their solarpunk short story, Winds of Change.

Why Your Story Needs a Ticking Clock (Yes, Even Yours)

3 September 2025 / Mark Posey

Stories without time pressure tend to meander. Add a deadline—a ticking clock—and suddenly characters have to act, risk, and choose. From thrillers to romances, nothing raises tension faster than running out of time.

Juggling Chainsaws (and Books)

2 September 2025 / Espionage, Mark Posey, Thrillers

Mark’s desk is overflowing with thrillers, Jacobine adventures, anthology deadlines, and even a dash of erotica. Add in a Kickstarter campaign, real-world book selling, and you’ve got the “good kind of busy.” Coffee recommended.

Spies, Secrets, and the Romance of Espionage: A Love Letter to X Company

1 September 2025 / Historical, Historical Suspense, Romantic Suspense, Romantic Thrillers, Thrillers, Tracy Cooper-Posey

If you haven’t heard of X Company, you’re not alone—but you’re missing out. This Canadian World War II spy drama combines gut-twisting espionage with quiet, powerful romance in a way that still haunts me years after watching. The storytelling is sharp, the characters unforgettable, and the romantic tension? Off the charts. Don’t let the soft-focus promo poster fool you—this one pulls no punches.