It’s official—over 1,000 copies of The Sower of Black Field have been sold online since its launch in April 2024.
(The vast majority of online sales occurred since I relaunched the book in January 2025 with the help of The Book Whisperer, a book promotion agency staffed by people who are wizards at marketing WWII novels!) This is quite a milestone, especially for an indie author who started out as a complete unknown.
It’s also worth noting that at least 100+ more books have been sold in the bookstores of Passionist retreat centers in the USA. I send shipments of autographed paperbacks to them on a regular basis. If you’re in the vicinity of one of these centers (there are seven in the USA), visit their shops and ask for a copy. My gratitude to the Passionists for helping me spread the story!
I’m looking back at the journey into indie publishing. It’s been a long road with many twists and turns. I’m a marketer with two decades of experience, yet I learned things from The Book Whisperer about marketing indie novels that really amazed me. I’m not about to give away their secret sauce! But, I’ll share some pearls of wisdom that fall into the category, “I wish that I knew what I know now.”
A FEW LEARNINGS ON BOOK PROMOTION:
- There are umpteen agencies that will help you market your book, some big, some small. I started out with a small company—one that had a terrific rating by ALLI (the Alliance of Independent Authors) and a stellar BBB rating. It closed its doors by the time we got around to designing the cover. I fled like a refugee to a large indie book publisher that boasted being “world-famous,” and “the best self-publishing company.” I was treated like a number. When I desperately wanted information, emails and phone calls and texts went unanswered for weeks—even an entire month. And the sales? Pretty much crickets, even as social media campaigns were in full swing.Want to know how I found THE agency that actually made a difference for me? I looked up another brand-new indie author in my same genre who had achieved commercial success on Amazon—and then I looked up who published them. (I define “commercial success” as single or high double-digit rankings in the book’s top categories, and ratings and reactions that number in the 100s.)
- When is the best time to launch your indie novel? If you think “When it’s ready!” or “the holidays!” You might be wrong about that. Each genre has its own ebbs and flows. WWII novels apparently sell best between November and February, and begin tapering off around March and April. Sales of romance novels trend in spring and summer, when the core audience is looking for a good read on the beach.
- AI IS YOUR FRIEND! No—not to write the book. (Insider hint from an AI enthusiast—if you use AI to write your book, know that the internal workings of the bot were trained on existing material, which means your work is immediately derivative. Your readers are expecting a story that is unique and fresh, one that will remain with them long after they have turned the last page. Do them a service and write a tale only you can tell.)AI is your friend, specifically for marketing. I used it to come up with the book cover, the book trailer, and the graphics in umpteen ads. A subscription to Midjourney runs only $10/month. You have to spin the wheel a bit to get the visuals you want. (And yes, you do have to watch for visual oddities like six-fingered hands and arms protruding from odd places.) But it’s worth the small fee—not to mention FUN, especially if you turn the occasion into a beer and pizza party.
- Speaking of digital ads—they work. Yes, the revenue CAN exceed the ad spend and become a self-sustaining effort. You have to test, test, test, and keep a sharp eye on conversions and sales. Let a bad campaign run for a while, and it will burn up your money quickly with little effect. But, if you prune poor campaigns and divert resources to ones that are performing well, you can make it work.
- On press releases and podcast appearances—yes, they can help you get your name out there. But in my experience, these mainly create a lot of “noise” that may not translate into sales.
- On awards—these are “noise” too—but they’re a good way to gain credibility for your work, especially if you know you have something special, and you’re willing to shell out a little money for entrance fees to prove it.
- On professional book reviews—they’re worth the money, especially if you know you have something special and need the professional endorsement. These snippets can serve you well in advertising campaigns.
SUCCESS FOR THE SOWER: EXCERPTS FROM REVIEWS
“A compelling exploration of faith and resistance in the face of oppression.” – Kirkus Reviews (See full review.)
“The historical context, characters, and faith-keeping actions make for a memorable read.” —Reedsy Discovery (See full review.)
“The novel’s exploration of faith, guilt, and redemption is powerful and thought-provoking as an underlying theme, and this builds into a bigger picture with a pace that leaves room for moments of deep contemplation, but always flows into the next twist with confidence and impact. Overall, I would not hesitate to recommend The Sower of Black Field to fans of realistic historical fiction.”—K.C. Finn, Readers’ Favorite, 5 STARS (See full review.)
“Faith in God, and the testing of that faith, is interwoven throughout the novel… A picture emerges of people caught up in a conflict not of their making, resisting as they can from its evils, and finding strength in the courageous example of their pastor.” —Chanticleer Book Reviews, “BEST BOOK,” 5 STARS (See full review.)
“The depth of Koch’s storytelling is evident in her exploration of faith as a source of both solace and struggle. Through Viktor, the novel asks questions about the nature of suffering and the role of religion in confronting evil. I was particularly moved by the sermon on Sorrowful Friday, where Viktor ties human suffering to the Passion of Christ, challenging the congregation to see divinity in their shared pain. It’s moments like these that elevate the book from a historical narrative to a spiritual meditation, and they left me reflecting on my own beliefs.” – Literary Titan, 5 STARS (See full review.)
SELECT READER COMMENTS:
I highlight these specific reviews, not just because they offer positive feedback. (There are many to choose from in that regard). These reader reviews are substantive. They demonstrate how the story resonates with the book’s core audience, regardless of their own religious affiliation.
“I just finished reading your book, The Sower of Black Field. It is an extraordinary story and one of the best Catholic historical fiction books I have ever read. You did an excellent job of incorporating Passionist spirituality in the story and explaining it in terms that readers can understand and relate to. The insights on the Catholic view of suffering are excellent… As a Catholic spiritual mentor who walks with other Catholic women on their spiritual journey I will be using several of the insights about suffering contained in your book with the women I meet with.” – T. M. in email to author, January 27, 2025.
“I am not a Catholic, but I am an active member of a Protestant denomination, and what stood out to me in this story was the living faith of this one man Father Viktor, and how he shared it in such a way that made it real and living for his parishioners who made up most of the town. Through his preaching he opened their eyes to the idea that in everyone they meet, they should see the face of Christ and treat them accordingly… We live in trying times, and the message in this book has the power to inspire, change attitudes and lives. That message will hopefully stick with me through my own battles and calls to action. I would highly recommend it to others, both for it’s historical content and inspirational content.” – B. W., Netgalley Review (undated)
“Father Viktor Koch was an American priest with the Passionists Order who felt led as a missionary to help establish a group of the same in Bavaria, Germany. Prior to reading this compelling book based on fact, I had never heard of this group before … I have read hundreds of World War II books so unique people, topics and locations turn my head. This is one of those books.” – B., Goodreads review, December 17, 2024
“Whether or not one is a religious person, this book is fascinating: what is faith? As an agnostic I am nevertheless interested in this kind of discourse. I did learn a few things here and a lot more has made me thoughtful as for me religion illustrates a philosophical way of thinking and way of life. The characters were convincing. Their psychological development was also convincing and realistic. The historical details are well researched and here again, I learned a few details. The plot was immersive and closely follows the historical events. I highly recommend this novel!” – C., Goodreads review, December 19, 2024
“This powerful historical fiction novel is set during the final days of Nazi Germany. The story follows Father Viktor Koch, an American priest with the Passionists Order, who feels called to help establish a group of missionaries in Germany. Prior to reading this book, I was unfamiliar with the Passionists Order… Overall, The Sower of Black Field is a compelling and thought-provoking read that offers a poignant look into a dark period of history.” – T. W., Goodreads review, February 10, 2025
GET THE BOOK!
If you haven’t checked out The Sower of Black Field yet, see what all the chatter is about. The novel is available in paperback, eBook / Kindle, and audiobook.
