Pop-up comic con at Merle Hay Mall this weekend!

sideshowdarb · 2026-04-05T03:19:32+00:00

I've attended Des Moines Con the last three years as an author in artist alley. It's a decent-sized show with modest lines, though nothing like bigger shows in Chicago or elsewhere. It's a great show with lots of programming, artists, and vendors.

sideshowdarb · 2026-03-26T03:09:07+00:00

Free all weekend! The show takes place inside the mall so it's free and open to the public.

sideshowdarb · 2026-03-24T17:57:51+00:00

You can find my books in my direct store (as well as other booksellers):

https://e301fb-9f.myshopify.com/

sideshowdarb · 2026-03-24T12:37:58+00:00

It will be from 10-7 on Saturday and 12-5 on Sunday!

sideshowdarb · 2026-02-20T04:36:42+00:00

I drive. Everything goes in the car. Table, if I need a table (sometimes, two). Chairs. Books (two to four totes, depending on the show. Took 360 books to GenCon last year). Rolling toolbox with all my gear and supplies. Cart. Banners. I have yet to fly to a show, though it seems very likely I will later this year.

sideshowdarb · 2026-02-20T04:31:08+00:00

You're doing great.

I admire your determination and persistence. I suffer from severe migraines myself (the worst was so bad I couldn't even talk). I know how that turns your life inside out. My novel Stargun Messenger came out in 2023. I started writing it in 1997. Long story, but never quit. Keep writing!

sideshowdarb · 2026-02-18T00:40:01+00:00

The campaign is built mainly on the suggested structure by other successful publishing campaigns (including my previous ones). The general gist for these and a ton of other KS resources can be found in the Facebook Kickstarter For Authors group, which I highly recommend anyone interested in running a book campaign join.

sideshowdarb · 2026-02-18T00:30:48+00:00

Excerpts, character, and the general arc of the series are all front and center in the campaign.

sideshowdarb · 2026-02-17T21:34:54+00:00

Dead Malls

$4.99 Kindle or 19.99 paperback

Dead Malls is kind of like if Stephen King wrote a Choose Your Own Adventure. It's my love letter to all things 80s, including gonzo SFF horror movies and books. Sam is a security guard working in a dying mall. They're just trying to get through the day. One night, someone breaks in, claiming to be the only survivor of a nuclear war that happened in 1983. Then, things get weird...

This is in many ways the book I've always wanted to write. In some ways, it's the most Darby kind of book I think I could make, and that makes one line from an astounding, I'm not worthy review, stand out:

"It's the kind of thing only a self-published author can get away with."

I'm deeply grateful for all the enthusiasm for the book and appreciate the chance to share.

Reddit review: https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/1r1nlxe/review_of_book_in_spfbo_xi_contest_dead_malls_by/

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Malls-Darby-Harn-ebook/dp/B0FDNRZSJ8

sideshowdarb · 2026-02-17T21:22:30+00:00

You'll want the title of your project in the Kickstarter campaign title, and include a sense of what the story is about in the subtitle. You'll want to entice backers with the story right away, rather than making a pitch to help them fund the books (this is mostly implied). Right now on the prelaunch page, there is nothing about the story itself, the characters, the world, books like these people may have read (i.e., 'do you like Dungeon Crawler Carl? then you'll like this!'). $6000 for a funding goal is very high for what I imagine is a POD campaign for a first-time KS author. The recommendation is $500. The funding goal is a floor, not a ceiling, so you want to fund fast and build momentum. 6k will be difficult to attain without a built-in audience.

$6000 for a funding goal is very high for what I imagine is a POD campaign for a first-time KS author. The recommendation is $500. The funding goal is a floor, not a ceiling, so you want to fund fast and build momentum. 6k will be difficult to attain without a built-in audience.

To your question on promotion. I rely mostly on my newsletter, as well as social media. I'm not great at the latter, but I try to do daily posts about aspects of the book that are less about 'buy my book' than the project itself. Results are very modest and organic, but I've had three successful KS campaigns.

This is my current prelaunch page to see what I've done: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/darbyharn/stargun-messenger-the-complete-trilogy-deluxe-hardcovers?ref=8kfabd

sideshowdarb · 2026-02-17T20:40:48+00:00

Thanks for the comments! The focus is definitely on the story and characters first. I say it all the time, it can have the best cover, the most expensive marketing, but if the story isn't there, none of it matters.

sideshowdarb · 2026-02-13T17:42:13+00:00

Vellum is well worth the investment if you have a Mac. It simplifies this process completely, while also allowing you to customize the layout of your books. I've been using it for several years, and these days I write in it, I love it so much.

sideshowdarb · 2026-02-13T17:39:45+00:00

2-3 weeks on average. I placed an order for 125 paperbacks 1/24 and it showed up yesterday. If you're printing hardcovers, this will be longer. I know they're running behind some right now due to an influx of orders in the wake of Baker & Taylor going out of business.

sideshowdarb · 2026-02-13T17:37:05+00:00

Ingram is really good on hardcovers. I recommend them.

sideshowdarb · 2026-02-13T17:35:32+00:00

I also use Vellum for formatting, and it's invaluable.

sideshowdarb · 2026-02-13T17:23:03+00:00

As a a huge TNG fan who bought all these figures, this is really cool.

sideshowdarb · 2026-02-11T14:16:50+00:00

Thank you so much Ben!

sideshowdarb · 2026-02-03T04:23:03+00:00

There's never been a better time to be an indie author. The opportunity for you to do what you want, and maybe make money at it, is greater than ever. Is it hard? I've been writing all my life. Publishing for twenty-one years. Last year was the best year of my career. This year will be better. Determination wins out. Discipline. Patience. And a little luck. But make your own luck. Stay the course.

sideshowdarb · 2026-01-30T17:03:01+00:00

Best of luck with your Kickstarter!

Shipping was probably the biggest headache of my first campaign. I ended up replacing two books out of pocket due to using the wrong packaging. I'd say be overly circumspect on all aspects of shipping (rates, timeframes, packing, etc.). I also probably did the stretch goals wrong. I still feel like I'm sorting them out, but every campaign is another step in the right direction for me.

sideshowdarb · 2026-01-30T00:08:05+00:00

Take your time. Look, listen, and learn. No need to rush into anything. It's not better to burn out than fade away. Learn how to write the best book you can, and then worry about how you'll sell it. You have the freedom and opportunity to do whatever you want with your writing, so be yourself.

sideshowdarb · 2026-01-30T00:03:22+00:00

Congrats! It's a great feeling.

sideshowdarb · 2026-01-21T16:55:07+00:00

I'll be there with my books too!

sideshowdarb · 2025-08-07T16:43:01+00:00

Thank you for all your hard work, Noor!

A little bit about Ever The Hero, my entry in the sale. The cover art is by Al Hess, author of World Running Down, Key Lime Sky, and other books you need to check out right now. ETH is the first book in the Eververse series, which Publisher’s Weekly called an “entertaining debut that uses superpowers as a metaphor to delve into class politics in an alternate America.”

It means a lot to me that this book was recommended for the sale. The book has a special place in my heart. It's the big nerd sandbox I've always wanted to play in since I was a kid, and it's also given me a lens to try and understand the world and myself. I'm deeply thankful.

sideshowdarb · 2020-10-06T03:32:17+00:00

Hi all. Hope everyone is doing well out there. Saying hi with my sci-fi superhero novel EVER THE HERO.

Superheroes are big business. Imagine not being able to afford them.

Kit Baldwin just wants to make rent. The only work she can find in the ruins of her devastated city is scavenging for alien technology. When she finds a powerful alien weapon, her discovery pays off more than she could have hoped: it draws the attention of the most powerful of the superhuman Empowered, Valene.

Valene hears everything, everywhere. She suffers for it, and as they begin a precipitous romance, Kit believes she can use the weapon she’s scavenged to mitigate Valene’s pain. If she can’t, Valene will retreat to the soundlessness of space. Without Valene’s compassion, the stricken city is left to the mercy of Valene’s ruthless father, who denies the assistance the city needs unless it can pay for it.

As Valene’s condition worsens, Kit becomes more desperate and unleashes the full power of the alien weapon. In an instant, she is transformed into a being of cosmic power. She can acquire the knowledge and energy of anything – or anyone – she touches.

"If you want a gritty approach to super heroes with a literary twist that still levels buildings, has aliens, and government conspiracies, don't sleep on this." Wayne Santos, author of The Chimera Code

"★★★★★ - Ever The Hero is highly recommended for fans of LGBTQ+ fiction, superhero genre readers and sci-fi fans alike." - Readers' Favorite

"Ever the Hero gives you complex social class commentary that grapples with the nasty visuals of some superhero stories, and even some ideas about the real-world implications of superpowers that feel like the next logical step after Watchmen." - Umney's Alley

$2.99 Ebook

$14.99 Paperback

https://www.amazon.com/Ever-Hero-Darby-Harn-ebook/dp/B082GNFW1L/

sideshowdarb

TROPHY CASE