Are you an indie fiction author – especially one writing sci-fi – looking to get interviewed and promote your work? One of the smartest ways to boost your visibility is by appearing on blogs for author interviews. Many book blogs and literary sites actively accept interview submissions from indie authors, giving you a chance to share your story, writing process, and latest book with a wider audience. Below we’ve compiled 20 top blogs that conduct interviews with indie authors, with a strong focus on those open to submissions (and how to pitch them). These blogs span various genres (with a number of sci-fi-friendly options) and each offers a great opportunity for author features.
Whether you’re launching your first novel or a seasoned self-publisher, these sites can help you connect with readers. Read on for an engaging introduction to each blog, the types of authors/genres they feature, and how to submit your interview request or guest post. Let’s get you in the spotlight!
Blogs That Welcome Indie Author Interviews
Book Smuggler’s Den – A popular book blog and review site that loves featuring indie authors. Book Smuggler’s Den explicitly encourages indie authors to submit guest posts or participate in author interviews as a way to gain exposure. They cover a wide range of genres (recently even launching a podcast for children’s/YA authors) and have featured fantastic indie authors of all stripes. How to submit: Send an email inquiry to their team (contact@booksmugglersden.com) to pitch yourself for an interview. They’ll typically ask you to answer a set of questions about your writing journey and books. Bonus: These interviews come with social media shoutouts and links to where your book is sold, helping drive traffic to your sales pages.
Awesome Gang – A well-known book promotion site where “Awesome Readers meet Awesome Writers.” Awesome Gang offers free author interviews via an online form on their website. Simply fill in the Q&A form (“Submit an Author Interview”) with details about yourself, your books, and your writing habits. The site publishes your responses as an interview article, often within days. Genres: All genres are welcome – Awesome Gang supports indie authors from romance to sci-fi. Interviews are sent out in their newsletter and social media, so you get extra exposure. As the site says, “the longer your answers, the better” for helping readers get to know you. How to submit: Complete the interview form on their “Author Interviews” page (no email pitch needed). It’s 100% free, but due to volume there may be a short wait for your feature to go live.
BookGoodies – BookGoodies is a treasure trove for indie authors, offering free promos and a widely read interview series. They have a self-serve author interview form similar to Awesome Gang. In fact, BookGoodies proudly notes that their interviews are “widely read by our site visitors and go out in our daily newsletter plus all of our social media. Best of all, they are free!” This means when you submit your interview, you’re not only getting a blog feature but also exposure to BookGoodies’ large reader subscriber base. Genres: All genres (fiction and nonfiction) are accepted – just be thoughtful and honest in your answers. How to submit: Navigate to the “Author Self Serve Interview” page on BookGoodies and fill out the questionnaire. They ask about your inspirations, writing process, and advice for others, among other things. Once submitted, expect a few weeks’ delay for publication (they mention a backlog due to high submissions), but your interview will be queued up for the spotlight!
Book Reader Magazine – An online magazine dedicated to connecting readers with authors. They run a Featured Author Interview series that is free for writers. Book Reader Magazine invites any author to “fill out our author interview” to get free publicity on their site. These interviews are posted on the website (usually within a few days of submission) and shared across their social media and email newsletter. Genres: Book Reader Magazine features all genres, and even categorizes interviews on their site by genre (fantasy, sci-fi, romance, etc.), so sci-fi authors will be right at home. How to submit: Use the “Submit an Author Interview” form on their site. You’ll provide a headshot, an author bio, and answer their questionnaire (covering where you’re from, when you started writing, your favorite authors, details about your latest book, etc.). According to Book Reader Magazine, your interview will be promoted widely – a great free marketing boost.
The IndieView – A longstanding website known in the indie author community, The IndieView specializes in author interviews (which they playfully call “IndieViews”). This site has hundreds of interviews with indie authors across every genre, including plenty of sci-fi writers. They are always looking for new authors to feature. In fact, The IndieView explicitly states: “We’re always looking for authors who are interested in doing an interview… Email us to let us know you’re interested and we’ll send you the details.” How to submit: Simply email the admin at admin@theindieview.com expressing your interest in an IndieView interview. They’ll typically reply with a set of interview questions for you to answer. There’s no charge. Beyond interviews, The IndieView also maintains a reviewer list, but you do not need to use that to get an interview – any indie author can reach out for a feature. Tip: Check out a few recent IndieView posts on their site to see the question style and length (it’ll help you craft thoughtful responses).
Fantasia Reviews – A niche blog focused on fantasy (and speculative fiction) that offers free author interviews to indie writers. Fantasia Reviews positions itself as “a place where fantasy surpasses reality,” and they actively invite authors to “submit an author interview” through their site. They even provide a list of suggested interview questions to guide your responses. While the focus is on fantasy, authors of sci-fi, speculative fiction, or any imaginative genre will find this blog beneficial (they cover a broad spec-fic community). How to submit: Fantasia Reviews has an Author Interview Submission page – fill in your contact info and paste your answers to their questions into the form. As they explain, this is a free service and an opportunity to introduce yourself to a growing community of fantasy readers. Once you send your answers, the team will publish the Q&A on the blog (usually fairly quickly, unless demand is high). Note: Make sure your interview is appropriate for all ages (Fantasia Reviews requests family-friendly content, given their audience).
AuthorsWiki – A global author portal that provides information on authors and books. AuthorsWiki isn’t a traditional “blog,” but it hosts author interviews and profiles – and crucially, it offers these as a free service for writers. Indie authors can take advantage of AuthorsWiki to publish an interview or have an author page created. Genres: All genres are welcome; AuthorsWiki’s mission is to compile author biographies, book listings, interviews, and publishing news in one place. For example, they feature everything from children’s book authors to corporate non-fiction writers. How to submit: You can contact AuthorsWiki (through their site’s Get Featured page or contact email) to request an author interview publication. According to their own description, “AuthorsWiki also offers free services, including author interviews, book reviews and publisher pages. Authors and publishers can take advantage of our services.” Typically, you may need to provide your author bio, book info, and interview answers. This can be a great way to build an online presence since they’ll create a dedicated page for you.
NFReads.com – A unique online magazine that bills itself as “Interesting. Informative. Inspiring.” NFReads features hundreds of interviews with authors – both fiction and nonfiction, indie and traditionally publishe. They cover a wide variety of backgrounds and genres, from state representatives who wrote sci-fi novels to professors turned thriller writers. The site is well-regarded for its insightful questions about creativity and the writing process. How to submit: NFReads invites authors to contribute either interviews or guest articles. In a resource for writers, NFReads notes that you can promote your book for free by contributing a guest piece – the same applies to their interviews. To get featured, email the editor (there’s a contact form on NFReads.com) expressing your interest in doing an author Q&A. They will typically send you a set of interview questions to answer via email. Bonus: Because NFReads shares interviews with their newsletter subscribers and on social channels, your story can reach readers beyond your usual circle. (One sci-fi author featured described it as getting “hundreds of potential readers” introduced to your work).
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Laura’s Books and Blogs – An indie author and book blogger (Laura) who has interviewed hundreds of indie authors on her site. The Interviews section of Laura’s Books and Blogs is full of Q&As with authors across genres – from fantasy and YA to memoir and poetry. Laura says her interviews are meant “to help promote [authors’] writing and blogs.” She often asks about writing rituals, inspiration, and the author’s current projects. How to submit: You can contact Laura via email (laura@laurasbooksandblogs.com) to request an interview feature. There isn’t a formal submission form, but as a friendly blogger she is usually open to featuring new indie authors, especially if you have a recent book. It helps to put together a polite query introducing yourself and your book, and mention you saw she does author interviews. Genres: She is open to most fiction genres (her recent interviews include fantasy, mythic fiction, women’s fiction, sci-fi, etc.) as well as indie bloggers. Since she is an indie author herself, she has a supportive approach to showcasing others. Tip: Check out her “Interviews” category on the blog to see the style – it often starts with an intro about the author and then a mix of process and personal questions.
Writer’s Fun Zone (Fantasy Indie Author Series) – Fantasy and speculative fiction authors, take note! Writer’s Fun Zone (run by author Beth Barany) has a special “Fantasy Indie Author Interview” series. In this series, Beth features independent author-publishers in the fantasy/sci-fi realm, typically focusing on their creative process and book themes. Past interviews have included fantasy novelists, YA sci-fi writers, and more. How to submit: Writer’s Fun Zone often schedules these interviews in advance; to be considered, you can reach out via the “Write for Us” or contact page on the site. Mention that you’re an indie author interested in the Fantasy Indie Author Interview series. Beth Barany is very active in the writer community (coach and editor), so she uses these interviews to highlight fellow authors. Genres: Primarily fantasy, paranormal, and speculative fiction (including science fiction). If you write in these genres, this is a genre-targeted opportunity to speak directly to fans of fantasy/SFF. Keep in mind, because it’s a curated series, space might be limited – but it’s free. The tone is welcoming; as the intro says, “Welcome to the Fantasy Indie Author Interview series, where I feature interviews with independent author-publishers in the fantasy/speculative fiction realm.”
The Table Read (UK) – The Table Read Magazine is an award-winning online entertainment magazine based in the UK, and it’s a fantastic option for authors of all kinds, including indie novelists. They run a Creative Interviews section (for authors, filmmakers, etc.) and explicitly allow people to apply to be featured. The Table Read offers written interviews that delve into your creative process, inspirations, and latest projects, all presented in a stylish magazine format. How to submit: Visit their site’s “Apply To Feature On The Table Read” page and reach out via the contact info provided. Good news – there’s no cost for a standard feature and they are passionate about supporting creatives at every stage. However, due to high demand, free spots may have a waiting list of a few weeks. (They also offer a paid “Priority Posting” for a small fee if you need your interview published by a specific date – optional but useful for timely book launches). Genres: All genres and creative industries; for authors, they’ve featured everything from romance writers to science fiction and fantasy authors. The interviews are often extensive and well-promoted. If you’re looking for a more in-depth, magazine-style interview, The Table Read is ideal. SEO perk: They edit each article with SEO best practices in mind, which can help your interview reach more readers via search engines.
Whispering Stories – A highly active book blog that regularly posts author interviews, often under their series “The Writing Life of [Author Name]”. Whispering Stories is run by Stacey Garrity and team, and they publish multiple interviews per month (sometimes per week!). Each post typically introduces the author and shares details of their writing life, latest book, and some fun Q&A. For example, an interview might note, “I am thrilled to have interviewed author [X], who shared with us details of his writing life, his book ‘[Title]’…” Genres: They cover all fiction genres – you’ll see crime writers, fantasy authors, historical fiction, horror, children’s authors, and more in their archives. Whispering Stories is known to be very indie-friendly. How to submit: The blog doesn’t have a public form for interviews, but you can contact them (there’s a contact page on whisperingstories.com or reach out on Twitter @WhisperingSto) to express interest. Often, authors get featured when doing blog tours or by reaching out directly with a review/interview request. When you do get featured, expect questions about your writing routines, inspiration, and details about your recent book release. Given the volume of content on Whispering Stories, it’s a great site to be on – they have a steady reader following and even social media promotion for each interview (you might see your interview tweeted with the hashtag #AuthorInterview).
[Your Name]’s Local Genre Blogs – (Don’t forget to search for blogs specific to your genre or locale!) In addition to the above major sites, there are many smaller blogs run by passionate readers that interview indie authors – especially in niche genres. For example, The Horror Tree (for horror and dark fantasy writers) regularly features interviews with horror authors as part of its speculative fiction resources. Romance writers can look for romance book blogs that do “Author Spotlight” posts. Science fiction authors might reach out to SFF book bloggers who sometimes post interviews (many will if you offer). While we can’t list all here, a quick search like “<em>[Your Genre]</em> author interview blog” can reveal bloggers who would love to hear from authors in their favorite genre. Many bloggers are open to guest post interviews or will send you questions via email if you politely inquire. Always check the blog’s contact or “About” page to see if they mention interview or guest post opportunities. It might require a bit of research, but landing an interview on a genre-focused blog means you’re directly reaching your target readers (e.g. a sci-fi author on a sci-fi fan blog). And usually, these opportunities are free – the “cost” is just the time to write thoughtful answers.
Each of these blogs offers an actionable way to get your name and book in front of readers. To maximize your success, remember a few pitching tips:
Prepare a Media Kit: Have a short author bio, a professional-looking author photo, and a synopsis of your book ready. Many of these interview forms ask for them or the blogger might request them via email.
Be Professional and Personal: When reaching out, introduce yourself, mention the blog and why you’d love to be featured there, and highlight any unique angle (especially if it fits their niche). For forms, take your time to give detailed, engaging answers – this is your chance to hook potential readers. As BookGoodies advises, be honest and thoughtful – readers can tell! bookgoodies.com.
Follow Guidelines: If the blog has a form or specific instructions (e.g. word count limits, no profanity, etc.), follow them carefully. That increases the chance your interview is accepted and published faster.
By leveraging these blogs for author interviews, you’ll gain not just exposure but also credibility. An interview is content you can share on your own platforms, and it often remains online indefinitely as part of your author footprint. Most importantly, you’ll be telling your story – connecting with readers in a genuine way that goes beyond the back cover of your book.
Embark on these opportunities and put yourself out there. With persistence, you could soon have 20+ interview features to your name! Each one is a stepping stone to building your author brand and reaching new fans. Good luck, and happy interviewing!