Memoir #5

- New Release... Big Changes... Re-knitting My Dreams

Jun 03, 2025

Release Date: 11.11.2025

Since November 6, 2021 and the release of my memoir: Boundless, The Voice of Freedom, #4 in the Love and Belonging Series, I’ve had numerous sporadic outpourings authoring memoir #5. And no different to previous titles that changed names, the working title for this book began as Your Divine Dream before transitioning to The Harmony Point and then morphing again to…

DRUM ROLL… 🥁🥁🥁

This news is the tip of the iceberg, so to speak, as I’ve made a difficult decision to significantly alter the way I print and promote my books. The following is meant to be factual and not cause for complaint or criticism… it is a sign of the times where the old systems and ways of conducting business must change and rearrange or leave to be replaced by a new framework that supports the author, the reader and the platform - if needed.

Printing & Distributing my books…

In 2016 I was led to believe that Ingramspark was the oldest printing house in the world… not so. I have since learned Cambridge University Press has held this title since 1584!

Ingramspark was launched in 2013 and is said to have since registered more than 7 million books… adding 4000 new titles, daily. Lightning Source is a printer and distributor of print-on-demand books. The company is a business unit of Ingram Content Group… originally incorporated in 1996.

In 2024, Ingramspark announced that retailers required a minimum wholesale discount of 55% for books distributed through them, otherwise, the books would not be purchased. Effective as of August 31, 2024, this change was part of adjustments to the minimum wholesale discount for books distributed through Ingramspark in the United States. As an example: taking into consideration printing charges and including the global distribution fee, less 55% to the retailer on a $24.95 RRP book, the author might be lucky to receive $7… and they are the one’s who have spent hours, days, weeks and years writing and editing, rewriting and proofreading until it’s the best it can possibly be!

Ingramspark’s latest 2025 Terms & Conditions left my body feeling uncomfortable to say the least:

These terms contain an explicit class action waiver clause, where you waive the right to participate in class actions for any disputes with Lightning Source.

And…

Lightning Source solely determines whether or not any book title should be or continue to be available through the Ingramspark services and reserves the right to remove any title for any reason.

And…

You authorize Lightning Source to make, directly or through any 3rd party, any inquiries we consider necessary to validate information you provide us, including checking commercial databases and utilizing any other verification processes. We may disclose your legal name and contact information… Hmm, no privacy here.

Bottom line…

If I don't agree to these new terms and conditions I cannot publish any more books with Ingramspark and will also need to remove my previously published books.

The other big players in worldwide distribution…

Amazon's actions continue to be a source for concern:

Due to their dominance in the retail market Amazon has been linked to the decline of many small and independent businesses.
The company’s expansion into other industries, such as nuclear energy and fossil fuel services, raises great concerns about the company’s contribution to environmental issues and the destruction of nature.
If online reports are true, they also have a track record for overworking their staff. Then there are the tax avoidance strategies and the sale of counterfeit products.

While Amazon has been criticised for causing significant harm in several areas, I have my own reasons for considering to remove my books from their site.

In September 2016, two months after publishing my second memoir, In Light of the Truth, Amazon implemented a rule requiring customers spend at least $50 using a valid credit or debit card before they could post a review. This strategy was supposed to ensure only genuine customer reviews. But within a year Amazon changed the rule from a one-off $50 spend to a yearly $50 spend before a reader could leave a review. The real problem is not everyone can afford to spend $50 annually at Amazon, nor do many outside of the US want to spend $50 on Amazon, and thirdly, there are plenty of people who don’t have a credit card and therefore cannot purchase, read or review.

What I discovered was most of my readers were unable to leave a review, so to the new reader who looks at my list of books they will see 16 reviews for my 1st book then 5 for my 2nd book followed by 1 for my 3rd and the decline carries on from there. Do people assume my 1st book was the best and those after weren’t worth the effort?

On the flipside, because readers were not able to leave a review many wrote to me direct… I love and appreciate receiving these personalised messages - it is heartwarming. I came to realise those who were meant to find my books and read them, would. When I learned many reviews are from paid sources - I used to get asked daily - or they were fake and didn’t accurately reflect the quality of a book, I realised it was pointless seeking reviews and would find other natural ways to reach my audience.

As an example of bizareness… Today, my 4th memoir, Boundless shows on Amazon listed in Australia for $67.30 while the reality is I have it in the Ingramspark/Lightning Source system for $27.95. Is Amazon pushing readers away from my books because I refused to play along with the 55% retailer commission and set it at 40%? Is the title a subject of contention? Who knows? Though, if a reader is silly enough to pay $67.30 that extra profit won’t land in my bank account!

Recently, I contacted Kobo regarding their royalty payout process as I one of my eBooks had sold in September 2024 and to date I haven’t received the royalties.

Their response:

“Payments are made 45 days after the end of each month provided sales have met a threshold of CAD $50. If your content has not generated the minimum threshold listed above, then those sales will be carried over to the next month.”

Hmm… this prompted me to ask:

“It is of great concern to me that authors who do not reach the $50 threshold, year after year, despite what they do to showcase their books do not receive royalties that belong to them. Is there such a time that authors are paid out? Or, does Kobo as a company keep every dollar under the $50 threshold from potentially millions of authors and benefits from investing in what should belong to the author?”

To which I received this reply:

“Royalties are paid out when accounts are deactivated or deleted. We send payments out to multiple countries and some banks have a transfer fee, we have the threshold in place so the author is guaranteed a payment and it is not canceled out by a transfer or bank fee.”

I found this interesting as Amazon can successfully transfer $1+ in royalties and I receive all of the funds without any bank fees, yet Kobo can’t?

Since typing this post Kobo has updated their Terms & Conditions too.

The short of it is…

Because I do not agree with Ingramspark’s new Terms & Conditions I must remove my books by June 30, and won’t be uploading my latest title.

Removing my books from Ingramspark means once I have sold or given away the current paperback copies I have in stock, any reprinting will incur new setup costs with a new printing company. As Ingramspark is a distributor I also lose access to selling my books on all the platforms they distribute to - including amazon.

The good news is, my latest memoir can be available in paperback and ePub formats DIRECT from the Sea Dream Press Authors Collective website because I have been in discussions with another printing facility in Victoria, Australia and am prepared to post the books worldwide. But there’s a catch…

My decision comes with one major drawback:

I can no longer POD (print on demand) and need to place a minimum order of 50 paperback copies or I forego printing any at all!

Why?

I don’t have anywhere to store the books. The only way to see my 5th memoir in paperback is to fulfill 50 pre-orders, pay the printer, collect the books and post or hand deliver them to their recipients.

So, while I have contracted and paid my amazing graphic designer, Giusy D’Anna to produce the most exquisite cover for my latest memoir - I love it - the reality is unless there are a minimum of 50 copies pre-ordered it may never be printed in paperback format and only viewed online. My preference… I much prefer holding a book than being in front of a screen… What’s yours? As for the audio version… please keep reading…

ePub downloads will also be available DIRECT from the Sea Dream Press Authors Collective website.

The Unknown ~ Blurb:

What foundations have you set for a fertile life?

Life is not a surety, tomorrow, never guaranteed. We set intentions, make choices, plan, prepare and enact, yet from where do these arise? So much of life is born from the mind - or so we have been led to believe - yet there is a space, a terra firma from which we can hear and perceive our own golden truth—its essence, pure, free and fluid.

No matter the chosen path, possibly our best bedfellow is in the company of the unknown, for it encourages us to keep an open heart and mind, not sway too far in any one external or internal direction, returning to the harmony point anew.

In Leanda's fifth memoir in her series about love and belonging, she faces the unthinkable, losing everything and everyone she has ever known and loved. Only once she embodied her true nature did life become evermore meaningful and her capabilities begin to bloom.

Set your compass for courage and return to the lands of you!

Pre-order your copy or copies prior to close of business September 1, 2025… here

Paperback copies are $33 each

Use coupon code PreOrder11-11 to receive $10 shipping discount

Postage within Australia (includes 1 book) or International (includes 2 books)

Further inquiries or to pay direct please…

Thank you sincerely. Your support means my latest memoir will be printed.

(PLEASE NOTE: Currently, the website has an issue with an outdated SSL Certificate with Australia Post. In the interim please contact me direct and I will take note of your order. Once the site is working again I will be in touch so you can place your order securely… and still receive the $10 shipping discount. Thank you so much.)

Would you prefer the audio book?

Ever since I published my first memoir in 2014, I have been asked time and again to offer an audio book. While its a huge YES from me to step into a recording studio and voice my latest memoir, I need your assistance to make that happen… approx. cost $1950 AUD. Every person who pledges any amount will receive an audio file of The Unknown along with my deepest appreciation for your contribution… All funds will fully be attributed to the costs incurred.

PayPal.Me https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/leandamichelle

(OR: Request bank details for direct transfer… +61 400 730 602)

I wonder what it will be… Paperback? Audio book? Both? or eBook? I look forward to sharing the progress and results in future newsletters… Now it is over to you to decide.

[In the event monies needed to meet with printing or audio costs are not met, a full refund will be returned to those who have pledged… Thank You.]

It is my hearts desire that the arts continue to live, survive and thrive because without creativity, we as humans, fortunate to be gifted an earthly experience, may be alive but would be bereft of living the full experience.

Thank you again… May the remainder of your week surprise and delight you!

Love’s Harmonies,

Leanda Michelle ✍🏼📚