Introductions
"I finally decided to just bet on myself": an indie author's journey
"I don't have a perfect record," says debut indie thriller author
Shivani Jai, "but I aim to write every day. On a good day, that can be a two- to four-hour stretch of good writing, but sometimes it's just twenty minutes, and I'm learning to be okay with that."
It's been working well, but Shivani will never stop growing as a writer. "Some days I feel like self-publishing my novel and actually selling copies of it is the greatest thing I've ever done," she says, "and other days I worry I'll never achieve any 'real' success as an author."
But when it comes to success, Shivani feels the journey is more about the people you meet along the way. "The thing that always feels like a win is the connections I've made in the bookish world," she says. "Great friends who can relate to what you're doing, understand the highs and lows, and that you can support and who will support you on your publishing journey."
Shivani's debut novel,
What's Coming to You, is a psychological thriller and dark romance that "explores themes of toxic love, obsession, and survival." She describes the main character, Mason Goodridge, as a "charming narcissist."
Right now, Shivani is working on two manuscripts that she plans to release this year—in addition to some screen projects she's exploring. Stay tuned!
Here's Shivani to talk a little about her life and work:
Welcome, Shivani! Why did you decide independent publishing was right for you?
I actually pursued traditional publishing at first, but after a year and a half of querying, then rewriting, then querying, then rewriting, then querying, then rewriting,
then querying some more, I finally decided to just bet on myself and stop waiting for someone else's permission to put my book,
What's Coming to You, out into the world. I was nervous about indie publishing at first, but along the way I met so many others who had done it successfully and realized if they can do it, so can I!
What's a good thing that came out of a dark time in your life?I had what I think was a very successful career in entertainment PR for a long time, and I was definitely one of those workaholics who defined myself and my worth by my job. In 2023, I was laid off right as the industry was going through some big changes that made it feel damn near impossible to get a new job. It was the scariest and most challenging time of my life not knowing how I was going to be able to take care of myself financially, or where or when my next role would show up.
I've become an author, which is something that felt like a reckless pipe dream a year ago. Life is pretty cool that way!
I pivoted to writing as a creative outlet and frankly, it also was the one thing that made me feel like I had control over something when so many other things felt far beyond my control. Standing at the top of 2026 and looking back, I am so grateful for how far I've come and how much I've learned and changed. I've become an author, which is something that felt like a bit of a reckless pipe dream just a year or two ago. Life is pretty cool that way!
What would you tell new writers who are a little unsure of themselves?Just do it! Even if you think you're bad, or you don't know where to start, start anywhere and just let yourself be bad at it. As long as you take it seriously, I guarantee you won't stay bad forever. That's how anything worthwhile usually starts when it comes to creative ventures.
What's your favorite way to pass the time when you're not working?I'm a pole dancer! When I'm not writing, that's usually the other thing I'm thinking about.
Which of your characters do you relate to the most?I love all the characters I write, and they all are some aspect of me ... even Mason Goodridge. But I promise I'm not insane or evil! For
What's Coming to You, my favorite character to write was actually Kris Goodridge. I just think she was the realest. Hoxton and Martinez's dynamic was also a lot of fun to play around with.
Shivani Jai has always had a thing for big feelings, bold characters, and stories that stay with you for days. A lifelong movie lover, she followed her passion to Hollywood and spent thirteen years in film and TV publicity spinning stories behind the scenes, but eventually realized she had stories of her own to tell. Shivani lives in Los Angeles and has a master's degree in communications and documentary production, which sounds very serious, but really just means she knows how to get to the emotional core of any story. She writes the kind of characters that live loud in your head—flawed, familiar, vibrant, and all too real.
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