The Storefront Revolution Has Begun. Will Readers Find You?
Taking control of your author business.
It’s your intellectual property… don’t give it away!
There was a time when writing the book was the hard part.
Today?
Writing the book is the easy part.
Getting readers to discover it is the battle.
For years we’ve watched our businesses become increasingly dependent on algorithms that change without warning, retailers that decide what gets seen, advertising costs that keep climbing, and social media platforms where one viral post is followed by weeks of silence.
Somewhere along the way, many authors stopped owning their businesses and started renting access to their readers.
I think it’s time we changed that.
What if readers came looking for you instead?
Imagine a place built entirely around discovery.
Not endless scrolling.
Not sponsored ads.
Not “People also bought... only to discover it is all ads to books you don’t read.”
A place where readers arrive because they love books.
A place where they browse by emotion instead of bestseller rank.
By tropes instead of algorithms.
By worlds instead of keywords.
By the feeling they’re looking for today.
That’s the idea behind Books in Your Pocket.
It isn’t another bookstore.
It isn’t another retailer.
It isn’t another marketplace taking a percentage of your sales.
It’s something entirely different.
Books in Your Pocket is a discovery hub.
Readers come to explore.
They wander through dragons, mysteries, billionaires, alien worlds, magical kingdoms, cozy mysteries, historical adventures, thrillers, romantasy, time travel, horror, young adult...
They discover authors they never knew existed.
Then—
They click one button.
And they’re standing in your store.
Not a big name distributor taking more and more control over your intellectual property.
Not someone else’s checkout.
Yours.
It’s time to take back your intellectual property.
You created the stories.
You built the worlds.
You spent years learning your craft.
Why should someone else own the relationship with the people who love your books?
Every time a reader buys directly from you...
You learn who they are.
You can thank them.
Invite them into your newsletter.
Offer bonuses.
Recommend another series.
Celebrate a new release.
Instead of hoping an algorithm remembers you next month.
Direct sales aren’t simply about earning a larger royalty.
They’re about ownership.
They’re about building relationships.
They’re about creating a business that belongs to you.
Readers don’t want more books.
They want their next favorite author.
Readers are overwhelmed.
Thousands of books are released every single day.
Algorithms show them more of the same.
Advertising interrupts instead of inspires.
Books in Your Pocket changes the experience.
Readers explore.
They browse.
They discover.
They fall down delightful rabbit holes filled with dragons, detectives, cowboys, pirates, billionaires, aliens, magical academies, historical adventures, and worlds they didn’t even know they wanted to visit.
That’s how discovery should feel.
Fun.
Curious.
Unexpected.
Together we’re building something bigger.
One author alone can build a store.
Hundreds of authors together can build a destination.
Every participating author helps every other author.
Readers who come looking for fantasy may discover romance.
Romance readers may discover mysteries.
Mystery readers might unexpectedly fall in love with space opera.
The goal isn’t competition.
It’s exploration.
When readers stay longer, everyone benefits.
Books in Your Pocket was designed differently.
Readers can browse by:
Genre
Tropes
Reading mood
Themes
Featured collections
Character types
Story worlds
Author showcases
Interactive media
Videos
Artwork
Reader recommendations
Instead of searching for one title...
They’re discovering dozens they’ll love.
We’re curating authors—not collecting them.
Books in Your Pocket isn’t trying to become the biggest directory on the internet.
We’re building something readers trust.
That means we’re intentionally curating authors who care deeply about the reader experience.
Authors who present professional books.
Authors who own an online store.
Authors who believe readers deserve more than a buy button.
Because when readers trust the platform...
They return.
Again.
And again.
This is only the beginning.
Imagine a reader passport.
Author trails.
Genre adventures.
Reading challenges.
Interactive maps.
Story quizzes.
Book bundles across multiple authors.
Exclusive events.
Reader rewards.
A shopping experience that feels less like e-commerce...
...and more like walking through a magical bookstore where every shelf leads somewhere unexpected.
That’s where we’re headed.
An invitation
If you’ve ever looked at your dashboard and wondered why your visibility disappeared overnight...
If you’ve ever felt like you’re building someone else’s business instead of your own...
If you’ve ever wished readers could discover your books without fighting another algorithm...
Then maybe it’s time to build something different.
Maybe it’s time to stop chasing algorithms and start building relationships.
Maybe it’s time to take back ownership of your stories.
Because readers aren’t looking for another retailer.
They’re looking for their next unforgettable author.
And together, we can help them find you.
Explore Books in Your Pocket
Visit
and experience it from a reader’s perspective.
If you believe your books—and your readers—would be a great fit, we’d love to hear from you.
Books in Your Pocket isn’t just another place to sell books.
It’s a place to be discovered.
And that changes everything.
Hugs,
Susan
S.E. Smith is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, entrepreneur, and the founder and CEO of Books in Your Pocket. With a catalog of more than 100 novels and millions of books enjoyed by readers worldwide, she has built a career creating unforgettable worlds filled with romance, adventure, humor, and hope. As an advocate for independent authors, Susan founded Books in Your Pocket to redefine book discovery by connecting readers directly with authors through curated experiences rather than algorithms. Her vision is to empower authors to strengthen direct relationships with their readers while creating a welcoming destination where book lovers can explore new worlds, discover new favorites, and support the creators behind the stories they love.
Is BIYP only for indie authors who sell from their websites, or can Indie writers published by a small press join as well? I have a self published book coming out later this year, but my current works are with a small press publisher.