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Mariah Friend

@mariahfriend.bsky.social

Writer. Toddler Mama. Fierce advocate of the power of creativity + community. Author of "The Pattern Shop" a novel about the hopes and fears we inherit and the courage it takes to choose home, again and again. πŸ¦‹ www.mariahfriend.com

99 Followers  |  208 Following  |  235 Posts  |  Joined: 21.01.2025
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Posts by Mariah Friend (@mariahfriend.bsky.social)

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Notes for my new novel, ODESSA alongside notes from my 3 Β½ year old who wants to learn how to write like mommy. πŸ˜ŠπŸ’—

#creativewriting #motherhood #writingcommunity #MIS #literaryfiction #inspiration

26.02.2026 16:56 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I love this painting!

26.02.2026 16:55 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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With funding increasingly scarce for the arts, it's incredibly important to support #localbusinesses and makers. If you're in #Chattanooga, I'll be there selling signed copies of THE PATTERN SHOP this Saturday at the art market.πŸ¦‹

Come stop by and say hi!

#artmarket #supportlocal #indieauthor

25.02.2026 15:17 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Hi! My book THE PATTERN SHOP is literary fiction but I also write poetry and personal essays. 😊

24.02.2026 16:59 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
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What's "hand-selling" and why does it matter for indie authors?

Learn how to leverage sales in your favor and build an author platform with intention in this tell-all about the *actual* math of self-publishing!

thebarefootbeat.substack.com/p/the-actual...

#selfpub #indieauthors #writersky

24.02.2026 16:06 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks, Moran! I'd love to stay connected. 😊

24.02.2026 16:02 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Thank you! And sure! I'm a ways away from editing, only about 10 pages in on the first draft but I'd love to stay connected!

24.02.2026 16:01 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

It is February,
the shortest month
of the year
Covered in white,
frozen in time
it is always the longest
in my mind

-Mariah Friend, excerpt from "February"

#poetry #february #winter #poem

23.02.2026 15:54 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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A novel where the landscape is the main character. Beautiful, haunting, immersive.

P.S. If you enjoy emotional stories where place comes alive with rich, sensory details you might like my debut novel, The Pattern Shop, too! πŸ¦‹

mariahfriend.com

#booksky #debutauthor #magicalrealism

23.02.2026 15:25 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

So they don't have to stumble over all my typos and first draft blunders. I'd like to give them something a little more polished!

23.02.2026 14:24 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Not yet! When I'm further along (after a few more revisions) I definitely will!

23.02.2026 14:23 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Thank you! It's got a lot of themes I think will resonate with people, especially in this political climate!

23.02.2026 14:23 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

My MC is Eleanorah, a young nurse with intense emotions she tries her best to keep at bay...until it all starts unraveling. It's a #comingofage literary fiction that spans her life from 21-25 as she searches for home, and maybe redemption.

www.mariahfriend.com

#litfic #indieauthors #writersky

23.02.2026 14:22 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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#MondayMotivation
#WritingCommunity

23.02.2026 14:11 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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An honest look at book sales, self-publishing costs, and profit margins ten weeks since launching The Pattern Shop! πŸ¦‹

A must read for any writer considering any form of publishing.

thebarefootbeat.substack.com/p/the-actual...

#publishing #indieauthors #writersky #writingcommunity #selfpub

21.02.2026 16:13 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Balancing promoting THE PATTERN SHOP while writing my new novel, ODESSA is hard! But I'm proud to celebrate writing ten pages of new material!

It took me 10+ years to write my first book, here's hoping it takes less time for the second! πŸ˜‚

#indieauthors #writersky #writingcommunity #litfic

21.02.2026 15:16 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

It's literary fiction with a historical bent! Here's the logline: Two women, a century apart with one choice: stay or leave?

21.02.2026 15:12 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Beautiful!

21.02.2026 15:10 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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My latest newsletter breaks down everything I’ve spent, earned, and learned since self-publishing my debut fiction, THE PATTERN SHOP.

The more we know, the more power we have to change the system moving forward. πŸ¦‹

#writersky #writingcommunity #selfpub

thebarefootbeat.substack.com/p/the-actual...

20.02.2026 19:31 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

From one writer to another, it's ok if the quality of your writing various (widely) from day to day.

It's less about perfection and more about building the habit of writing. Think of it like muscle memory and don't be too hard on yourself. 😊

#writersky #writingcommunity #indieauthors #authors

20.02.2026 16:47 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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"She was probably falling for him then. She certainly was now."

-The Pattern Shop

For those who love messy love stories and the meet cute of a lifetime πŸ₯°

#WIPSnips #literaryfiction #travel #writersky #writingcommunity

20.02.2026 16:21 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Maybe! Probably not after the first draft, though. I'd want to be kinder to my beta readers. πŸ˜‚

20.02.2026 15:02 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

I'm the debut author of THE PATTERN SHOP, a book about understanding the difference between "home" and belonging, faith and fantasy, and fixing vs. healing.

It's a coming of age literary fiction perfect for old souls with wanderlust! πŸ¦‹

www.mariahfriend.com

19.02.2026 17:20 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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The *actual* math of self-publishing $3,964 invested, 30% to break-even, and what I've learned in 10 weeks post book-launch!

The tell-all from a #selfpublished author you've been waiting for!

πŸ“Š Total Investment: ~$3,964 in book production costs πŸ’° Net Sales (10 weeks post-launch): $1,238.72 πŸ“ˆ Progress to Break Even: 30%

thebarefootbeat.substack.com/p/the-actual...

#writingcommunity #indieauthors #litfic #writersky

19.02.2026 16:47 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Heartbeats | Mariah Friend | Substack Heartbeats is a nurturing community for creative caregivers (even if you're only caring for yourself!). Subscribe for reflections on motherhood, creativity, and mental health. πŸ’—. Click to read Heartbe...

I’m sharing a tell-all of the math behind self-publishing The Pattern Shop in a newsletter tomorrow (2/19)! πŸ¦‹

Make sure you subscribe to Heartbeats so you don't miss it!

thebarefootbeat.substack.com

#selfpublishing #creativebusiness #selfpub #indieauthors #writersky #writingcommunity

18.02.2026 18:28 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Agreed!

18.02.2026 16:55 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Haha, yes! And also, can we be friends? πŸ˜‚

18.02.2026 15:23 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

I'm that kind of tired too. πŸ’—πŸ¦‹

18.02.2026 15:23 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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THE PATTERN SHOP is for

βœ’οΈPoetry lovers who prefer voice over plot
πŸ’—Anyone who’s ever fallen for someone just out of reach
πŸ¦‹Old souls full of wanderlust and insatiable curiosity

www.mariahfriend.com

#booksky #indieauthors #literaryfic #writersky #travel #novel

17.02.2026 17:17 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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THE PATTERN SHOP is a novel about understanding the difference between "fixing" and healing, home and belonging. πŸ¦‹

#wipsnips #ThePatternShop #writersky #literaryfiction #comingofage

17.02.2026 16:47 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0