The Power of the Hill: Why Marisol’s Walks Mean More Than Exercise

Subscribe to continue reading

Subscribe to get access to the rest of this post and other subscriber-only content.

Type your email…

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

#creativeProcess #DominicanAuthor #identityAndSelfAcceptance #InstaBruja #LasTresMojonas #magicalRealism #originStory #postPandemicReflection #TheOrdinaryBruja

Throwback Thursday: From #InstaBruja to The Ordinary Bruja

Subscribe to continue reading

Subscribe to get access to the rest of this post and other subscriber-only content.

Type your email…

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

#ancestralMagic #bodyImage #DominicanAuthor #InstaBruja #LasTresMojonas #magicalRealism #originStory #postPandemicFiction #SelfAcceptance #TheOrdinaryBruja

De Eso No Se Habla: The Cost of Our Cultural Silence

Subscribe to continue reading

Subscribe to get access to the rest of this post and other subscriber-only content.

Type your email…

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

#ancestralHealing #culturalSilence #DeEsoNoSeHabla #DominicanAuthor #familySecrets #GenerationalTrauma #identityReclamation #indieAuthorBlog #LatinaWriter #magicalRealism #PsychologicalHorror #TheOrdinaryBruja

The Printing Panic: How I Finally Got The Ordinary Bruja Approved and Ready for Launch

I truly thought the hardest part of publishing The Ordinary Bruja would be finishing the story itself. Turns out, the real witchcraft happens after the words are written.

By the time I reached my final editing stages, I was deep into what I like to call my “self-editing spiral.” You know the one — where you’ve read the manuscript so many times that you start questioning your own sanity. I had already gone through multiple passes on my own: one for pacing, another for dialogue rhythm, another for sensory details, and one purely to catch any sneaky typos that somehow keep multiplying like gremlins after midnight.

Then came the professional proofread. The last pass from my editor. He did a beautiful job of tightening what needed tightening and confirming that all my obsessive late-night changes hadn’t wrecked anything major. When that email came through with the words “final proofread complete,” I felt like I could finally exhale.

At that moment, I thought, Okay, Joa, the hardest part is behind you. Now it’s just printing. I’ve done that before. No problem.

Oh, how naive I was.

Printing, my friends, is a beast all its own.

I assumed it would be a simple matter of uploading the files to IngramSpark, waiting a few days for the files to be approved then hitting “print,” and waiting for a few boxes of books to arrive. Easy, right? Except that IngramSpark’s turnaround times could stretch long enough for me to knit a whole scarf collection. I’m not joking . The lead times were weeks, and the closer we get to the holiday season, the more unpredictable it gets. Cue panic.

So I thought, No big deal, I’ll just go local! Support small business, get faster results — win-win. Or so I thought.

Yesterday during lunch, I hopped in my car and visited three different local printers. Each one was kind, professional, and helpful, but when I explained what I needed — small print runs of both paperback and hardback books, with specific trim sizes and matte covers — the looks I got were… a mix of sympathy and mild horror.

Apparently, printing novels with the kind of finishes we authors love isn’t exactly in every local printer’s wheelhouse. One could do the paperback but not the hardback. Another could do both, but the quote made me want to cry into my cafecito. The third said they could try, but the turnaround time wouldn’t be much better than Ingram’s.

By the time I drove back to work, my brain was a hurricane of numbers, deadlines, and printer jargon. I kept thinking, How am I supposed to get my preorders out on time if I can’t even find a printer that can make the books?

All afternoon, I tried to focus on work, but my thoughts kept circling back to the same problem. I was frustrated — mostly at myself. I should’ve done this research earlier, but like most indie authors, I’m juggling a million hats. Between editing, marketing, and keeping up with ARC readers, I had convinced myself printing would be the easy part.

When I got home, I decided to dig deeper. I watched videos, read a few blog posts from other indie authors, and started to notice a pattern — most people who ran into printing delays mentioned something called bleed issues with their files. That’s when it hit me: I had left the bleed on my Vellum compilation.

If you’ve never dealt with print files before, “bleed” sounds like something dramatic (and in my case, it kind of was). Basically, it’s an extra margin that extends past the edge of your page to make sure artwork or background colors print correctly. But for a plain text interior like mine, that little setting was enough to make my file incompatible with certain printers.

So, while eating dinner and trying not to spiral again, I made a mental note: Fix the bleed and try again.

And that’s exactly what I did. I sat down, opened Vellum, adjusted the settings, re-exported the file, and crossed my fingers as I uploaded it to Barnes & Noble Press.

Three hours later, I got the notification: Approved.

I swear I almost cried.

The moment I saw that green checkmark, I didn’t hesitate. I immediately put in an order for five hardbacks so I could have them ready for launch day. Finally, some progress. Then, overnight, I woke up to another email — my paperback file had also been approved.

I don’t think I’ve ever hit “order” so fast in my life. I ordered twenty paperbacks on the spot. Just like that, the weight I’d been carrying for days lifted off my chest. I could finally breathe again knowing that my books were on their way — physical, tangible proof of all the work, love, and energy poured into The Ordinary Bruja.

It’s funny how this journey keeps reminding me of the themes in the book itself: resilience, identity, and persistence through the unknown. Every hurdle I face as an indie author mirrors Marisol’s own struggles — she thinks she’s ordinary until she realizes that sometimes, the power is in her willingness to keep going despite uncertainty.

So, here I am, living that truth — one self-edit, one printer panic, and one blessed “approved” notification at a time.

Publishing is not for the faint of heart. But when those boxes arrive — when I finally get to unseal them and hold the first printed copy of The Ordinary Bruja in my hands — I’ll know that every setback, every late night, and every tiny formatting issue was worth it.

Because this isn’t just a book. It’s a piece of me. And seeing it come to life is its own kind of magic.

I can’t wait for you all to read it!

So I order extras. Feel free to preorder:

The Ordinary Bruja: Book One of Las Cerradoras Series – Johanny Ortega

$4.99 – $23.99Price range: $4.99 through $23.99

Marisol Espinal has spent her life trying to disappear from her family’s whispers of magic, from the shame of not belonging, from the truth she refuses to face. She’s always wanted to be someone else: confident, capable, extraordinary.

But when strange visions, flickering shadows, and warnings written in her mother’s hand begin to stalk her, Marisol is forced to confront her deepest fear: what if she isn’t extraordinary at all? What if she’s painfully ordinary?

Yet Hallowthorn Hill doesn’t call to just anyone. And the more Marisol resists, the stronger its pull becomes. The past she’s buried claws its way back, and something in the mist is watching—waiting for her to remember.

If Marisol cannot face the truth about who she is and where she comes from, the same darkness that destroyed her ancestors will claim her, too.

Somewhere in the shadows, something knows her name.

And it’s time for Marisol to learn why.

FormatChoose an optionPaperbackHardbackE-BookClear The Ordinary Bruja: Book One of Las Cerradoras Series – Johanny Ortega quantity

Pre-order now

SKU: Category: Books, Books for Adults, Fantasy, Fiction Books, Horror, Literary Fiction, Magical Realism, Women’s Fiction Tags: ancestral magic, atmospheric fiction, books about brujas, dark fantasy, Dominican folklore, haunted inheritance, Isabel Cañas fans, Latine fantasy, magical realism, psychological horror, Silvia Moreno-Garcia fans, spooky reads, supernatural mystery, The Ordinary Bruja, witchy books

Want to Be a Beta Reader for The Ordinary Bruja?

Something in the dark knows her name… and I hope you do too.

Hey familia-Vacitos
I’m so excited (and honestly, a little nervous) to share this with you. After months of edits, rewrites, and emotionally walking through the fog of grief, doubt, and ancestral magic… my next book, The Ordinary Bruja, is almost ready.

But before I take the next big step—I need your help.

I’m officially opening up beta reader sign-ups for a small group of readers who want to be part of this story’s final transformation.

🌿 What is The Ordinary Bruja?

It’s a Dominican-American psychological horror + magical realism novel about Marisol Espinal, a woman returning home to a town that won’t let her forget who she used to be. Haunted by grief, twisted family secrets, and a cursed hill that calls her by name, she uncovers that her family’s magic was never truly lost—just buried.

This story is about:

• 🖤 Grief that lingers in the walls
• 🌀 Magic passed down through silence
• 🌙 The tension between identity and inheritance
• ✊🏽 And what it means to reclaim the power you were taught to fear

If you’re into books like The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina, White Smoke, or anything that blends supernatural dread with soul-deep reflection—you’ll vibe with this.

🕯 What’s a Beta Reader?

A beta reader is someone who reads an early version of a book before it’s published and gives the author feedback. Think of yourself as my creative confidant—you’re not proofreading or editing line-by-line. You’re helping me answer questions like:

• Did you care about Marisol?
• Did the story hook you?
• Did the magical rules make sense?
• Were there parts that confused, bored, or emotionally wrecked you (in the best way)?

You’ll get to read the book before anyone else, give feedback, and help shape this story into its final form.

📅 What’s the Timeline?

• Beta sign-ups close: April 30
• Reading begins: May 1
• Feedback due: May 31
  (I’ll send reminders + keep it flexible for life things—we’re human here.)

✨ Want to Join the Beta Crew? (Fill the form below)

Please leave this field empty

Thank you for joining The Ordinary Bruja Beta Reader Crew. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

I’ll send you everything you need: the manuscript, feedback questions, and a warm thank-you from the bottom of my bookish little heart.

If you’ve ever connected with my work, resonated with themes of healing, cultural identity, or just want to read a haunting-ass story about a girl who stops running and starts remembering—this is for you.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Let’s bring The Ordinary Bruja to life, together.

🧿 P.S.

If you’re not ready to beta read but want to support the book, you can:
💬 Share this post
📩 Sign up for my newsletter
📚 Grab my free preview here

#ancestralStories #betaReaders #culturalIdentity #DominicanAuthor #indieAuthorSupport #magicalRealism #newAdultFiction #OwnVoices #PsychologicalHorror #TheOrdinaryBruja