Inspirational Indie Author Interview #221: David Somerfleck Imagines a Dystopian American Future
Self-Publishing with ALLiSummary
David Sommerfleck, a former digital marketing agency owner, transitions to a career as an indie author after decades in journalism and politics. Inspired by his childhood love for science fiction, Sommerfleck writes his first novel while living in Portugal, where the stormy weather and isolation foster his creativity. His experiences, including the loss of both parents and his wife's battle with cancer, deeply influence his writing, culminating in a dystopian narrative that reflects his concerns about the future of society.
Sommerfleck's novel, set in a near-future America, explores themes of political polarization and societal breakdown. The protagonist, sentenced to 50 years in prison for shoplifting, volunteers for an experimental program that leads him to a chilling reality in 2096. The story combines elements of speculative fiction with personal experiences, drawing on Sommerfleck's background in the criminal justice system and his insights into human resilience.
Despite his marketing expertise, Sommerfleck finds it challenging to promote his own work. He emphasizes the importance of structure in writing, utilizing techniques like Kanban boards for outlining. As he navigates the complexities of self-publishing, Sommerfleck encourages aspiring authors to embrace their unique journeys and pursue their passions, regardless of age. His story serves as a testament to the transformative power of writing and the enduring impact of personal experiences on creative expression.
Show Notes
My guest this episode is David Somerfleck, who spent decades in digital marketing, journalism, and politics before returning to his childhood passion for science fiction. He moved to Portugal, where the stormy weather and isolation provided the perfect setting to write his first novel, a chilling vision of America's future. Now, he draws on a lifetime of experiences to build a new career as an indie author. We invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. About the Host Howard Lovy is an author, developmental editor, and writing coach with a long career in journalism and publishing. He works with writers at many stages of their careers, with a focus on helping them develop their ideas and strengthen their work while preserving their unique voices. He lives in Northern Michigan. About the Guest David Somerfleck is a speculative fiction author and poet based in Chesapeake, Virginia. He studied creative writing at Old Dominion University under poet Bruce Weigl and has worked as a newspaper reporter, copywriter, digital marketing agency owner, political campaign messaging writer and adviser, and teacher. His dystopian novel One Grain of Sand, the first book in the Shards of a Shattered Sky trilogy, is set in the United States in 2096. Kirkus Reviews called it "riveting and frighteningly plausible," while BookLife described it as an "inventive high-stakes thriller." The novel also won the 2026 NYC Big Book Award for Science Fiction. David is the author of four poetry collections and The Illustrated Guide to Digital Marketing. He publishes through his imprint, Boldly Blue Press, and is writing the second and third books in his trilogy back-to-back. You can find David on his website, learn more about One Grain of Sand, or purchase the e-book from major retailers.
More from Self-Publishing with ALLi
On this week's Self-Publishing News podcast, ALLi News Editor Dan Holloway shares what authors asked most at SelfPubCon 2026: newsletters and copyright, including why registering before the new year's fee rise could save you money. He also covers Audible's beta feature that lets listeners explore a story and talk to its characters, starting with Dracula. Then he reports that the plaintiffs in an OpenAI copyright case have dropped Tuhin Chakrabarty's market dilution study, and that Books by People has launched to certify human-written books. About the Host Dan Holloway is a novelist, poet, and spoken word artist. He is the MC of the performance arts show The New Libertines, He competed at the National Poetry Slam final at the Royal Albert Hall. His latest collection, The Transparency of Sutures, is available on Kindle.
In this episode, ALLi's Nonfiction Adviser Anna Featherstone chats with author and learning strategist Maria Doyle about the production and distribution decisions behind her book Everyone's a Teacher. They explore questions including: Might your nonfiction book serve readers better if it asked more questions? How can QR codes enhance the reading experience? How do you turn a book with visual elements into an audiobook? And what if you gave readers a quiz to see whether your book is really for them? This episode will give you fresh ideas for producing and distributing a book in a way that really engages readers. Sponsor This podcast is proudly sponsored by Gatekeeper Press — your partner in premium independent publishing. Empowering authors with expert guidance, 100% rights, 100% royalties, and global distribution. From editing to marketing, their all-inclusive services help you publish professionally and confidently. Gatekeeper Press — Where Authors Are Family. About the Host Anna Featherstone is ALLi's nonfiction adviser and an author advocate and mentor. A judge of The Australian Business Book Awards and Australian Society of Travel Writers awards, she's also the founder of Bold Authors and presents author marketing and self-publishing workshops for organizations, including Byron Writers Festival. Anna has authored books including how-to books and memoirs, and her book Look-It's Your Book! about writing, publishing, marketing, and leveraging nonfiction is on the Australian Society of Authors recommended reading list. When she's not being bookish, Anna's into bees, beings, and the big issues of our time. About the Guest Maria Doyle, author of Everyone's a Teacher, has more than thirty years' experience in teaching, learning, teacher training, developing curriculum, and managing education projects in Australia, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, the Pacific, North America, and Scandinavia. Her areas of expertise include instructional design, curriculum and learning resource development, teacher training, project management, assessment and evaluation, and professional development.
In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi Member Q&A podcast, hosts Michael La Ronn and Sacha Black discuss whether AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT can run an author's book marketing, from managing Amazon ads to updating metadata and delivering weekly trend reports. Other questions include: Should authors get an EIN, a DBA, and a separate business bank account? Is hiring an accountant worth the cost for a writing business? Are Goodreads giveaways worth the money? How long should authors market a book before publication? How do ALLi members list their books in the ALLi bookstore? Why do so many writers stop writing in the summer, and what is the "time of great forgetting"? And more! Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-Publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of nearly 2,000 blog posts and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. And, if you haven't already, we invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. About the Hosts Michael La Ronn is ALLi's Outreach Manager. He is the author of over 80 science fiction & fantasy books and self-help books for writers. He writes from the great plains of Iowa and has managed to write while raising a family, working a full-time job, and even attending law school classes in the evenings (now graduated!). You can find his fiction at www.michaellaronn.com and his videos and books for writers at www.authorlevelup.com. Sacha Black is a bestselling and competition winning author, rebel podcaster, speaker and casual rule breaker. She writes fiction under a secret pen name and other books about the art of writing. When Sacha isn't writing, she runs ALLi's blog. She lives in England, with her wife and genius, giant of a son. You can find her on her website, her podcast, and on Instagram.
On this week's Self-Publishing News podcast, ALLi News Editor Dan Holloway digs into Audible's new Nielsen IQ study of 18,000 listeners, which finds audiobook fans buying the same books in multiple formats — and still seeking out human narrators. He also covers Smashwords adding pre-orders and pre-sales through Draft2Digital, and a Bookseller report on how AI is splitting the ghostwriting market in two. About the Host Dan Holloway is a novelist, poet, and spoken word artist. He is the MC of the performance arts show The New Libertines, He competed at the National Poetry Slam final at the Royal Albert Hall. His latest collection, The Transparency of Sutures, is available on Kindle.
In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, Orna Ross and Joanna Penn discuss how book marketing is changing—and what still works. Drawing on their experiences updating their own marketing guides, they explore the growing role of AI, alternatives to social media, the renewed importance of print and in-person marketing, and why email lists remain essential. They also discuss how authors can develop marketing strategies that fit their goals, personalities, and resources, rather than trying to do everything. About the Hosts Joanna Penn writes nonfiction for authors and is an award-nominated, New York Times and USA Today bestselling thriller author as J.F.Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. Orna Ross launched the Alliance of Independent Authors at the London Book Fair in 2012. Her work for ALLi has seen her named as one of The Bookseller's "100 top people in publishing". She also publishes poetry, fiction, and nonfiction and is greatly excited by the democratizing, empowering potential of author-publishing. For more information about Orna, visit her website.