Beyond (or Before) the Launch: Igniting Momentum for Your Book’s Success

A virtual retreat with Susie deVille and AJ Harper
September 25-27, 2025
Your book launch didn’t go the way you dreamed it would. Sales were dismal. You’re feeling defeated, drained, and maybe even questioning why you wrote the book in the first place.
You’re not alone. And more importantly—you didn’t fail.
The truth? Most authors are given a one-size-fits-all formula for launching and selling books, one that suffocates creativity and disconnects us from our message.
That formula drains your energy, time, and bank account and you’re left feeling exhausted and disappointed.
You believe in your book and you want to reach more readers, but you don’t know where to start, or if you even have it in you to devote your limited time to book marketing again.
You wonder, “Did I miss my chance?”
(Spoiler alert: You didn’t.)
You did not fail.
Your book is worth it.
You can revive your book.
And if you haven’t launched your book yet…
You may wonder how you’ll wade through the maze of book marketing advice to give your book a good start without burning out or spending all your savings.
Too many authors fall victim to outdated, ego-driven, transactional book launch advice that does not honor your work–or the life and promise of your book.
You won’t screw this up.
You won’t miss your chance.
Your book IS worth it.
I’m AJ Harper, a 20-year publishing industry veteran and I’m on a mission to help authors stay in the game. I’ve seen too many great books die due to heartbreak and exhaustion.
If you don’t know me, I help authors write must-read books people dog-ear, underline, and rave about. I also wrote a book about how to do that, Write a Must-Read: Craft a Book that Changes Lives–Including Your Own.
I’ve worked with hundreds of authors at every level of experience. My workshop alums have sold tens of thousands of books, made national bestseller lists, and won too many awards to count.
In my writing workshops, I also help authors navigate the world of publishing. Authors try to figure out how to launch and market their book, but there’s so much bad advice out there, they get twisted in knots.
Worse, when their book sales don’t pan out the way they hoped, they take that as evidence that they “don’t have what it takes” to succeed in authorship. They’ve lost the joy and creative spark that inspired them to write their book in the first place.
In this state of mind, how could I get authors to stay in the game and recommit to their book?
In 2024, I had an idea. I called up my friend and workshop alum, Susie deVille. Because if anyone knows how to help authors reconnect to their joy and creative spark, it’s Susie.
Author of the award-winning book, Buoyant: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Becoming Wildly Successful, Creative, and Free, Susie’s innovative methodology has been a revelation for so many entrepreneurs. Susie is tapped in–I’ve watched her unlock even the most frustrated authors.
The Founder and CEO of the Innovation and Creativity Institute, Susie is the go-to strategist for authors and entrepreneurs who are burnt out on formulaic marketing and ready to break the rules. Known for transforming stuck creatives into bold, unapologetic “rebels,” she helps them ditch the hustle and sell more by unlocking the power of their innate creativity. If you're tired of doing what you're “supposed to” and ready to finally market your work in a way that feels like you, she's your secret weapon.
If Susie and I could combine her mind-blowing method with my publishing industry knowledge and strategy, we could help authors design a simple, yet powerful plan to revive their books and reach more readers.
Fortunately, Susie was game!
(She’s always game to figure out how to help people break through their blocks and create something unexpected. That’s her jam!)
We joined forces and started cooking up a brand new thing–no one has ever offered a retreat like this.

Here’s What We Made for You
This immersive, virtual retreat is a rejuvenating adventure—take a breath, reset, and rediscover your power as an author. Over three days, you’ll gain clarity, confidence, and a fresh perspective on your book’s journey.
We’ll cut through the myths of book marketing, break free from limiting beliefs, and craft a custom strategy that feels natural, energizing, and uniquely yours.
"Susie deVille brings joy and clarity to my scattered mind. I highly recommend tuning into her wisdom (and laughter!) any chance you get!"
—Holly Roberts
"A revelation, transforming my perspective on both my professional endeavors and personal life. The joy of exploring creativity within AJ's class was unparalleled, and the wealth of knowledge I gained is truly invaluable. These insights will undoubtedly guide me long after the class has concluded, enriching my journey ahead."
—Marcia Dawood
Retreat Breakdown
Debunking Book Launch Myths & Reframing Your Experience
We’ll start by untangling what really happens with a book launch—what you expect, what actually occurs, and what is never in your control to begin with. We’ll work through book sales goals, realistic growth strategies, and how to build sustainable momentum. And AJ will reveal book-changing and life-changing secrets publishers don’t tell you. The information she will share with you will change the trajectory of your book and your career.
Creating the Vision for Book Sales
You’ll design a long-term vision for your book that feels authentic and achievable—because book success isn’t just about the first few months. You’ll learn how to align your goals with a realistic, energizing timeline that works for you. You’ll learn AJ’s proprietary Facilitator Formula and how to map it out to maximize sales and expand your reach.
Remember Your WHY + Intentions & Paint Your Timeline + Work Your Book Sales Goals into the Timeline
Reconnect with the heart of your work—your deeper WHY. With this anchor in place, we will intentionally map your aligned goals and timeline for the next chapter of your author life. This is where purpose meets planning: you'll integrate your book sales goals directly into a creative, doable timeline that supports your vision, rather than overwhelms it.
Note: No prior art experience or “talent” is required!!! Susie will send you a simple list of the materials you’ll need for the retreat (many of which you most likely already have on hand).
Kandinsky Marketing Tree of You
Marketing isn't one-size-fits-all—and it shouldn't feel like a soul-drain. Through the playful yet powerful Kandinsky Marketing Tree of You exercise, you'll identify the root structures (values, voice, vision) that fuel your most magnetic presence. You’ll also clarify your Top 3 "marketing buckets"—the channels that feel most like you—and discover how to harmonize them into your own marketing tenor chord, a sustainable, resonant strategy that nurtures both growth and joy.
Overcoming Limiting Beliefs: Brain + Culture + Mastering Your Mind + Formula for Getting What You Want & Managing Your Energy, Part 1
Limiting beliefs don’t come from nowhere—they're wired in through brain patterns and cultural messaging. This session offers tools to identify and rewrite the stories that keep you stuck, while also learning the formula for actually getting what you want (and not just thinking about it). We'll also dive into the often-missing piece of the marketing puzzle: your energy. You’ll learn the foundations of inspired, aligned marketing and the absolute necessity of buffer time—so you can grow without burning out.
Managing Your Energy, Part 2: BLQs, "Everyone" Exercise
In this integrative session, we’ll go deeper into practical energy management tools—BLQs (Buoyant Liberation Quadrants) and your "Everyone" exercise. These tools help you clear out energetic noise, release people-pleasing tendencies, and get radically honest. Expect major clarity, reclaimed vitality, and a renewed sense of sovereignty in your author journey.
"The Wild of You" Abstract Painting
Time to step away from the words and into pure creative expression. Through this intuitive abstract painting session, you'll explore and embody "The Wild of You"—that part of your creativity that can't be tamed, explained, or marketed. This is about accessing the non-linear wisdom that lives beyond strategy and tapping into the creative force that fuels all meaningful work.
Review & Revise Action Plan
With your timeline, marketing clarity, energy tools, and inner alignment in place, it’s time to look at your action plan with fresh eyes. This session is for refining and re-aligning. What’s realistic? What’s joyful? What needs adjusting? You’ll walk away with a plan that works for your life and author journey—not someone else’s checklist.
Create an Artful Map of Your Plan
To close our retreat, we’ll weave together all you’ve uncovered—your vision, timeline, marketing buckets, and energy strategies—into an Artful Map that visually represents your next chapter. This is not just a plan, it’s a personal, inspiring touchstone to keep your momentum alive. You'll leave with clarity, creativity, and a beautiful reminder that this journey is yours to shape.
"A fantastic journey of self-knowledge and creativity."
—Paty Gardner
"The golden key for opening the door to my soul....Susie has made a path for all of us entrepreneurs to align with what we truly want to achieve in our businesses and our lives. The best part is you have fun as you learn and discover your true self."
—Cyndi Thomason
Come to the retreat to…
Reignite Your Confidence & Passion – Shift from self-doubt to self-trust. You’ll rediscover why you wrote your book in the first place and step back into your power as an author.
Build a Marketing Strategy That Feels Natural & Energizing – No more forcing yourself into rigid formulas that don’t fit. You’ll design a custom plan rooted in your strengths, creativity, and unique message.
Breathe New Life Into Your Book – Your book isn’t done. You’ll explore fresh ways to revive and reposition it, proving that success doesn’t have an expiration date.
Master Your Mindset & Break Free from Limiting Beliefs – Release the fear of failure, imposter syndrome, and the pressure to do things “by the book.” You’ll learn how to market with confidence, alignment, and ease.
Tap Into Your Creativity & Unleash New Possibilities – Through fun and simple creativity exercises (no art “talent” required!), you’ll break free from stress and reconnect with your most innovative, bold, and authentic ideas.
This virtual retreat is your space to regroup and jumpstart the next phase of your author journey.
No formulas. No “shoulds.”
Just real talk, fun exercises to uplevel your creativity, and expert insights leading you to set winning strategies to help you reclaim your book’s potential—on your terms.
All the Nitty-Gritty Details
Beyond (or Before) the Launch: Igniting Momentum for Your Book’s Success
When:
Thursday, September 25: 10:00am-4:00pm ET
Friday, September 26: 10:00am-4:00pm ET
Saturday, September 27: 9:00am-1:00pm ET
Where: Virtual on Zoom
The sessions will be recorded and available on the learning platform for six months.
Registration Fee:
$6,500
$5,000 (Early bird rate through August 15th at 5:00pm ET.)
Early bird goodies:
- Susie’s sexy treat
- AJ will audit your current book listings and website for book sales optimization
- A follow-up (group) 45-minute call with Susie and AJ to brainstorm and strategize
- A 30-minute 1:1 with AJ Harper’s Marketing Coordinator, Sadé Amherd. She will help you further refine your plan and focus on what works for you.
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A free ticket to (or recordings of) Susie’s masterclass, Journaling without Words. August 13th from Noon - 2 pm Eastern (live via Zoom). In this class, you’ll step into a sanctuary of self-discovery. Through introspection and reflection, you'll learn how to craft a visual vocabulary that articulates the essence of your true self, illuminating the path to renewal and reconnection with unparalleled clarity and purpose.
"A game changer for me....I am seeing things with a whole new, crystal-clear lens."
—Rachel Gogos
"Unlock creativity you may not even know resides in your heart."
—Caitlin Doemner
This Retreat Is for You If…
You’re feeling disheartened by your book’s performance and don’t know what to do next.
You followed traditional book marketing advice and felt disconnected from the process.
You secretly wonder if you are the problem (you’re not).
You want to reclaim your book’s success on your own terms—without burnout or self-doubt.
You’re ready to market in a way that feels joyful, aligned, and uniquely yours.
Your book isn’t dead. Your voice isn’t lost. Let’s reignite the fire.
Your book’s journey isn’t over—it’s just beginning. The next chapter starts here. Join us.
More About AJ and Susie
AJ Harper is an editor and publishing strategist who helps authors write foundational books that enable them to build readership, grow their brand and make a significant impact on the world. As a ghostwriter and as a developmental editor, Harper has worked with newbies to New York Times-bestselling authors with millions of books sold. Through her fourteen-week live course, Top Three Book Workshop, she helps authors develop, write, and edit must-read books.
As co-founder and senior editor for a small, award-wining LGBTQ-focused press, Harper acquired and edited scores of novels that helped change the publishing landscape for LGBTQ fiction and launched the careers of several bestselling Young Adult authors. She is a steadfast advocate for representation in literature. Harper and her fellow-founders sold the company to Chicago Review Press in 2021.
The Head Writing Coach for Heroic Public Speaking, Harper helped develop their 1st Term speech development program. She was part of the coach team for TEDx Cambridge, one of the longest-running and largest TED events in the world. She has coached renowned economic research scientists from Harvard, Yale, MIT and the World Economic Forum, and has helped create keynotes for bestselling authors, award-winning thought leaders, and inspired agents of change.

Harper is writing partner to business author, Mike Michalowicz. Together they’ve written over ten books, including Profit First, Clockwork, and All In (2023). She is the author of Write a Must-Read: Craft a Book That Changes Lives—Including Your Own.
Susie deVille is the dynamic Founder & CEO of the Innovation & Creativity Institute, a trailblazing business coach, and an accomplished author and artist. With over 30 years of entrepreneurial success, including the creation and sale of a highly profitable real estate firm, Susie is on a mission to empower individuals to tap into their innate creativity, home in on who they truly are, and unlock their full entrepreneurial potential.
Susie combines a rich academic background in anthropology and a master’s degree in entrepreneurship with an ongoing commitment to life-long learning from the world’s leading experts. Since 2005, she has been dedicated to researching innovation and creativity, continuously refining her methods to remain at the forefront of her field.
As a human behavior specialist and creative strategist, Susie leverages her expertise to help clients achieve extraordinary goals, build the life and business of their dreams, and weave indelible threads of impact into the social fabric.
Her award-winning, must-read book, Buoyant: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Becoming Wildly Successful, Creative, and Free, is available wherever books are sold. You may listen to her inspirational short-form podcast, The Courage to Live a Big Life, on any podcast platform.
