Podcast Summary

The Amazing Authorities Podcast

Host: Mitch Carson
Guest: Kern Carter (Novelist, Nonfiction Author, Writing Coach)
Episode: Why Physical Books Are Thriving — and What Most Authors Get Wrong About Selling Them
Date: February 17, 2026

Overview

This episode dives deep into the enduring appeal of physical books in the digital age and breaks down crucial misconceptions about book marketing and sales. Guest Kern Carter, an accomplished novelist and writing coach, shares stories from his own publishing journey — both indie and traditional — and offers a wealth of actionable insights for authors, especially on building communities, creative marketing, and the realities of the publishing industry.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Kern Carter’s Journey as an Author

• Early Inspiration: Kern was drawn to being an author from the age of 8 and stuck relentlessly to his dream (01:00).
• Publishing Path:
  • Self-published novels in 2014 and 2017.
  • Signed with Cormorant (Canadian indie publisher) for Boys and Girls Screaming.
  • Progressed to Penguin and Scholastic with several new books in the pipeline (01:00–01:54).
• Genres: Writes across adult, YA, and middle grade fiction; now venturing into nonfiction.

2. The Enduring Power of Physical Books

• Physical vs. Ebooks & Audiobooks:
  "People buy physical books by 4 to 1 compared to ebooks or any other book... We just sold another record year... close to 800 million physical books in 2025." — Kern Carter (02:22)
• Cross-generational Appeal: Younger generations (Gen A, Gen Z) are still reading physical books (02:55), countering the myth that digital has completely overtaken print.
• Unique Experience:
  "Reading a book is such a unique experience... there's just something very magical about reading a physical book." — Kern Carter (03:21)
• Tactility & Ritual: Both host and guest agree: the act of holding, marking, and interacting with a book is irreplaceable (03:48–04:20).

3. Showcasing Kern’s Books

• Titles Highlighted (04:35–05:54):
  • Boys and Girls Screaming (Cormorant)
  • And Then There’s Us (Penguin)
  • Is There a Boy Like Me? (Scholastic)
  • Thoughts of a Fractured Soul and Beauty Scars (both self-published)
• Notable: His middle-grade book is his most popular to date, despite not considering himself a children’s author.

4. First Foray into Nonfiction

• Theme: Decentering American culture and its pervasiveness in Canada and beyond (06:17–07:58).
• Personal Narrative: The impact of language on personal identity and finding one’s voice.
• Cultural Distinctions: Carter elaborates on similarities and differences between Canadian and American cultures, emphasizing America's outsized cultural export power (08:47–11:21).

5. On Coaching, Teaching, and Helping Others Write

• Writing Is Just the Start: Carter ghostwrites, edits, book coaches, and teaches at Humber College in Toronto (11:46–13:21).
• Fulfillment: Finds deep joy in teaching and inspiring new generations, from grade school through college.
• Key Insight: “I think we need more stories in the world, not less. Being able to help others bring their story to the world is... the most rewarding thing for me.” — Kern Carter (13:19)

6. The Psychology and Mindset of Writing

• Commitment Is Key:
  "It's like 75% mindset... decide that this is something you want to do and then commit to it. If you're not committed, this is just not the industry for you." — Kern Carter (13:55)
• Rejection and Emotional Hurdles: The career demands resilience and determination.

7. Book Marketing: What Most Authors Get Wrong

• Community First:
  "Try very hard to build your own community and speak to a very specific community of people. If you can identify the people who will be most engaged with your books, then speak to them." — Kern Carter (15:21)
• Podcasts for Promotion:
  “Forget the big podcasts... the ones that move books are podcasts like this because people are engaged... you'll be able to capture that audience.” — Kern Carter (16:05)
• Leverage Your Strengths: Whether writing, video, or speaking — put energy where you shine most (16:38).

8. Book Signings and Their Purpose

• Building Relationships, Not Just Sales:
  "They're relevant for deepening your relationship with readers, not relevant for selling books." — Kern Carter (17:09)
• Focus on nurturing fans and personal connections rather than expecting direct sales.

9. Innovative and Real-World Marketing Tactics

• Early Mistakes: Carter’s first launch drew a tiny crowd. He course-corrected by building buzz and partnerships years in advance for his next release (18:14).
• Creative Example — High School Art Competition:
  • Ran a cover design contest with two local high schools (19:00–20:27).
  • Winner (aged 16) designed the cover; all participants became invested fans.
  • Hosted a live event for the finalists—"two busloads of kids and their friends" (20:27).
  • Captured the power of recognition: “Not just the winner becomes your fan. All 50 students become your fan.” (20:27)
• Adult Engagement — Art Show and Wine Event: Used finalist artworks, partner wine sponsor, performed readings; collected adult audience emails for launch day (26:53–27:53).
• Strategic Partnerships: Tied book themes to a charity (Breast Cancer Canada for Beauty Scars) for a co-branded billboard campaign (29:03).
• Word of Mouth Reigns:
  “Word of mouth sells books more than anything... The power of bringing people together is unchanged.” — Kern Carter (21:20)

10. Marketing Lessons and Realities of Publishing

• No Substitute for Marketing:
  “If you want to sell books, you have to learn to market well. There’s no exception.” — Kern Carter (29:00)
• Publisher’s Real Role:
  “Publishers don’t sell books... their business is distribution. Bookstores, third parties, they sell the books. You have to figure out how to sell your book.” — Kern Carter (30:19)
• Exposure vs. Effort: Publishers provide platform and legitimacy, but most marketing hustle is on the author (31:20).

11. Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the Book Market: "Physical books outsell e-books by 4 to 1 globally." — Kern Carter (02:22)
• On Mindset: "Decide this is something you want to do, then commit to it... this is not the industry for wavering." — Kern Carter (13:55)
• On Recognition: “Men will die for badges and ribbons.” — Mitch Carson citing Napoleon (25:11)
• On Real-Life Engagement: "Authors underestimate the power of bringing people together in real life. Word of mouth sells books more than anything." — Kern Carter (21:20)
• On the Reality of Publishing: "Publishers don’t sell books... their business is distribution. You have to figure out how to sell your book." — Kern Carter (30:19)
• On the long game: "You have to put in the elbow grease." — Mitch Carson (29:44)

Key Timestamps

• 01:00 – Kern’s author journey and publishing path
• 02:22–03:48 – Physical books vs. digital: hard stats and perceptions
• 04:35–05:54 – Show and tell: Kern’s books
• 06:17–07:58 – Nonfiction project and its themes
• 11:46–13:21 – Teaching, ghostwriting, editing
• 13:55–14:31 – Commitment required to be an author
• 15:21–17:02 – Book marketing strategies (community, podcasts, strengths)
• 17:09–17:35 – Book signings: relationships vs. direct sales
• 18:14–22:33 – Real-world marketing: high school contest, live events, art show
• 29:00–31:20 – Publishers vs. authors’ marketing responsibilities

Tone, Language, & Style

• Conversational, candid, and practical.
• Both guest and host share real, sometimes humorous anecdotes and hard-won lessons.
• The tone is constructive, generous, and geared toward helping authors at every stage.

Conclusion

Kern Carter exhorts authors to value the unique ritual of physical books, to think long-term and creatively about audience-building, and to take ultimate responsibility for their own book sales. The myth that publishers will handle your marketing is firmly dispelled. Instead, building community, leveraging word of mouth, staging real-life events, and finding one’s authentic marketing channel emerge as the keys to authorial success in 2026.

Find Kern Carter:
Website: kercarter.com
IG: @k.carter

Next Up:
Kern returns after the release of his nonfiction title, February 27th.

For more strategies, subscribe to The Amazing Authorities Podcast.