Meet The ALLi Team

Novelist and poet Orna Ross is a proud indie author and advocate for self-publishing as artistic expression, as a viable business option for authors, and as a necessary skill for every business in today’s digital, networked economy. Her work for ALLi has seen her named One of the 100 most influential people in publishing (The Bookseller).

What I like about working for ALLi is being in daily connection with the engaged, talented, forward-thinking group of authors who are not only changing the status of writers within the publishing industry and society but also fostering artistic freedom, diversity of creative expression and the democratisation of publishing.

Before founding ALLi with Orna, Philip was a director at a large, corporate multinational. He left that work for a lifestyle of more freedom and independence. He brings 25 years of business management experience to ALLi and works on systems, strategy, and financial planning.

Although Philip doesn’t use social media, he loves receiving emails from members!

I’m delighted to be working for the democratisation of publishing through our not-for-profit community interest company, where technologies are empowering authors with new ways of working, and new routes to readers. It’s a pleasure and a privilege to be involved in this vibrant and mutually supportive community that’s so open to change.

Sarah provides business support services to small business owners worldwide. Diligent, smart and proactive, it’s her job to make the life of hard-working business owner’s easier.

When Sarah’s not supporting business owners, she’s travelling the globe and working on her passion – Eat Wag Play – a resource to provide nutrition and well-being advice to dog owners, ensuring fur babies everywhere lead a vibrant, healthy life.

After discovering ALLi in 2015, I was amazed at the wealth of resources it provides to authors, which grows more and more each year. Not only did this encourage my own meagre writing endeavours, but it introduced me to Orna and Philip who are so incredibly passionate and dedicated to helping authors succeed that it’s impossible not to be swept up in, and want to be a part of, this wonderful alliance.

Sacha Black is a bestselling and competition winning author, rebel podcaster, and professional speaker. She writes educational nonfiction books for writers and sapphic books for Young Adults. Sacha joined ALLi in 2017, and became a member of the team in May 2019. She edits and manages the advice blog. She lives in Cambridgeshire, England, with her wife and son.

I love ALLi because it makes a vast global industry feel connected by bringing authors and indie entrepreneurs from across the continents together. It’s an exciting team to be a part of because it’s grounded in forward thinking and more importantly, it educates its members to protect themselves and capitalise on their rights. ALLi is an inspiration to me and I’m proud to be a member.

Kayleigh is a virtual assistant specialising in customer support and social media. She started Admin Angels UK in 2013 with the aim of helping small business owners and authors achieve a better work-life balance.

When she’s not working or spending time with her family, Kayleigh spends most of her time reading and reviewing books and working on her first novel.

I first discovered ALLi when I started writing two years ago. The sheer wealth of resources and advice is invaluable to any self-publishing author and I’m delighted to give something back to ALLi and its members.

John Doppler has an insatiable hunger for technology. A seasoned software developer, John’s quarter-century career in the tech industry comprises a smorgasbord of pursuits, including graphic design, game development, internet forensics, and digital publishing. He relishes helping authors turn new opportunities into their bread and butter.

John serves up humor, news, and resources to writers at Words on Words, and has been rumored to write biographies during lunch.

ALLi represents the perfect fusion of knowledge, experience, and a supportive author community. Not one day goes by without useful information being shared among its members; not one day passes without my referring authors to the ALLi blog for answers. It’s an incomparable resource for both novice and expert authors.

Dan Holloway is a poet, novelist, journalist, editor and performer. Dan loves the writing and research process but comes into his own when given a microphone. He is the rabble rouser in chief of The New Libertines, who have been touring the UK’s festivals and fringes since 2011.

In 2010, he won the international spoken prose show Literary Death Match and competed at the 2016 UK National Poetry Slam Final at the Royal Albert Hall. He also runs the editing and copywriting business Rogue Interrobang, working with academics and non-fiction writers. When Dan’s not doing writing things he runs ultramarathons and appears on cheesy TV game shows.

It is a real honour to have been involved with ALLi since being a panellist at its launch. I love that ALLi is able to support self-publishers of all types, whatever their reason for taking control into their own hands. In a publishing world that struggles time and again to acknowledge and challenge its own homogeneity, ALLi stands for diversity and the fundamental principle that everyone deserves to be heard in their own voice.

Michael La Ronn is the author of over 30 science fiction & fantasy novels and author self-help books. To date, he has published over 1.5 million words of fiction and nonfiction.

Since publishing his first book in 2014, he has produced a prolific writing portfolio while raising a family and working a full-time job in the insurance industry.

When I started as an indie author, ALLi's self-publishing advice was invaluable in helping me make smart decisions. It is now an honor to serve on the team so that I can pay it forward and make a difference by giving other indie authors useful advice and encouraging them to be the best authors they can be.

A journalist for more than thirty years, focusing primarily on science, technology, and innovation, Howard has always gravitated toward independent thinkers.

He took this sense of mission to Foreword Reviews, where he was executive editor, guiding coverage of independent publishing, with a particular focus on amplifying the voices of publishers and authors that represent marginalized communities.

Now, as an independent editor, podcast producer for ALLi and host of ALLi's “Inspirational Indie Authors” podcast , Howard helps self-publishing authors find their voice.

Robin Phillips is an established indie author (writing as Russell Phillips) who understands the daily challenges writers face when publishing their own books. They have been publishing books in various formats since 2011 and have built up a wealth of knowledge and experience that they now use to help other writers succeed.

I first joined ALLi as an author member, then upgraded to partner membership when I started my author services business, Author Help. ALLi has been a great help to me as an author, and it's been a privilege and a pleasure to work for them.

Dan Parsons writes the Creative Business series for authors, bestselling fantasy and horror novels (under Daniel Parsons), and a weekly blog for The Self-Publishing Formula. While pursuing his author career, he has worked for three traditional publishers, managed two bookstores and listened to an unhealthy number of podcasts. Now he manages ALLi’s book production schedule.

I’ve always loved the ALLi community. Membership is invaluable because it gives you access to experts from all walks of life and areas of publishing. Everyone involved understands the author lifestyle, because they live it themselves, and will gladly offer wisdom and advice when you venture into unfamiliar territory. The focus on producing high-quality books and behaving in an ethical way is truly something to celebrate.

Author Melissa Addey mainly writes historical fiction, her PhD in Creative Writing explored the importance of fiction as well as fact in the genre. She’s been the Leverhulme Trust Writer in Residence for the British Library where she still runs workshops for writers and other creatives who want to develop their entrepreneurial skills.

I like that creativity can also be applied to the business side of self-publishing and that it gives authors a sense of ownership. ALLi’s advice and support gives confidence to authors who choose this route and I’m excited to see how many organisations are now opening up to indie authors, for mutual benefit.