Case Study

Rachel Gilbertson, Aligned Enchantment

"Heather is skilled at helping new authors find their voice and forge their path that is in alignment with their authenticity."

Rachel Gilbertson

Rachel’s book launch party!

Rachel assumed the publishing process would be full of stress before she teamed up with Hezzie Mae:

Rachel had long dreamed of becoming an author and artist, but knew nothing about the publishing process.  Heather took the guesswork out of the logistics while also gently guiding the process.

Rachel had always assumed the publishing process was about hard and fast deadlines and full of stress. That was not the case at all when working with Heather. As Rachel says, it was a delightfully aligned effort with a timeline in mind, but the whole process invited ease and adaptability as the project unfolded. This allowed space for inspiration and serendipitous shifts to occur that made the end result even better than it would have been with a laser-focused finish.

Rachel also thought there would be lots of ‘shoulds’ and ‘to-do’s” for editing, marketing, and promotion. However, that was not what happened.

Instead, Heather helped her forge her own path in alignment with her vision and what felt right for her to do. Heather has developed tools and resources that offer inspiration and ideas, but all are optional and she ensures authors maintain creative control over all aspects of the process. 

Here’s what we did for Rachel to fulfill her dream of becoming a published author (without the stress):

  • Created a tailored publishing plan that removed the barriers of time constraints and pressure, allowing her to stay on track despite her busy life as a mom and bring her book to market without added stress.
  • Designed a creative strategy that not only enhanced her vision but also allowed her to offer something more meaningful than she had imagined, tying her deeply personal story to a core value in her brand.
  • Provided key services like custom illustrations and design, allowing her to publish a book that showcases her personal creative journey and resonates with her target audience.
  • Helped her embrace her authentic marketing process so that she could form connections with individuals and her community, avoiding the overwhelm of traditional marketing.

Rachel published her book in a way that was smooth, flexible, and aligned with her vision:

Rachel’s dream of becoming an author and artist is now a reality, and the journey was far from the stressful process she once imagined. Instead, it was smooth, flexible, and aligned with her vision.

Together, we created a publishing plan that left room for inspiration while staying on track. With guidance and support, Rachel maintained full creative control, avoiding the overwhelm of traditional publishing.

The result? A book that’s truly her own, completed in a way that felt right for her every step of the way.

Rachel’s interview with Sarah Bamford Seidelmann:

Rachel receiving her first author copy of Aligned Enchantment—an indie author and publisher’s greatest moment!

“More than the end result of having a finished book, it is who you become in the process.”

Heather took the time to fully understand my creative project, held space for exploring ideas as I clarified my vision, and asked powerful questions to get to the essence of the intention that expanded into my hopes and dreams for the project. She then helped to bring them to reality.  She is skilled at helping to sift through the noise to help new authors find their own voice and forge their own path that is in alignment with their authenticity.  

If you’re thinking about it, I’d absolutely recommend working with Hezzie Mae. Since publishing Aligned Enchantment, others have confided in me that they have a story that they have on their heart and always wanted to write down, but either don’t know where to start or acknowledge the fear they have of putting their story out there. I share with them how Heather creates a safe space to be brave and put their ideas, words, and art into the world.

Rachel Gilbertson, Author of Aligned Enchantment

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