ABOUT C. L. Creating Ripples of Impact By day, C. L. Fails is the Founder & CEO of LaunchCrate Publishing - a company created to help writers launch their work into the world while retaining the portion of profit they deserve. By night, C. L. is the author and illustrator of the Ella Book Series, The Christmas Cookie Books, and the Raine the Brain Series. Additionally, she is an accidental educator, having served pre-school through college students in her hometown of Kansas City. Always an agent for equity, she has dedicated her career to helping others learn to follow their internal compass, and thrive despite challenge. Outside of LaunchCrate she is an active advocate for education, serving on the Board of Directors for organizations like Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City, the Children’s Campus of Kansas City, and Front Porch Alliance. Additionally, she has served on the K-State in KC Task Force, as well as Chair Emeritus of the Multicultural Alumni Council at Kansas State University and former Girls on the Run Coach. When she’s not working on a book, leading a workshop, making music, or baking, you can find her doodling on whatever object may be nearby. Want to see her smile? Ask about her family. Ready to Book a Session? Interested in an engaging visit from C. L. Fails? Let's connect to schedule a school visit, keynote presentation, workshop, panel discussion, guest lecture, or to discuss an alternative option.​ ✉️ Send Running for Wellness The whole notion of running a half marathon initially struck me as an endeavor best left to the brave, the mildly insane, or perhaps both. I grew up playing sports that required a sprint here or there at best. Definitely nothing long distance. Yet, there I was, toeing the line between ambition and audacity, lacing up my sneakers — hopefully well enough to stay tied — taking on a feat that combines the mystique of an ancient quest with the modern struggle of deciphering a GPS watch’s cryptic instructions. This was uncharted territory for a self-proclaimed non runner. But what I uncovered within my own running journey was something that runners everywhere have known for centuries. ​ Listen to the answer here . WHO All the Hats I feel fortunate to get to use several of my talents to create ripples of impact. That often means I wear many different hats, similar to most creatives and entrepreneurs in the U.S. LAUNCHCRATE CEO This is the space to introduce the business’s team and what makes it special. C. L. FAILS AUTHOR This is the space to introduce the business’s team and what makes it special. MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER This is the space to introduce the business’s team and what makes it special. IN THE NEWS Ripples of Impact

Privacy Policy A LEGAL DISCLAIMER The explanations and information provided on this page are only general and high-level explanations and information on how to write your own document of a Privacy Policy. You should not rely on this article as legal advice or as recommendations regarding what you should actually do, because we cannot know in advance what are the specific privacy policies you wish to establish between your business and your customers and visitors. We recommend that you seek legal advice to help you understand and to assist you in the creation of your own Privacy Policy. PRIVACY POLICY - THE BASICS Having said that, a privacy policy is a statement that discloses some or all of the ways a website collects, uses, discloses, processes, and manages the data of its visitors and customers. It usually also includes a statement regarding the website’s commitment to protecting its visitors’ or customers’ privacy, and an explanation about the different mechanisms the website is implementing in order to protect privacy. Different jurisdictions have different legal obligations of what must be included in a Privacy Policy. You are responsible to make sure you are following the relevant legislation to your activities and location. WHAT TO INCLUDE IN THE PRIVACY POLICY Generally speaking, a Privacy Policy often addresses these types of issues: the types of information the website is collecting and the manner in which it collects the data; an explanation about why is the website collecting these types of information; what are the website’s practices on sharing the information with third parties; ways in which your visitors an customers can exercise their rights according to the relevant privacy legislation; the specific practices regarding minors’ data collection; and much much more. To learn more about this, check out our article “Creating a Privacy Policy ”.

Author. Speaker. Creative. INSPIRATIONALLY, UNCOMPROMISINGLY, INTUITIVELY JOYFUL AUTHOR Purpose Driven, Inspirationally Humorous C. L. Fails is the multi-genre author of Decoding Joy , The Sugarplum Series , The Ella Books Series , The Raine the Brain Series , The Christmas Cookie Books , and the Modern Memoir, So Okay . She is the founder of LaunchCrate Publishing and host of the Decoding Joy podcast . Read More SPEAKER Fully Connected, Uncompromisingly Joyful ALL THINGS JOY 30 Min Keynote 60 Min Workshop 90 Min Empowerment Series Ripe with joyous energy and setting the stage for deep, meaningful healing, these workshops put you in the captain's chair, charting a path towards your best life yet. Increase your awareness of how joy shows up for you. Connect with other joy seekers in a network of healing and transformation. Leave with a renewed sense of purpose and with tools to generate more joy. BOOK ME BRANDING THINGS 90 Min Personal, Author, or Company Branding 60 Min Branding 101 Identify your brand story through an in depth exploration of your brand; who you are, what you do, why you do it. Get clear on your audience and how to effectively communicate with them. BOOK ME AUTHORY THINGS 30 - 60 Min Author Visit (virtual or in person) 90 Min Writing Workshop Series For the young, young at heart, and everyone in between. I love to create ripples of kindness and impact wherever I speak, virtual or in-person. International writing conferences or those in the states, my favorite authory topics include the basics of manuscript writing, finding your creative spark, centering joy, & kickstarting your book idea. 30 Min Keynote BOOK ME CREATIVE Intentional Whimsy, Intuitively Imaginative Writing, podcasting, arranging music, illustrating, or quilting (yep - like the blankets), hands on opportunities to generate something new, something bold, something repurposed, something innovative, I'm here for it! One Minute Gems, music projects, books I'm writing, all things creative - you'll find them here. Ready to book me for your podcast or interview me for your publication? Promise I'll only be introverty after it's all done. READ MORE BOOKS By the Numbers 10 Illustrated 5 Genres 15+ Published 5000+ Copies Sold COLLABORATION Industry Partners

Get in Touch REACH OUT, SHARE A QUESTION OR PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON MY BOOKS OR SERVICES. FILL OUT THE FORM AND WE’LL RESPOND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. First name * Last name * Email * Organization Type of inquiry * Message SEND MESSAGE

Books WRITTEN OR ILLUSTRATED BY C. L. FAILS FOR CHILDREN FICTION Two picture book series and a series for middle grade readers. There's something here for every child here! THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE BOOKS The books that launched my career as an author. Imagine waking up on a plate of cookies meant for Santa on Christmas Eve. This - this is that. Wacky and funny with a message about trusting your gut. THE ELLA BOOKS Each book is a love letter to my mom. So far we're 4 books into a 10 book series with more on the horizon. Each one focuses on a different super power and infuses character traits like grit and growth mindset. RAINE THE BRAIN Older readers with a sense of adventure will love the Raine the Brain series. Each book follows Raine and the inventions he creates to save the world from other-worldly beings. Part sci-fi, always an empowering message hidden within it. FOR GROWN UPS Non-Fiction Books From a modern memoir to a book on joy, my hope is that these books find their way into the hands of those who need the messages within them. Each book offers a unique view on life's challenges and how to navigate them. SO OKAY... A young high school graduate from modest Dalton, MO, embarks on an expedition to find his way in this big, beautiful world. More than 75 years later, his granddaughter is deployed on her own mission; capturing the unimaginable stories of his incredible life. The stories shared by this war veteran and Buffalo Soldier hold all the candor you would expect from a 94 year old, with a twist of wit and wisdom inherited from his siblings, parents and grandparents (some of whom were born into slavery). Get your QR reader ready and prepare for a wild ride as you listen to Grandpa James summons his inner griot and teach us about life's universal human truths. DECODING JOY Joy feels like something we should all have easy access to. Often though, its elusive nature leaves us out of breath - chasing after it full-speed, down the street, like it just ran off with all of our favorite things. The strain of this evasive nature can leave us with a sense that joy, or the pursuit of it, is something too complex to obtain. But what if the key to decoding joy was actually quite simple? ​ Decoding Joy, is a small but mighty addition to the current roster of books that serve to teach us more about joy; what it is, how it works, and how to make it work for you. Through a heartfelt analysis of the author's experiences, this title guides you through the process of creating an inviting space for joy to live and thrive in abundance. FOR GROWN UPS FICTION I thought I was a children's book author. I quickly learned to remove my own limitations when I finished the first draft of a Romance novel in 14 days. Now, 5 books into the series, I just stay open to the stories that are ready to flow through me. Pssst...there's another genre brewing that I also didn't see coming. THE SUGARPLUM TRILOGY Follow the story of Dr. Chris and Charlie as they meet (A Spoonful of Sugarplums), fall in love (Where Sugarplums Shimmer), and decipher how to let love lead (A Sugarplum Promise). These two have a lot to say about love and so do their friends. THE SUGARPLUM UNIVERSE Who doesn't love a good spinoff? Those friends of Dr. Chris and Charlie all have a story to share as well. There's a coming of age story (Sugarplum Sweethearts) and one of redeeming love (Sugarplums on the Side), with more on the way! WHAT'S NEXT? What's the next genre on the horizon? Keep an eye on this section to see what's on the way. I've written everything from picture books to romance novels, from a memoir to a book on joy, and a book to help you document your family's stories. It could be literally anything!

Idea to Editor | Writing One Chapter Self-paced: I2E Course 2 of 8 Writing one chapter at a time, finding your voice, fleshing out a chapter, and staying focused. The second course in the Idea to Editor series centers on the importance of building and honing your focus as you write. This course can be taken solo or in sequence. Next Item Previous Item

Terms & Conditions A LEGAL DISCLAIMER The explanations and information provided on this page are only general and high-level explanations and information on how to write your own document of Terms & Conditions. You should not rely on this article as legal advice or as recommendations regarding what you should actually do, because we cannot know in advance what are the specific terms you wish to establish between your business and your customers and visitors. We recommend that you seek legal advice to help you understand and to assist you in the creation of your own Terms & Conditions. TERMS & CONDITIONS - THE BASICS Having said that, Terms and Conditions (“T&C”) are a set of legally binding terms defined by you, as the owner of this website. The T&C set forth the legal boundaries governing the activities of the website visitors, or your customers, while they visit or engage with this website. The T&C are meant to establish the legal relationship between the site visitors and you as the website owner. T&C should be defined according to the specific needs and nature of each website. For example, a website offering products to customers in e-commerce transactions requires T&C that are different from the T&C of a website only providing information (like a blog, a landing page, and so on). T&C provide you as the website owner the ability to protect yourself from potential legal exposure, but this may differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, so make sure to receive local legal advice if you are trying to protect yourself from legal exposure. WHAT TO INCLUDE IN THE T&C DOCUMENT Generally speaking, T&C often address these types of issues: Who is allowed to use the website; the possible payment methods; a declaration that the website owner may change his or her offering in the future; the types of warranties the website owner gives his or her customers; a reference to issues of intellectual property or copyrights, where relevant; the website owner’s right to suspend or cancel a member’s account; and much much more. To learn more about this, check out our article “Creating a Terms and Conditions Policy ”.

Idea to Editor | Adding Depth Self-paced: I2E Course 3 of 8 Weaving a powerful story throughout your book. The third course in the Idea to Editor series sets a foundational understanding of the reader's journey and stresses its importance in creating a powerful narrative. This course can be taken solo or in sequence. Next Item Previous Item

In the News 60 Second Sonata with Alexis Ffrench Author C. L. Fails chats about her running journey with composer, Alexis Ffrench. Listen to the Sonata he composes based on her journey. Read More Legacy LitFest | Black Children's Book Week LaunchCrate Publishing spearheads a local event to help kickoff International Black Children's Book Week! Read More Food Biz Con Author C. L. Fails joins the rank of presenters for this year's Food Biz Con. Read More Small Business Superstar LaunchCrate Publishing, founded and run by Author C. L. Fails announces its selection as a 2024 Small Business Superstar for the 4th year running. Read More Blooming Forward in Joy Cynthia Fails and The Blakk Co. partner for a 3-week series nurtured by joy. Read More Breaking Barriers: Women in Leadership Conference Options for the second and final concurrent breakout session included “How to Advocate for Yourself and Future Women” by Diana Kuhlman, Cynthia Fails, Hilary Barbour and Daphne Mayes Read More Hidden Gems: Meet Cynthia Fails Cynthia was recently listed as one of Voyage KC's Hidden Gems. Read More Romance GenreCon | Mid-Continent Public Library Romance GenreCon here we come! Excited to moderate the panel on Big Business with Indie Authors! Read More Women Innovators at Kansas State University Cynthia joined a panel of Women Innovators, to discuss inspirational and entrepreneurial insight. Read More Women in Publishing Summit | 2022 Workshop Presenter I'm coming back to this year's Global publishing summit with a new focus - non-fiction books! Read More The Independent Magazine Honors KC Women Trailblazers Cynthia was included amongst several KC Trailblazers in The Independent magazine Read More LaunchCrate Publishing: 2022 Small Business Superstar! LaunchCrate Publishing, founded and run by C. L. Fails, was recognized as a Small Business Superstar by the KC Chamber. Read More

Idea to Editor | Final Drafts & Next Steps Self-paced: I2E Course 8 of 8 Celebrating your work and discussing publishing options. The eight and final course in the Idea to Editor series centers on celebrating your hard work and outlining the next steps available on your publishing journey. This course can be taken solo or in sequence. Next Item Previous Item

Courses Idea to Editor | Editing in Reverse Self-paced: I2E Course 6 of 8 Start Now Idea to Editor | Foundations Self-paced: I2E Course 1 of 8 Start Now Idea to Editor | Writing One Chapter Self-paced: I2E Course 2 of 8 Start Now Idea to Editor | Receiving Shield Down Feedback Self-paced: I2E Course 7 of 8 Start Now Idea to Editor | Master Course Live Course + Coaching Start Now Idea to Editor | Finishing Strong Self-paced: I2E Course 5 of 8 Start Now Idea to Editor | Getting Unstuck Self-paced: I2E Course 4 of 8 Start Now Idea to Editor | Final Drafts & Next Steps Self-paced: I2E Course 8 of 8 Start Now Hope Setting Self-paced: How and why hope is essential in all aspects of writing and publishing. Start Now Idea to Editor | Adding Depth Self-paced: I2E Course 3 of 8 Start Now

Idea to Editor | Foundations Self-paced: I2E Course 1 of 8 Brainstorming, Identifying the Readers' Outcome, Outlining Your Book & Conducting Research The first course in the Idea to Editor series centers on the importance of setting a strong foundation for your work. This course can be taken solo or in sequence. Next Item Previous Item