I am currently serializing the first LBS novel, A Study In Garnet, on Patreon instead of releasing the entire book on Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, etc. This is for several reasons:

• I want connection and community with my readers. I can’t get that on any online retail platform since they don’t give me access to my own list of customers. On Patreon, I know who my patrons are, and I can communicate with them directly. 
• Releasing on Patreon allows me to slow down and have time to interact with my readers while still being able to support myself through my art. Because of the way visibility works on platforms like Amazon, it’s hard to earn a living without releasing books very rapidly. And if I’m releasing books rapidly, then I risk burn-out and I don’t have time to engage with my readers. Interaction with readers is the most energizing thing for my creativity, so it’s my way of making sure the quality of my work stays high and that I can support myself financially. 
• I also like the idea that a Victorian Sherlock Holmes adaptation is being serialized as the original stories were! 

If you’d like to find out more about being a patron and read the first several chapters of A Study In Garnet for free, head on over to Patreon and check it out!