The indie author realities no-one talks about (much). Bestselling romance author Elizabeth O’Roark joins us this week for one of the most refreshingly honest conversations we’ve had on the show — covering everything from her Random House deal to the indie strategies she’s quietly walked away from.

In this episode we chat about:

• Going from medical writer to indie romance author in 2013
• The Devil series breakout and working with publicist Nina Grinstead at Valentine PR
• Pantser writing, rewriting every book 30 times, and writing scenes out of order
• The honest truth about special editions, direct sales and Amazon ads for romance authors
• Landing a two-book Random House deal — how it happened and what surprised her
• Why KU is “like doing heroin” and the realities of going wide as a romance author
• Cover changes, branding decisions, and learning to take feedback from other authors
• The biggest challenge after 23 books: staying inspired
• Voice dictation as a game-changer for writing faster

ABOUT ELIZABETH O’ROARK

Elizabeth O’Roark has a bunch of degrees she does not use and gave up working as a medical writer to craft grumpy, alpha heroes and the flawed women who love them.

When not writing, she likes to spend time with her three kids, who are now teenagers and wish she’d find a different way to spend time. She can be found on Facebook feverishly debating whether or not “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie and telling people to read “The Hating Game”, which she did not write but wishes she had.

Website: https://www.elizabethoroark.com

📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Elizabeth’s website: https://www.elizabethoroark.com
• Nina Grinstead / Valentine PR: https://valentine-pr.com
• Natural Readers (text-to-speech for self-editing): https://www.naturalreaders.com
• Romance Author Mastermind (RAM)
• Entangled Publishing (Devil series print deal)
• Whitney G — author who gave the cover feedback Elizabeth credits
• CliftonStrengths / Gallup Strengths assessment
• Book Lovers by Emily Henry (mentioned re: trad publishing process)

🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS:

🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com

🎧 Subscribe to our weekly episodes on your favourite podcast app — search “SPA Girls Podcast”

💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community! ⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions: http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast

#SelfPublishing #IndieAuthor #RomancePodcast

Watch the recording on You Tube

📌 IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 — Introduction & welcome

01:15 — From medical writer to indie romance author: how it started in 2013

04:21 — Finding her stride: the Devil series breakout

06:13 — Branding, reader expectations & not bait-and-switching your audience

09:37 — Writing process: pantser life, writing scenes out of order, 30 rewrites

14:52 — Editors, beta readers & last-minute drafts

17:34 — The honest truth about special editions and direct sales

21:10 — “I’m very bad at my job”: on outsourcing what you’re not good at

23:24 — Building the brand: covers, website & finding a designer

26:12 — TikTok, Instagram & the viral video she didn’t plan for

27:46 — Working with a publicist (Nina Grinstead, Valentine PR)

30:48 — The Random House deal: how it happened and what surprised her

36:00 — Audio, translations & wide vs KU

39:10 — What readers actually love about her books

40:02 — Reader events, signings & the real cost of being “on”

45:40 — Cover changes: why they matter and how to use them

49:27 — The biggest challenge: staying inspired after 23 books

52:06 — Final advice: voice dictation as a game-changer

54:15 — Wrap-up and where to find Elizabeth

🔁 CLASSIC REPLAY — Originally recorded in 2020 and the advice is just as relevant today.

How does a USA Today bestselling author write 84,000 words in 10 days? In this episode, Elana Johnson — author of over 130 books across three pen names — shares the exact daily routine, outlining methods, and mindset shifts behind her prolific output.

We cover her “intense project / light project” system for always writing two books at once, why she outlines to the midpoint using Romancing the Beat, how she learned to write in 15-minute blocks while teaching elementary school, the steering wheel desk that changed her writing life, why tracking your own patterns for 30–60 days is the single best productivity move you can make, and why she gave herself permission to stop writing in the morning like everyone said she should.

Whether you’re writing your first novel or trying to speed up your backlist, this one is packed with practical takeaways.

#SelfPublishing #WritingProductivity #IndieAuthor

👤 ABOUT ELANA JOHNSON:

USA Today Bestselling Author, Top 10 Kindle Unlimited All-Star Author, and #1 Bestselling Author on Nook and Apple Books, Author Elana Johnson writes clean and wholesome contemporary romance, usually set on the beach or within the vicinity of the beach.

Unfortunately, she lives in a landlocked state and must travel to the beach to get her fix, which her husband gladly accompanies her to do a few times each year.

She also writes contemporary Christian cowboy romance as Liz Isaacson and sweet romantic women’s fiction as Jessie Newton, and all of her books are part of the Feel-Good Fiction Books brand.

🔗 authorelanajohnson.com

🔗 Indie Inspiration Facebook Group

📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes (outlining method)
• Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jamie Davenport (beat sheet)
• Vellum (book formatting tool)
• BookBub (book promotion)
• Steering wheel desk (search on Amazon — Elana’s secret weapon!)

🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS:

🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com

🎧 Listen on your favourite podcast app — search “SPA Girls Podcast”

💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community!

⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions: http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast

Subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Ever wanted to create an audiobook but been scared off by the price tag? Phil Marshall, founder of Spoken.Press, built an AI-powered platform specifically for indie authors who want professional-quality audio without the professional-level costs.

In this episode we chat about:

• Phil’s path from surgeon to tech founder and sci-fi author
• What “ethical AI narration” means — consenting voice actors who are credited and compensated
• The difference between text-to-speech (TTS) and speech-to-speech (STS) and when to use each
• How Spoken analyses your manuscript to recommend voices matched to your characters
• Creating multi-voice and full-cast audiobooks on a self-publishing budget
• Where you can distribute AI-narrated audiobooks (spoiler: more places than you think)

About Phil Marshall

Phil Marshall is the founder and CEO of Spoken (spoken.press), the AI Audiobook Company. With a background in medicine and 25+ years in technology — including founding a conversational AI company in healthcare — Phil built Spoken after experiencing firsthand how expensive and complicated audiobook production was for his own debut novel. Spoken now serves thousands of authors worldwide, from first-time self-publishers to New York Times bestsellers.

Website: https://www.spoken.press/

📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Spoken.Press: https://www.spoken.press/
• Spoken Ethical AI page: https://www.spoken.press/ethicalai
• Voices by InAudio (distribution): https://www.voicesinaudio.com/
• BookFunnel (direct audiobook sales): https://bookfunnel.com/
• Author Republic (distribution): https://www.authorrepublic.com/
• Taming the Perilous Skies by Phil Marshall (debut novel, June 2026)

🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS:

🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com

🎧 Subscribe to our weekly episodes on your favourite podcast app — search “SPA Girls Podcast”

💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community! ⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions: http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast

This is a classic replay of a fascinating interview we recorded a few years ago with author Danielle Annett (aka Daniela Romero) , who as switched genres from Urban Fantasy to Contemporary Romance, with amazing results.

She talks us through the decision to change genres, and what she did to make it a success, including some of the big decisions she had to make, such as whether to create a new pen name, how to market it, and what kind of social media/website and newsletter presence she wanted to have with the new genre/name. Danielle is a savvy businessperson, and you’ll definitely pick up some excellent tips from this discussion… 

Danielle is also an organisational superstar, and we talk a little bit about how she organises all the various segments in her life so successfully! We loved chatting to her, and we’re sure you’re going to enjoy listening to this episode again!

About Daniela

Daniela Romero is a Snarky AF, Latinx Author, who happens to also be a Mom of 3. Born and raised in sunny California, she now makes her home in the Pacific Northwest and is happy to enjoy all four seasons even if the snow can sometimes be a bit much. She hates cheese—of all kinds—and yes that means she orders cheeseless pizza. Daniela is an ENTJ all the way which means she loves to talk (a lot) and is probably as extroverted as they come so feel free to shoot her a message, send a raven, throw up smoke signals. Whatever it may be. She love’s chatting with readers so feel free to stalk her.

Find her at: https://daniela-romero.com/

Danielle’s bookbox business: https://baddiesbookshop.com/

🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS:

🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com

🎧 Subscribe to our weekly episodes on your favourite podcast app — search “SPA Girls Podcast”

💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community! ⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions: http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast

#authortube #SelfPublishing #IndieAuthor #romancewriter

#SelfPublishing #romancewriter #writingpodcast #writingcommunity

What if formatting your book could take minutes instead of hours?

In this episode of the SPA Girls Podcast (EP550), we sit down with Brad Andalman, co-founder of Vellum, the book formatting software (Mac-only) that’s transformed self-publishing for indie authors. Brad shares the surprising Pixar origin story behind Vellum, walks us through exactly how the software works, and reveals some of the newer features — including double-page chapter spreads — that most authors don’t even know exist.

Whether you’re a brand-new self-publisher about to format your first book or a Vellum veteran who suspects you’re not using it to its full potential, this episode covers everything from the basics (importing your manuscript, choosing styles, exporting for Kindle and print) through to the advanced design tricks that make your books look professionally typeset. Brad also explains why so many authors have started writing inside Vellum itself, and shares how the platform has evolved over the past decade-plus.

All the SPA Girls are avid Vellum users (even Shar, who’s a Windows girl but bought a cheap Mac just to use it years ago!). If you’d like to try Vellum before you buy, hop over to Vellum.Pub (full disclosure, this is an affiliate link that supports our podcast. If you’d prefer to not use it, just google Vellum Pub)

👤 ABOUT BRAD ANDALMAN:
Brad Andalman is the co-founder of Vellum, the leading book formatting software for indie authors. Before Vellum, Brad spent years at Pixar working on animated films, where he and co-founder Brad West built professional-level software alongside their design work. Together, the “two Brads” launched Vellum to put beautiful book design into authors’ hands.

🔗 https://vellum.pub

📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Vellum: https://vellum.pub
• Vellum tutorials on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@VellumApp

🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS:
🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources:
http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SPAGirlsPodcast

🎧 Listen on your favourite podcast app — search “SPA Girls Podcast”

💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community!

⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions:
http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast

Subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Feeling buried under your author business? Juggling deadlines, launch plans, newsletter, ads, admin, social media, and somehow you have to also get the actual writing done? Trust us, you are not alone!

In this episode, we sat down with USA Today bestselling author, certified life coach, and podcaster Corinne O’Flynn to talk about how authors can organise their businesses, prevent burnout, and stay sane when the to-do list never ends.

Corinne has lived it. After years of writing-to-market, chasing the algorithms, and running on a rapid-release treadmill, she hit deep burnout — the kind that doesn’t lift after a weekend off. What she discovered on the way out became the foundation of The Calm Entrepreneur: a back-to-basics approach to the admin, systems, and daily rhythms that make or break an indie author career.

We dig into why so many of us end up stressed and overwhelmed, how to spot the early warning signs before full burnout hits, and the practical fundamentals you can put in place so your author business works for you instead of running you into the ground.

If you’ve ever thought “I love writing, so why does this feel so awful?” — this one’s for you.

In this episode we chat about:

• How writing-to-market and rapid release can quietly lead to burnout
• Why recovery isn’t just about rest — it’s about rebuilding your foundations
• The admin and systems most authors avoid (and what happens when you do)
• Getting back in touch with the things you’ve put on auto-pilot
• How to build a sustainable author business that still leaves room for a life
• Why organising is a skill, not a personality trait — and anyone can learn it

Corinne’s words say it best:

“Before this burnout experience, I was not someone who operated from a place of stress. I loved my work and somehow got lost in the mire. Getting back to the place where I work in ease has been transformative for me, and it’s something I think I need to share with the world. I believe it’s possible to thrive in your business and live your full life without losing your mind in the process.”

🔁 Classic Replay — This episode was originally recorded in 2022 and the advice is just as relevant today, maybe more so.

About Corinne O’Flynn

Corinne O’Flynn is a USA Today bestselling fiction author, certified life coach, certified Quantum Human Design™ specialist, podcaster, nonprofit executive director, and multi-passionate entrepreneur with over twenty years of experience being self-employed. She’s on a mission to change the way we talk about work and life, productivity and success — helping authors, solopreneurs, and small business owners simplify their businesses, reconnect with their passion, and get it all done without the overwhelm.

🔗 Connect with Corinne: www.corinneoflynn.com

💗 The SPA Girls podcast is sponsored by everyone who supports us on Patreon. Thank you so much, we love our listeners and our patrons!

⭐ Join us at the $10 tier, and you’ll be invited to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group for authors, where we discuss all things self-publishing, marketing and writing PLUS answer all your burning questions.

All the info is at http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast

✍️ Visit http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com for our FREE self-publishing resources, podcast episodes and info

😊Watch our weekly show on YouTube @‌spagirlspodcast

Make sure to subscribe wherever you listen, so you don’t miss an episode!

Got a backlist gathering dust?

In this episode of the SPA Girls Podcast (EP# 548), we dig into how to breathe new life into your older books and get them earning again. Most indie authors pour all their energy into the next release and forget that their backlist is the engine that funds everything — so we’re walking through exactly what to refresh, what to promote, and how to bundle older titles so they keep working for you.

Whether you’ve got three books or thirty sitting quietly on Amazon, this episode gives you a practical checklist to get them moving again. We cover cover refreshes, blurb fixes, metadata clean-ups, bonus content for newsletter growth, ad strategies, and the bundling tricks that turn old books into new income.

#SelfPublishing #BacklistMarketing #IndieAuthor

📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• The Best Book Promotion Sites in 2026: [URL]
• BookFunnel: https://bookfunnel.com
• BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com

🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS:

🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com

🎧 Listen on your favourite podcast app — search “SPA Girls Podcast”

💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community!

⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions: http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast

Subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Romance writers gather ’round – Kait Nolan, bestselling author of smart, sassy, small town Southern romance is in the SPA! This is a classic replay of an awesome episode we recorded with Kait a couple of years ago, and well worth a relisten. These days Kait not just writes small town romance, but also romantic suspense (as Harper Jackson), and her writing and marketing advice is spot on!

About Kait Nolan

Kait Nolan is a USA Today best selling, RITA® Award-winning Mississippi author who calls everyone sugar, honey, or darlin’, and can wield a ‘Bless your heart’ like a Snuggie or a saber, depending on requirements. She believes in love, laughter, and that tacos are the world’s most perfect food. When she’s not writing, reading, or wrangling family (both the two-legged and the four-), you can find her obsessively watching The Great British Bake Off. You can check out her darker alter ego Harper Jackson for romantic suspense.
Find her at : kaitnolan.com

She’s back! NYT #1 Bestseller, Lucy Score last joined us back in March 2021 , before Things We Never Got Over launched her into the stratosphere!

In this episode, Lucy talks about what her breakout moment actually looked like from the inside, how she’s navigated the shift from working author to household name (and instant #1 NYT Bestseller), and what’s stayed surprisingly the same.

We dig into the practical stuff , including her evolving covers, brand-building, the Riley Thorn series, and advice for emerging authors.

Plus the mindset it takes to keep showing up at the page when the pressure (and the audience) keeps growing.

Lucy is just as genuine and delightful behind the scenes as she is in public, and we couldn’t be more thrilled for her success (and why this is the third time she’s been on the show!).

Whether you’re deep in your publishing journey or just getting started, this honest, fun and inspiring conversation is a must-listen (or watch).

ABOUT LUCY SCORE

Lucy Score is an instant #1 New York Times bestselling author of contemporary romance. She grew up in a literary family who insisted that the dinner table was for reading and earned a degree in journalism.

Her books have been translated into thirty languages and her international bestseller Things We Never Got Over has been optioned for television.

She writes full-time from the Pennsylvania home she and Mr. Lucy share. When not spending hours crafting unforgettable characters, Lucy can be found reading books other people wrote, snacking, and sometimes even working out.

https://www.lucyscore.net

💗 The SPA Girls podcast is sponsored by everyone who supports us on Patreon. Thank you so much, we love our listeners and our patrons!

⭐ Join us at the $10 tier, and you’ll be invited to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group for authors, where we discuss all things self-publishing, marketing and writing PLUS answer all your burning questions.

All the info is at http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast

✍️ Visit http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com for our FREE self-publishing resources, podcast episodes and info

😊Watch our weekly show on YouTube @‌spagirlspodcast

Make sure to subscribe wherever you listen, so you don’t miss an episode!

Classic replay of an inspiring episode we recorded in August ’23 with SADIE KING, a hugely successful author of more than 120 short romances.
***
USA Today Bestseller, Sadie King has grown her publishing business from zero to six figures in less than four years, writing short instalove romances. Knowing her reader’s journey is vital to her success.

In this episode we discuss Sadie’s: 

• short romance publishing strategy
• rapid release strategy
• targeted wordcounts for Amazon Kindle’s 60m, 90m and 2 hour reads categories
• Techniques for writing short fiction
• Gaining visibility especially when you’re just starting out
• Keep readers hooked from one book to the next
• Crafting a funnel for readers.
• Must-have scenes in short romance
• Making paid advertising work for short fiction

Sadie’s “must have” scenes for short romance:

• Quick meet cute
• Thrown together
• Get to the steam fast (1 – 3 steamy scenes)
• Conflict
• Resolution
• Epilogue

She is currently writing 16k – 20k words with 1500 words (approx) per chapter; 2.99 price point

Resources mentioned:

Sadie’s non-fiction book, Writing Short Romance for Pleasure & Profit, is a must-read for those writing short romance.

Writing Short Romance for Pleasure and Profit: How I Became a Six Figure Author Writing Short Romance

About Sadie King

Sadie King is a USA Today Best Selling Author of over 120 short and steamy romance books and novellas. She loves to write about military heroes and the sassy curvy women who steal their hearts. Sadie lives in New Zealand with her ex-military husband and raucous young son. When she’s not writing she loves catching waves with her son, hanging out at the beach, and drinking good wine, preferably with a book in hand.
Visit authorsadieking.com

🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS:

🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com

🎧 Subscribe to our weekly episodes on your favourite podcast app — search “SPA Girls Podcast”

💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community! ⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions: http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast

#WritingCommunity #WritingPodcast

From incorporating popular tropes to social media trends, the SPA Girls have a robust discussion around what they’re doing to harness trends to reach more readers and sell more books!

Links mentioned:
Melanie Harlow’s Harlot Authors group https://www.facebook.com/groups/630439937160840
The Bestseller Code: Anatomy of the Blockbuster Novel by Jodie Archer and Matthew L Jockers
Theodora Taylor’s Substack https://7figurefiction.substack.com/p/better-butter
Lillian Lark https://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep510/

🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS:

🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com

🎧 Subscribe to our weekly episodes on your favourite podcast app — search “SPA Girls Podcast”

💗 This podcast is supported by our amazing Patreon community! ⭐ Join at the $10 tier for access to our private Self-Publishing Mastermind group where we discuss marketing, writing, and answer your burning questions: http://www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast

#WritingCommunity #WritingPodcast