SPA Girls Podcast

Within five years, USA Today Bestselling romance author, Vanessa Vale, forged two pen names from scratch to seven figures, using the strategies and techniques she discusses in this episode and in her Thrifty Tips for Authors class. The beginnings of this program came when she was banned from Facebook ads, forcing her to develop strong branding and marketing steps that are enduring and withstand the changes and whims of the publishing industry without relying on paid click ads. This classic replay episode is a must listen for writers of all genres! Learn more about Vanessa’s course Thrifty Tips For Authors here: https://thriftytipsforauthors.com/courses About Vanessa Vale Vanessa Vale is the USA Today bestselling author of sexy romance novels, including her popular Bridgewater historical series and hot contemporary romances. With over one million books sold, Vanessa writes about unapologetic bad boys who don’t just fall in love, they fall hard. Her books are available worldwide in multiple languages in e-book, print and audio. Her Thrifty Tips for Authors group has over 2500 members (https://www.facebook.com/groups/thriftytipsforauthors ) Vanessa’s Author website: https://vanessavaleauthor.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 questions. Come on in and join us, we’d love to see you there! www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast ✍️ Visit www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com for our FREE self-publishing resources, podcast episodes and info 😊Watch the recording on our YouTube Channel @spagirlspodcast

On 2.10.2015 we published our very first SPA Girls Podcast episode and OH THE NERVES! But we persisted and here we are, ten years later, ten years wiser, 520 episodes later and a million magic moments of inspiration, advice, publishing wisdom and fellow author interviews and shenanigans recorded. So what are our “acorns of wisdom” we’ve learned from these ten years that have stood the test of time and the constantly-changing publishing landscape? We discuss the importance of: Being Yourself Building Community Riding Industry Shifts Dealing with Burnout Writing While Chaos Is Happening Mindset Finding The Joy Thank you so much for tuning in. We wouldn’t be here without you, and appreciate every listener, subscriber, guest and special shout out to our patreon supporters who have helped us keep producing our weekly show! (pictured below SPA Girls, 2015)

Author Business and Marketing Strategist, Olivia Zugay, is here with some wonderful tips on gaining discoverability, improving reader retention and focussing on long-game thinking without overly relying on chaotic social media! About OliviaOlivia Zugay is a business and marketing strategist for self-published fiction authors. As the founder of Story Flow Solutions, she helps authors market and sell their books with clarity, confidence, and sustainable strategy — so they can grow their readership, increase their sales, and build thriving full-time author careers. With a background in project management and virtual assistant work for bestselling indie authors, Olivia has spent years behind the scenes crafting high-converting launches, reviving stagnant platforms, and helping her clients hit their highest-revenue years.  Through her 1:1 services and membership program, the Story Flow Collective, Olivia empowers fiction authors to treat their work like the business it truly is — with smart marketing & sales strategies that build thriving full-time author careers. When she’s not deep in sales data or mapping out an email funnel, you’ll find her reading romance, analyzing book trends, or sneaking a Twilight reference into her content. She’s a marketing + sales strategist for self-published fiction authors with the heart of a bookish best friend — and she’s here to help authors turn their passion into a sustainable author career. Links: Website: https://www.storyflowsolutions.com/  Story Flow Collective: https://www.storyflowsolutions.com/story-flow-collective  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyflowsolutions/  Beyond Social Media: Smart Marketing Strategies freebie: https://www.storyflowsolutions.com/beyond-social-media-marketing-for-authors  Guide to Choosing Your Publication Pathway freebie: https://www.storyflowsolutions.com/choose-your-publication-pathway 💗 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!

Feel like a hamster on a wheel trying to get ALL THE THINGS accomplished but never quite managing to do the important stuff? This is your episode! A classic replay from 2023 that’s well worth a relisten! Self-publishing since 2010, Amazon top 100 best-selling Amazon author with 1million books sold, Sarra writes magical contemporary fantasy novels with both teen and college aged characters (and lots of twists you’ll never see coming). Sarra talks to us about her solution to planning without all the heartache and leading us to be more joyful. “When we sit down to plan we see the perfect scenario. Then Life gets in the way.” About Sarra Cannon: Sarra Cannon writes magical contemporary fantasy novels with both teen and college aged characters (and lots of twists you’ll never see coming). Her novels often stem from her own experiences growing up in the small town of Hawkinsville, Georgia, where she learned that being popular always comes at a price and relationships are rarely as simple as they seem. With over a million books sold, Sarra loves writing witchy books and connecting with fans. You can connect with her on her author website here at SarraCannon.com Click to visit Sarra’s Heartbreathings YouTube channel for authors, and Heartbreathings website with her courses for writers here 💗 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!

Mark Leslie (Lefebvre) is an author, professional speaker and bookseller with more than thirty years of experience in the publishing and bookselling business. In this episode, he brings a wealth of experience and reassurance to those of us somewhat battered by the realities of author life! This is more than a “mindset” episode, it’s a reality check, encouragement and call to follow your passion, that we’re sure will fire you up, just as much as it did us while recording! Mark’s website:https://markleslie.ca/ Mark’s podcast Stark Reflections https://starkreflections.ca Mark & Liz doing the parody of “Stuck in the Middle with You” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFUlLTP1SgE Draft2Digital where Mark is Director of Business Development https://draft2digital.com/ Our podcast recording with Johnny B Truant https://youtu.be/Pim34Cv8eA4?si=VVXeFCuPMei0gAAo 💗 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!

A classic replay of our interview with the awesome Michele Scott, originally published in August 2022.It was our great pleasure to interview Michele Scott, a NYT, Wall Street Journal and Amazon bestselling author of over forty novels and the CEO/owner of equestrian sports medicine company Professional’s Choice, Inc.  Michele has written in various genres including thrillers, mysteries, young adult mysteries, fantasy, and women’s fiction. Her thriller Daddy’s Home from her Holly Jennings’ Thriller series written under her pen name of AK Alexander has sold over one million copies and was the #1 bestselling book in the UK Amazon. Her thriller Mommy, May I? was number 2 on the Amazon list. Her Wine Lover’s Mysteries are currently optioned, and a movie version is projected to begin filming this year.  Like most of our guests, Michele’s success didn’t happen overnight and there were huge ups and downs. We think you’ll agree that it wasn’t perseverance alone that took Michele down the path to finding the right agent and having books optioned. Firstly, it was all about loving what she did, but she also did her research, made contacts and made sure she was on brand. She also consistently produced products good enough for someone to take notice when she got it in front of the right eyes. Michele also talks about having a good marketing plan, so she knows where to use her budget and that she wears a professional hat when making important decisions. She also believes it’s important to block off time to learn, refresh your well with reading or writing in a different genre, and take time out, but writing time is sacred. Michele’s website: michelescott.comFacebook: @akalexanderauthor Instagram: @michelescottauthor Resources mentioned: How To Write a Damn Good Mystery by James N. Frey https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003E4CY8U/ 💗 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 questions. Come on in and join us, we’d love to see you there!  www.patreon.com/spagirlspodcast ✍️ Don’t forget, all our FREE self-publishing resources, podcast episodes and info are at: at www.SelfPublishingAuthorsPodcast.com

It’s conference debrief time! We’re here with all our best writer tips and reflections from the recent Romance Writers of New Zealand annual conference! Links mentioned:Sadie King talks series planning : https://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep409-six-figures-with-short-romance-with-sadie-king/ AK Mulford talks TikTok : https://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep332-tiktok-tips-with-ak-mulford/ AK Mulford’s How I Write You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@A.K.Mulford Johnny B Truant on being an Artisan Author https://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep509-the-artisan-author-interview-with-johnny-b-truant/ Steffanie Holmes on running a successful Kickstarter : https://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep370-running-a-successful-kickstarter-with-steffanie-holmes/ Sarah McLean’s Fated Mates Podcast: https://fatedmates.net/episodes Romance Writers of New Zealand https://www.romancewriters.co.nz/ Lucille Henry https://diamondhealing.co.nz/ Catherine Bilson’s AI Translations book https://amzn.to/4lLYEWm

Writing bestselling romance with incredible character chemistry is something that NYT Bestseller Annika Martin excels in. Annika, who also publishes romantic suspense as Carolyn Crane, has seen incredible success writing two books a year (on average) and publishing wide. This is a classic replay episode (originally recorded in 2021) where Annika reveals her plotting and writing process, getting the most “comedy” in her writing, editing tips for deepening characterization, what point of view to choose for best results, cover trends and how she approaches her newsletter and advertising. This episode is well worth a replay because Annika reveals some absolute nuggets of GOLD for all authors! About AnnikaAnnika Martin is a NYT bestselling author who loves reading and writing fun, sexy books, taking pictures of her cats, rocking out, saving animals, taking long baths, and consuming boatloads of chocolate suckers. She can be found hanging out in Minneapolis coffee shops with her awesome writer husband and tending her very wild, bee-friendly garden. Newsletter: www.annikamartinbooks.com/newsletterFind Annika at: https://annika-martin.myshopify.com/and on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/annikamartinauthor/# 💗 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!

When the going gets tough, it can be really hard to get (or keep) going. Today’s episode has empathetic and practical advice from the incredible Anya Mora about working through life challenges, recovering from burnout, trusting your instincts and dealing with things that often throw us “off course” from our author life. About Anya Anya Mora is the bestselling author of domestic suspense and psychological thrillers, as well as an extensive romance catalogue under the pen name Frankie Love. She is also the host of I Am The Miracle Podcast on manifestation, creativity and living life out loud. Anya lives a ferry ride from Seattle, WA with her family. Her novels, while leaning toward the dark, ultimately reflect light, courage, and her innate belief that love rewards the brave. Find her at: anyamora.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!

You’re worth it and your work is worth it. 15-time USA Today bestselling romance author Renee Rose is passionate about helping other authors find and maintain an abundance mindset to catapult their careers and create their best future. She employs energetic tools and techniques to help her clients clear resistance and money blocks, access their inner guidance, and tap into their love and appreciation for their books so they can achieve their dreams. This is a classic replay of an episode we recorded with the amazing Renee Rose back in 2021 with these timeless tips. About Renee USA Today Bestselling Author Renee Rose loves a dominant, dirty-talking alpha hero! Readers have devoured over five million copies of her steamy romance with varying levels of kink. Her books have been featured in USA Today’s Happily Ever After and Popsugar. Named Eroticon USA’s Next Top Erotic Author in 2013, she’s gone on to hit the USA Today list fifteen times with her Chicago Bratva, Bad Boy Alpha, Wolf Ranch books, and various anthologies. Renee’s author website: https://shop.reneeroseromance.com/ Write2Riches.com https://write2riches.com/ Renee’s facebook group for authors: https://www.facebook.com/groups/abundancemindsetforauthors Listen to our previous episodes with Renee and Lee Savino here: SPA Girls Podcast – EP365 – Write to Riches with Renee Rose https://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep365-write-to-riches-with-renee-rose%ef%bf%bc/ SPA Girls Podcast – EP348 – Millionaire Author Mindset with Lee Savino https://selfpublishingauthorspodcast.com/spa-girls-podcast-ep348-millionaire-author-mindset-with-lee-savino/ 💗 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!