The SPA Girls Podcast
The SPA Girls Podcast (SPA = Self Publishing Authors) stands as a trailblazing force in the publishing industry, captivating audiences worldwide since its inception in 2015. Crafted by four dedicated full-time New Zealand authors, the free weekly podcast delivers honest advice, expert interviews and actionable strategies for indie authors at all stages of their career.
Episodes
Most writers don't have a talent problem. They have a fear problem.
In this Classic Replay, internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron joins Trudi, Shar, Cheryl and Wendy to talk about why fear is the real engine behind procrastination, what to actually do about it, and three publishing myths that need to die.
Rachael has written more than two dozen books across thriller, mainstream fiction, feminist romance, memoir and ...
Why do some characters feel real enough to root for while others fall flat despite having every "correct" ingredient? In this episode of the SPA Girls Podcast (EP562), we dive into writing fear and emotion with Becca Puglisi, international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling co-author of The Emotion Thesaurus. Becca's writing craft books have sold ove...
This week we're revisiting a favourite conversation with USA Today bestselling author Brenna Aubrey — and it's a masterclass in both bold business decisions and long-term career survival.
Brenna takes us right back to the beginning: writing sprawling epic fantasy at night while her husband worked the graveyard shift, stumbling into her local RWA chapter, and th...
Germany is the third-biggest book market in the world — and it's still hungry for indie authors. This week we're joined by USA Today bestselling romance author Skye MacKinnon, who returns to update us on everything that's changed in German translations since her first appearance in 2023. Skye has more than 70 novels across three pen names, and Germany is now her biggest marke...
Want to write a book series readers binge — and come back to buy again and again? Bestselling YA fantasy author Helen Scheuerer joins the SPA Girls to break down how to design a series that hooks readers, boosts your read-through rate, and sets you up for long-term author income. Whether you're plotting your first trilogy or wondering if your genre even suits a series, this episode covers the strategy behind binge-worthy fict...
Why do the highs and lows of an indie author career always hit when you least expect them? In this episode of the SPA Girls Podcast (EP558), it's just the four of us — Cheryl, Shar, Wendy, and Trudi — talking openly about mental resilience and how to weather the emotional rollercoaster of self-publishing. We unpack the panic of watching your numbers dro...
🔁 CLASSIC REPLAY — This episode was originally recorded in 2021 and the strategy is just as relevant today. Helen has since gone on to become an internationally bestselling romantasy author with multiple series, proving the long-game approach works.
What if you could earn six figures a year writing just ONE book? We sit down with International Bestselling Fantasy author Helen Scheuerer to unpack how she built a six-figure se...
What if you could make more money selling audiobooks direct than on Amazon and Audible combined? In this episode of the SPA Girls Podcast (EP556), USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Hefner returns for a third time to break down exactly how she's doing it — and how indie authors can market audiobooks wide, build a direct store that converts, and stop relying on a single reta...
We loved our first chat with Elana so much that we kept the mics running! In this follow-up episode to #553, Elana dives into the business side of her prolific career — the release strategies she swears by, the advertising that actually moves the needle, and the mindset it took to reach her first $100K month. True to form, she's just as honest about the mistakes as the wins. If EP553 was about how she writes, this one's about...
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:
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How do you go from almost quitting writing to producing over 130 books and hitting a six-figure month? Elana Johnson sits down with the SPA Girls to share everything about her productivity system — and it's not what you'd expect.
In this Classic Replay (originally recorded 2020), we chat about:
Ever wanted to create an audiobook but been scared off by the price tag? Phil Marshall, founder of Spoken.Press, built a platform specifically for indie authors who want professional-quality audio without the professional-level costs — and he's done it ethically, using consenting voice actors who are credited and compensated.
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 ...
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 wo...
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 busine...
Got a backlist gathering dust but few sales?
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...
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 No...
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 surpris...
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:
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
Theodo...
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