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 the shower-thought that became her breakout gamer romance, At Any Price. Then came the moment that made her something of a self-publishing legend — her debut went to auction, two houses landed in a bidding war, and Brenna told her agent there was a third bidder: herself. She walked away from a six-figure, three-book deal to go indie… and made back more than that offer in her first year.

Brenna is refreshingly honest about the long fall that can follow a big high, including the online criticism she wasn't prepared for, and walks us through the mindset practices that brought her back (mindfulness, meditation, EFT tapping, gratitude journaling, time in nature, and Becca Syme's strengths work), and why "anxiety lies, depression lies" became a mantra.

On the business side, Brenna shares her framework for career longevity. Whether you're weighing traditional vs indie, clawing your way out of a rough patch, or thinking about how to keep this career going for the long haul, Brenna's warmth and honesty will leave you feeling seen — and hopeful.

In this episode:

• The bidding war — and why Brenna became her own "third bidder"
• Trad vs indie: the scheduling, cover, and non-compete red flags that made her choose self-publishing
• The crash after the high, and why mindset is "a full-time job"
• Brenna's practical mindset toolkit for anxiety and burnout
• Trying something new: co-writing, serializing, and new genres as career fuel
• "Series 2.0": rebranding covers and moving wide → KU
• Why less-is-more back matter converts better
• Her one golden nugget for career longevity

Links & resources mentioned:

• Becca Syme — Strengths for Writers (QuitBooks / Better-Faster Academy)
• Zoe York — Romance Your Brand / Series 2.0
• Penny Reid (cover branding help)
• Headspace app; "Therapy in a Nutshell" (YouTube); EFT tapping
• SPA Girls episodes with Zoe York - EP#335, EP#226, EP#65

About Brenna

Brenna is a USA TODAY Bestselling Author of contemporary romance featuring geek culture. Her bestselling romance series, Gaming The System, is available in eBook and print format across all vendors.

When she's not dreaming up people and worlds and writing them down, she's also a mom, wife, teacher, avid reader, a proud geek-girl, a self-confessed gaming addict, a French-speaking Francophile, lover of nature and beautiful sunsets.

Find her at www.brennaaubrey.net

🔗 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" ❤️ Watch our episode recordings on our YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/c/SPAGirlsPodcast

💗 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

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 market worldwide.

She's just released the second edition of Self-Publishing in German, and it's more than double the length of the original — because there was that much to update. From the collapse of IngramSpark distribution in Germany to Tolino's new audiobook feature, from why print books still matter to how gorgeously the Germans do special editions, Skye walks us through what indie authors need to know in 2026.

IN THIS EPISODE WE COVER:

• What's changed in the German market since 2023 (spoiler: a lot)

• Why IngramSpark no longer works for German distribution — and what to use instead

• The Tolino Alliance: how German booksellers built a genuine Amazon alternative

• The fixed-price law every wide author needs to understand before publishing in Germany

• Why print books still sell — and why German special editions are on another level

• How to market in a language you don't speak (and why you already have most of the content)

• Cover trends: object covers vs man-chest, and why German romance covers look different

• Genres that thrive in Germany — including one surprising winner (hint: Westerns)

• The Impressum, title protection, and other legal must-knows

• Why translators legally own the copyright of your translation (and why that's fine)

• Reader behaviour: Lovely Books, newsletter engagement, and the Rare signing surprise

• Is it still worth entering the German market in 2026? Skye's honest answer

Whether you're translation-curious or already have German books and want to sell more of them, this one's packed with practical, up-to-date advice from someone actually doing it.

👤 ABOUT SKYE MacKINNON:

Skye B. MacKinnon is a Scottish USA Today bestselling romance author who has written 70+ novels across multiple pen names, including 50 adult novels and 20 children's books (as Isla Wynter). A former journalist, she's been a full-time author since 2018 and has been publishing in German since 2020 — where her books have been featured in hundreds of Thalia bookstores, hit number one in Apple Books Germany's free chart, and won the Tolino All-Star Favorites Award for Children's Book in 2025. She's an admin of the Wide for the Win group and consults with indie authors on breaking into the German market.

🔗 https://skyemackinnon.com/

📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Self-Publishing in German: Second Edition — Skye's book (available direct from skyemackinnon.com, plus all major retailers)

• Marketing German Indie Book Translations — Skye's Facebook group for authors translating into German

• Tolino Alliance — the German bookseller ecosystem that's roughly equal in size to Amazon Germany

• Lovely Books — the German equivalent of Goodreads

• Findaway Voices / InAudio — audiobook distribution

• Wide for the Win — Facebook group Skye admins for wide indie authors

🔗 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 #romancewriter #writingpodcast #writingcommunity

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 fiction.

Helen shares the real reasons a series is more lucrative than standalones (hint: you build your audience once), how to use open loops, breadcrumbs, and cliffhangers to pull readers into the next instalment, and why a working series bible will save you serious time and heartache. She also unpacks exit and expansion strategies so a slow-selling — or runaway-hit — series never traps you.

🔁 CLASSIC REPLAY — This episode was originally recorded in 2022 and the series-building advice is just as relevant today.

📌 IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 — Introduction & catching up with Helen

03:30 — What actually counts as a "series" (dynamic vs static)

06:00 — Why a series is more lucrative than standalones

10:30 — How many books should a series be? (and why not to lock it in)

14:00 — Literary universes & rewarding long-term readers

19:00 — How Helen plans a brand-new series from scratch

27:00 — Open loops, breadcrumbs & cliffhangers explained

38:00 — Series arc vs individual book arcs

47:00 — Keeping a series bible (and why every genre needs one)

58:00 — Does any genre NOT suit a series?

👤 ABOUT HELEN SCHEUERER:

Helen Scheuerer is the bestselling YA fantasy author of The Oremere Chronicles and the Curse of the Cyren Queen quartet, known for strong, flawed female characters and action-packed plots often likened to Sarah J. Maas. She holds a Bachelor of Creative Writing and a Masters of Publishing, and now writes full-time from the mountains of New Zealand. Her non-fiction guide, How to Write a Successful Series, distils everything she's learned across two bestselling series.

🔗 https://helenscheuerer.com/

📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• How To Write A Successful Series: Writing Strategies For Authors by Helen B. Scheuerer: https://helenscheuerer.com/

• Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes

• The One Page Novel outline by Derek Murphy

🔗 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!

#WritingCommunity #WritingPodcast

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 drop, the comparison trap, and the burnout that can quietly creep up on even seasoned authors.

Whether you're spiraling over a bad sales week or questioning whether your writing matters at all, this episode is a reminder that the dips are part of the journey — and you will come out the other side. We share the real tools we've used to climb back up: managing what you can control, setting boundaries with social media, knowing when to fold 'em, and learning to be gentle with yourself.

#SelfPublishing #AuthorMindset #IndieAuthor

📌 IN THIS EPISODE: • Why you can't measure your worth against your Amazon ranking • The "money date" approach to checking your numbers without the panic • How comparison and online echo chambers fuel the spiral • Accepting that change is normal (blame the saber-toothed tiger) • Recognising and recovering from burnout • Knowing when to say yes — and when to walk away • Controlling the narrative and asking for help • Remembering your "why" and defining your own version of success

🔗 CONNECT WITH THE SPA GIRLS: 🌐 Website & free self-publishing resources: http://www.spagirlspodcast.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!

#WritingCommunity #WritingPodcast

🔁 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 self-publishing career on a single annual release — the opposite of the "rapid release" model most indie authors are told to follow.

Helen took her traditional publishing education (Bachelor of Creative Writing, Masters of Publishing) and applied it to her indie career with stunning results. If you're a slow writer, a perfectionist, or a deep-world fantasy author who can't churn out four books a year, this episode is for you. We dig into Helen's launch strategy, her decision to leave traditional publishing behind, and the marketing approach that lets one book a year perform spectacularly.

About Helen Helen Scheuerer is the Sunday Times bestselling author best known for her romantasy series, The Legends of Thezmarr and The Ashes of Thezmarr. Her work has been highly praised for its strong, flawed female characters and its action-packed plots. She also publishes advice for authors with her nonfiction series, Books For Career Authors.

Helen's love of writing and books led her to pursue a creative writing degree and a Masters of Publishing. She has been a full-time author since 2018 and now lives amidst the mountains in New Zealand where she is constantly dreaming up new stories.

Find her at: https://helenscheuerer.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

#SelfPublishing #romancewriter #writingpodcast #writingcommunity

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 retailer.

Rebecca walks us through the Facebook ad strategies, Pinterest funnels, newsletter excerpt formula, and bundle pricing that now drive the majority of her author revenue from her own Shopify and Payhip stores. We also dig into the rapidly changing audiobook landscape — Spotify, YouTube audiobooks, Kobo Plus, and why repackaging your existing catalog into box sets is one of the smartest moves you can make right now. Whether you're brand new to direct selling or already running a wide audiobook strategy, this episode is packed with practical, no-fluff advice from someone testing it all in real time.

👤 ABOUT REBECCA HEFNER:

USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Hefner grew up in Western NC and now calls the Hudson River of NYC home. In her youth, she would sneak into her mother's bedroom and read the romance novels stashed on the bookshelf, cementing her love of HEAs. A huge Buffy and Star Wars fan, she loves an epic fantasy and a surprise twist (Luke, he IS your father).

Before becoming an author, Rebecca had a successful sales career. After launching her own indie publishing company, she is now a full-time author who also helps coach authors especially on publishing Wide strategies and direct selling.

Rebecca's author website is rebeccahefner.com and visit https://indieauthorvault.com for a free listing of curated resources for authors.

She is also the admin of the Marketing Audiobooks Wide group on FB (https://www.facebook.com/groups/marketingaudiobookswide) and Buy Direct From Authors (https://buydirectfromauthors.com/) which we highly recommend you join.

📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Indie Author Vault (Rebecca's resource hub): https://indieauthorvault.com

• Buy Direct From Authors: https://buydirectfromauthors.com

• Indie Audiobook Deals: https://indieaudiobookdeals.com

• Marketing Audiobooks Wide FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/marketingaudiobookswide

• Rebecca's Wide & Direct Author Substack (linked from Indie Author Vault)

• BookFunnel — audiobook & ebook delivery

• Payhip, Shopify, Fourthwall — direct store platforms

• Book Vault — print-on-demand for signed bookplate orders

• Stuff Your Earbuds — audiobook promo event

• Bink Cummings — Facebook traffic ad advice on Threads

🔗 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!

#WritingCommunity #WritingPodcast

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 how she earns. #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

🔗 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!

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

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:

• Elana's journey from traditional publishing "dark years" to indie success

• Writing 84,000 words in 10 days — the three factors that made it possible

• Her daily routine: treadmill at 8am, ads at 9am, 8,000 words by 2:45pm

• The "intense project / light project" system for always writing two books at once

• The legendary steering wheel desk (yes, it's $15 on Amazon)

• How to write productively in 15-minute blocks

• Her outlining process: Romancing the Beat, spreadsheet series bibles, and leaving yourself notes 4–5 chapters ahead

• Why tracking your writing patterns for 30–60 days is the best productivity investment

• Giving yourself permission to work your own way — even if that means writing at night, in front of the TV, or in a car park

• Why Thursdays are zero-writing days and Fridays are her best

• Using puzzles (not social media) to recharge between writing sessions

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.

Website: authorelanajohnson.com

Facebook Group: Indie Inspiration with Elana Johnson

📚 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!

#WritingCommunity #WritingPodcast

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.

In this episode we chat about what "ethical digital narration" actually means, the difference between text-to-speech and speech-to-speech technology, how Spoken analyses your manuscript to match voices to your characters, creating multi-voice and full-cast audiobooks on a self-publishing budget, and where you can distribute digitally narrated audiobooks right now.

Whether you've been putting off audio or you're just curious about what's possible, this one's a must-listen.

🔗 Spoken.Press: 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