Finding the Right Small Press with Lindsay Gibson and Savannah Carlisle {ep. 141}

Alexa's Publishing Chat

In this podcast episode, we discuss:

1. Transitioning into Romance Writing: Kristi Dosh (Savannah Carlisle) and Lindsay Gibson share how they moved from careers in sports journalism and grief memoir writing into romance fiction. Both found joy and fulfillment in creating heartwarming love stories.
   
2. The Therapeutic Power of Fiction: Lindsay talks about how writing fiction allows her to control the narrative, offering a therapeutic escape from real-life trauma. Kristi echoes this, noting how she used writing to rewrite her own personal stories with happier endings during difficult times.
   
3. The Long Road to Publication: The authors highlight the importance of persistence, with both sharing stories of extensive revisions, rewrites, and years spent polishing their manuscripts before landing publishing deals. The message: writing a marketable book takes time and patience.
   
4. The Benefits of Working with a Small Press: Both authors speak highly of their experience with Harpeth Road, a small woman-owned press. They discuss the hands-on support they received, from developmental editing to marketing strategies, and why it’s important to thoroughly research publishers to find the right fit.
   
5. Organizing a Collaborative Book Tour: Kristi and Lindsay, along with fellow author Nancy Nagle, organized their own book tour. It was Kristi’s idea, and the trio planned a series of events along the East Coast. They discuss how working with other authors made the tour more fun, less daunting, and helped draw a bigger crowd. They emphasize that collaborating with fellow authors is a great way to reach more readers and build connections.
   
6. Collaboration Over Competition: They also highlight how teaming up with other authors helps increase visibility, foster a sense of community, and create opportunities for cross-promotion rather than competition.
   
7. The Power of Cross-Promotion: The authors discuss how promoting each other’s books helps build a larger, more engaged audience. They emphasize that readers of romance want more stories, and sharing the spotlight with other authors can benefit everyone.
   
8. Staying True to Your Passion: The authors stress the importance of writing what you love. They advise aspiring authors to read widely in their genre and stay true to their own voice, rather than chasing trends.
   

Links:
https://www.authorlindsaygibson.com/
https://savannahcarlisle.com/
https://www.harpethroad.com/authorsubmissions
https://www.bryndonovan.com/2021/01/19/romance-publishers-a-list/
Romancing the Beat