Meet Multi-Published Author Audra Harders and A Working Woman's Hybrid Plan On Writing

It is my extreme pleasure to bring you talented and muli-published author 

Audra Harders.  And don't forget to come back Saturday for an excerpt from her latest book, Second Chance Ranch. 

NEWS FLASH, AUDRA IS GIVING AWAY A COPY OF HER BOOK, SO LEAVE A COMMENT AND YOUR EMAIL!

 Susan Anne Mason, you're the winner today!!

Don't forget Saturday's excerpt and another chance to win a copy of Audra's book.

Ha, ha. Leslie, you always make me laugh. Thanks for the awesome introduction.

Over the last year, I’ve been cleaning up rejected manuscripts and preparing them for what I call the Working Woman’s Hybrid Plan. It’s very easy; anyone can do it. Take all those manuscripts that have been rejected by the Big 5 (formerly the Big 6 consumer book publishers of note. As we know everything is shrinking…except maybe my waistline – but I’ll save that for another post) or by your own publishing house editor; review them with a critical eye; run them past a content editor, copy editor and impartial readers; and then, package them up and offer them through any number of digital and print venues.

Why call it Working Woman’s Hybrid Plan? Because, that’s what I am. I’m a published author with Love Inspired Books, Amazon, and I hold a full time job.  All three are important to me, but putting all of one’s eggs in the same basket, in this day and age, is just…lazy. Opportunities abound for those who dare to grab for it.

Now the concept of working full-time while writing for publication is not new, but it has evolved. There once was a time when authors would clock in their 8 to 5 at the office and then return home and log in another 5 or 6 hours at the computer writing towards a New York deadline or hoping one day to attain a New York deadline. The days and weeks would pass and manuscripts would pile up, and so would the rejection slips adding to the devastation of the hearts of really good writers whose work just didn’t fit into the slot of a commercial publishing house. Does that mean your writing is bad?

Well, maybe.

But chances are, if you’ve worked with a good critique group, joined national organizations for writers such as Romance Writers of America or American Christian Fiction Writers (the two I belong to), have been active in your local chapters, and entered contests for feedback, you have a pretty good estimation of the caliber of your work.

My situation is probably more common among published authors than you realize. You sell a book that is part of a series. If you have a really good agent, they might get a 3 or 4 book deal for you right away. That was not my case. Love Inspired Books bought the first book of my Circle D series, but then didn’t pick up the next one. Now remember, I work full-time on a – at times – erratic and unpredictable schedule. By the time I had the third one on their desk, they thought too much time had passed for readers to relate to the characters and setting.

I can understand that. Doesn’t mean I like it, but I understand it.

So, what do I do with the books that are finished and gathering virtual dust on my hard drive? Need I mention I love the setting and the characters? My heart swoons over the heroes and I’d love to live in a community like Hawk Ridge?

Well, FIRST, I had to obtain permission from Harlequin’s Legal Department to use the characters and setting. Very important you read the fine print in your contracts! I worked with their representative on my options, and concluded I can publish my other two books using the same characters and setting as long as I didn’t sign away exclusive rights to anyone else. Harlequin retains first dibs.

Not a problem. The rights belong to me and I’d be happy to continue the series for Love Inspired anytime they’d like : )

Then I moved on to evaluating content. After determining where tweaks in the plot were needed, I ran the version by several authors, looking for advice specific to each one of them. Then I ran it by my copy editor for line edits. Worked with a cover designer to give my stories a brand, and VOILA!  The culmination of my efforts is now alive and well and living on Amazon.

Remember that pesky day job I mentioned? Well, the time I have available for book marketing made publishing exclusively with Amazon my best bet. I don’t have the time right now to monitor all the outlets for distribution and manage it well. The print version will be out shortly, but in the meantime, I love stopping by my author page on Amazon and just looking at my pretty cover, and thanking Jeff Bezos for the having the foresight and vision to offer authors an opportunity to see all their publishing dreams come true.

Blurb: 

Pediatric oncology nurse, Jennifer O’Reilly returns home to Hawk Ridge, Colorado to establish a mountain recreation camp as a safe adventure for children battling cancer. Her path to ownership depends on developing a profitable business plan to convince the bank she can manage not only the camping facility, but the entire Trails’ End Ranch operation.

Generations earlier, one misplayed hand of poker lost part of the family ranch, and Zac Davidson, youngest son and financial genius of the Circle D, wants it back. Intrigued since childhood by the legend of his great grandfather, Zac is the only family member who holds out hope that one day the ranch would become Davidson property again. When the ranch goes on the market, money is no object, only Jennifer O’Reilly stands between him and his dream. 

High school sweethearts, Jennifer and Zac have wounded each other, and the scars run deep. Jennifer is forced to reveal a secret she’s protected for twelve years. Will past mistakes jeopardize the future of both of their dreams or give them a second chance?

Buy Links:

Amazon

Amazon Author Page

Bio:

Award-winning author, Audra Harders, writes "rugged stories with heart" featuring cowboys who haven't a clue about relationships rescued by ladies who think they have all the answers. In real life, she's married to her own patient hero, has two adult children, and is surrounded by everything conducive to writing about farming, ranching and cowboys at her day job in the county Extension office. She began writing right after her son was born and sold her first book to Steeple Hill Love Inspired mere months before that same son graduated from high school. Surviving those years in-between reminds her God does have her plan for her life...and that He has a tremendous sense of humor.

You can visit her at www.AudraHarders.com. Readers and writers alike are invited to visit Seekerville, a group blog where Audra, along with twelve other inspirational authors, share wisdom and ideas about writing, life, and of course, food!

Find Audra:
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