SPA Girls Podcast
Episodes
SPA Girls Podcast – EP346 – Interview with Julia Roberts, Creativity Coach
01 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we're joined by Julia Roberts, MSc, writer, creativity coach, and soon-to-be Ted Talker. Julia is going to talk us through procrastination and t...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP345 – How To Write A Successful Series
25 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Do you want to learn how to design a series that will hook and keep readers, AND set you up for long term success? Helen Scheuerer joins us today to ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP344 – Managing Book Projects
18 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week, in answer to a listener question, we talk about how we manage the process of writing a book. How many do we write at one time? Do we work o...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP343 – Interview with Asa Maria Bradley
10 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Bestselling Author Asa Maria Bradley suggests collaboration as a way to get creative again. Growing up in Sweden surrounded by archaeology and histor...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP342 – Interview with Mary-Theresa Hussey
03 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most experienced editors in the industry joins us in the SPA! Prior to becoming a freelance editorial consultant, Mary-Theresa (known as Ma...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP341 – Graphics For Authors
26 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode answers a listener question - namely, how do you deal with all the graphics an author needs? DIY or outsource? And what works best?
SPA Girls Podcast – EP340 – Successful First Drafts
20 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hit the ground running with this episode all about how to successfully finish the first draft of your novel! We talk about how we stay motivated, wh...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP339 – Becoming a Full Time Writer
12 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Do you want to be a full-time author? Today we discuss how we transitioned to writing full-time, including: • how we approached the financial and bu...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP338 – Psychology Tools For Authors
05 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode we cover plot development AND character development and you’ll come away (hopefully!) with some awesome tips to improve your story tell...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP 337 – Creating Audio Books
30 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the Spa this week we talked to the talented Naomi Barton. With more people listening to audio books now, there has never been a better time to lear...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP336 – PR for Authors with Lilian Sue
23 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week we talk to long-time PR coach and publicist Lilian Sue about how authors can successfully use PR to help with their author business. Her aim...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP 335 – Romance Your Goals with Zoe York
15 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we welcome back for a record 3rd time, Zoe York, to talk about Romancing Your Goals. Like so many authors it was hard to read and write during ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP334 – Amazon Ads with Deb Potter
09 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us have tried different methods to get AMS Ads to work: from creating hundred of ad variations to wrangling spreadsheets with thousands of key...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP333 – MM Romance With Jay Hogan
01 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jay Hogan writes character driven mm romances with lots of humour, a good dose of reality and a splash of angst.
SPA Girls Podcast – EP332 – TikTok Tips with AK Mulford
23 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week we talk to fantasy author AK Mulford about how she got started on TikTok! We cover TikTok for authors in depth: how to start, who to follo...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP331 – Reignite Your Writing Joy
15 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Feeling a bit blah about your writing? Struggling with getting good words down and your word count UP? Today we're taking inspiration from Marie Kondo...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP330 – Covers That Sell
09 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How do you get a cover that finds readers and converts to sales? How much should you expect to pay?
SPA Girls Podcast – EP329 – Success With Short Romance
02 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Going from zero to $3k per month in just a few months is a dream for many of us and today's guest achieved just that. Ella Barnard is here to talk how...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP328 – All About Preorders
26 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Confused about preorders? Wondering if you should start using them? Wondering if you should stop using them? This is the episode for you! We talk abou...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP327 – 8 Steps To Build Your Fictional Setting
18 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we share our SPA Girls patented 😉 foolproof steps to create a fictional setting that'll keep your readers coming back for more!
SPA Girls Podcast – EP326 – How To Find Your Why
12 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the real reason you’re a writer? We’ve talked about finding your why before on the podcast, and today we're delving deeper. Inspired by S...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP325 – All About Kobo with Tara Cremin
04 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Tara brings us up to speed on Kobo’s new audiobook platform, other updates from Kobo including Kobo Plus, and top tips for marketing...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP324 – Recharging For Authors
30 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Happy New Year people! It's a crazy time of year, and this episode is all about why you need to take time out, recharge your batteries and come back i...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP323 – Christmas Special 2021
21 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Despite 2021’s best efforts we’ve managed to do some great work this year and had some good times. From launching as planned when health or life ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP322 – Uncommon Writing Advice
14 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all heard the conventional wisdom for fiction writers – but is it actually appropriate for self-publishing today? We break down five piece...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP321 – The Writing Process
07 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the SPA today, we talk about the evolution of our writing process. We delve into the changes that have taken place in our writing journeys over the...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP320 – What Do I Write Next?
01 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you're considering changing genres, starting a new series, trying new tropes, or are even just so confused about this writing malarky that you're n...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP319 – Reader Reach with Written Word Media
23 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s no secret that we use Written Word Media for ads and while we don’t have affiliate links, we can’t think of a reason not to try Freebooksy ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP318 – Lessons For Writers from Brene Brown
16 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How can we, as authors and self-publishers, deal with the internal (and external!) voices of criticism, meet our expectations and forge ahead with our...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP317 – StoryOrigin
10 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Evan Gow is the indie developer of StoryOrigin, a marketing tool and community of authors that work together to find reviewers, build mailing lists, i...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP316 – Interview with Nicholas Erik
03 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Wondering how to get started with Facebook ads, but not sure where to start? Join us for today's podcast with Facebook ads guru, Nicholas Erik! Nicho...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP315 – Interview with Theodora Taylor
26 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After logging time as a music journalist, playwright, and radio writer, Theodora Taylor fell in love with penning hot books with heart. Since deciding...
SPA Girls Podcast- EP314 – Interview with Linda Pucci
19 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today Linda is here to talk about how we as creatives can overcome our limiting beliefs, fears of success, failure, being an imposter et al and how we...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP313 – The Best Writing Advice You Shouldn’t Take
12 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Feeling a bit bombarded by conflicting advice re writing and self-publishing? Got FOMO about courses and conferences others are experiencing, but you ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP312 – What To Do When You’re Stuck In A Creative Rut
06 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We love our Irish guests and are super stoked to welcome author and writing coach, Bryan Collins, to the SPA today! If you've been feeling BLAH about...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP311 – Top Ten Takeaways for 2021
28 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode we're sharing the key things that have moved our writing careers, and creativity, forward so far in 2021. It's a typical "SPA Girls on th...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP310 – The Power Of Clever Copywriting with Jacob McMillen
22 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We often struggle with what to write in our newsletters and social media posts in a way that's authentic and reaches the right readers. And then there...
SPA Girls – EP309 – Writing trilogies in successful settings with Jayne Castel
15 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today we talk about writing successful trilogies, and successful settings with award-winning epic Historical Fantasy and Fantasy Romance author Jayne ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP308 – Interview with Virginia Milner from Kindle Vella
08 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you've been considering taking the plunge into Amazon's new serials platform, Kindle Vella (and yes, Wendy asked if they'd named it after her), the...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP307 – Step Up Your Marketing Strategy with Roseanne Cheng (Pt 2)
01 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
From Pinterest to Amazon Ads, Roseanne is back in the second part of our extended interview to help you step up your marketing!
SPA Girls Podcast – EP306 – Finding Joy In Book Marketing with Roseanne Cheng
25 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How do you decide what to do when people tell you to "Do All The Things"?! When the hustle is just too much, Roseanne has guidance for what works and ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP305 – Talking Police Equipment For Fiction Authors
17 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We talk to Veteran Police Detective Adam Richardson about Police equipment for fiction authors today. Adam spent seventeen years of his almost 25-year...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP304 – Interview with Rachael Herron
11 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
International bestselling author Rachael Herron joins us in the SPA today to talk to us about her writing journey, how she has created a career with m...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP303 Cleansing Your Writing Palate
03 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Are you bored, or disheartened, with your writing? Many of us hit the wall of blahhsss or burnout. When persevering and grinding through it just doesn...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP302 – Writing Cozy Mysteries with Nancy J. Cohen
27 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve wondered whether writing a cozy is for you, then this episode will answer that question! Alongside her fiction, Nancy has also written the...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP301 – 50 Shades Of Writing: Does Size Matter?
20 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Conventional wisdom says 'bigger is better' for books, but is that really true? In this episode, we discuss what different word counts and book sizes ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP300 – Pride and Perseverance
14 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Join Shar, Wendy, Cher and Trudi for the 300th EPISODE of the SPA Girls Podcast! EEEEEEKKKKK!!!!! Can you believe it? It's been a crazy ride, but we'v...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP299 – Book Marketing On A Shoestring
07 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Marketing doesn't have to be Big Bucks spent on advertising. In fact, some of the best marketing you can do is free or low cost. If you're just starti...
SPA Girls Podcast- EP298 – Interview with Lucy Lennox: Success with MM Romance
30 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Lucy saw extraordinary success straight out the gate, from when she first published her MM romance, Borrowing Blue, in November 2016. In fact, by her ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP297 – Fallyn Briggs, Writing To Trend V Writing To Market
22 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Dive into this amazing episode with six-figure author Fallyn Briggs, where she discusses the hot top of writing to trend v writing to market. Fallyn ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP296 – Developing Character Wounds
16 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the SPA Girls Podcast we talk about emotional wounds, and why they're so important in developing your characters, and creating an a...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP295 – How To Build Your Author Village – with Celeste Barclay
08 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Celeste Barclay joins us to discuss finding your village and what doing so did for her. Celeste has published an incredible 27 books since 2017 primar...
SPA Girls Podcast- EP294 – How To Embrace Change
02 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode we're back "on the couch" with the SPA Girls to discuss tools and resources we've used to cope with the ever changing climate of self-pub...
SPA Girls – EP293 – Abundance Mindset for Authors with Renee Rose
26 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
You're worth it and your work is worth it. This episode will blow your mind! USA Today Bestselling author Renee Rose is passionate about helping autho...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP292 – Wide vs Exclusive
19 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's a heated debate that occurs regularly in the bars and cafes of self-publishing-land - should you go exclusive to Amazon and get the benefits of K...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP291 – 9 Writing Tools We Love!
09 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We absolutely have more than 9 tools we could recommend because we don’t all use the same ones. Listen to find out which ones we can’t do without ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP290 – Dealing with Edits and Critiques
05 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Getting edits and critiques is part of every author's career, but sometimes it can feel worse than getting stung by a wasp on your eyeball. Like dir...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP289 – Writing Romantic Comedy with Annika Martin
27 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Writing bestselling romance with incredible character chemistry is something that NYT Bestseller Annika Martin excels in, and today she joins us in th...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP288 – TikTok and Instagram with Anne Malcom
20 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We have a terrible confession to make. We have no idea what we're doing when it comes to Instagram (well, Shar does, but the rest of us have no idea) ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP287 – Plotting for Pantsers
13 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Are you one or the other, or something in between? While Trudi is an outright plotter, Cheryl considers herself a hybrid and Wendy is a confirmed pant...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP286 – Writers’ Fears
07 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Resistance. Fear. Procrastination. Avoidance. Most of us writers struggle with these challenges at some point in their career (or day!). This episode ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP285 – Interview with Janie Crouch : Launching a romance series
01 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Get ready to be inspired! Our guest today, USA Bestseller, Janie Crouch, writes passionate romantic suspense (both traditionally published and self-pu...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP284 – Lucy Score talks Reader Groups, Releases and Relationships
23 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you've ever considered starting up a Facebook reader group, then you need to listen to this episode. Lucy Score's group is an example of a well run...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP283 – Interview with Kaye Kennedy
16 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today we’re talking with Kaye Kennedy who had the successful experience we all hope for when we start out. Using her business experience and spendi...
SPA Girls Podcast- EP282- Interview with Helen Scheuerer
10 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Making six figures a year while publishing one book a year, isn't the usual career path for most indies, but for our guest today, it absolutely is!
SPA Girls Podcast – EP281 – Kindletrends with Nat Connors
03 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today we're delighted to welcome fellow Kiwi, Nat Connors. Nat has recently launched KINDLETRENDS (www.kindletrends.com) - the research newsletter for...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP280 – Scheduling Like A Superstar
23 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Trying to figure out how to finish your book? Keep getting distracted or discombobulated? This is the episode for you! We break down the processes we...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP279 – Overcoming Technology Barriers
16 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For many of us, the thought of overcoming the technology barriers to self-publishing can be overwhelming and cause us to delay (or not try) publishing...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP278 – 7 Simple Steps To Self-Publishing
10 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's super easy to be overwhelmed by all the steps required to self-publish. Whether you're a traditionally published author looking to self-publish n...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP277 – Answering Newbie Questions
02 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How much can you expect to earn when you start self-publishing? What should you publish for guaranteed success? We answer these questions and more in ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP276 – Character-centric Plotting with Alexa Rivers
27 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today we're joined by fellow Kiwi romance author - and one of the SPA Girls' star pupils from their self-publishing workshops - ALEXA RIVERS. Alexa h...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP275 – Read Through on a Series
19 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Are your readers staying for the next book? This week's podcast is all about read-through - ie what percentage of readers read from the first book in...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP274 – 5 Golden Guidelines For 2021 Goal Setting
13 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Have you already listed your goals or resolutions for the upcoming year? Before you start whipping yourself into action, consider your ANSWERS TO THE ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP273 – The One Right Way to Sell Books
06 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Isn't that what we're all after? The ONE RIGHT answer to everything - the BEST newsletter strategy, the RIGHT way to sell books, the ONE secret to mak...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP272 – How To Believe In Yourself
30 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wondered why on earth you're spending all this time writing? Ever think to yourself that maybe your writing isn't that great? Ever think this sel...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP271 – Christmas Roundup 2020
22 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Celebrating the season with a quick recap of our Words For 2020. Hahahahahaha And then onto Important Burning Questions about our Christmas favorites...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP270 – From Great Idea to Sellable Story
15 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
You've had a great idea for a story - now how do you turn it into a workable outline? This is a "live action" recording where the SPA Girls take a "gr...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP269 – What To Do When You Run Out Of Steam
08 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What do you do when you're running out of steam and you're only in the middle of the book? Or you're just running out of steam in general?
SPA Girls Podcast – EP268 – How to Use Bonus Content to Sell Books
01 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Bonus content is an awesome marketing tool that can be used in a variety of ways - from encouraging people to sign up to newsletters, to convincing th...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP267 – Get Your First Book Right
25 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Want to make sure you give your first book the best possible chance of success... and then have readers auto-buying the next in your series? Then this...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP266 – Nail Your Keywords With Dave Chesson
18 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Why does Amazon choose someone else's book over yours to show in a search? And how can we make sure to use the best keywords for sales? Well wonder no...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP265 – Reader Groups
10 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s podcast is all about reader groups. Are they worthwhile? How they work and why you would want one? Wendy has recently started one, and we di...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP264 – Insider Writing Secrets
04 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A good old fashioned craft episode from the SPA Girls this week. Shar, Wendy and Cheryl discuss insider writing secretes from James Scott Bell's book ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP263 – Listener Questions: Motivation, Time Management, Local Market
27 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we’re answering listener questions - a couple around the change of life many are experiencing right now. We have a few suggestions ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP262 – The Four Tendencies For Writers
21 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week's podcast had us (good-naturedly) arguing a wee bit. Shar and Trudi typically were ALL OVER doing Gretchen Rubin's online test to identify w...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP261 – Imposter Syndrome with Amira Alvarez
13 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today we're delighted to welcome back mindset coach, Amira Alvarez after such an amazing response to our earlier episode with her. Today, we're taking...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP260 – Interview with Danielle Romero
07 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week we have an intriguing chat with author Danielle Romero (Danielle Annett), who has recently switched genres from Urban Fantasy to Contemporar...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP259 – Email Advertising Lists
29 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week we look at the major email advertising sites we use, as well as some of the smaller, and talk about our success, or lack of it, with each. ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP258 – Nail Your Newsletter with Holly Mortimer
22 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is a DOOZY! We're thrilled to interview author and marketing expert, Holly Mortimer. We talk all things email marketing with Holly, and g...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP257 – Juggling Writing & Family Life with Connie B. Dowell
16 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today we're going to talk with author Connie Dowell about juggling family responsibilities, pandemic postponements, and upheaval, with the responsibil...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP256 – Self Publishing Versus Traditional Publishing
09 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In response to a listener question, this week we attempt to answer the question: Knowing what you know now, if you were starting out in publishing tod...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP255 – Newsletter Strategies
02 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This episode we discuss our (very!) different newsletter strategies: what provider we use and why, how we build our lists, our content, how frequently...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP254 – Interview with Tamsin Ley
25 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today we're joined by fabulous Alaskan author, Tamsin Ley, who is seeing great success writing SciFi Romance! We talk about Tamsin's writing journey, ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP253 – Maximize Your Mindset with Amira Alvarez
18 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Amira Alvarez is the founder and CEO of The Unstoppable Woman, a global coaching company helping entrepreneurs, empire builders, athletes, creatives, ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP252 – Uncomplicate Your Publishing
12 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
One thing we really believe in here at the SPA is that simple is better. There's so much noise on the internet, and so many different things that we'r...
SPA Girls Podcast – Ep251 – Alana Terry, Facebook Ads for Authors
04 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Alana Terry is a 6-figure, USA Today bestseller with more than forty published Christian suspense novels. She hosts the Successful Writer Podcast whic...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP250 – Celebrating 250 shows!
29 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Celebrating our 250th Episode! We go right back to our first episode (don't worry, we won't replay it), discuss the ONE piece of advice we'd give to n...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP 249 – Interview with Story Coach Lisa Cron
21 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Having trouble getting to 'the end' of your work in progress then this is the podcast for you! Lisa Cron is a story coach and the author of Wired for ...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP248 – Dealing With Limiting Beliefs
15 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We're on the couch again this week! We're talking about our limiting beliefs and how we're tackling them. If you're not sure if you've got a limiti...
SPA Girls Podcast – EP247 – What Advertising Is Working For Us
08 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week we discuss what advertising is actually working for our romance, urban fantasy and cozy mystery books. From facebook to series promotions, w...