Episode 39 features the one and only… Bella Andre! Bella is a self-publishing superstar, one of the original KWL beta testers when we started off in 2012, NYT and USA Today bestselling Romance and New Adult author, and all-around lovely and fun person to talk to. Christine Munroe hosts this episode and chats with Bella about her publishing journey, including (listen up!) her secrets for success. In this can’t-miss episode, Christine and Bella discuss:
Bella with KWL Director Mark Lefebvre and fellow indie superstar Barbara Freethy, at Kobo HQ.
- The turning point in Bella’s career in April 2010, when she put eBooks up for sale and several days later checked and realized she had sold several hundred copies.
- Her work creating the visual brand of Bella Andre. She recommends that authors treat themselves like the bestseller they want to be. In her case, that started with making her name prominent on her covers.
- Bella’s learn-by-doing approach, including creating her own covers, which she does to this day.
- There is a great virtue in putting in blood, sweat, and tears and understanding how to do everything yourself before passing it off and outsourcing part of the publishing process.
- The origins of the pen names Bella Andre and Lucy Kevin.
- Her promise: she will never disappoint her readers.
- Bella’s unique 7-figure, print-only deal with Harlequin MIRA.
- Her translation partnership with KWL, creating French editions of five Lucy Kevin titles.
Bella’s latest release, TEMPT ME LIKE THIS. Andre has a rare talent for writing AND designing her own covers.
- The opportunities Bella says no to – including a reality TV show.
- Why Bella enjoys collaborating with other authors (including Melissa Foster and Jennifer Skully), and her best advice for making a collaborative relationship work: “always be nice.”
- Will she ever run out of Sullivans? (Thankfully, no!)
At the end of the episode, Christine catches up with KWL Director Mark Lefebvre. They discuss why it’s so important for authors to network with retailers – from the very beginning, Bella impressed Mark and he wanted to help her succeed on Kobo. They also talk about KWL’s recent third birthday and the most exciting new projects we have in the works for our authors.
Thanks for listening!
ADDITIONAL LINKS
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https://twitter.com/bellaandre
Bella at London Book Fair 2014 with KWL EU Manager Camille Mofidi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsE5g1sTpkk
Bella Andre is the NYT, USA Today and PW bestselling author of THE SULLIVANS and THE MORRISONS series. Having sold more than 4 million books, Bella Andre’s novels have been #1 bestsellers around the world and have appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists 27 times. After signing a groundbreaking 7-figure print-only deal with Harlequin MIRA, Bella’s THE SULLIVANS series is being released in paperback in the US, Canada, and Australia. Bella also writes the New York Times bestselling Four Weddings and a Fiasco series as Lucy Kevin. Her “sweet” contemporary romances also include the new USA Today bestselling Walker Island series written as Lucy Kevin. If not behind her computer, you can find her reading her favorite authors, hiking, swimming or laughing. Married with two children, Bella splits her time between the Northern California wine country and a 100 year old log cabin in the Adirondacks.
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This was a great episode and a great interview. I particularly enjoyed the talk about branding. You don’t hear that talked about much, but it’s definitely really important!
This is one of my favorite KWL episodes. Bella Andre has been such an inspiration for me.