You self-published your latest book, Lustily Ever After: The Audiobook Musical. Would you please tell us why you chose the self-publishing route?
I should start by saying that this whole thing was kind of an unexpected snowball that rolled itself into avalanche-level existence. As a performer and musical theater composer, I started with this idea for a musical parody of romance novels and was originally planning to write a show meant for the stage. It was only throughout the process that the notion of inventing a totally new format of audiobook came to be, and throughout the evolution of the project itself that self-publishing became the clear choice to make sure that this ‘show’ got out of it’s closet in my head to go meet it’s (hopefully) adoring fans.
The writing of this book was like a free-fall from inspiration mountain thanks to the fact that I get to narrate romance novels for a living. As a musical improv comedy performer for the past several years, these lyrics just started popping into my head while I was in the booth, “the models in my bed don’t keep me warm at night”, and “The mansion’s so cold, the lattes aren’t hot. My champagne’s half full, but I say it’s not!” for example. I had to start writing them down and before I knew it I had 20 original songs written about three stereotypical romance novel characters: the adorably naïve, super-clumsy heroine, Raleigh Jackson, the schmillionaire astronaut playboy hero, Trystan Lay, and the supportive but otherwise forgettable best friend, Kim (no last name, for obvious reasons).
After the songs were mostly written, (inspired by the cheesiest of 90’s pop music for which I feel a deep love and nostalgia), I went on the search for a novel writer to create a novella-length story around the music, and I was so fortunate to find and work with erotica ghostwriter Miranda Ray. I then hired a music producer to create the music tracks and comedians from The Groundlings and Upright Citizens Brigade theaters in Los Angeles to voice the other characters. Finally, we recorded the whole shebang in my professional home studio while I bribed my kids with zoo passes and sugar.
The end result is a two-and-a-half hour snack of a comedic musical parody of romance novels, with a multicast performance of hilarious actors voicing their own dialogue, and singing 20 original and ridiculous songs peppered throughout the story.
What different online stores carry your book?
Audiobook versions are available on Audible.com and the iTunes store, and a bonus Kindle e-book companion version with all of the super sexy silly lyrics to the comedic songs is available on Amazon.
Authors who go the traditional route have an edge over self-published authors in regards to distribution to bookstores. How did you handle that as a self-published author?
Since Lustily Ever After: The Audiobook Musical is primarily an audiobook format, I decided to publish directly to Audible and iTunes. Although that does omit some of the smaller audiobook distributors, it was the easiest path at the time and a much wider reach than a 100-seat theater in Hollywood!
On the other hand, self-published authors have the edge over traditional books in the regards that the author has all the control. I’d like to begin with your cover. Did you make it or did you have someone else design it? If you had someone else, can you tell us who it is?
The cover was one of the most delicious and amazingly fun parts of being a sole producer on this project. For the first time ever, I cast real (and very hunky) models, hired a photographer, and oversaw a photoshoot to get the perfect shot for our cover. I wanted something that invoked the romance, the parody, the musical, and the 90’s era aspect of the audiobook, and I am absolutely in love with how the cover turned out. For me it feels like a high school production of the Pretty Woman movie on an album cover (you know, like from an album, back when those existed…oh, you don’t know? Okay now I feel old.)
So where do you see self-published authors making the biggest mistakes overall?
This is a tricky one to answer since I’m brand new to self-publishing, but I can answer as a professional audiobook narrator. When I was first getting started as a narrator, I narrated many self-published books through the ACX platform that come in having a great marketing plan and lots of follow through, but the sales numbers are dismal. I mean like selling under 10 copies, which I feel like says not great things about your close friends and family who I’m pretty sure are contractually obligated to buy that book amiright?
I’m not sure where they go wrong, but I think the market is probably just so oversaturated that people aren’t taking chances on things they aren’t already sure of. It’s the reason I go to Target instead of some smaller local store, because I don’t have the extra time in schedule for error, if the smaller store doesn’t have what I need. As a crazy busy working mom of two kids under the age of 5 I TOTALLY get it! But it is a little heartbreaking because there are so many truly powerful and inspired books out there that aren’t finding their audience.
If I had to throw out one general theory of where these self-published authors go wrong that I have narrated for, I would say that it’s maybe the expectation that a marketing plan will translate into book sales. Even though that does feel like a very stingy slap in the eyeball, I think self-published authors might feel better about launches if their goal is to establish themselves as published authors and continue to build an audience, instead of equating book sales with success. I mean, that’s what I am focusing on anyway! I want to write more musicals so I gotta have a musical out there that people can listen to if they want to, other than that, the rest is pretty out of my control.
What do you believe the biggest advantages are when self-publishing?Not that I have anything to compare it to! But … I would say the things I have loved about it so far are being able to have total creative control (within the boundaries of creative collaboration with the writer and actors). I have loved being able to decide when and how to release the book and knowing that the only reason anyone will ever hear this thing is because I am so passionate about pushing it forward. As backward as that sounds, there is something satisfying about hustling for what I believe in.
What was the hardest challenge for you to self-publish your book?
Having no time whatsoever was the greatest challenge! This book was literally written with zero childcare; during naptimes, stroller walks, trips in the car, and noisy splashy bath times. I had the motivation to keep going through some divine guidance and I just keep being willing to write down the lyrics that were coming to me and record the melodies I was hearing in my head onto my voice memos app on my iPhone. I assume that with traditional publication, an author receives deadlines and assistance with launches, but with this project there was no one looking over my shoulder urging me to continue, so even though I wanted to quit many, many times, I just kept on moving forward with the next tiny little step until eventually to my shock and amazement, I am writing the answer to this question in an interview for a website that is featuring my completed audiobook musical as my husband is reading The Little Mermaid to my kids in the other room. It seriously is such a complete miracle!
They say self-publishers are control freaks. Do you think there is a lot of truth in that?
I can see how something like this could compare a lot to something like a wedding. First of all: you’re madly in love with your story! Then you want to celebrate and announce that love and do it in the most perfect and beautiful way possible, while spending the least millions of dollars. I could definitely see how those similarities could turn anyone into a publishing bride-zilla!
Did you get someone to format your book for you or did you do that?
I used Kindle Create Direct Publishing software to format the book and it was super easy (although less so when you are only doing it from 10pm-1am because your kids are going through a sleep strike) but still, relative cake.
What steps are you taking to promote it?
Writing the book using absolutely no time whatsoever was somehow much easier than promoting it using no time whatsoever! I am doing my best to keep up with social media, @lustilymusical, taking advantage of the Facebook ads option and getting a lot of good traction with that. I’d like to reach out to more bloggers and reviewers, and keep up with the website www.lustilyeverafter.com which has some really fun cast and crew bios, an audio sample and other unique features. I would also like to rent a sky writer to share the review we just got from Pacific Book Review calling it ‘a musical masterpiece of romance and romantic parody’, so if anyone knows of any super cheap, basically free sky writers, definitely hit me up on IG.
Do you have any advice you’d like to share with other self-published authors?
It’s a wild west of a world out there and there are no rules or absolutes about anything creative anymore, at least not in my experience. I got into my career of audiobook narration in a time of transition in the book industry and I’m so grateful I went for it the way that I did even if it was untraditional. For every story about something that can’t be done, a bunch of somebodies have already done the crap out of it, or they will be doing it soon. So, you do you! Follow the inspiration, the divine guidance, and the rest of the story will write itself. I believe in you!
If you would like to find out more about Stephanie Bentley and
her books, take a look at her website.
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