Avery from THE ARRANGEMENT by HM WARD
Portrait of Avery Stanz from THE ARRANGEMENT. I love black & white. It feels more evocative to me. Anyway, just sharing because THE ARRANGEMENT 15 is coming on Monday! Whoop! Whoop!
For those of you who missed it, here’s the article about H.M. WARD PRESS. 
More books! Hooray!!!!
Article by Jeff Rivera
“HM Ward, arguably one of the most successful indie published authors in recent years, may have sold over 5 million copies of her books in less than three years, but she has been anything but stingy about helping other authors. Ward has made it her mission to lift other indie authors up and that includes launching a new publishing company called HM Ward Press.
In their first joint interview, Holly, as her friends call her and her husband and business partner, Mike Ward reveal the details of the project they’ve been keeping hush-hush for months.
Okay, so now I’m excited. When will you launch this new press?
HM: We already have two authors under contract now. We’ll hopefully release the first book after RWA. The whole concept behind the press is that these are co-authors. The first author is Stacey Mosteller. She is published. No one we’re working with is new. They’re proven authors. They’re great writers. Most will be New Adult titles but some will be Middle Grade.
Mike: So, right now, there are two authors that are under contract, that she’s tapped on the shoulder. They’re thrilled to do it. It’s a very different paradigm than anything traditionally done.
Can you tell us about the first book that will be released?
HM: It is a New Adult Contemporary Romance. It’s what every reader is looking for when they read Damaged or Stripped or the Arrangement. It does not include any of the characters in the first books. These books are totally standalone. They’re not intended to be a series, not upfront. Obviously, the potential is there for anything, but that’s not how they were originally intended.
Mike: That’s part of the reason why these may have not been put out already by Holly alone because if they didn’t fit with her previous series that she was already immersed in, it had to be put aside for the time being. And this is a way to still get those stories out.
And how will the creative process go for the co-authors?
HM: The creative process is very similar to James Patterson’s co-author program but the publishing process is very different. I have a backlist of concepts and stories that I’ve been building and never fleshed out or released myself; just because of time-restraints. I did a book every two and half weeks last year and I still didn’t get everything out that I would have liked to. Some stories have been very well fleshed out, thoroughly outlined where I’ve built out the whole concept but just didn’t put in the time writing them.
Mike: She has tapped a couple of people on the shoulder where they are great authors, where they write fast, they write in a similar style, they are exactly what her readers are looking for. She’s providing these co-authors with the first thorough outline, going over the whole story with them, talking about the ideas the characters, what the story is going to be like when it comes alive. The co-authors are going to take that very first draft, and Holly will go through it, they’ll be a process of revisions back and forth, and Holly will take it the final step, doing her own writing, whatever she hasn’t already worked into it through the revision process, and then that book will be released.
So, tell me about the business behind HM Ward Press. Who gets the rights to the books? How are the royalties split?
HM: HM Ward Press is buying all rights outright. So, we own the rights, we own the book. The co-author gets full credit as co-author for their contribution, but one of the key differences is that they’re getting paid a livable wage for their contribution, for really making the story happen. It’s higher than the average advance from the Big 5 for genre fiction writing and that’s the goal, to maintain that. So, right off the bat, they’re going to get more upfront than they would if they published anything on their own.
Mike: And then following that, once the book releases, they’ll continue to earn based on how it performs. They would earn additional bonuses on top of whatever they were originally paid. They’ll earn far more than they ever could traditionally. There are no royalties. It is 100% transparent. The author, upfront, knows exactly what they’re getting, they can watch the book perform and they’ll know what they’re going to get back out of it, they’re much more immediately invested in how it performs, there’s no waiting to earn out or months for royalty checks.
So, what are the advantages of co-authoring with you, instead of just doing a book themselves?
Mike: The way it’s working right now, Holly has her fingertips on the pulse of indie publishing. She knows who’s out there and so she’s looking for people that write well, write fast, that have a similar style, that her readers would want to read anyway. Her readers are always looking for something new. They want what she’s putting out, but people can still read a lot faster than she’s able to write, and it ends up being win-win for the co-authors, for the readers, and maybe the publishers will make note of it. The co-authors are also getting the advantage of working with Holly, a talented successful author who is just a great resource for anybody that’s in indie publishing, they get access to her fans and her readers and they’re going to get paid substantially better than they would if they tried to become traditionally published.
Holly: There’s so many talented authors out there where they’re just going to be buried. It’s the slushpile that moved from the editor’s desk to Amazon. It’s not a matter of querying, or approaching us, I’m personally tapping people that I know my readers are looking for.
How many books will you be releasing a year?
Mike: We’re still ramping up and because it is so time-intensive for Holly, hopefully it’ll be 4-6 books in the first year, and will increase from there. We’d love to see that output double the second year.
So, how will you promote these books?
HM: The same way I market mine–social media, web, email, etc.
Mike: Holly is in a unique position. Her readers want more. As long as it’s an HM Ward book in style, and feel and content, it’s more of a matter of getting the books out there to her fans than a matter of advertising or marketing.
Are you worried about oversaturating the market with HM Ward books?
Mike: At this point, I’d love it if Holly was able to slow down a little bit. She’s had herhealth issues, she’s incredibly busy, she writes tremendous hours, and if it got the point where she was comfortable slowing down where the readers wanted to see her slow down then maybe … but, I just don’t see that happening. They want the titles. They’re reading a book a week. And Holly, even being Holly, can’t write that fast.”
See the article over here on Huffington Post
This article was in Huffington Post on 5/29/2014
So this event (BEA) was totally crazy! I was running non-stop between signings, meetings, and speaking.I thought I’d share some pics of the awesome fans and the stuff that was going on. The book signings were insane. I ran out of books in less than an hour and the tee shirts were gone within a few minutes. The first line wrapped all the way down the hall to the ladies room which was way long! Then they cut off the second line when they saw the books were about gone. Thanks to the ppl who helped me during both signings! You guys are awesome! And EVERYTHING is gone-even the signs.
Thank you to everyone who came out and said hi! You guys rock! The pic below is me sitting in the author area right before things got crazy. As you can see, Mr. Turkey left his home in Canada to come visit me. (He’s supposed to be in Cherry Hill with Sid, but he was abducted by Mel). His sign is made from a toothbrush.
And a special thanks to Anderson Porter who got me this chair so I could sit here and visit with you guys. You wouldn’t believe how hard it was to get this chair. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
And thank you also to the guy who helped me move my books to the signing location. I thanked you twice in person, but I didn’t realize how screwed I was until I lifted the box of books. OMG! Thank you for carrying them to the singing table on the other side of the Center.
Here’s a group of fans having tea with me at the Ritz. It was more like a cake party. Mr. Turkey wore his finest.
And these are the tats they got later. It’s the Ferro family crest.
Thanks to everyone who came out! I can’t thank the fans enough! And the random nice people who helped me!
A Stand Alone Ferro Novel by New York Times Bestselling Author H.M. Ward
Description: After I get the witch at the front desk to hand me my room key, I head for the shower. I was supposed to shoot my best friend’s wedding alone, and I couldn’t wait to escape New York and Nick Ferro.
Yeah, he’s beautiful, sexy, and completely charming, but he’s stealing my clients. He’s done so much damage that I’m going to be lucky if I can keep my studio open for a couple of weeks. This wedding means everything to me, and I refuse to let a spoiled brat with a shiny new MBA put me out of business. Screw that.
But then I find myself wearing nothing but a smile when the person I hate most walks through the hotel room door. Nick Ferro. Two adversaries, shooting one wedding and sharing one room for one week. What could possibly go wrong?
Genre: New Adult Romance
Type: Novel 1 of 1
Series: Ferro
GRAB THE WEDDING CONTRACT NOW AT THESE RETAILERS:
(other editions to follow shortly)
What readers are saying about Nick Ferro and THE WEDDING CONTRACT:
“Funny, sexy, and well worth the wait.” -J Maxwell
“This book contains all the essential elements that continue to make H.M Ward my favourite author: beautiful characters (have you hugged a Ferro today?), tons of sassy smart-assy funny comments, improbable and unpredictable predicaments (say that 10 times fast!), sexy scenes filled with anticipation… but most of all, H.M. Ward has the ability to bring the reader into her world as if they were there along with the characters, feeling every little bit of emotion her characters are feeling (yes, I cried!). Whenever you pick up an H.M. Ward book, you feel like you’re visiting with a good friend.” -Melanie
“Absolutely by far my favorite.” – Emily
“Hilarious, mischievous, and romantic!” -Sher
Come by and see me! I’ll have books, swag, and sparklie Ferro T shirts. Everything is 1st come 1st served, so come early! And yes, I’ll sign your face, but that’s it.
Do NOT watch this. You’ll go totally crazy. It’s edgy, sexy, and totally hot. I squeed like a nutjob when I saw this – it’s the video teaser for THE WEDDING CONTRACT (A Ferro Family Novel). It’s a single novel story (275 pages) about Nick Ferro. That’s right. Get ready for some serious crushing.
Hey! I just wanted to take a second and say thank you to everyone who signed up for the 4 MILLION REASONS TO SELF-PUBLISH workshop that is taking place next weekend. All the monies paid for tuition were donated to NILMDTS, which totaled just over $2,400! This means to much to families that use this non-profit’s services.
I’m sending out the email tonight that has the info for those who are registered for next weekend. This is the 2nd time I’ve done this workshop. It sold out both times in a matter of minutes. There will be 2 more workshops later this year for those of you who are interested and didn’t get in.
Thank you so much! You guys rock! Talk to you next weekend!
These are the things people will tell you that you’re passing up if you don’t sign on the traditional line, and I’m calling it. It’s bullshit. Seriously stinky stuff, and a lot of people don’t know, so here’s my post.
This is the stuff that’s been spread far and wide by the publishing industry for years and most of it is BS. I’m gonna be blunt, b/c you’re assuming the grass is greener on the other side, but they don’t even have grass over there. Things are that messed up.
An advance against royalties – Have you heard how many of our peers didn’t get paid? They entered into a multi book deal like you were offered and well, the pub didn’t think book 1 went very well, so books 2 & 3 were cancelled. No money for you.
There’s the appearance of stability when working with a publisher, but they cannot offer you job security. All of a sudden, your 3 book, 6-figure deal ends up earning you $30K over 2 years and you want to poke your eye out with a fork. True story – just not mine, thank god. Ask around.
Passing up Print distribution.
PRINT IS DEAD. There’s no money in print. Why do you think the big 5.5 are buying up Indie ebooks? Why don’t we see the stores stocked with these titles? Where’d they go? I know for a fact that one publisher’s plan was to acquire enough Indies to release 70+ new titles in one season and NOT PRINT A THING. But that’s not what they told me. Print is dead and the pubs are noticing that isn’t where the money is. Which is also why you’re getting any guarantee of a print run when you sign that six figure deal.
My books will not be in bookstores.
Mine are and have been since day 1. If enough ppl ask for your book, they will order your book.
My books are likely never to be found in a library.
Also, not true. If enough ppl (usually 6 or so) ask for your book, they will buy your book, Indie or not.
I will never have an editor who will work with me to develop the book and the follow-ups because she loved it enough to acquire it for her house.
Bwuahahhaha! I’m sorry, but you’re assuming that they know better than you. Dude, they’re part of a dying breed, and they’re dying b/c they don’t want to change. No one jumps up and down and screams, “oooh, ooooh! pick me!” to be the next casualty of the publishing industry.
I gave up the chance to grow as an author under their (NY editor’s) tutelage.
Again, they can’t tell their ass from their elbow and you’re gonna look really weird at parties trying to sit on the wrong one.
A team of marketing and publicity experts with contacts.
FAKE! Guess what? The experts are few and far between. If the market has shifted to primarily selling intangible goods and you have a panel of ppl who rock at selling paper, then you have a serious problem. The experts aren’t there. They’ll put you on a mailing list with 2K subscribers that’s WAY past it’s heyday, and then tell you to buy a bookbub ad (on your dime.)
Authors are expected to market themselves, traditionally published or Indie. If you fail, even after being picked up by one of the big boys, it’s your fault. It’s never their fault. That’s not the kind of people you want to work with. Ever read an article where the publisher goes, “Our marketing effort just didn’t connect with readers.” It’s always the author under-performed, or the title couldn’t cross over to print.
The branding a big name publisher can provide.
They have no idea how to do this. The authors who have brands sold scads of books and the pubs rode coattails. You make your brand. You ARE your brand. This is one of those shiny things they dangle to get you to sign, and then you find out it was never there. How do you market intangible goods (goods you can’t touch)? I know, and I’m very aware that they do not.
I gave up the opportunity to learn from marketing and publicity experts as well.
No, you didn’t. When a big publisher did research on serials, guess who they looked at? When the publishers want to check the market to see what unexpected stuff is going on, do you really think they’re looking at each other? No, they’re looking at us – Indies. Why? Because we take more risks, and understand the market better b/c we have to. They still get paid even if they’re sitting on their elbows. We don’t eat if we don’t sell our stuff. Poverty is a motivator–it’s a bonus really.
I gave up being branded alongside bestselling authors who have been publishing for many years and have many readers.
I’ve had the big 5 come to me (after refusing over $1.5 million in contracts) to ask me to blurb their book. I’m 100% Indie and pretty much told them that they have no idea how to do anything when I turned them down. They still came asking. You are in good company, and we tend to be more forthright and supportive.
I am less likely to ever make a national bestseller list.
Everyone says that. Statistically, this is inaccurate as the list has been taken over by Indies. As an Indie, you’re more likely to make a list IMHO. You have complete control.
I am less likely to sell my other rights, such as audio and foreign translation. Some might counter that I can self-publish my books in audio form, but this is now much more difficult due to recent changes in royalties provided the primary providers of indie Audiobooks, ACX.
Don’t even get me started on ACX, but to counter your point – you WILL get audio offers for your book. They’ll be around $1K, b/c ‘audio just isn’t worth that much.’ Which is BS. Take it if you want or do it yourself and use a different platform. There’s more than just ACX out there. You will get offers on foreign too. Take it if you want. They will find you.
I have most likely lost the chance to sell movie rights.
Not true. Several indies sold film rights.
I may have damaged my chances to become a hybrid author.
Hybrid is a term that the industry made up so they won’t get left behind. They want you to think they’re relevant and still have something to offer. They don’t.
When I walked away from my auction offers, I was told, point-blank, that I would be a “hard sell” to any New York editor after this.
That’s bullshit. Money talks. See above reference of me blowing them off and then being asked to blurb a book 2 weeks later. That was a pressure tactic and it’s BS.
The cachet of being associated with a big publisher. Being invited to publisher parties at big writers conferences. Networking with industry professionals in a concentrated setting and with a common goal in mind. Being sent on book tours or participating in book signings.
You can still do that and laugh at them as you walk by b/c you’re making more money and have more freedom. Ta ta!
If I ever accept a NY contract, I’ll never be marketed as a “debut author.”
They wanted to mark me as a ‘debut’ author after publishing 40+ books. I don’t think that’s a good thing. It’s the newB stamp.
I have lost the opportunity for a traditional publishing house to establish a brand for me.
You said this twice. THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL THEY INTENDED ON MAKING A BRAND FOR YOU. Branding things is difficult, branding people is even harder. That’s not what they do. They know how to print paper and they’re abandoning that in an attempt to remain relevant.
I have no idea who got under your skin, but most of these concerns are BS fed to Indies by agents and editors. It’s a sales technique called ‘fear of loss’ – look at everything you gave up by leaving us. Meanwhile, they’re telling you about the Indie side of things and they have no clue. A dog can’t say what it’s like to live as a cat, you get me?
Pay attention to where you hear things. This is part of them tainting the market and making us afraid so we’ll sign away our rights for a song. They’re taking advantage of people and it’s wrong.
It’s hard to make an ‘informed’ decision when the trads are blowing so much smoke up our butts. Seriously.
To those who trad-pubbed and signed on the line, I’m not slamming you. People have to do what they have to do, but please be aware that the industry is crumbling and there are so many false concepts and things that will be offered if you only ‘sign here! Sign now! Don’t wait!’ If anyone treats you like that, run the other way. Fast.
It’s almost summer!
Time to win this awesome little beach bag, steel water bottle, Arrangement 1 and Arrangement 2 both signed by the author, and a bookmark!
US ONLY FOR THIS GIVEAWAY PLEASE!
TO enter, follow the rafflecopter directions. Thank you so much and good luck!