Author Q&A: Leddy Harper

Literally one year ago, Leddy Harper took the indie-publishing plunge. She hasn’t looked back.

Since then — to reviewers’ delight — she has published four novels on her own, plus three with co-authors, and her fifth solo effort will be released Nov. 18.

Harper says she exercised her imagination freely since her teen years, but she ultimately decided to publish as a way to show her three daughters to pursue their dreams and overcome fears.

On the eve of her publishing anniversary — Oct. 15, 2014 — she took the time to answer a few of our questions about her journey.

SADYE: Your Twitter bio makes it pretty clear that you’re glad to be an indie writer, specifically. What is your favorite part about it?

LEDDY: It's a lot of hard work since as an indie, you have to pretty much take care of everything, and then find the right people to hire for everything else, but I love it because I still have the control.

I don't have someone telling me what I can and can't write about or when I have to have a book finished. It allows me to go at my pace, and stick with what I'm comfortable with. And I get to meet so many amazing people!

SADYE: You give a great deal of credit to your editors, more than I’m used to seeing. What prompted you to hire outside help and how has it paid off?

LEDDY: I'm a firm believer that anyone who has helped get a book from the first word to published deserves credit. Without every person's help, the book (or anything) wouldn't be as great as it is.

Choosing the right editor, cover designer, or anyone working on the book can be a challenge. You always want someone who works well with you, and one that also does amazing work.

I've seen my choices pay off every time I get back a manuscript that has less and less markups on it, and every time I get back a cover that I never have to ask to change anything.

The key is to always find someone who fits with you, and I think I've found that in my team!

SADYE: What’s the biggest challenge you face as a writer?

LEDDY: Critics! I've been so fortunate that I haven't been chewed up and spit out, but the fear is always there. It's what took me so long to make the decision to publish in the first place.

I'm very sensitive, so learning to grow thicker skin has been a challenge for me, but I have such amazing support that it hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be.

SADYE: What has been your favorite professional accomplishment?

LEDDY: Every time I hear from a reader how much they love my work, or how one of my books have changed their life in some way — it never gets old. It's a sense of accomplishment every single time I get it.

SADYE: How did you decide to co-write Hindsight and then actually do it?

LEDDY: Marlo is one of my best friends, so deciding to write with her was never really a question.

I’d had the idea of the book in my head for so long, but never thought I would ever be able to express it correctly. Marlo writes suspense, and she offered to help. I didn't even have to think twice about it.

However, she lives on the other coast. So ... she'd write and then send to me, and then I'd go through it, add, change, move things around, and then pick up where she left off, send it back to her, and then she'd do the same thing.

We also had daily phone calls where we talked about where we saw it going and ideas we'd come up with.

SADYE: Your daughters probably aren’t old enough to read your novels yet, but have you been thinking about how to make the “Mom writes some steamy scenes” announcement?

LEDDY: I think about that on a daily basis every time my oldest tells someone at school about me!

I don't think it'll be too difficult since my books aren't necessarily "erotic" per se, but there are definitely scenes in them that I will have to explain. I just hope by the time they reach the age to read them, they won't have any interest in them.

It could go something like, "Hey, girls ... so I write about love. And when a man and a woman really love each other ...” haha! No, I'll probably just write it on a sticky note on the fridge: “I write good sex scenes; please don't discuss them with me.”

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Learn more about Leddy Harper on her website, where her books can also be purchased; like her page on Facebook; and follow her on Twitter and Instagram. 

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