Frequently Asked Questions

Are you a hybrid publisher?

No. We’re a small press, publishing in digital-first with eBooks, audiobooks, and print-on-demand paperbacks. We are piloting trade distribution for select titles.

What do you publish?

We publish Women’s Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Historical Romance, and Southern Fiction.

Do authors pay anything to work with you?

No. While we offer authors suggestions on how to invest in their careers, all production and marketing spend is out of our pockets.

How is Harpeth Road different from other publishers?

Harpeth Road Press is author owned, and the author is at the center of everything we do. We not only focus on producing top-notch books, but we also teach the author what she/he needs to be a success in the business.

Will you market my book?

Yes. We have a full marketing plan for every title. If you succeed, we succeed.

Will I have to be on social media?

As a digital-first publisher, we believe in being where our readers are—online. While we understand that an author’s main focus should be great writing, we strongly believe that the author has an incredible pull with readers. We will do the marketing, but the author’s promotion and outreach to readers through online efforts is key to getting the word out in a digital environment. Not to worry! We’ll prepare you with lessons on everything you need to build your platform, and we provide our authors an author promotion plan (separate from our publishing marketing plan) full of ideas. At the end of the day, readers would rather hear from the author than us, so having a robust platform is essential for getting an author’s name (and book) out there.

Will I have a say in the titling and cover art for my book?
We are a publisher, not a distributor, and we take publishing our novels very seriously. While we will absolutely consult the author on brand, title, and cover, our decisions are based on decades of experience in the business. One misstep can make or break sales, so authors will have to trust our vision. But we do promise our authors the most competitive package we can provide.

Where will my book be available for purchase?

We are a digital-first publisher. We will publish your novel in eBook on Amazon (and possibly other outlets). Audiobook and print-on-demand paperbacks will be available at retailers such as Amazon, BarnesandNoble.com, and other online stores. Our audiobooks are distributed by Dreamscape Select and will be published wide, available across top retailers.

Where can booksellers purchase my books?

Booksellers can purchase our books from Ingram.

What other subrights do you manage?

We manage foreign translation rights through our agents at 2 Seas Agency, as well as TV and film rights using our connections across various networks. In the last two years, we signed a TV shopping agreement with the famed Everywhere Entertainment for our debut author’s novel The Holiday Plan, and we’ve sold foreign rights of Jenny Hale’s novels to Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Romania, France, and the Netherlands, with more to come.