We had the good fortune of connecting with Arielle Haughee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Arielle, how do you think about risk?
Starting a business is all about taking risks, but especially in publishing. It is infamous for being incredibly difficult and oversaturated. So you have to be a dreamer and a risk-taker to get into it! I got used to being brave as I wrote more memoir pieces. That genre requires you to be deeply candid and “bleed” on the page, as Hemingway would say. After winning an award for one of those incredibly personal pieces, I learned that risk-taking can bring great rewards.

However, there are no guaranteed-number-one hits when it comes to books from smaller presses. Every release is a bit nerve-wracking for the author and the publisher. We do our best to set the book up for success with our marketing strategies, but there is always the possibility that the book won’t sell, and it will be a loss for the press–and a very personal one for the author.

For me, that’s part of the excitement. It’s like free soloing a mountain. You get an adrenaline rush from the challenge and the chance of something bad happening. I’m climbing the rock with no ropes and am determined to make it to the top, no matter how long it takes or how many times I slip.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Orange Blossom Publishing is a small press in Central Florida that publishes books about love, wellness, and humor for women and children. Our mission is to create unique books with a focus on quality with our stories and the physical look of our books.

What sets OBP apart is our relationships with our authors. I firmly believe that working as a team and developing positive bonds with authors creates a synergy that makes the books I publish even better. The author and I both love the book and work hard to make it the best it can be.

I spent several years learning about publishing and making beginner’s mistakes on my own books before opening up to outside authors. I wanted to establish my marketing base and absorb as much as I could before being trusted with someone else’s story. As an author, I understand how your book is your “baby” and it takes a lot of trust to hand it over to someone else. The years spent learning were well worth it as I feel much more confident now than when I started my company.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned with publishing is to roll with it. Stuff happens that causes delays with every single book. From supply chain issues to freelancer delays to increased print prices, things never go completely smooth. I talk to my authors about this when they first sign their contract so they hopefully don’t get too surprised when something pops up. You have to problem solve and keep moving forward. Not letting things get you too flustered is key.

Overall, Orange Blossom publishes books about love, humor, and wellness–and that’s how I run my business, too. I genuinely care for my authors and have fun with them, while also emphasizing a positive state of mind. You are what you create.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Whenever you look at a book, you should picture at least twenty people standing behind it, probably more. It takes a whole crew to get it made! For me personally, there is one person who has been a wonderful mentor and friend, Mary Ann de Stefano. She is an amazingly talented editor with decades of experience in the traditional industry and as a freelancer. Whenever I am editing one of my books and have a question, she is always there. More importantly, whenever I am feeling discouraged or want to celebrate a victory, she has been my personal cheerleader. I’ve grown so much as a professional and as a person because of her influence. She is a beautiful soul who has not only made a deep impression on me, but many others in the writing community. I would not be where I am today without the love and support from Mary Ann.

Website: www.orangeblossombooks.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/orange_blossom_books

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OBPublish

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OrangeBlossomPublishing

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHE9E0j3bsKxlPCgrmLe9Bw

Image Credits
Professional Images by The Inspired Storytellers

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