Meet Brenda Spalding | award winning Author, public speaker, publisher, consultant

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

Hi Brenda, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I wanted to help new author avoid making the same mistakes I made when I first started my writing career. I learned the hard way and it cost me a lot of money I couldn’t afford.
I seem to get a lot of authors that have made mistakes and I have to unscramble them and set them on the right path.
I have a list of illustrator, editors, and formators I can refer them to to make their books the best they can be.
I always ask my clients what is your goal with your book, a few copies for family and friends, or the shelves of Barnes and Noble. The answer will tell me how dedicated they are.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I came to my writing career late in life. I was in my middle sixties when I wrote my first children book, Just Batty. At first I wanted to have something my grandson could say, “My Grandma wrote this for me”. but I got hooked on the whole process and wanted to learn more and get better. It’s a steep learning curve and more than just writing. There’s a whole business behind writing the story. An author has so many decisions to make along the way. The decision to go the traditional route which involves finding and agent and getting accepted by one of the big publishing houses or self-publishing.
I chose to be self-published to have more control over my book and my royalties. So many authors are being scammed by so called publishers that promise the sun the moon and the stars and deliver nothing for horrendous amounts amounts of money that I formed a consulting company, Braden River Consulting LLC. My company helps new authors avoid the scams and pitfalls that are out there. I give them information to make the right decisions.
I have published 24 of my own books and won several awards along the way. I publish for my clients and so far one has won an award.
I am a past president of the National League of American Pen Women- Sarasota Branch, a member of the Sarasota Fiction Writers, Florida Authors and Publishers Association, and the Florida Writers Association, and on the board of directors for the Florida Writers Foundation

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in a cultural diverse area. Events here in Florida are seasonal in the winter months there is the ballet, opera and several different theaters to go to. So many it’s hard to choose.
If my friend was visiting in the winter months I would take them to a couple of seafood restaurants along the gulf coast maybe to Cortez fishing village that has a two great ones. Unfortunately during season these places are crowded with Northern visitors, Snowbirds, and the waits for a table can be very long.
If my friend came in the summer months the heat and humidity is terrible. Then I would opt for the Historical sites and museums like the Dali, a luncheon or dolphin cruise on the Bay.
As for hanging out, my pool would be the best place. A couple cold drinks and something on the BBQ would be great.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Author DL Havlin, who passed in 2022, was my mentor for many years. He supported my work and encouraged me. We traveled together to events across Florida and enjoyed each others company.
His wife Jeanelle is carrying on his work and getting his unpublished works published and attending events to keep his name out there.
He taught me so much I can’t thank him enough.

Website: https://www.brendaspaldingauthor.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/halston82148

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brenda-spalding-385213233/

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

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@brenda1263