Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Hale.
Jenny, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Believe it or not, I never set out to be an author. I’ve always loved books and storytelling, but I’m actually more of a creative by nature. I dabble in floral arrangement, painting, baking and cake decorating, and graphic design. Writing was a creative idea that took on a life of its own. When that first manuscript, Coming Home for Christmas, was published and then became a Hallmark Channel Original Movie, I was as surprised as everyone else! I had no idea that one book would open the door to a career that would change my life.
While teaching elementary school and raising my family, I began writing as a creative outlet. I spent 18 years in public school; I was a district-level specialist for English to Speakers of Other Languages. I played a large role in building the original program for our county, and I taught teachers how to teach reading to kids learning English. After my kids went to bed, I spent my nights learning the craft, reading books about writing, and poring over my editors’ comments, writing and rewriting. I eventually left teaching to pursue a full-time career as an author.
Over the years, my novels have reached readers around the world, sold more than 1.3 million copies, been translated into multiple languages, and two have been adapted into Hallmark Channel movies. But as my career blossomed, that creative bug took hold once more. I became fascinated by publishing. Particularly branding and cover design, as well as marketing and strategy. The more I learned, the more I realized I wanted to build something of my own.
That dream became Harpeth Road Press, a clean romantic fiction digital-first publishing company based in Nashville. I founded the press with a simple objective: to create beautiful books and provide authors with the personal attention and information they need to navigate the gauntlet of publishing.
We’ve had the privilege of publishing USA Today and New York Times bestselling authors such as Teri Wilson, Nancy Naigle, and Jennifer Shirk alongside exciting debut voices. In just a few short years, we’ve been recognized as one of Nashville’s best independent publishers and were named to Reedsy’s list “46 Top Women’s Fiction Book Publishers of 2024.” Our books have been featured by Southern Living, BookBub, Kirkus Reviews Print Magazine, Publisher’s Weekly BookLife, Woman’s World, and First for Women. At the same time, our authors have reached bestseller lists across eBooks and paperbacks. We’ve celebrated #1 new releases, international bestseller rankings, more than sixty-five million Kindle Unlimited pages read, and our wonderful foreign rights agents at 2 Seas Agency have sold translation deals for over forty-five books around the world.
Not only have we secured foreign translation rights around the globe, but we’ve also signed television and film agreements and continue to pursue audiobook, film, and international opportunities that help our stories reach even more readers.
Today, I have the absolute blessing of living out two dreams. I still get to write the heartfelt stories my fans enjoy, but I also have the unique opportunity to help other authors bring their own stories into the world.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been incredibly smooth. I attribute that to the good Lord’s guidance. I’ve always felt as though this journey has been bigger than me.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
What makes me different from others in my field is that I don’t just think like an author—I think like a publisher, a business owner, and a brand builder. I dive into cover design and create a retail description of a book that I think will sell. Then, I write that book. That’s backwards in the creative world of writing.
I believe in doing extensive research, understanding the details, and making informed decisions, whether I’m developing a marketing strategy, refining metadata, planning a book launch, or crafting a story that feels authentic in every scene. I’m naturally drawn to building processes that are repeatable, scalable, and sustainable while maintaining a reputation for quality. I build around my books and my authors books creative vision, strategic thinking, and entrepreneurial drive.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Flexibility. The market is ever changing, and authors have differing goals, asperations, and understanding of the publishing process. Navigating all the variables takes an incredible amount of flexibility.
Contact Info:
- Website: My author site: www.itsjennyhale.com; Publisher site: www.harpethroad.com
- Instagram: @jhaleauthor; @harpethroad
- Facebook: @JennyHaleAuthor; @HarpethRoad
- Twitter: @jhaleauthor; @harpethroad
