Is This Horse-loving Author the Next Colleen Hoover?

Every publisher in the book industry is always on the hunt for the next big success story. The latest gem might have just been discovered.

Famed authors like J.K. Rowling were stumbled upon in slush piles—a mountain of manuscripts submitted by agents that interns and entry-level employees sift through, hoping to find a diamond in the rough amid a sea of subpar writing. Some scouts turn to social media, gambling on personalities with substantial followings, hoping that their fans will translate into book sales.

The best guarantee of success, however, tends to be existing success. This is why established authors like Stephen King and Nora Roberts command big advances. It’s also why publishers keep a keen eye on self-published authors. Major stars in the literary world such as Colleen Hoover, Hugh Howey, and E.L. James all began by self-publishing their works.

Publishers ponder several crucial questions: Who is racking up sales? Who is improving their craft? Who is thriving in a known genre or breaking new ground? Who demonstrates the tenacity to promote their work through podcasts, tours, and engaging with their fanbase? One self-published author passionate about horses appears to check all these boxes and has just been signed to a major deal.

Publishers Weekly recently announced that author Natalie Keller Reinert is transitioning from being a self-published writer to signing a deal with Flatiron Books, a division of Macmillan. The deal is reportedly worth seven figures, making Reinert an instant million-dollar franchise.

Reinert’s deal will see Flatiron publish two of her most popular series and launch a brand-new one. Her fans refer to her horse novels collectively as the Ocala-verse, as many are set in and around Ocala, Florida, a haven for horse enthusiasts. Reinert herself resides in North Florida.

Initially, Flatiron will repackage and re-promote the Eventing and Briar Hill series. In the Eventing series, protagonist Jules is a determined young competitor new to Ocala, aiming to become a top Three Day Event rider. The Briar Hill series offers a more serene and pastoral setting, featuring friendships and, of course, horses, with characters that crossover from other ongoing series.

This isn’t an overnight success story for Reinert. She has written and self-published dozens of books over more than a decade, including “You Must Be This Tall,” a novel set in a whimsically imagined theme park, along with pure romance novels, literary fiction, and numerous other horse books. She also co-hosts the “Adulting With Horses Podcast” with fellow author Heather Wallace.

Some may wonder if Reinert will achieve the meteoric success of Colleen Hoover, a former self-published author who has sold millions of novels and currently outsells legendary writers like Stephen King and James Patterson. But comparing sales numbers isn’t the point here.

What matters is that Reinert believed in herself and her vision. She self-published her work, promoted it tirelessly, organized tours, launched podcasts, leveraged social media, and continually honed her craft. Through sheer hard work and determination, she reached fans across the country. Now, with a major publishing deal, her books will soon be more widely available than ever before.

This achievement makes Reinert a significant success story, on par with Colleen Hoover, Hugh Howey (author of “Wool”), E.L. James (author of “50 Shades of Grey”), Andy Weir (author of “The Martian”), and numerous other authors who initially launched their careers independently. Reinert has entered a winners’ circle that most self-published authors can only dream of.

Source: Publishers Weekly