Carissa Broadbent’s name is synonymous with fantastical tales that blend romance and intrigue. Those who enjoy vampire lore or the ever-popular enemies-to-lovers trope are likely fans of her work. Broadbent’s “Crowns of Nyaxia” series has captivated readers with its dark, vampire-laden world and complex warring factions.
Initially self-published, her novel “The Serpent and the Wings of Night” debuted in August 2022. After securing a deal with Bramble in June 2023, the novel saw a resurgence with a December 2023 re-release, promptly hitting The New York Times bestseller list and propelling Broadbent’s career to new heights.
Broadbent is now revisiting her earlier work, “Daughter of No Worlds,” the first book in her “War of Lost Hearts” series, which she originally self-published in 2020. This book is slated for a refreshed version with a new cover, hitting shelves on October 14.
In an interview with Business Insider, Broadbent shared insights about her publishing journey. While she praises her partnership with Bramble, she acknowledges the advantages of self-publishing, such as financial benefits and creative control.
Financial Gains
Broadbent’s hybrid publishing approach with Bramble allows her to maintain some self-publishing rights for her e-books, providing a balanced mix of traditional and self-publishing benefits.
“Sometimes people take me now being hybrid as some kind of a message that traditional publishing is ‘better’ than self-publishing, and I do not find that to be the case,” Broadbent expressed to Business Insider. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy with my partnership with my publisher because that was very specifically the right move for me. But as a net, I do not think that one is better. There are pluses and minuses to both routes.”
She initially chose self-publishing for “Daughter of No Worlds” as it seemed a more feasible route to achieving her goal of becoming a full-time author, offering more control over her work.
“I went into self-publishing with the goal of one day becoming a full-time author,” she told Business Insider. “From the research that I had done at the time, I had felt like that was a much more attainable goal through self-publishing than it was through traditional publishing because there’s so much more control.”
Self-publishing can be financially rewarding, especially without a traditional book deal or advance. Broadbent noted, “You keep a much bigger piece of the pie.” For many authors, self-publishing offers a path to a comfortable income without needing to become a household name.
Carissa Broadbent
Broadbent initially profited quickly from her e-books, benefitting from keeping all the earnings. “E-books are very, very, very lucrative when you are self-published,” she said.
Dual Careers
Balancing her early writing career with a day job in marketing, Broadbent found that self-publishing allowed her the flexibility to write on her terms. She managed her schedule to accommodate early morning writing sessions before work.
“I realized I was never going to write after work,” she said, describing her demanding job that often extended into late hours. Rising at 4:30 a.m. became part of her routine.
Now writing full-time, Broadbent appreciates the flexibility she had in her early days, which allowed her to pursue her passion without the constraints of a publisher’s deadlines.
Speedy Releases
Without a book deal initially, Broadbent was motivated to publish swiftly to generate income. She found the self-publishing process straightforward, despite hiring editors for her work.
“Indie authors sometimes have a bad reputation for not editing,” she noted. “My books went through a lot of editing when I was indie, just as much as they go through now, honestly.”
Carissa Broadbent
Broadbent leveraged her control over the process, submitting portions of her work to editors while continuing to draft. “You can do things in parallel,” she explained.
Conversely, traditional publishing involves a lengthy process. “It takes like over seven months just to physically produce the book,” Broadbent said, contrasting it with the rapid e-book publishing process.
The upcoming release in her “Crowns of Nyaxia” series, “The Lion and the Deathless Dark,” is set for August 2026. Broadbent highlighted the extended timelines required in traditional publishing, including a year-long wait after submitting the first draft.
Creative Freedom
Broadbent’s work is characterized by a blend of fantasy and romance, known as “romantasy.” Her Instagram bio captures her essence: “#1 NYT bestselling author of books with magic & kissing.”
During the early development of “Daughter of No Worlds,” the genre wasn’t as recognized within the industry. Broadbent’s self-publishing decision was partly driven by her desire to maintain the adult themes of her stories, avoiding the constraints of the young adult category.
“With ‘Daughter of No Worlds,’ I did actually consider querying it to be traditionally published,” she said, noting the industry’s tendency to categorize similar works as young adult.
Self-publishing allowed Broadbent to preserve her original vision, keeping her characters and story intact. Now, with both her career and the romantasy genre thriving, Broadbent continues to craft the stories she loves.
