C. Margery Kempe's Blog: Lady Smut, page 158

Breaking Dawn, Part Two by Gerri Brousseau

We’ve all seen the movie trailer commercials on TV, we’ve seen the cast members being interviewed on various talk shows, we’ve read and re-read the books, and are ready to finally see, The Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn Part Two … tomorrow.

Yes, I admit it … I’m a Twihard. I read all the books and have seen all the movies. The first movie was made on a shoestring budget, so I have read. Summit didn’t want to spend a lot of money on that production. I guess they weren’t sure it would meet with much success. I guess they were quite pleasantly surprised. Over the series, the studio has increased the budgets for the films and it showed. I am excited to see what they have in store for us in revealing what they perceive as the ending of what has become quite a successful series in both books and film.

I’ve read the books, and I know how it will end … but, I have one of the cast members mentioned that Summit and the screenwriters have added a twist ending. I suppose I will have to see it and report back to you as to my feelings about that. Normally I like the movie to be as close to the book as possible, so only time will tell as to how this is going to fly for me. I will let you all know. In the meantime, my question to you is how many of you are fans and will you be going to see the final film in the Twilight saga?

Filed under: romance

Just Be Who You Are

We are often groomed by our culture and society to be what is expected and I find that many times in life we say how to live but don’t often live how we say we should. Thinking about it, one can easily get fed up and just decide that perhaps we should stop saying it if we aren’t going to follow through. Admittedly, I’ve had thoughts like that. But if we stop reminding ourselves of what we should do, it’s possible that it’ll be forgotten all together and we’ll lose ourselves in the process. That’s why it’s important to just be who you are, despite society and our culture. This is also not meant to discredit a person’s parental upbringing.

So where am I going with this (you knew there had to be that question)? I recently had the opportunity to watch Susan Cain’s TED video Power of the Introvert and my first thought after watching that video was “omg that’s me!” For a small moment it felt really great to see someone else I had something in common with, but as I watched the video, I realized Susan’s message was two-fold.

First, it’s important that our society be a bit more accepting—not just about introverts but quite frankly, anything we find different. Different shouldn’t mean wrong or bad. In addition to this, Susan also stated that for introverts, it was important to open up your suitcase and let the world see what you have inside. This basically means that those of us who are introverts need to meet the world halfway and occasionally share parts of ourselves. In broader terms, I would interpret this in a way that means that those who are different also need to do their part, whatever that may be. This could be in educating or teaching others, accepting others’ differences just as you’d like them to accept yours. It’s not only being who you are but accepting others as well.

For those of you who are interested in learning more, Susan Cain’s video can be found here.

Happy writing to you all this week!

Filed under: Toni Kelly, Writer's Life

Garfield, Rocky, and…Writing? by Leia Shaw

Since I usually write my Tuesday posts last minute, today you’re stuck with a rant based on my mood Monday night, which was when I wrote this, which was last night, and now it’s Tuesday, wherever you are, reading this. Yeah. Weird. Hey, I’m like me from the past, talking to the future you. Whoa. *enter Twilight Zone music*

It’s late people. You get what you get.

Anyway. I started two new books recently. Up until now, getting into a new project was fun and exciting and challenging but not so challenging that I was literally gnawing my own arm off starting at my fingernails. It was the kind of challenge that made you wanna throw on a gray jogging suit and do a little Rocky Balboa dance to Eye of the Tiger.  You’re singing that song now, aren’t you?

So there I was, jogging suit freshly washed, ipod cued up, then…something changed.

Maybe it’s because I’ve grown as an author, or maybe it’s the pressure of putting out quality work faster, or maybe it’s because I added more fiber to my diet. I don’t know. The point is, something has changed and I don’t like it.

I’ve turned into a perfectionist.  Some of you are obliviously nodding your heads to this statement as if it’s no big deal. Well, let me tell you something. It’s a big fucking deal!

I am far too lazy to be a perfectionist. But I’m not the kind of lazy that wants to be less lazy and only needs a pep talk and a caffeine pill addiction. I’m the kind of lazy that is perfectly happy being lazy. I’m like Garfield. I don’t want to be less lazy. I like the way I am. Fat, in a lasagna coma, making sarcastic comments about everything that happens in my silly little world.

Perfectionists are obsessive compulsive control freaks (no offense to obsessive compulsive control freaks). They were the ones that always made me look bad in school. It would’ve been a lot easier on the rest of us if everyone was just average. Even better, if everyone was a slacker. But thanks to the overachievers out there, average is much…averager.

So distressed was I about this cluster fuck, that I complained to a writer friend. Our conversation when something like this:

Friend: Remember back when you were gently guiding me in the ways of successful authoring?

Leia: Huh? I did that? Oh. Right. Ahem. Yes, I remember.

Friend: You told me to write in layers.

Leia: Yes, that’s very good advice. Go me.

Friend: And now that the pupil has surpassed the teacher, and sits here pathetically begging for scraps of advice…

Leia: Ungrateful bitch.

Friend: …I’m going to tell you the same thing. Don’t get hung up on every word being perfect. Write the story in layers. The first is the foundation, the plot and bare bones of the story. Second, is character development, and subplots. That’s the meat of the book. Third is perfecting the wording and adding description. See? You don’t have to do it all at once. Layers.

Leia: Hmm. *stares at mansuscript* Fuck layers!

Sadly, the conversation went downhill from there. But you see my point, right? Fuck layers.

Sometimes the writing method that served you well for years just ups and leaves. Probably vacationing in Hawaii with that bitch muse that deserted you over the summer!

Sometimes, advice you give turns out to be shit and you don’t have the energy to go back and tell everyone you gave it to that you don’t really know what the fuck you’re talking about and why does everyone listen to you anyway? You’re Garfield! Can’t they tell?

And sometimes, things just change. It’s not fair. You can bitch and moan and stomp around – which, believe me, I did – or you can go with it. In the end, you kinda have to anyway. Life is like that. It likes to screw us over once in a while just to keep us on our toes.

This post is mostly for me, if you can’t tell. My own messed up, public form of therapy to soothe my panicking inner writer. There there, little inner writer. Everything will be okay.

Anyway, writers…has your process made a dramatic change over time? Has anyone else done a 180 on something that seemed totally out of character? If so, how did you deal with it?

More importantly, which is better? Lasagna, parfait, or cake?

Filed under: romance

Weekly Paranormal-Scope

Something is in the wind!  I don’t always notice these things.

While I’m not qualified in any way to read neither stars nor planets, I am intimately linked with the paranormal in the world.  In many ways, so are you.

The week ahead for:

Aries

A pixie has left you a small gift as a thank you for something you’ve done that’s gone unnoticed by others.

Taurus

Wizards come in all shapes and sizes.  You can work wonders if you believe in yourself.

Gemini

Gnomes know about travel and cooking too.  Expand your diet with some new delights.  Don’t be afraid to experiment.

Cancer

Warm up to a werewolf.  They make good protectors, don’t hog the tv remote, and are good at board games when the lights go out.

Leo

Hobbits are meticulous dressers.  Pull out the winter wardrobe and make some changes.

Virgo

Orges snore and eat sushi, but otherwise they can be cute and funny.  Don’t overlook anyone based on first impressions.

Libra

Sprites are seen in a flash.  Be sure and quick in all your dealings this week.

Scorpio

A fairy is about to make your life magical.  Keep your eyes open.

Sagittarius

Giants are as tough as they look.  Sharing a few cookies will charm the biggest of them, so smile when you look up and bring cookies.

Capricorn

The dragons have accepted you into their circle.  Your future is set for an upswing.

Aquarius

An imp has invaded your group of friends.  Beware of jokes that can be hurtful.

Pieces

A vampire has taken a shine to you.  You have the opportunity to make powerful friends.

–Susan

Susan Hanniford Crowley

http://www.susanhannifordcrowley.com

Filed under: Susan Hanniford Crowley, Weekly Paranormal-Scope

The Tirgearr Tour Continues!

by C. Margery Kempe

Welcome to the first annual Holiday Extravaganza at Tirgearr Publishing!!

Meet Our Authors Tour

Tirgearr would like to introduce you to all of their authors before the tour starts on Monday. So pop over to the Goddess Fish Party Pavilion to read some pieces written for you by the authors as a way to get to know them better and introduce you to some of their other works which aren’t being featured over the next two weeks.

They’ve also recently contracted a few new authors who will be publishing in the early new year, so you’ll have a chance to meet them there as well.

Here’s the schedule for this week –

*13 Nov – Isabo Kelly at It’s Raining Books

*13 Nov – K.A. Laity at Welcome to My World of Dreams

14 Nov – Kemberlee Shortland at It’s Raining Books

15 Nov – Scarlett Valentine at Sharing the Wisdom

16 Nov – Kristi Ahlers at From Me to You…Video, Photography, & Book Reviews

Feel free to drop by last week’s stops to read excerpts and find out more:

5 Nov – Charlene Raddon at The Book Connoisseur

6 Nov – C. Margery Kempe at Pink Fluffy Hearts: Diary of a Coffee Addict

7 Nov – Stella Whitelaw at Long and Short Reviews

8 Nov – Elizabeth Delisi at Crazy Four Books

9 Nov – Dellani Oakes at Words of Wisdom from the Scarf Pricess

Simply click onto each of the site hosts on the day to catch your favorite authors.

Please note that there are no events scheduled for the weekend, 10 and 11 November, and that two authors are sharing Tuesday the 13th, K.A. Laity and Isabo Kelly, leaving Monday open to catch up on author posts from the previous week.

Here’s how it works –

Each day, one of the authors is featuring their latest work. All of you have to do is log into one of the blogs listed above to visit. You are encouraged to comment and the author will respond. Leave your name and email address and the author will put you into a random drawing for a prize at the end of that day! Most authors are giving away $10 Amazon gift cards, but some are also giving some other special items.

* Everyone who posts will have their name added to the grand prize drawing at the end of the tour! If you visit several authors and post on each of their days, you will gain extra entries for the grand prize!! Post on three blogs, get three entries for the grand prize. Post on all ten blogs, get ten entries. Post on the author’s pages today and gain more entries. What an incentive!!!

What’s the grand prize??

Tirgearr Publishing is giving one lucky winner a $50 Amazon gift card AND a copy of our full catalog of books. This includes the six books which will be publishing before the end of this year . . . 29 books for your personal reading device. The total value of this prize is $150.00!

So, let’s get this party started! Visit the party blog today. Be sure to leave your comments. Then join us Monday as our holiday extravaganza begins.

–> Don’t forget that Tirgearr Publishing is also having a half off sale on all of our titles from 3-18 November. All of our books are available all reading device formats.

This tour is in conjunction with Tirgearr Publishing and Goddess Fish Promotions.

Filed under: C. Margery Kempe, Kit Marlowe

Overwhelmed! Are you?

I don’t know about you but for me “tis the season” of overwhelmed.   I’m helping two near and dear to me with major life changes, then the husband gets sick, and I’m still working the day job and doing the edits sent by my editor for my next book.

Now that I’m exhausted and run into the ground.  What do I do?  Perhaps it’s a change of viewpoint.  One of my favorite viewpoints on YouTube is Henri who lives over in Paris.

Ok, so maybe if I change on viewpoint. Merci, Henri. You always help me get clear on life.

Hmmm, then there’s the time for planning the dream vacation. My husband and I have always wanted to go to Australia and New Zealand, but with everything happening now it’s just not an option. But if we could the following airline would definitely be our choice. I’ll show you why.

Ah, I’m beginning to feel better.  Now I can return to my edits with a clear head.  What do you do when you’re overwhelmed?

–Susan

Susan Hanniford Crowley

http://www.susanhannifordcrowley.com

Books available in Amazon, Kindle, and All Romance Ebooks.

Available in Kindle and at All Romance
Ebooks!

 

Filed under: Susan Hanniford Crowley, What inspires you?, Writer's Life

What’s the next step after you write your book? by Marian Lanouette

Due to the hurricane, Sandy and the Nor’easter, Marian has no internet, so I thought it would be nice to have a little bit of summer back. In light of that, I have reposted this for her. She will hop in here and change it once she gets back up and running. New: each week I’m going to post what I’m reading. I ask that you leave a comment which starts with what you’re reading.

What I’m reading now? Hell on Wheels by Julie Ann Walker, Next up, is Hedy’s Folly by Richard Rhodes.

Today’s post covers your next step after you type the end on your revised/edited manuscript. At this point, you must decide if you are going to query agents/publishers with your work or self-publish.

Either way, your next step should encompass several actions. First, and I can’t stress this enough, make sure you manuscript is agents/publishers ready. If self-publishing, then reader ready. You only get one chance to make a first impression. There are no take backs once you hit the send key.

Second, research the agents/publishers you want to send you manuscript to for review. There are several sites to check the reputations of these professionals. Writers Beware is one, another is Predator & Editors.com. I’m sure there are many more sites. Always check your facts, sites might not be updated. Also, make sure the agents/publishers you send your manuscript to represent your type of work. If you write romance, find agents/publishers who represent romance fiction. I would also check to see who their clients are. This more than anything will tell you what genre they represent.

Third, once your research is complete, you’re ready to send out your work. I like to send mine out with a return receipt. This lets me know when the email is opened. I then mark my calendar to do a follow-up in sixty days. I know that sound like a long time, but in the publishing industry, that’s a nanosecond.

I’ve been told not do follow-ups, but you know what? I almost missed an important opportunity. I never saw the offer or contract in my email. The business person in me kept nagging me to a follow-up and I’m so glad I listened. I now have two books coming out; the first in September 2012 and the second in the series in January 2013. You need to do what feels right to you. I would ask the agents/publishers up front when you’d expect to hear back from them, then contact them after that date.

If you get a rejection, don’t give up. And I can’t stress this enough, don’t contact the agent/publisher to ask why. Move on. There are plenty of agents/publishers out there to query. Stephen King once said, he had a thousand rejections before he was accepted by an agent. What did he do with all those rejections? The story goes, he wallpapered his walls with them. Now look at him today. He is the Best Selling King! Remember, always be polite and don’t burn bridges behind you. The publishing industry is a small community.

Good luck with your writing.

Next week, I’m posting the Pre-edited word list. These are words you should remove or use sparingly in your work. The list comes directly from my publisher. I now incorporate them into my editing process.

Photograph supplied by Apieling Pictures LLC

Filed under: romance

Thoughts on the Rules of Writing and a Contest for you. By R.C. (Bob) Bonitz

Ever notice how famous writers sometimes ignore the rules you learned in workshops? If you’ve been around awhile, I’m sure you’ve been exposed to ‘the secrets’ of good writing- the rules that folks say will guarantee success, or really, will improve your writing at the very least. Show don’t tell, writing in deep POV, too much passive voice, avoiding the excessive use of ‘was’ or ‘that’, etc. I’ll bet you’ve gotten feedback from contest judges or editors who point out your every failing- wordiness, too much backstory in one place, repeated words in the same paragraph, redundant sentences, whatever.

I’m reminded of an aspiring writer I once knew in a writing class. She wrote the most confusing stories. One moment you’d be in Russia during WWII, and in the next sentence you’d be in Miami many years later. The instructor had her re-write and re-write until the story came out as the instructor thought it should. The new version followed a coherent timeline and adhered to the rules of good writing. But the story had lost its heart. The original often moved the class to tears. The revised version read like a dishwasher instruction manual.

In short, beware the rules! That writer lost herself in the instructor’s do’s and don’t's, the should’s of writing. She was no longer part of the story and it lost its soul.

I’m not saying ignore rules and feedback. I am saying don’t worry overmuch and above all don’t forget the heart in your story. Is it about a lovely heroine who stands on her own two feet despite trials and tribulations? About a wife who suffers at the hands of an abusive husband? A detective searching for a killer? Ask yourself- what is the heart and soul of that plot? Why do you care about that heroine/hero? What drives you to keep writing her story? What will make your reader keep reading? Never mind the technicals- do you have a hook here or there, etc. The question is- does a reader want more? If that answer comes out yes you’ve written a good book.

Leave a comment. Tell us about your favorite author or book and what makes them/it special for you. I’ll choose one comment at random and the winner will get their choice- a signed print copy (in the continental US only) of my book, A Blanket for Her Heart, or one of A Little Bit of Blackmail, both of which are currently available in print and ebook. Or, you may choose an ebook copy of my new sequel, A Little Bit of Baby, which was just released. Just leave a comment to enter. I look forward to hearing your ideas. Thanks for dropping by. RC Bonitz

My books are available at:

AMAZON      Barnes&Noble

A LITTLE BIT OF BABY—

Jessie Wetherell has atrocious luck with men. Even her father abandoned her before she turned ten. Trying to fill the void in her life has become a never ending struggle. Every guy she meets takes advantage and then leaves her.

When Ike Harris enters the picture, things start looking up. Handsome and sexy, Ike stirs her heart and Jessie hopes he could be ‘the one’. Except he disappears just like every other guy she’s ever known.

When an old boyfriend comes back, Jessie faces a difficult choice—the ex who wants a second chance or Ike, the potential man of her dreams with the power to break her heart.

And now … Here is an excerpt from A LITTLE BIT OF BABY

Jessie Wetherell lugged a load of dirty dishes into the kitchen and set them on the counter. Customers still poured into Tony’s Ristorante, but her shift had ended five minutes ago. From the looks of the crowd Tony’s twenty-fifth anniversary party could go on all night, but she had a date. No way did she want to keep handsome Ike Harris waiting. She drained her glass of Tony’s homemade grappa, gasped, grabbed her purse, and after a quick goodbye to all, she hurried out to her car

Jessie laughed. Despite the free food, the regulars had given her good tips. She should go out and buy herself a present, or do something silly just for the hell of it. Her crazy sister would be getting married after knowing the guy just a few short weeks. Of course, Brian had taken a bullet for her, so no wonder Diane loved him. And Jessie happened to be dating his best friend, the sweetest man she’d ever met. Just thinking about Ike Harris warmed her heart.

Twenty minutes after leaving work, she parked her ancient green Ford behind the beautifully restored old Caddy sitting in front of her apartment house.

“Hey, bright eyes, it’s about time you got home,” a now familiar voice said as she slid out of the car.

Her pulse quickened. She turned with a smile. Red-haired, chisel-jawed Ike leaned against a lamppost, a grin plastered on his face, all six feet of him just brimming with pleasure and happiness. And a little expectation if she knew men.

“I’m not late. Your watch is wrong.”

He chuckled. “Hey, no excuses. We’ve got places to go and things to do.”

A bubble of warmth filled her heart. “With you? No way.”

“That’s what I like. Easy going, cooperative women.”

“Me? You missed the boat, my friend,” she said, mock serious.

Eyes twinkling with silent laughter, he said, “Damn, and I thought you were something special.”

“You’re sure you don’t think I’m simpleminded? ‘Cause I know what you’re after.” His playfulness, the easy banter they exchanged, thrilled her. What a wonderful man, Ike Harris. “Where are we going?”

He touched a finger to his lips and then to hers. “I thought you might like to join Brian and your sister to celebrate their engagement.”

Jessie frowned. Why didn’t she know about this? “They’re partying tonight?”

“Yup. And the Wetherell sisters need to be together when one gets engaged.”

“Geez, I need a shower first,” she said, and opened the lobby entrance to the apartment house.

Ike followed her inside.

She turned and poked a finger in his chest. “Whoa there, cowboy. Where are you going?”

“Mind if I come in and wait?”

The sparkle in his eyes made her warm all over. She trusted him. That amazed her. There weren’t many men she could say that about. They’d known each other a couple of weeks and, despite what she’d told her sister, he hadn’t made half a pass so far. “Okay, but behave yourself.”

“You have my word of honor.”

She threw a deliberate glance in his direction. Ike wore a beatific smile. “Maybe you should wait in the car.”

He laughed. “I’ll be good. Get your shower and let’s head for the hotel.”

Fluffy, her four-year old cocker spaniel, greeted them with wagging tail. She looked up at Ike with big beseeching eyes.

“She wants you to pet her,” Jessie said.

“I know,” Ike said and stroked the dog.

The funny thing? He did know. And Fluffy had taken to him the first time she saw him. Jessie watched the dog respond to his gentle petting. There had to be something important in that. Her dog trusted the man. She shook herself and quickly poured dry food into Fluffy’s bowl, then added water to another and set them on the floor.

Ike fidgeted around her oversized living room, picking up her magazines, studying the flower prints on the walls, studiously ignoring her as she dashed from bathroom to bedroom and back again, clean clothes gathered in her arms. He might be very sweet, but no way would she leave the bathroom again without being fully dressed. Stripping off her clothes, her nipples hardened and a warm tingle started up her spine. Actually, he really didn’t have to be good. They could get to the party late.

~~~~

Thank you for stopping by and sharing with us today, Bob. I’m looking forward to reading this new release.

Filed under: romance

You can do it

This blog posts the day after our country’s election (if you live in the USA) and by the time you read this we may or may not know who our next president is. Still, I’m not here to talk about presidents or elections. I’ll leave that to the tv, radio, internet and periodicals. Lord knows we’ll be inundated as is. I’m going to talk about women today.

About a week and a half ago, I attended a women in leadership summit, courtesy of my day job. It really was fascinating to learn that on average, women limit themselves from climbing past the lower rung level of management due to the fear of being unable to create a work life balance and their lack of confidence. We learned that in my company, 69% of women and 74% of men believe they could move up a level, but only 18% of women and 34% of men believed they could make it to the officer level. While the numbers fascinated me, I can’t say they surprised me.

Earlier this year, I became a parent and admittedly, parenting is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. So for all you stay at home moms and dads out there, don’t let anyone ever tell you that you don’t have a real job. If anything, your job trumps all others! This experience however has helped me realize that the work life balance isn’t easy but it is possible.

Still, as I learned about women and our hesitations, I realized that I personally had experienced some truth in what those at this summit said (of course there are always exceptions to the rules) and of course that made me think. I began to realize that I see a large lack of confidence and struggles to balance writing with life for the women (and men) authors I know. I specify women because I write romance and a large portion of romance authors and readers are women. I see it each day on the loops or meetings I attend: the doubt in our abilities, the fear to share our work with others, the desire to always be better. Not only do we lack confidence but many of us don’t believe we can ever reach that level of the amazing, well-known author.

I have a short bit of advice: just believe in yourself and go for it. It holds true for everything. Eventually you will have to stop rewriting and query, eventually you will have to share your work if you want the world to see it, eventually all your hard work will pay off. We writers have so many other qualities (determination, hardworking, patient, resilient, etc), there is no reason we should lack confidence or believe we can’t make it to the top.

Okay, that’s all folks. Happy writing and just remember: you can do it. You can’t just say it, you need to own it.

 

 

Filed under: Business, Toni Kelly, Writer's Life

Building Your Brand by Leia Shaw

I don’t usually do educational posts. They tend to require work. And work is hard.

But today, I’m sucking it up and I’m here to teach you something. Well, at least rehash things I’ve learned in an attempt to mildly stimulate your brain.

I’m relatively new in the writing world. I’ve only been published just over a year. But one thing I spent a lot of time on, and continue to spend time on, is building my brand. What is a brand? Well, it’s you, basically. Who you are as a person and a professional. What’s your voice? What are you all about?

Though the answer somewhat relates to the genre you’re writing, it’s more than just that. For instance, I write paranormal romance. But I’m also a mother of two children (one with special needs), I’m sarcastic and irreverent, I make jokes about zombies, and I love to post pictures of hot guys. Fans know this about me. They see it all the time in my social media posts and it comes out in my writing as well. Readers start to think of me as a real person, with a personality, who’s relatable and interesting. And maybe even has some common interests.

Once you’ve established who you are and what you want to represent, it’s time to build around that. This requires consistency. Find images that represent your brand – an icon, a stock photo of a model that gives a good feel of your books, your name in a special font. Reuse it across the board on all your material, written and digital. That way people come to recognize you by more than just your name. Names are forgettable, pictures last longer in people’s memory. One of my icons is a picture of an open book with a blue light shining from it. When people see that, hopefully they think of me and my fantasy stories.

The next step is to pick several words or phrases that represent your writing. For me, it’s alpha heroes, kick-ass heroines, magic, steamy sex, blood, darkness… things like that. Yes, they represent paranormal romance as a whole, but they’re words I use consistently in my materials – blog, website, bios, interviews, etc. So now you’re not only putting pictures in reader’s minds but words that represent an idea too. A book with blue light equals fantasy, a unique font for my name, and several words that have meaning all come together to form my brand.

A tagline can be helpful too. This can fluctuate a bit depending on what you’re writing at the time. A tagline is a short phrase that gives a creative picture of what you’re about. Some great taglines I’ve seen are : “Romance with a bite,” by author Carrie Ann Ryan. “Magically seductive romance,” by author Lia Davis. Mine is “love stories with a supernatural twist.” This is a quick way to give someone a piece of yourself without bogging them down with a lot of words they may or may not read. This is something you should use on your blog header and Twitter profile to entice people to want to learn more.

To sum up: a brand is what you want readers to think of when they see your name. It should include images, words, and a bit of your personality.

So authors, what things do you do to build your brand? Readers, what do you associate most with your favorite authors?

Filed under: romance