Tuesday, July 24, 2018

How Important Is Name Recognition?



How important is name recognition? This question is pretty easy to answer. I can do so by illustration. The current #1 bestseller on the fiction list is THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING by former president Bill Clinton and bestselling author James Patterson. Needless to say, they are both famous. A literary agent put them together to produce this blockbuster thriller. The July issue of AARP features an “exclusive” interview plus excerpt. Like most people, I was very interested in reading the article. It was the first thing I turned to in the magazine.

Realistically, we can’t all be that famous. Most of us who write aren’t well-known at all. So we have to look for other ways to get readers acquainted with us because hopefully once they do, they’ll become fans of our writing. So let’s discuss some basic ways in which we can build our brand:

1.   Create a website that represents the image you want people to see. If you’re an expert in a particular field, make that clear through both photos and words.

2.   Create a blog in which you discuss matters relevant to your area of expertise. Interview others in your field. Try to blog at least several times a month to build a following. Once a week would be even better.

3.   Do interviews on other blogs.

4.   Use social media to create connections. We’re talking Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. to get your message across. You can also join writer groups both in person and via the internet.

5.   Write articles for many types of media both in print and online to establish expertise in your particular field. TV is the best, but radio isn’t bad either. Personal appearances are always great. Meet and greet!

6.   Do library talks where you can show your books.

7.   If you’re lucky enough to have a local bookstore, see if you can present there and if they will display and sell your books in return.

It has been observed that personal branding is one of the keys to success in today’s world. As such it takes time and effort. However, by branding yourself you are demonstrating who you are and the expertise you have to offer.

There’s been a lot of discussion among writers as to whether it benefits authors to be branded--by that I mean that writers want to market themselves by promoting their name, associating their name with a particular type, genre or style of writing. The premise? This is the best way to build a readership. For example, when we see the name Nora Roberts we immediately think of romantic suspense. The name Stephen King is immediately associated with horror. But these writers have also chosen to write under other pseudonyms as well. Jayne Ann Krentz, for example, writes her contemporary romances under that name, her sci-fi’s under Jayne Castle and her historical romances under Amanda Quick. The advantage is that her fans know exactly what to expect.

Many writers choose to use pen names. They write in a variety of genres and assume a different nom de plume for each. The theory is that it will confuse readers if writers use the same name for different types of work. There is also a tendency for publishers to try to place writers in neat categories or pigeon holes. It’s more convenient to connect a name to a particular format.

But what if you resist branding? Are you destroying your chance to be taken seriously as a writer or build a readership? I don’t have the answer to that question. I can only admit that I don’t limit myself to one particular format or genre. My latest adult romantic mystery from Encircle, DEATH PROMISE, is a sequel to DEATH LEGACY which was critically well-received.



My most recent young adult novel, WITCH WISH, is now published both in print and all e-book formats by Black Opal Books. It follows STACY’S SONG and THE DEVIL AND DANNA WEBSTER.



Several months back, Annorlunda published my literary novella
THE BURNING under “J. P. Seewald”.

 I suppose if you were to ask me to elaborate on my “brand” I’d have to answer I really don’t have one. To paraphrase Shakespeare’s description of Cleopatra, I am a writer of infinite variety. Is it possible to build a readership without a definitive brand?


Your thoughts, opinions and comments are most welcome.

Friday, July 20, 2018

People Who Are Rich by Saralyn Richard


My guest blogger today is mystery and children’s book author, Saralyn Richard, a writer who teaches on the side. Some of her poems and essays have won awards and contests from the time she was in high school. Her children’s picture book, Naughty Nana, has reached thousands of children worldwide.



“There are people who have money and people who are rich.”
Coco Chanel

Like most people, I’ve always had a certain fascination with the rich and famous. Not all of the rich and famous. Just the ultra-rich and ultra-famous. When I was younger and more naive, I lumped all people with money into a single group, like people of a certain race, religion, or philosophical bent.

            Later I realized all people with money didn’t necessarily consider themselves rich, and they really didn’t consider themselves happy. How much money did it take to be rich, to be happy? And what about the source of the money? Was it better to inherit it, marry into it, earn it, or acquire it by nefarious means, as long as one wasn’t caught?

            Some years ago I attended a birthday party that was a weekend retreat at a country mansion in horse country. As I partook of the elaborate meals, the rich music, the refined atmosphere, I imagined what might happen if one of the party guests turned up dead. How would everyone behave, and which ones might be suspects?

            How far would privilege and power go to protect a person from being investigated for murder? How would greed play with grief during a murder investigation?

            I decided there was an intriguing story there, and that became the basis for Murder in the One Percent. The mystery pulls back the curtain on how the wealthy live, love, and treat one another.


            Clothes, furs, jewelry, furnishings, artwork, horses, cars, private airplanes, and other material possessions serve as important details of the setting, as well as constant reminders of just how far outside the norm these characters are.

 It would take a perceptive detective to brush the dazzle from his eyes enough to investigate and solve a murder in this milieu. Especially when the suspects appear to close ranks on him, and even more especially when the former President of the United States applies pressure.

            What happens when a billionaire dies? Is his funeral any grander? Are his mourners any louder? Is his absence felt any more because of his great wealth?
            Whether you’re in, whether you aspire to, or whether you’re just plain curious about the top one percent, you’ll gain insights from Murder in the One Percent. I know I did.

Murder in the One Percent, ©2018 Black Opal Books, pulls back the curtain on the privileged and powerful rich. Set on a gentleman’s farm in Pennsylvania and in the tony areas of New York, the book shows what happens when someone comes to a party with murder in his heart and poison in his pocket.
A member of International Thriller Writers and Mystery Writers of America, Saralyn is writing the sequel to Murder in the One Percent. Her website is www.saralynrichard.com.


Comments welcome! 


Saturday, July 7, 2018

Cover Reveal: Witch Wish









My new YA novel WITCH WISH carries the publication date 
 July 7, 2018. July being my birth month, I look on it as a birthday present.

I had a choice of two covers from the publisher, Black Opal Books. The editor asked for my input. The truth is I liked both covers.

I chose the one my husband preferred. He felt it was more striking and would catch the reader’s attention, which as we all know is important. Here are the two covers:
 
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Every publisher and author wants a book cover that will draw reviewers and readers. As readers, do you initially judge a book by its cover? It stands to reason that writers want to create an appealing cover that draws the eye. Cover art can make or break a book, especially if the author isn’t well-known. What kind of front cover will grab the reader’s attention? What kind of cover art should a book display?  A lot depends on the genre of the book itself. The cover should be appropriate to the type of book. 

Paperbacks need simplicity in covers. The artwork should also support the title and the genre. E-book covers shouldn’t be too fussy or busy either. The old saying “less is more” works best for a book cover that’s displayed online. A short title with a large, easily readable font and bright contrasting colors shows up well on the computer screen. Publishers want to avoid covers that are complicated and hard to read. Plain, simple graphics are preferable.
The bottom line for good book covers is that they make you want to read what's between them.

What are your feelings regarding cover art? What draws or attracts you to a novel? What do you dislike or prefer not to see?

Which one of the covers for WITCH WISH would you prefer and why? To see the one that was chosen, go here:

https://black-opal-books.myshopify.com/products/witch-wish