What’s my brand?

I’ve been thinking a lot about promo lately and inevitably the question of branding comes up.

Since I just had a story released from Ellora’s Cave in March, one of their jewel-themed Quickies, titled CHARMING THE MASTERS, I’ve been trying to promote it in a sort of low key way. In case the title doesn’t give it away, the story has elements of both BDSM and ménage.

One of the things I get asked pretty often is why I write in so many different genres. As of now, I’ve written historicals, contemporary, other-world set fantasy, urban fantasy, and even a futuristic as well as books with BDSM and ménage. I don’t have a good answer. It’s certainly not a great way to advance my career, since everyone says marketing yourself is all about branding these days.

I’ve never heard that “eclectic” makes a good author brand. I’d like to think my brand is “Katherine Kingston,” that my name is all that’s needed. I honestly think that’s a better brand for an author than some tagline, like “Hot, sensual romances.” Most taglines seem sort of bland and don’t actually say anything important about the author’s work.

But most authors with strong name recognition are known for a particular type of book even though Christine Feehan has branched out into writing more than Carpathian vampire books, Janet Evanovich does more than humorous mysteries and a number of authors who built their reputations on historical romances moved to contemporary when the historical market stumbled.

But when you talk about Tom Clancy or Dan Brown or Susan Elizabeth Phillips or Iris Johanssen or Lora Leigh, you get an immediate image or word tag for the kinds of books they write. And fans flock to them because they know they’re writing the kinds of stories they want to read.

So what do I want “Katherine Kingston” to stand for? Right now, if anyone does recognize the name, they undoubtedly associate it with erotic romance and Ellora’s Cave. Since most of my books have some elements of BDSM, that probably comes to mind, too.

What I’d like for them to think about, though is something deeper. I’d like people to get a strong image of an emotionally involving story, with interesting characters you can learn to care about and root for. I’d like people to think of a Katherine Kingston book as not just an erotic romance, but a gripping STORY as well. A story where the eroticism means something because it brings to life and to the surface deep conflicts within the characters and helps guide them on the path to growth and healing.

Can that really work as a way to brand yourself?

-- Katherine Kingston

Life in a Jar

Today, a heroine passed away in Poland.

In the early 1940's, Irene Sendler smuggled more than 2500 Jewish children out of a Warsaw Ghetto, finding them families to live with and changing their names to protect them. She was eventually captured and tortured by the Gestapo. They broke her feet and legs. But she never betrayed her associates nor any of the children she saved, whose real identieies she kept in a jar. She was sentenced to die, but officials were bribed and she managed to escape.

Even after that, she continued her activist work. The Nazis pursued her for the remainder of their rule.

From what I've read of her, she would object to my terming of her as a hero. "The term 'hero' irritates me greatly. The opposite is true. I continue to have pangs of conscience that I did so little," Sendler said in one of her last interviews. (from the article linked to above)

Her story remained mostly unheralded until 4 Kansas student researched her and created a play about her life.

When I read her story this morning, I had to post on what I consider a true hero. She may not have done as much as she thought she should have, but she did more than most. And it puts a lot of web drama in perspective.

Mechele Armstrong aka Lany of Melany Logen
http://www.mechelearmstrong.com
http://melanylogen.com

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

In honor of Mother’s Day, I’ve compiled a list of things that the children of writing mother’s everywhere can learn from us.

- Follow your dreams—no matter what your age.
- Never give up, even when things are tough.
- Believe in yourself, even when no one else does.
- You can be both very creative, and a very savvy business person.
- Learn to take criticism and use what will help you, and let the rest go.
- Learn how to handle rejection and learn from it, without letting it define you.
- Learn how to make friends and contacts wherever you go.
- It’s okay to play “what if” and live inside your imagination. It’s even better to get paid for it!
- Don’t let anyone steal your dream, no matter how well-meaning they might be.
- Anything worth having is worth working hard for.
- Don’t let anyone tell you how to live your life.
- Learn how to adapt to the many changes life throws at you.
- How to meet deadlines.
- How to plan workflow and work effort.
- You can make money doing something you love.
- There’s a whole lot less stress in life if you follow your passions.
- Fill your life with people and activities that give you joy.
- Don’t spend all your time worrying about what others think of you.
- Being a strong parent means doesn’t mean martyring yourself for your children.
- It’s okay and even necessary for a healthy person to set boundaries.

I’m sure there are several more. So I welcome comments and additions to this list.

A big Happy Mother’s Day shout out to all of you for having the courage to live your dream!

Tina/Cassie

Public Service Announcement

With the state of disaster and estimates of 22,000 dead in Myanmar, the opportunistic vultures will be coming out of the woodwork. Inboxes will be spammed with requests for money supposedly to go to help the victims of the cyclone, but it will really go towards someone's big ass entertainment fund.

Please remember legitimate charities do NOT spam potential donors. If you want to help, donate via a registered charity's web site, like World vision.

I have a new alien romance coming out in June

The next installment of my alien erotic romance Celestial Passions series, Celestial Passions: Meri will be released by Ellora's Cave on June 13. This one is a Quickie that tells the story of how Meri and Adem, minor characters from Celestial Passions: Brianna met.

Below is an excerpt. Sorry, no hot sex in this one. You'll have to wait for the next installment for that!

Judy

**************

Pushing her way between muscular Aradab bodies—both male and female—she maneuvered her way to the front of the crowd. Her father and mother were sitting on the dais. Besides all the Aradabs, a few of her father’s ministers were in the room, as was her paternal grandmother and a couple of the dowager queen’s cronies. Facing her father with their backs to her were two men, unmistakably Drakians not only because they were wearing the familiar uniforms of the Alalakan space fleet but also because of their tails. No other human race had such flexible tails.
Meri looked closer and grinned. The one on the left was Alalakan don al’ Chardadon. She’d recognize him anywhere. His family and hers had been close friends for generations and she’d known him since she was a child. She shifted her glance to the other Drakian, sure that she’d never seen him before. He was even taller than Char, at least seven feet, and she certainly never would have forgotten that powerful figure with those broad shoulders and that tight ass.
“Who is he?” she hissed to her cousin.
“Who?” he answered in a sour voice. He was glaring at Chardadon.
Meri shook her head. She was going to find out why Ban divorced himself from his father’s Drakian family if it was the last thing she did.
“Who’s standing next to Char? And don’t start pouting about him being here.”
“Lillalistross don al’ Ademisis, the chief engineer of their space fleet,” Ban answered in a low voice. “And I don’t pout—women do.”
Meri ignored his second comment. “He seems young for that position.”
Her cousin shrugged. “I could not care less.”
“You are an idiot,” Meri murmured as she grabbed Ban’s arm and pulled him with her around the right side of the room. She really wanted to get a look at this Ademisis from the front. He was very appealing from behind. “Now be quiet so I can hear what the Matriarch is saying.”
He snorted lightly. “You were the one asking questions.”
The door on the other side of the room opened and a dark-skinned, hoary-headed, white-bearded man walked sedately into the room.
Meri was taken aback. The Patriarch of the Nissians? Whatever was going on was very important if he was here too.
“Finally we can get to the bottom of this,” her father grumbled. He nodded to the old man.
“Welcome, Patriarch. I’m sorry to disturb you, but the Matriarch demanded your attendance.”
Again, surprise rippled through Meri. The Matriarch demanded?
“I’m curious too, Your Majesty,” Chardadon interrupted. “Ademisis and I should be back on Drakan by now. We’ve got a voyage to Deslossia scheduled.”
Before Meri’s father could answer, the Aradab Matriarch interrupted. “Patience, Son of the Alalakan Dragon. The time for which the races of Mediria have waited generations is almost upon us.” She directed her gaze at Chardadon’s companion. “Remove your tunic.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, Lillalistross don al’ Ademisis looked the Matriarch straight in the face and said, “No.”
Silence echoed off the walls as Meri felt her jaw drop. At her side, Ban stiffened and her grandmother looked like she was going to faint. Her mother’s complexion paled while her father choked and buried his face in his hands.
Nobody ever refused a direct order from the Aradab Matriarch.
Before the Drakian’s “No” finished reverberating around the throne room, two Aradabs stepped to either side of the Matriarch. The one on her left cracked his knuckles while the other flexed his fingers. Both wore eager grins.
Meri snapped her mouth shut. Aradabs rarely even smiled!
Gulping, Meri stared at the tall Drakian who had just demonstrated more audacity—or stupidity—than any man she’d ever seen.

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Mechele Armstrong aka Lany of Melany Logen

A writer's work space

I'm probably the most organized person you'll ever meet. Even my To Do lists have To Do lists. However, those organizational skills don't apply to my writing desk, which is pure chaos on the best day.

Does it bother me? Not at all. I love being surrounded by papers, magazines, books, notes on my latest WIP, journals (I have way too many of those), colored pens, at least six stacks of sticky-notes (of all different shapes, sizes and colors), candles, hand cream, my graphics tablet, my wallet (that credit card has to stay within reach at all times), and 20 tarot decks.

Knowing all that stuff is usually on my desk, you might wonder how I can even fit my keyboard and monitor on its glass surface. Well, not only can I fit those pertinent items, but I even have room for an observer:







So, what about you? What (or who) sits on your writing desk?

Lacey Savage
http://www.laceysavage.com