Easy, right?
No, it's not that easy.
In this bloated world of millions of authors, musicians, celebrities, etc. screaming for your attention (and yes your $), as a writer, you want readers to remember you. When a word comes up, you want someone to think... oh, that book/author, (but in a good way!)
For instance: let's play word association. Your word choices may vary. (Please be kind if you comment.)
Celebrities and TV:
Well, easy:
* Kardashian - (sorry, "but" I'm sure you will think of the first word that comes to mind.)
* Humor - Ellen show
* Monsters - Grimm
Authors:
Here's a word (or a few) and the authors I think of:
* Zombies - Jonathan Maberry (Author of Rot & Ruin series, Dead of Night series)
* Sister Wife - polygamy - Betty Webb (Author of Lena Jones mysteries, Desert Wives, etc.)
* Scary, spooky - Stephen King or Dean Koontz
* Sweet Historical & Romance - Deeanne Gist
Your references may vary, but see what I mean?
Okay, how about brands for:
Author:
C.A. Verstraete
Huh?
Haaa. No, it's not a trick question. I admit sometimes I feel like that TV commercial that began... Do you know me? Remember that?
I'm a journalist by trade, but my fiction is all over the place - children's, mystery, sci fi, horror. When I write fiction, I write what I like and what comes to mind or to fit. No control over that. But I do have two constants, it seems.
1. More and more of my stories feature zombies. Not all are icky, bloodthirsty, or gory. I happen to find them scary, interesting, a perfect boogeyman and great story fodder.
** An upcoming story, "Second Chances" will give an entirely different take on zombies - and what it means to have compassion. It'll be coming out soon in the Baby Shoes Anthology.
** My book, GIRL Z: My Life as a Teenage Zombie, features 16-year-old Becca, whose life is changed when she's infected with the Z virus and turns part-zombie. (See Amazon links.)
No, not the usual zombie-brains-flesh-eating scenario. She does none of that. It's a story that has zombies, but is also about a girl facing a new world and different way of life.
** I explore another aspect of Becca's life when she faces her fear of dogs and helps solve a mystery in an upcoming story, "Puppy Love and Zombies." Yes, there is both in the story. Coming soon.
** And there is more coming with an even more unique twist.
So back to that brand question - what do you think of when you hear the name C.A. Verstraete?
2. I won't mind if you think of me when you think of zombies and horror, but I also write about, collect and build dollhouses and miniatures. (See my book, In Miniature Style II.) Nope, no apologies. I enjoy it. It's my art and my other creative outlet.
The two even meet when I put copies of mine and other authors' miniature novels (blank inside) in my miniature rooms and houses.
So, think of miniatures, dollhouses--and zombies? Yup, that's me. That seems to be my brand.
Guess I'll have to get to work soon on that story about zombies taking over a dollhouse.
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