Review: Lady of the Veils, by M.L. John

Lady of the Veils by M.L. John
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Be prepared for one hell of a ride, as you go from one world and into the next, on a whirlwind trip to battle the immortal. Watch as the world that our heroine knew before is pulled out from under her, forcing her to rebuild her very being into the woman she is destined to be.

I'm a lover of Fantasy, Adventure, Romance and Young Adult books, and this book gives the reader all of those things, in a fast paced roller coaster that leaves you wanting to know what happens next.

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So...

Over the last few months, I've struggled to post anything at this blog.  I love the idea of having two blogs, of being able to post something more personal here and using the other one for my business.  The drawback is, I don't know what to post over here... So... Yeah, this is where we're at.

This one will be updated, I want to keep at it, but I can't promise how or what or when.


I do however have a question for any readers I do have out there.

How do you Brand Yourself?

I think its an interesting question to consider.  As a writer and small business person, I know that half of what I sell, is myself.  I am my business.  Separation hasn't really happened, so the business and I are pretty much one in the same.

Yes, I could create a new FB just for the business, perhaps even use a Pen Name [which I've concidered for the more adult stories I'd like to epublish], or work to create something for YOU and something for THE BUSINESS.

But I wonder, when the goal of branding is to be Great, to Know Itself, Invent or Reinvent an Entire Category, Taps into Emotions, Tells a Never Ending Story and is Relevant... Is that something you can so easily tear out of yourself and give its own life?  Is it really possible, when the truth of the matter is, you are your brand?  For that matter, is it something we should all strive for?

Ok, I'll admit it... There aren't answers to those questions.  At least, general ones.  Each person will need to choose how to go about branding themselves.  The only question that should be a no brainier, is Are you branding yourself?

Everytime I make a post to FaceBook, G+ and Twitter, I am making a post that people in both my personal and professional world see.  When I walk out the door for a day of shopping, meetings or just to grab a quick bite, I am representing my brand.

I don't want you to think I'm implying that you have to dress to the nines [where does that come from.. Always wondered], lay on the hair and make up styling and wear your formal dress... But, what if you bump into someone while your out there, and your dressed in your pajama's?  This is the first impression you get to make.  Yes, writers have a sort of... Myth about them, stay up late, are slobs, drink tons of coffee, that kind of thing.  But is that a myth about new writers climbing up in the world or established writers?  Which are you?  Do you think they always look and act that way?  And a Jewelry Designer... What are they?  Egotisitcal?  Dressed in the best labels?  Often gay?  Or are they old, often seen grumpy and wearing their jewelers eye and smock.  Once again, perhaps, but at some point they weren't.

And don't think I'm telling you that, you've lost all ability to have a down day or get sick or just, hang out with your friends.  I'm not.  You can't cease to live.  But, you do have to remember when you are the brand, every 'Hello' could be a contact.  Every waitress or waiter is a potential client.  You are always ON.

You have to decide how best to handle everything.  Create a secondary Facebook account, something you use only for business.   Set up a circle or group, and when you need to share something more personal, post only to them.  Use a pen name, create an account under that name and keep yourself private.

However you choose to do it, the important thing is that you remember it early on.  I'm not sure how I managed it, and I'm far from famous by any standard... I'm far from KNOWN to most of the world.  But when I started preparing myself to sell Jewelry last year, I walked out knowing I was going to make sure it was branded.  When I make posts and comments to FB, in the back of my head I keep reminding myself that its now filled with Old Friends, New Friends, Business Partners, Connections and Clients.  When I like something or wish to say something I'm not sure I should, I actually have a place to do all that and keep it out of the 'public' eye.  I work hard to put people on lists, so that if I wanted to, I could actually only speak to some of them.

Take a moment and stop to think about how you've branded yourself, then think of how you might want to be seen by the public at large.  For the most part, it shouldn't be a huge change.  You are you.  And you is who your trying to sell.

Guest Post - Connie Barrett

I know its been a while.  Lifes been kicking my butt lately, and I've only just managed to get things done, so this has been on hold.


HOWEVER!!!  Here, I have a guest post from the lovely Connie Barrett.  Check out her blog here, Dragonfire: The Creative Spark

Independent Authors and Branding

I write fantasy, literary fiction, and nonfiction (mostly about self-healing and personal growth). Recently, when I was about to publish Gone to Flowers, a novel about a commune during the Vietnam era, a long-time writing friend asked me what I planned to do to help readers understand the wide subject range of my writing.

Another way to read the question is "How am I going to brand myself?" This friend has had a highly successful career as an advertising executive, and I took the question seriously because she knew all about branding when I still thought it was something you did to cattle.

According to the doctrine of branding, an author is supposed to limit her scope in terms of genre. To some extent, this makes sense. I would have a hard time imagining Steven King writing romantic comedy or Danielle Steele writing dark fantasy. (Either possibility does sound intriguing, however.)

However, one of the most repeated arguments against writing in more than one genre has to do with marketing. This also makes sense to some extent. It's easier to remember that author, C. M. Barrett, who writes about depressed dragons, impudent cats, and interspecies communications than to remember the author who writes the above, plus literary fiction about humans, and guides to vibrational healing. It's also easier for that author to do targeted marketing.

Dig a little deeper, and you'll find "experts" saying you shouldn't do it because publishers don't like it. Authors whose work is hard to categorize make publishers' work more difficult. As traditional publishers find it increasingly difficult to adapt to the changing world of publishing, they want their authors' material to fit into easily defined slots.

Here is the beauty of independent publishing. The only publisher I belong to is me. I have the freedom to write and publish material of my choice. It also means I have to figure out how to market a multi-genre body of material, a challenge that got more complex with the publication of a mainstream novel.

I've decided to answer my friend's question by asking another: Why do I write what I write?

I write who I am, what I've experienced, and what interests me. I've worked as a holistic counselor since 1987. I've written countless articles and some books. I've counseled people and their pets. I intend to continue doing so because I get deep satisfaction from making a difference in that way.

In addition to that satisfaction, I have learned invaluable lessons in understanding people and their problems. As a writer, I am all about characters, and working closely with people's concerns and sorrows can provide much illumination about the mysteries of human hearts and minds. My professional experiences have immeasurably enriched my fiction and nonfiction works and have helped to make me who I am.

I'm not a fantasy writer. I'm not a literary writer. I'm not a self-help writer. I'm a whole human being who has chosen to express myself outside the restrictions of the traditional publishing system. That gives me freedom. With freedom comes the responsibility to make it work.

So far, the best approach I've found to the marketing challenge is a guiding principle: "When you got it, flaunt it." What I've got is diversity. All I have to do is figure out how to flaunt it.

That saying, by the way, comes from the original 1968 film version of The Producers, written and directed by Mel Brooks. As you probably know, Brooks turned the film into a musical for which he wrote the lyrics and composed the music.

Wait a minute. OK, the guy is an actor, director, and scriptwriter. Writing the lyrics stretches his brand, but composing the music? That is so far beyond his brand that I don't know how he marketed it.

However, history records that he managed it. The Broadway play won 12 Tony awards. Maybe for Mel Brooks, following his dreams was more important than working his brand.

Some will say that once you have his standing, you can afford to break the rules. Consider this alternative: Maybe breaking the rules is how you get to have that standing.

There's only one way to find out.

Thank you Connie for being a Guest here at How Many Days In A Year.  I loved it, and agree that trying to fit into a mold, or brand, can often hinder you.  Branch out and be who you are.