Fortunately, the internet is a great place to keep one from feeling too mentally healthy. Today’s hyperventilation is being brought to me and therefore to you via a post on dearauthor.com regarding branding and promises to the reader.

Yes, branding. If you know me at all, you knew that was coming. Hell, as soon as you saw dearauthor.com this morning you slapped yourself in the forehead and said, “Shit, now Shan’s going to go all to hell again.”

The dual-personality thing is fun. The reader half of me was nodding my head and absolutely agreeing. The writer half—well, I don’t know what she was doing. She slid under the desk where nobody could find her. I think. I’m pretty sure I heard the rustling of a Dorito bag.

The line that sent her diving for the nacho-cheesy goodness?…

That’s your promise to your readers and that is association and expectation readers have when they see your name.

What do I promise my readers?

Well, I guess I promise you I’ll do my best to ensure the blurb and cover give you a clue, since my name alone won’t. It might be a contemporary comedy or a dark paranormal. It could have graphic sex, steaminess or no sex at all. It might be funny, or it might make you cry. The guns might be Sigs or they might be old Colts. It could take place today, a hundred years ago, or two hundred years from now. Might be dead people. Might not.

All I can shoot for is the hope that when readers see the name Shannon Stacey, they’ll think it’s a book they’re willing to spend some time with. And hope they haven’t spent all their money fulfilling their weird subliminal cravings for Doritos and Dunkin Donuts coffee.

:lmao: