So, over at the Embrace the Shadows blog, one of the ladies was talking about websites for authors and using them as marketing. It was an interesting article, and she posed some good questions.
I even learned a little bit about author sites.
I knew they (and blogs) were a good way for someone to get to know the author, and really get a taste for that author's writing. It's why I started a blog in the first place.
What I didn't know is that some editors will Google the author when considering a submission. So, having a site up even when unpublished is a good thing. I find that pretty interesting, and am glad I've been starting to upkeep my site recently.
Now, one of the other things in the post was using your website to brand yourself. A way to explain how one's stories are different from every other paranormal romance author out there. I've spent the last few days pondering that, trying to formulate a way to explain how my stories are different.
The first things that came to me: my vampires still have fangs. I don't write sensitive, mopey, wish-I-were-still-human vampires. They're not ravaging beasts, or anything like that. They are intelligent, in control, good looking predators. I've let them keep that predator aspect, and actually relish it, make my heroine relish it. Vampires, to me, are attractive because they are dangerous, and dark, and just as likely to tear your throat out as show you a good time. The thrill is in that danger.
The second thing that occured to me: they're not French. *laughs* I've just seen a bit of a trend for French vampires, thanks to Lestat and Jean-Claude. It's not exactly a bad thing, and it's great for some people. French just isn't totally my cup of tea, so I made my main man German. I mean, all that's to taste, but it's one of the things that makes him stand out. I haven't read any heroes that were German, but that doesn't mean others aren't out there.
There are other things that make me a little different, but I don't know how to really phrase it. I think I'm a little darker than some authors, but that doesn't mean these are really intense novels I'm writing. My heroine doesn't become some raging slut, sleeping with whatever man comes into the storyline; she is head-over-heels in love with her vampire, and they are together. She's younger than most heroines, yet not a kid, right on that borderline of becoming a full on adult. I address how much of a sociopath she is, and her ability to deal with murder and death and other "bad" things without freaking out.
So, how do I brand myself? I'm going to keep giving that some thought.
