Love your Wilde series!  Congrats on the upcoming release!  It sounds great!

I'm so happy to have you here, since you have been one of my favorite authors forever -- The Ultimate Seduction is still one of my favorite Blazes, and was such an inspiration back when I was considering writing for the line.

Love the Wilde books, though I haven't read them all, I'm ashamed to say -- you know how it is, when you start writing, reading time diminishes...

As to branding, I think it's very cool how your brand emerged very organically and gradually -- and that probably makes it more effective than if you forced it or tried to come up with something "markety" -- I can usually tell when authors are doing that, and I don't care for it -- it hits me as too commercial, plastic -- but your "brand" is an integral part of what you do, developed over time, and so the association is natural and therefore stronger, I think.

BTW, love that cover -- very sexy. :)

I haven't had to brand myself because writing for Harlequin is all I've done so far, and Harlequin brands me, to that extent. However, I am trying to move into ST paranormal, and I haven't given overt thought to branding -- I hope it happens as yours has -- I just write books, and they emerge into a recognizable brand as I go along, with any luck.

I think Cigars has started being somewhat of a brand here, though, as does Plot Monkeys, and for that I have considered making some items, cafe press stuff, etc as you all have, since the blog brand has become recognizable "out there" to a lot of folks. I'm happy about that. :)

Sam

Hi Janelle! :-)

I'm thrilled to say that I just won a copy of Born to be Wilde and can't wait until it comes in the mail. :-)

I think you've done a phenomenal job in "branding" yourself as "that Wilde woman" with the Wilde series. Great idea and I think readers automatically know who the "Wilde woman" is. I know I do.

As an author I have yet to come up with a truly effective brand for myself. At present I'm e-pubbed only but have a proposal in to HQ for a Blaze. I'm very hopeful its going to fly.

Did writing for Berkley help you discover your brand? Did your editor see the "Wilde" potential in you and your work or did you come up with the idea totally on your own? Do you think it takes writing single titles before an author can truly "brand" themselves?

Cher

I'm so looking forward to reading Born to Be Wilde!

There are some authors, whose branding I recognize right away. Well, one that comes to mind is this Finnish writer Arto Paasilinna. I only need to see the names of his characters, and I know it's his text.

I am a voracious reader and I have been reading romances for many decades. I don't think that I respond strongly to author branding. I am visual and I respond strongly to book covers. I hate the cartoons.....thank goodness I overlooked the horrid covers on Rachel Gibson's first two books. I think the new cover on the latest Lilith Saintcrow is inappropriate. It would be great on a sophisticated spy novel, not on a fantasy novel featuring a necromancer.

I actually prefer authors who write in different subgenres as long as they do a good job. Susan Sizemore is one of the best.

I hate it when an author changes names on me. I work hard at remembering the names of authors that  I like and authors  that I want to try. I was glad to find Anne Fraiser who writes scary suspense novels, but who once wrote great romances as Teresa Weir. Another writer who was hard t track down was Glenna McReynolds who wrote outstanding time travel, but now writes hot contemporaries as Tara Janzen.

"Forget about my inner chid, I am tryin to embrace my outer crone."

I do find that I can recognize some author's books by a symbol or color scheme that is used on the cover of the books.

Hi Janelle,

 Just wanted to stop by with some Monkey Love...lol Plotmonkeys that is!

Welcome Janelle!

I do find if a title has the words Wilde or Wild in it, I expect it to be one of yours!  Never picked up on the leopard print though.  *doh*

Nora Roberts has the prominant NR on her books now.  It stands for both her name and it means New Release since so many of her books are reprinted and reprinted and...

Another I recognize is Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter books with their distinctive double arrow. 

Harlequin used to do a better (my opinion) job of imprinting series with a particular logo.  If you were looking for a book in a series, it was easy to spot the logo (TDD, The Brands, etc) and you'd know it was part of the series you were looking for.  This came in handy if the series was written by more than one author.  They don't seem to be doing that as much and it makes it more difficult sometimes to find all the books in the series.

I look forward to your new book!  I'm sure it'll be another Wilde read!!

ani

I love your Wilde books. I've actually gotten the new one already. Haven't started on it yet, but can't wait.

Hi Janelle, it's great to see you here!  I haven't read your Wilde series (something I'm going to take care of!), but have read your Blaze books; I loved them!

As far as author branding, Jocelyn Kelly comes to mind with her series, Ladies of St. Jude's Abbey.  Every title uses the word "Knight" in some way; A Knight Like No Other, Moonlit Knights, One Knight Stands, etc., and the covers usually feature a strong medieval woman, usually wielding a weapon.  Very cool, and instantly recognizable.

Congratulations on your latest release!  I love family-based series!

Karen 

love them wildes, cant wait for this one. looks so hot

  Congrats on the new release Janelle! I think it is cool when an author finds something that works for them, something that is memorable. Besides you with the word "Wilde" and the leopard print theme, I think of Christine Feehan and her "Dark" series and her Shadowalers with the word "Game" used at the end of each title.  Anytime I go shopping for purses I think of Anna Destefano and her funky purses.  Branding really works and makes authors stand out.

Another Plotmonkey baby dropping by to say "hi!"

I've always loved the play on the "Wilde" name. Of course, you know I found you by the "Wilde Side" cover. Once I picked it up and read that the hero's name was Scott Wilde I was instantly intrigued and the title was so appropriate to the story!

 And there are certainly worse things than being known as the "Wilde Woman" and being associated with THOSE men!!!! (lol)

 Whenever I see Wilde I automatically think of your series. As for other authors, I'm too tired right now to think lol I'm ready for a nap.

 Ashley

The word Wilde definitely belongs to you but there are many authors I like that their book titles are forgettable or interchangable.  Sometimes I find that I liked the author of a book but can't remember the book's name and when the author's name in not particularly memorable I'm in big trouble.

Congrats on your newest release in the Wilds series. I'm a regular to the Plotmonkeys site and read it daily so it was a nice surprise to see you here today. Keep up the great writing!

I recognize Wilde as your Brand and Death as belonging to Nora Roberts.

Yes, it's terrific to have a recognizable brand, and a fun one at that!

It seems like some authors, if they're fortunate/prolific enough to stick with one publisher do end up having some sort of branding done--a particular typeface for their name, or a particular look/feel for their covers.  Or it seems more likely to happen with a series of books (like the Wildes or the In Death series, for instance).

A cute look for an author I've just started reading is a sort of sporty/athletic theme that Deirdre Martin's got going--so far her books relate to hockey, so her titles are connected to that (Fair Play, Total Rush, The Penalty Box...) and the typeface looks like a high school gym's signage.

Hey Janelle, hopped right over from plotmonkeys site...I thought I missed you like I did Julie, but guess I was wrong...I have fallen in love with your Wilde series from just reading excerpts...can you believe it? I have almost the entire BL for this series, just waiting on the new one and one of the old ones...I have to check out the titles that I have because I can't remember which...I think it is one of the ones in an anthology...

 I love to read...I actually thrive on it, so I understand what you are talking about with branding...I love to read books that are in series and I am pretty good about finding new books by authors that I like without reading their names...the covers are usually a dead giveaway for me...lately it's been J.D. Robb's In Death series...whenever I see that I automatically think of her and I assume that the book is a part of her series...the set up of the covers for these books also are a dead giveaway...

Peace and love, Paula

It seems for the most part, brands do rise from the books, through titles, characters etc -- and I think in rare cases, covers. I'm thinking of Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire Series, which has very unique covers -- I didn't like them much, but I love the books LOL. Still, you see that cover and you recognize the brand right off...

A series of any type seems to be a great way for an author to cement a brand -- maybe easier than with stand alone books?

And yes, Blaze is doing the little red dot flash thingie -- sometimes I wonder if the dot should be a different color, because it blends into the red, but that's just me. It also looks like a price or sale dot, LOL -- but hey, whatever works...

Sam