AUTHOR PHOTO
Oooh. I hate the author photo I have right now -- not through any fault of the photographer just that ... it's me. Ick. And it's now time to get another one. Oh, I dread it. And this time I'll have to go the whole nine yards and get a professional photo taken. That means dressing up. That means getting my hair and make-up done.
Some author photos look NOTHING like the authors. I can think of one author who has a fabulous photo -- which makes her look like some kind of super model. I didn't recognize her when I met her in person, when she wasn't made up and airbrushed to look twenty (or thirty) years younger.
I'll have to bit the bullet and do it sometimes in the next couple of months. *Sigh*
But I was really disappointed in the following bio:
LORRAINE BARTLETT is a New York Times bestselling mystery author of another mystery series.
She lives and writes in Rochester, New York.
I wish they'd say WHAT mystery series it is that I write? Don't they want that audience to find my new series? Oh, you guys that follow this blog (all 60 or so) know I write as Lorna Barrett, and even though I tell everyone at every opportunity, and have it plastered on my blog banners and a page on ALL THREE of my web sites, most people don't know.
Bummer.
So I guess I just have to hope that the initials LB help out -- and that being shelved together in bookstores will be lucky.
In the meantime, I'll be biting my nails for the next year or so until I get my first royalty statement and hope Lorna's readers will become Lorraine's readers, too.
When my first book came out I struggled with the idea of an author photo. I didn't have the money to have a professional photo taken and frankly, I take horrible photos. I ended up leaving it off the book. I'm still not sure if it was a good decision or not. As for the name cross over I wish you the very best of luck. There are a lot of authors who do this successfully. I'm sure it will work for you also.
ReplyDeleteHow come they can't put that you're the author of the "Booktown" mystery series in your bio?
ReplyDeleteWhat a, er, (strike 'dumb'), plain vanilla blurb. Who wrote it? The janitor? *sigh* At least they spelled your name correctly....
ReplyDelete'Bout your picture -- meet with and talk to the photographer before you get all gussied and makeup-ed up. Ask their advice on what kind of makeup they'd advise & find out WHERE they will do the shoot. Some of the best photos I've seen of authors have been done out of doors with minimal makeup. Those shots don't look so much like those horrid deer-in-the-headlights shots that always remind me of the ones taken in the Civil War. Also, if you're not comfortable with talking to the photographer, you sure won't be comfortable getting your picture taken by that person! Might you want to have your picture taken with one of your kitties? A prop (esp. one you love!) could be more relaxing for you & it could be a terrific photo! Looking forward to seeing you on the cover. :-)