So…I’ve been doing a major no-no when it comes to self-publishing. Any guesses? I’ll tell you since I—a self-publishing author—didn’t know myself. I have (and currently am) breaking the cardinal rule of NO GENRE HOPPING.
Woops…
Let’s see. I’ve got a Sci-fi (with romance) series, a Contemporary Romance series, and an Urban Fantasy Romance series that I’m currently working on, so…it’s not like I’ve been genre-hopping my entire self-publishing career, right? Oh wait. Yes, I have. Among several other things I’ve been doing incorrectly, I really shouldn’t have been jumping genres since it’s harder to build and retain an audience. Most of us like reading a certain genre/trope, and we depend on our authors to write only in that box.
HAHA again woops!
In my defense, I didn’t know what kind of author I wanted to be. What kind of stuff I wanted to write. So, I wrote whatever story came to me. And you know what? No regrets. I like what I wrote, and I definitely think it helped shape me to become the author I am today. Was this the smartest way to go about it? HAHA nope. But I want to tell the stories I want to tell, and I did that. And now, I know what I like to write and why. Just took a couple of genres to figure it out.
Will this upend my success? I mean…I hope I have fans who enjoy my stories regardless of the box it fits into, even though it includes the same elements all my stories do:
Romance? Check
Adventure? Check
Escaping something? Check, check, check
Can these three elements be considered a genre, because if so, I’m set. Or maybe I’m set with themes? I don’t know and I’m tired of thinking about it. I wouldn’t change what I did, and I’m honestly not sure what I’m going to do. I like writing across different genres, so maybe at some point, I’ll create pen names for each. Until then, a new release by C.G. Coppola will always be a surprise, but just know, it will ALWAYS CONTAIN romance, adventure, and the need to escape. Seems pretty dependable to me.
Non writing news:
We went out on a tikibar! If you’re not familiar with the concept, don’t feel bad. I’ve lived in Florida my entire life and just discovered the service. Or, maybe the service is new? Either way, it’s a ninety-minute cruise in whatever city you live, normally around an historic or touristy location. Cooler and ice provided, but you bring your own food and drinks. Not too expensive and it’s just…fun. You can sit on the floor like me and stick your feet in the water—and subsequently scream when a glob of seaweed touches you—or you can walk around the tiki or sit on the barstool while they play island music. Honestly, I’d go again. But, only for the ninety minute cruise—got to remember there are zero bathrooms unless an unplanned stop at the sandbar is needed. Something to keep in mind.
There’s more non-writing news, but nothing much to note. I learned how to pronounce the word cognizant. Batman and I worked on it for a while, so I’ve got that going for me. Also: didn’t break the washing machine like I thought I did. I will remember not to overstuff it with towels next time so it doesn’t freak and keep resetting itself. Ah, life lessons.
Hope life is good in your neck of the woods. Also hope you’re seeing gas prices drop a smidge. It’s not a lot, but at this rate and with this record-high inflation, I’ll take what I can get.
~ Lady Caitlin