Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Writer Wednesday: Two Become One


In my Monday Mishmash and all over social media last week, I announced that I'm merging Ashelyn Drake and Kelly Hashway. Why you ask?

When I initially launched the pen name, Ashelyn Drake, I wanted to make sure I could stand on my own two feet as a romance author, separate from Kelly Hashway. Once I did that, I revealed Ashelyn Drake and Kelly Hashway are the same person. And since then, I've been using this banner to show that I'm still one person even though I write under two names: 


The problem is, I wasn't acting like one person. I have separate Facebook pages, Twitter handles, and blogs for Kelly and Ashelyn. Why? My website, newsletter, and Instagram are for both names, so why aren't my other social media accounts?

From now on, they will be. I'm moving Ashelyn over to Kelly. You'll notice my Facebook page now has both names listed. As does my blog. Twitter won't allow enough characters to display both names, but you'll see this banner and Ashelyn's name appear in my bio.

Very soon, Ashelyn's accounts will disappear, so make sure you're following the new links below to stay up to date on my Ashelyn Drake romance books as well as my Kelly paranormal and upcoming mystery/suspense/thrillers (Yes, I'm branching out!):

Facebook
Twitter
Blog
Google+

Look at that. Kelly and Ashelyn are truly merging into one author with two names, just like the slogan says. :)


*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.

18 comments:

  1. That's quite interesting and efficient use of social media tools.
    Cheerz
    www.vishalbheeroo.wordpress.com

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  2. I can imagine that must be tough, vetting two separate accounts for almost everything. I can't even keep up with one for each, right now. I've considered separating things into MG & YA, but then feel like I'd be doubling my workload. I think - think - eventually, I'll create a landing page for my website with separate entry for my MG work/readers & YA work/readers. Both would have access to neutral things like blog, bio, etc... That's the way Kimberly Griffiths Little has her website and it seems to work out good. Saying that, I attended a workshop with Jen Malone, where she simple found a cohesive theme to represent both her MG and YA work to keep it all on one website.

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    1. I think you have to do what is going to work for you. If you do too much and can't keep up with it (or it interferes with your writing time) then it's not benefiting anyone.

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  3. Congrats. Sounds like it will be easier to manage. Good luck.

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  4. Will your books be rereleased under a single name?

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    Replies
    1. No. I'll keep the two names so readers know the Ashelyn titles are romance.

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  5. Are you following the model of another author with multiple pseudonyms & merged social media accounts? Also, I'm curious about readers' reception of the dual name thing. When you started fessing up, did anyone balk about it? I don't really know what I'm asking, I'm just curious if it seemed to turn anyone off, I guess. Though, they probably wouldn't have said anything. They would have just gone away. Lol.

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    1. No. A few people figured it out from my writing style. Yes, I am following in the footsteps of some successful authors who write under two names.

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  6. So confusing; I have no idea how you kept your head on straight. Talking to yourself must've taken on a whole new meaning...
    Congratulations on the successful merger.

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    1. lol I did feel like a bit of a split personality at times.

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  7. It does seem like it woudl be confusing to keep up with both. Our lives are complicated enough, why not make them easier?!

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  8. Oh, I thought you meant you were going to change the name on the Ashelyn Drake books and wondered how you would go about doing that! I got it now. Yes, merging the social media accounts only makes sense!

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    1. Yeah, that can be done but would cause headaches. I like having a separate name for romance but see no need to separate social media accounts anymore.

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