Welcome to Tuesday Book Chat. This is where we encourage book lovers to answer our bookish question of the week.
Today’s question is:
Does it confuse you when authors use the same name to write in different genres?
We look forward to hearing your thoughts. Please join in the conversation by commenting on this post or on the blog post shared in our Australasian Christian Writers Facebook Group.
Let’s chat!
Yes and no. There are authors like Susan Page Davis who has been writing for a long time and in several genres. Historical, Contemporary, suspense and cozy Mystery. She has been doing this for a long time and its clear the difference between the styles and she doesn’t try to confuse the genres. She started with Heartsong presents with both genres so readers were use to this.
The yes is for authors who start in one genre and will write the one genre for many years and have an established reader base. When they then start writing another genre it can be confusing for readers. There is a historical writer who started with books set in America but also writes regency. When I see a new book out I often go to dismiss it thinking it will be regency and have to check and then see its another American historical.
Mary Connealy has written a suspense book but use the pen name Mary Nealy so as not to confuse her readers. Meredith Resce had done the same for her mysteries books. I think when an author is known for a certain genre or even sub genre it is good to use a pen name for a totally different genre. Especially is it is far removed from what they are well known for.
Your turn.
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Another author who while mostly writing contemporary writes both Christian fiction and sweet clean. To distinguish which is which her name on a book is different. On CF its text for sweet clean she has her name in cursive or italics. (this is Jillian Hart).
Robin Lee Hatcher started with both, so when I found her, she already had a mix. I liked her contemporary but found I did not like her historical. They had very different vibes and story lines. However, that didn’t confuse me because she started off that way, and it was easy to tell the difference.
When Erica Vetcsh changed from American historical to English, it was okay except it took her a while to learn the ropes. So I cringed through the huge mistakes in her earlier works. However, when she jumped from historical romance to historical mystery, that really threw me.
So, as long as it seems very clear what the genre is, I’m okay with it. Contemporary to historical are easy to distinguish. Even when Erica went from American to British, also easy to tell. But when the genre is close (like historical, British romance verses historical, British mystery) and yet not actually the same genre, that I wasn’t so okay with.
I started with Robin Lee Hatchers historicals and really enjoyed them but have only read one of her Christmas novelas many years ago. And yes there is a big change. Cos I started with the historicals I enjoyed them. Haven’t read her newer works.
I also know some who write under the same name but different genres sometimes have separate newsletters. One author who’s email I no longer get went into non fiction as well and she had the option to get all newsletters or you had a choice out of 3 emails. I like the idea as most authors tend to keep the genres separate. I do know both Jillian Hart and Janet Tronstad have fictional towns and have written some books historicals set in the town. (Janet Trondstads Dry creek books have a few historicals that link to contemporary characters in Dry Creek). Most writing across genres realise not all readers will read books in all genres.
Interesting. I have no idea how they keep the different newsletters going. I’m trying working out how to do one well! 🙂
Camy Tang is one who has a newsletter for her contemporary and as Camille Elliot for her Regency suspense. She has two different audiences (with some cross over) I only get the one but she mentions the other newsletter. She only does once a month or less.
One other I quite cos there were just too many and I seemed to be subscribed to them all. couldn’t work out which was the one I did want so unsubbed.
It doesn’t bother me at all. If an author can write, I am happy for them to write multiple genres and I’ll follow them wherever.
Hi Jenny, I think it depends on the situation. I’ll always read the book description to check the genre, tropes, etc. Then I’ll read the sample. By then, I usually know the genre, and know what to expect.
What I find confusing is authors, and I mainly see this in romance, who write both Christian romance and sweet/clean romance. They are not the same thing.
As a romance reader, I don’t expect a Christian worldview when I pick up a sweet/clean romance, irrespective of whether the author is a Christian.
I’ve discovered I’m in the minority, and there’s a portion of the sweet/clean readership who do expect Christian morals and values in sweet/clean romances. Whereas I find those books frustrating because they’re not realistic. I get pulled out of the story because there’s no discernible motivation for why the characters behave in certain ways.
When I read about Christian characters, I prefer a faith thread of some description in the story.
These days, if I see a big giveaway advertised as ‘Christian romance authors’ rather than ‘Christian romances books’, I’ll expect some of those books to be Christian worldview with zero faith in the stories. I no longer assume that an author’s previous publishing history, however long, means a new book under the same name will be similar to their previous books.
I do agree with the sweet/clean. I don’t expect Christian worldview. I may expect Hallmark type stories but I expect some will have unmarried couples living together. I would also expect issues that you wouldn’t see in a Christian book.
I have given up on author giveaways where its a combo of sweet clean and Christian. I have some authors say that some will be sweet/clean not all Christian but it doesn’t tell which is which so I don’t bother. I got burned down loading a few books by Christian authors who I didn’t know are writing general market now.
It actually makes me question all books by them now especially those who I haven’t read many books off. I know Courtney Walsh is now writing some General Market books. I only know cos someone told me. I just assumed she was still writing Christian Fiction so unless its clearly labelled it is very confusing.
What it does do is if not clearly prewarned set up the author for those who expect a CF to give a harsh review.
Jenny, The Bookbub daily deal email I received this morning proves your point re. genre confusion.
The Christian fiction selection is a book from a Christian author who is known for writing Christian fiction. The book deal is for one of her general market books. At Amazon, the book is clearly identifiable as not being Christian fiction. The top review in Australia was from a reader who expected it to be a Christian book and was disappointed that it didn’t have Christian content.
I know that Bookbub categorises author names into specific genre categories, irrespective of the individual book genre category. But most readers wouldn’t know this, and would be confused by the email saying one thing and the book looking like it’s something else.
That would be confusing. And a well known author of one catagory going to general market and being advertised on book bub can very well lead to low reviews as well.
When an author is known for one genre and then totally changes it’s no wonder readers get confused. Even Agatha Christie back in the day realised this and had a pen name for heavy suspense book.
Such an interesting topic, Jenny! I think for me it depends on the author, the books, and how “close” the genres are. There are a couple of my favorite Christian romantic suspense authors who also write Christian contemporary romance. I love their suspense, but I’m not as fond of their contemporaries and rarely read them. One of my favorite authors writes in both Christian historical romance and Christian contemporary romance and I read her books written in both subgenres on a regular basis and enjoy them all.
I agree with you and Narelle on the Christian romance vs. sweet/clean. I was asked recently if I would like to write sweet/clean as well as Christian romance because sweet/clean is so popular right now.
I personally am not interested at all in writing sweet/clean. I don’t feel that’s where God is leading me and after hearing I could only add generic wording such as “they went to church” and little to no mention of prayer or relying on God, it sealed the deal for me. The two genres are vastly different.
I personally have not read any authors who have written in both Christian and sweet/clean, but I imagine that it would be confusing to a reader who is accustomed to their favorite Christian author writing books without a Christian worldview.
I have read a couple of authors before they went to sweet clean and it is confusing. Especially when some authors say if you like x x x then you will like my books. If those authors are writing both then is your book like their latest works or Christian Fiction works.
I downloaded a book recently cos it was an author I knew as a Christian author and while it was sweet and christian with a worldview I felt cheated. I was sent to the books from a newsletter saying Christin and sweet clean books. There was no indication which books were which so I went on the author names. and recommendations of others of who were Christian Fiction authors. Have since found several now write both or mainly sweet/clean.
I have found I generally enjoy an author in one genre, but when the author goes to another genre and uses another pen name, I do not always enjoy their work.