Navigating Author Branding Across Multiple Genres

An author’s brand is more than a logo or tagline—it’s the heart of how readers connect with their work. A strong brand can turn casual readers into loyal fans, drawn to a writer’s style, themes, or genre. For years, the conventional wisdom in publishing was clear: If you want to write in multiple genres, use multiple pen names.

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Why? Because readers expect consistency. They want to know what they’re getting when they pick up your book. It’s a valid concern—when I think about my own favorite authors, I tend to organize them by genre: a go-to for romance, another for suspense, and someone else for sci-fi.

And yet…I broke that rule.

Not intentionally. I never set out to be a genre-defying author. I always dreamed of writing novels, but my early career in auditing led to years of technical report writing, not fiction. It wasn’t until my mother self-published her childhood memoir at age 88 that I felt inspired to try. I began with a children’s book rooted in our Icelandic heritage. That led to another children’s title, then a folklore collection, then a cookbook—and eventually, my first novel.

At that point, I had five published books across four very different genres and one very big problem: branding.

Without a clear author brand, marketing becomes muddy. Readers may love one of your books but feel unsure about your others if they seem disconnected. But the truth is, every genre I write in reflects a real part of who I am: my Icelandic roots, my love for cooking, my fascination with folklore, and my deep appreciation for women's stories and lived experiences.

Eventually, I realized that passion was the connection. Every book I’ve written ties back to something I care about deeply. Cooking, storytelling, heritage, self-discovery—these are not separate identities; they’re all facets of the same life. That realization became the foundation of my brand.

To me, meaning in life is found through purpose and passion. Pursuing your passions can be relaxing, indulgent, restorative, or even altruistic, depending on how you focus it. Like reading—it can be a little break in the day for relaxation, shared story time enriching the lives of children, searching out new books and then donating them to a little free library, or taking an indulgent reading retreat to a spa. That's what builds the beautiful complex meaning to life.

My brand became about living a life inspired by passion, and my writing became an extension of that. When people ask what genre I write in, I often laugh. I'm not just a novelist. I’m not just a cookbook author or a children’s writer. I'm all of those things, and that’s okay. Each book is a reflection of something meaningful to me.

Women’s fiction is my truest creative passion, but special projects sometimes pull me in other directions. I’ve been developing a four-book women’s fiction series for years, and after multiple rewrites, I’m pleased with how they have progressed. The characters, their journeys, and their challenges feel authentic, and each has a strong story to share with women seeking mature fiction.

Then, unexpectedly, a long-simmering idea for a specialty cookbook demanded attention when opportunity and resources arose. I’ve always been veggie-averse and had crafted a collection of recipes to improve my own diet. As I spoke to others who shared the same aversion, I realized there was a real need for these recipes to be shared. That project became my new creative focus: a cookbook that caters specifically to adults like me—those who want to eat healthier but don’t care for the flavor of some vegetables.

As I tested recipes, styled dishes, and photographed food, my novel series quietly matured in the background. By the time the cookbook was complete and in production, I returned to fiction with fresh eyes and renewed energy. Switching genres hadn’t been a distraction—it was exactly the break I needed.

The result? The cookbook is scheduled for release in mid-September, and, even more exciting to me, is that the novella prequel and the first full-length novel in my women’s fiction series are set to launch by the end of the year. Pursuing the passion of one stimulated the creativity of the other.

For me, the cookbook project isn't just about food, it’s about acceptance. Removing the stigma, guilt, or shame associated with being a picky eater, and instead offering creative, flavorful solutions for eating healthier without sacrificing flavor. That same spirit guides my author brand: embracing all parts of who I am and offering something authentic, helpful, or meaningful to my readers—no matter the genre.

While I plan to focus on women’s fiction moving forward, I’ll always leave room for the muse. Who knows where it may lead? But I’ve learned that passion is a brand in itself—and when you follow it honestly, readers will come along for the journey.

Because in the end, the stories we tell—whether in fiction, folklore, or food—are all part of the story we’re living.

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