2024 Update - I thought a long time about sharing this older post. However, the majority of this post is still valid. While her current actions may be questionable, her words before 2016 encouraged me as an author. This post is more about me, than the featured author.
Published - August 18, 2016
1965 - Present
J. K. Rowling is the author of the famous Harry Potter series, film series, and website. Her novels explore how the wizardly world interact, and hide within, the regular world, through the growing up years of a group of young wizards and witches.
Before she was a famous author, she wrote. And was rejected. Many times. Finally, a publisher agreed to publish her. If she used her initials instead of her name. That way, no one would realize the books were written by a female instead of a male. Until they completed the book, and looked at the author photo.
Today, that wouldn't be so easy. However, I've often wondered if I, like J. K. Rowling, and thousands of other female authors through the ages, should hide behind my initials instead of using my name.
When people look at my book covers, their first comment is there is not a romantic embrace on the covers.
Why would there be? There is no romance in the novels.
Or, they think flowers, another emblem of romance should be the main feature.
They claim I need need to compare my cover to like covers in the same genre. I do.
The covers in my genres are written by males. With similar pictures and backgrounds. The only difference is the name. I have an indecent name. So readers expect an indecent story.
I hope that one day, J. K. Rowling, and other female authors success, will allow female writers to be successful if they use their name. I don't want to hide behind my initials. She no longer does, though they still show on her covers. Everyone knows she is a female.
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