Joining the ranks of powerhouse romance writers such as P.C. Cast, Karen Weisner, Brenda Coulter, and Kate Donovan, Diane Wylie’s debut novel with Vintage Romance Publishing, Secrets and Sacrifices, recently received a coveted 4 ½ star review from Romantic Times, the premier magazine for romance readers.
Not that I'm not wildly flattered, but can someone who's published only two romance novels be accurately described as a powerhouse? Yes, my first two books received "Top Pick" ratings from RomanticTimes. But could the writer of that post have been thinking, perhaps, of Catherine Coulter?
I am often asked if I am related to Catherine. Same last name, and we both write romance, so we must be sisters, right? Even funnier is that I occasionally meet someone who says, "Brenda Coulter? Oh, this is amazing! I've read all your books!" That little word "all" is a pretty big clue that they haven't read my books, because to date I've published only two. (Look for the third this October and the fourth next year.)
I am not Catherine Coulter's sister any more than I am Ann Coulter's mother. (No, don't start. We are not going to talk politics on this blog.) But people keep asking me about Catherine--and less often, about Ann. Do you suppose Nora Roberts gets this kind of thing? ("Nora Roberts? This is amazing! Could you get me your sister Julia's autograph?")
When I sold my first book and told my editor I intended to write under my real name rather than a pseudonym, her response was, "Oh, good. You'll come before Catherine on every bookshelf." I chuckled, never suspecting that Catherine would end up following me not just on the bookshelves, but everywhere I introduced myself as an author. I am asked about her constantly.
I know probably a couple of hundred romance authors, but I've never met Catherine. If I ever do, I wonder if she will seem like a long-lost sister.
3 comments:
That is a very funny mix-up. :)
Are you attending RWA National in Dallas this year? If so, let me know so I can add your blog to the blogroll for Blogging National.
I sat next to Beverly Brandt at an NJRW booksigning and she was so nice and seemed to be tickled to find another romance writer with the same last name, even if it's by marriage and she remember me at Nationals because of it, so I'm sure, if Catherine Coulter is a gracious woman, she'd be thrilled to meet you! As would Ann.
if Catherine Coulter is a gracious woman, she'd be thrilled to meet you!
I've found that most romance writers are very nice people. Maybe because they spend so much time thinking about love and happy endings.
;-)
Yes, Jude, I'll be in Dallas. Yes, I'll be taking my computer, so I will almost certainly be blogging from the conference. Thanks for asking.
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