Too Many Hats

One of many things I struggle with as an artist, is the fact that I do too many different things, as I have mentioned in previous blogs.

I'm not just talking about within the field of writing. And if you look at the 3 books I finished and published this year (see previous blog), there is an illustrated chlldren's book, a book for t'weens that is filled with sketches, and my first 'adult book'. The only age group that is missing in 2019 is teens - the age group I've written most of my novels for. So - yes, I'm all over the proverbial map with the writing. It makes it very hard to promote my 'brand', since I'm not exclusively a children's author, an illustrator, a teen author or an adult (but not Adult in the X-rated sense) novelist.

I feel and fear that my plethora of artistic hats can put readers off, since they might suspect that I'm a 'Jill of all trades, master of none'. Add to that, my paintings and mixed-media collage artwork, which are much admired, and my sculptures, which are admired too, but are very breakable when I lug them around to shows, and my beadwork, which does pay some of the bills - a few of them anyway, when I'm not spending my meager profits on more beads. Etc. etc.

I do hope and believe that I am not a 'Jill of all trades, master of none,' but a 'Jill of all trades, master of some'.

Too many hats brings to mind 'The Top-secret Life of Timbuktu Kalamazoo' just published. Tim's dad must always wear a hat because ...