Welcome to the new site

I’m test driving this new blog while on Christmas holidays.  For those wondering what happened to the old sites, and why they are combined here, it’s fairly simple.  For a long time, the conventional advice to authors was to separate pseudonyms because readers would become confused by one person writing different genres under different names.

This doesn’t make much sense now, but maybe it was true at some point. At any rate, readers turned out to be both adaptable and accepting, so authors began amalgamating their various social media and blog properties to minimize the time they spend thinking up posts and maximize the time they spend writing. It’s a win-win because authors can reach all their readers with less effort and readers get more contact and, because of time saved, more books.

I was inspired to jump on this bandwagon during a panel I attended at the 2016 RWA in San Diego. I’d meant to go to something else but felt a huge pull when I walked by the conference room where Reinvention and Diversification was being held. Julie Kenner, Alix Rickloff and Kevan Lyon were the panelists. Suddenly it was plain that I didn’t have to struggle with two blogs, two Twitter/Pinterest/Instagram etcetera accounts, and so Rowan & Ash Artistry, my company name, became the mothership. I went this route instead of going all Sharon or all Emma because neither felt more important than the other. Besides, Rowan & Ash isn’t just what you see on this site, but has a convoluted history involving music performance, crafts, teaching, costuming, and endless other experiments. It’s representative of who I am in a profound way and will no doubt see more innovations in future. The moment I say, “I will never” is about the same time I have a brilliant idea for just that thing.

For those wondering, “Yeah okay, I like your X books but am I going to like your Y books?” that’s a legitimate question. You might, or you might not, and that’s okay.  Sharon Ashwood books are sexier. They’re all about romantic pairings. Holloway has some love interests, but that’s not the only focus. Ashwood books are faster reads. Holloway books are set in past time periods. I love writing both and hope a there will be readers who explore all my series. If you’re not sure where to start, let me know and I’ll steer you to something you might like. And if you want to stick with what you know and like, I will have news here on what’s in the works (and there is a lot!)