Living your brand

During my travels today, I found myself on the Skytrain at DFW. At one of the C stops, a man climbed aboard who looked like the spitting image of Santa Claus (without the red suit, as it was 90 degrees in Dallas). I marveled at his snowy beard and waxed curlicued mustache. And then I heard him talking on his cell phone, telling a colleague about an art show he had just participated in. He had received a commission to create an African-American Santa sculpture.

At this point, I realized the guy was brilliant.

He was living his brand, his business. On a smaller scale, he's sort of like Gwen Stefani, who I was had just been reading about in InStyle. She simultaneously came out with an album and clothing line with the name LAMB (Love Angel Music Baby). This fall, she's launching L, a perfume. Like my Skytrain Santa, she understands branding, and this is what I'm struggling with.

With so many interests and varied book ideas, I've been having a hard time coming up with the concept or phrase that defines me and my work. I'm thrilled about my books coming out this fall but I don't know if I can really bring myself to wear petticoats and gingham dresses every day to promote The Prairie Girl's Guide to Life. It just isn't always practical.

But after seeing Skytrain Santa, I'm considering it.

If you've got any ideas, I'd love to hear them.