I’ve had a website for the past few years to promote my books with Booklocker.com. After receiving traditional contracts recently for my romance novels , I’m in the process of having a new website designed. My new one will be limited in what personal information is given. Why? Because I want to avoid contacts from nuts. I’ll tell you what I’ve learned from other authors to prevent trouble.

I’ve been told that romance authors get prison letters and phone calls. Not just erotic romance authors, but just plain romance ones have had this unpleasant experience. Several authors have had some continued creepy emails from fans and not just men. I’ve decided how I present myself on my site can stop trouble from happening.

Here is a list of suggestions so you can use to protect yourself from unpleasant persons:

+ I’m happily married and don’t live alone so that will be on my site to discourage any contact from men.

+ I’ll only include the state I live in and not the city or address. An unlisted phone number might be something else to consider.

+ If you write erotic romance, stay away from sex talk. You don’t want to hear from any loonies. Talk instead about elements of writing, such as characterization. Perverts are not turned on by reading about how you develop your characters or plots in your writing.

+ Some authors write under a pen name to have more privacy. I chose not to use a pen name.

+ Since I write under my real name, I’ll change my signature for book signings. You do not want your book signature and check writing signature to be even remotely similar.

+ To have further anonymity, go to your domain administration page with your provider and have your personal information show just xxxxxx in those boxes. You might have to pay a small fee for the anonymity but some providers don’t charge for this service.

Incorporating these suggestions and taking sensible precautions will help you to avoid future trouble with crazy fans. Being educated and informed can give you some peace of mind. You want to spend your time writing and not worrying about being stalked.

Diane Craver enjoys her life with her husband and six children. Her three romance novels, No Greater Loss, A Fiery Secret, and Never The Same will soon be released by Samhain Publishing. Diane’s book, How To Run A Profitable Preschool Without The Hassle, is available as an ebook. Other books (which are in print) include The Christmas of 1957 and Celebrating And Caring For Your Baby With Special Needs.

To learn more about Diane and her writing, visit her website at: https://www.dianecraver.com