I had been having concerns about my author name, true Tosin Coker is my name, but only after publishing my book did I come to find just how many people both, male and female I share it with. Not a problem, that is until I realised that one of them has a reputation as an online scam artist. Uh oh! This upset me because I'm pretty much new to all of this, but the one thing I do know is that publicity is everything, and not for a second do I want to be confused with this man. When googling my name he always comes up as one of the top results. Not cool! I decided that maybe I should make a distinction by changing my author name to include my middle initial: Tosin M. Coker. Doesn't it make me sound all grown up and established? LOL I say as I sit here with two afro puff bunches in my hair...
Before making such a drastic decision I thought it best to find out how this would affect me overall. Would it confuse readers into thinking I'm a separate author? Would it cost me financially to have to go and edit all references to my name via Nielsons Book Data etc, not to mention having to change the cover of my book to cater for the adjustment. So of course I sought professional advise by contacting Menelik Shabazz. He is the film director that loved my book so much he left a message with my local bookstore for me to contact him. Yes I'm still glowing over that one. Anyway he gave me the most beautiful piece of advice that I really feel I must share:
"Ask yourself what do you fear will happen if your name remains as it? It seems that your fear is of being overshadowed by another’s negative- tarnishing your name. Can negative really overshadow the positive? In a years to come the memory of the other Tosin Coker will be forgotten and yours will glow."
Wow! True indeed, I was being guided by fear and I was reminded so beautifully that my authentic self is good as is.
Greetings everyone, my name is Tosin Coker and it is staying that way.
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