Brand Tone

Dark, edgy, authentic, resilient, candid, geeky, humorous, sensual, with a focus on "darkly ever afters" and embracing darkness.

Brand Values

• •Authenticity and Vulnerability
• •Community
• •Resilience and Advocacy
• •Embracing Darkness
• •Geek Culture

Best Practices

• •Embrace the Duality: Don't hide the A.C. James name. Use it as a bridge for existing readers, framing the shift to Julie Blackheart as an evolution, not an erasure. Use phrases like "From the author who brought you..."
• •Lead with Vulnerability: Continue sharing personal anecdotes and struggles. This authenticity is the brand's strongest asset. It builds unparalleled reader trust and loyalty.
• •Balance Dark with Fun: Juxtapose the dark, intense themes of the books with the fun, geeky side of the author's personality. Share a photo from a game night or a favorite comic book alongside a teaser for a dark new chapter.
• •Speak the Language of the Genre: Use keywords that resonate with dark romance and fantasy readers: "morally gray," "antihero," "touch her and you die," "shadows," "broken," "villains," "smutty." This signals a clear understanding of the genre's tropes and reader expectations.
• •Cultivate the Inner Circle: Prioritize engagement within the VIP Facebook group. Offer them exclusive content, early reveals, and a direct line to the author. This core community will become the brand's most powerful advocates.

Social Perception

Perceived as an author of steamy and engaging paranormal romance, with loyal and engaged fans. Her advocacy work is recognized as a source of narrative strength. The shift to Julie Blackheart is seen as an evolution into darker themes, inviting readers to follow deeper into the shadows.

Copy Examples

• •They say to fear the shadows. I say, let them worship you. Of Shadows & Ash, the new dark fantasy romance from Julie Blackheart (formerly A.C. James), is for everyone who knows their heart beats strongest in the dark. Dare to descend?
• •Some stories are written in ink. Others, in scars. My journey from A.C. James to Julie Blackheart has been about learning to read both. For every beautifully broken character I write, there is a piece of my own story of survival. Thank you for being here for all of it. #AuthorLife #Survivor #DarkRomance
• •Okay, my glorious VIPS! I'm world-building for a new series and need your beautifully twisted minds. If you were a morally gray antihero, what would be your one non-negotiable rule? Daggers out, let's hear it in the comments!
• •Subject: Stepping Into the Shadows... and I saved you a seat.
• •They told me to write what I know. So I wrote about monsters. And the women who weren't afraid to love them. #BookTok #DarkFantasy #JulieBlackheart #ACJames #MorallyGrey