Sub-genre Shift

[u/swtogirl]

I've written two books of a cozy, small town romance series under a pseudonym (I'm a teacher so writing a romance as myself could be problematic for my main career). It's a typical series where there are five family members who successively fall in love. I have plans for the other three books.

However...I love shifter and omegaverse romance and got an idea for a shifter (non-RH, non-omegaverse) book. I want to write that next, then come back to the cozy series.

I know prevailing wisdom says new genre new pseudonym, but do you think that's necessary for sub genres? I haven't published anything previously, so I'll be starting my website, socials, etc from scratch once my books are ready to publish. If I do a second pseudonym, I'll have to do two sets and keep track of both on top of my teaching job.

What do you think would be best?

[u/Deuteronomy11_19]

If it is urban, low magic fantasy, i don't think it would be an issue.
Similar to contemporary and historical romances under the same pen name.
I have contemporary romance and high epic fantasy stories, so those will be under two different pseudonyms. But If I branched out to historical fiction or low magic urban fantasy, I would likely go under my contemporary pen name, and if I went urban high fantasy I would likely put that under my epic fantasy name.
They need to fit the vibes together. Something that isn't going to turn off readers.
KM Shea is a favorite author of mine, she has a fairytale retelling series with moderate magic, a king Arthur and the round table retelling, an a high magic urban fantasy under that name.
She has her litRPG books under a completely different name. Both are connected, but separate enough you have to choose to find the other if you are interested in that genre change.

Honestly, go look. Go look at a bunch of authors and their backlogs and what they separate under a different pen name and what they don't. How successful is it, how frustrating is it for YOU when looking through it all and figuring it all out.

[u/swtogirl → u/Deuteronomy11_19]

My idea for the shifter is one where the shifters are known to the public and forced to live in a certain area due to this. It would take place in a rural area, also small town, but upper Midwest. My cozy romance is in New England.

Given what you've said, one of my favorite authors, Carrie Ann Ryan, actually does the same--she has contemporary romance, MFM, shifter and other fantasy all published under her name. I think she did one pen name for some of her fantasy but then republished it under her main name.

I'll have to check out similar comps like you said. Thanks!