one of the things you like to think when you've been busy is that the fruits of your labour can be recognised by others. however, what i've determined after a short research effort today is that the ability to "get your name out there" is entirely dependent on how (un)common your name is.
a quick internet search on my name yields results for a celtic harpist, a wedding photographer, an author from the province right next to mine (seriously, if you search on amazon, i'm not even the first kate macdonald who pops up), a "home economist and food stylist" and a bunch of graduates from my alma mater (well, one of them) whose chief unifying feature is that they're not me.
the internet has a way of making you realise how far from unique you really are. apparently, if i want to become the most renown kate macdonald, even the most renowned author named kate macdonald, i have my work cut out for me. on the other hand, if i ever want to tell people i'm actually a harpist-photographer- pr executive- author- painter, the internet will back me up.