post by Michelle Griep
I've got another new book coming out this September that I co-authored with a writerly buddy of mine. My agent urged me to adopt a pen name since this book is a completely different genre than what I usually write (historical fiction vs. contemporary mystery). I ended up nixing the idea but many authors go this route. Picking a pen name is relatively easy and painless . . . except for the author photo. What do you do? Slap on a wig? Pop in colored contacts to change your eyes? How can you look different without the secret spy costume routine?

An avatar.

Yep. That simple. Lots of authors just go with an illustrated version of themselves. Even if you're not an author, it's fun to play around with creating an avatar of yourself. Here are some of the sites I discovered that are a ton of fun (and free).

PickaFace
This is a super easy site to use to create a graphic likeness of yourself.

Lego Avatar Generator
Ever wished you could be a cute little lego person? Here's your chance.

Marvel
Think you've got some superhero in your blood? Create a superhero at this site.

AvatarizeYourself
Remember the movie with all the blue, umm, avatars? Wonder what you'd look like blue? Check this place out.