tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404036170106001374.post6008584361045312500..comments2024-03-18T04:40:38.214-05:00Comments on Murderous Musings: What's In a (Pen) Name?Chester Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07155257451021065218noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404036170106001374.post-45541425536665797562010-11-19T11:34:23.037-06:002010-11-19T11:34:23.037-06:00I've been using my own name for 30+ years now,...I've been using my own name for 30+ years now, switching from Regency to mystery. I'm lucky to have a fairly distinctive name--no one else with it on FB, anyway!--even if I'm always being asked how to pronounce my first name and whether my mother made it up. When I did a 5 day blog for St Martin's, I spent the last day on the questions. No, she didn't--author Carola Oman, Joan Grant's Life as Carola, Queen Carola of some German principality, and a Swedish pop star called Carola! Oh, and the stress is on the first syllable--I am not Corolla, Crayola, or anything similar ;-)<br /><br />And my last (my ex's last, actually) is easy to remember and pronounce.Carola Dunnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16796872169346386593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404036170106001374.post-79889206147448071742010-11-18T21:16:13.666-06:002010-11-18T21:16:13.666-06:00Bill, I like both your names. Jack Ross has a nice...Bill, I like both your names. Jack Ross has a nice sound to it, and there's a long and illustrious history of "Jacks" in folk and fairy stories. Your book for younger readers sounds interesting. ANY book where the narrator has fairies living in his house sounds interesting. <br /><br />Palmaltas/Lea, good point. I hadn't thought of that one, but it's definitely a consideration. Thanks for the contribution!<br /><br />Jean, I hadn't heard that story. It's interesting that the same name can connote opposite sexes, depending on what country you're in.<br /><br />Helen, I agree. Your name seems to be working for you. :o)Jaden Terrellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11113218513166921429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404036170106001374.post-10603760267298427972010-11-18T17:19:32.500-06:002010-11-18T17:19:32.500-06:00I can totally see the reasoning behind a pseudonym...I can totally see the reasoning behind a pseudonym, but at this point, I'm thinking I would stick with my real name. So far, that's working for my nonfiction books.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404036170106001374.post-36167070108890732822010-11-18T16:59:15.611-06:002010-11-18T16:59:15.611-06:00There are so many Jean Meads writing that I added ...There are so many Jean Meads writing that I added my mother's maiden name, Henry, as my pseudonym. Now I receive email from France because they think Jean Henry Mead is actually John Henry Mead (a French photographer). So, unless my photo is displayed, readers wonder which gender I really am. :)<br /><br />I've also written books as Jean Henry, S. Jean Mead and J.J. Hammond (my own maiden surname).Jean Henry Meadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08146960738692672013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404036170106001374.post-56800582617412416692010-11-18T15:53:11.774-06:002010-11-18T15:53:11.774-06:00Another reason for choosing a pen name is to choos...Another reason for choosing a pen name is to choose something easy to sign. I wrote two books as Chancey Hernámdez (maiden and married names) but found how time consuming signing was. I now write mysteries as Lea Chan.Palmaltashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15842084844496531165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404036170106001374.post-17807756079282320082010-11-18T04:09:27.881-06:002010-11-18T04:09:27.881-06:00I'm just on the cusp of that, Jaden. My books ...I'm just on the cusp of that, Jaden. My books so far have been crime/mystery and the latest one's historical/crime/romance, ao they're all in the same genre. Soon, though, the first of a series for younger readers appears and it's as far removed from crime as it could be, featuring a fairy. I obviously couldn't stick with my own name so I became Jack Ross - Jack because, for some reason, that's what I'd called the narrator, in whose house the fairy lives, and Ross because it's a family name. Not having yet had to be him in public, I'm curious to see how it feels.Bill Kirtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07675643113010061969noreply@blogger.com