My part of the Irish came from the McKissicks when my great-great-grandfather Jim brought his family here during the potato famine. I've always thought if I changed genres, I would use a pen name and it would be Sarah Mary McKissick, getting two of my great-grandmothers represented in there. Can you imagine signing that and how much room it would take up on the cover?
My friend Jim Cangany became J. C. Kenney when he switched from
romance to cozy mysteries. I have to admit, I love his mysteries more than I did his romances, but must also admit that whenever I see his nom de plume I think of the department store, J C Penney. Since I like Jim and always enjoyed Penney's when they were around, it's okay. I'm pretty sure he won't thank me for bringing that up (earworm anyone?) but maybe that means he and Nancy will be up at the winery soon and he can get mad at me in person...
I love George Eliot's name, and the names the Bronte sisters used so that no one would know they were women. All these years later, I still despise the cultural and societal causes for those pseudonyms.
I've gone a ways from talking about being Irish, haven't I? But I don't think I ever realized before that I was interested in pen names, their origins, and who their bearers really are. Mostly, I'd like to understand the whys of using them--not to criticize but just to understand. I wouldn't be good at it. I'd be signing the wrong name and wouldn't answer when called, but, still...Sarah Mary McKissick. It has a ring to it, doesn't it?
Question time. If you use a pen name, would you mind sharing that "why" and talking about the goods and bads that go along with it? We'd love to hear!
~*~
Widow Syd Cavanaugh is beginning a “year of firsts” with the road trip she’d promised her husband she’d take after his death. An unplanned detour lands her in Fallen Soldier, Pennsylvania, where she meets the interesting and intelligent editor of the local paper.
Television journalist Clay McAlister’s life took an unexpected turn when a heart attack forced him to give up his hectic lifestyle. He’s still learning how to live in a small town when meeting a pretty traveler in the local coffee shop suddenly makes it all much more interesting.
While neither of them is interested in a romantic relationship, their serious case of being “in like” seems to push them that way. However, Clay’s heart condition doesn’t harbinger a very secure future, and Syd’s already lost one man she loved to a devastating illness—she isn’t about to lose another. Where can this relationship possibly go?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09S2GRWZN/
Great post! I didn't know one of the grandboys had "Flaherty" as their middle name. That's really cool! Thanks for shout-out! <>
ReplyDeleteThank you! Yes, Shea is Shea Flaherty Wilson.
DeleteTo Hanks for the shout out, Liz! I agree with you Sarah Mary McKissick is a lovely sounding name. And befitting someone as lovely as you. Sláinte!
ReplyDeleteOh, how nice! :-)
DeleteI don't use pen names to be anonymous but because I write in three different subgenres. My readers know what kind of story to expect, e.g. my readers looking for a clean sweet read know to look for Anna Taylor or Anna M. Taylor, while those looking for something steamy or erotic know to check out Michal Scott.
ReplyDeleteMy pen name, should I stray away from writing sagas, will be Marcella Merle. It combines the names of my paternal grandmother and my maternal grandfather, who I feel were instrumental in the side of me that's feisty and fearless. Grandma Marcella was born in the foothills of Kentucky, as Southern a woman as you could find. She carried me around on her hip until I was six (I was tiny) always telling me stories I'll not forget. She cooked three 4-course meals everyday, complete with fried foods prepared in lard and my favorite part, dessert. My Grandpa Merle was a gruff risk taker. We used to sit in his garage for hours on the CB radio. His language wasn't really fit for a kid, but my mom didn't know. He let me drive his tractor, another activity mom wouldn't have approved on. He also told me stories - ghost stories! My pen name would honor the two of them!
ReplyDeleteThat's a nice one!
DeleteMy pen name came about because I had a too common name and couldn’t get the domain name I wanted. It’s owned by a real estate agency in so cal. Names in my past sounded wrong and hard to pronounce or remember. Very practical am I.
ReplyDeleteThose are important things to care about. I still have to spell Flaherty nine times out of 10, but I love the sound of the name, so I keep spelling. :-)
DeleteI enjoyed the post! Great ways to choose pen names. When I was choosing mine, I was advised to keep my first name to cut down on confusion. I tried to go with one that was easy to remember. :)
ReplyDeleteI would just stay confused, I think! Thanks, Barb.
DeleteI love Sarah Mary! I love that it honors your great grandmothers. I use a pen name. It took a long time for me to choose one. Sarah Rosanna Darrow was the front runner, which was my great great grandmother's name on my mother's mother's side. But my husband didn't like me changing my last name. It took forever to decide. Then one day an author friend asked, "What's your husband's middle name?" (It's O'Neal.) Which is also one of the Irish lines in his family. I asked if he liked Kara O'Neal. He did. And there you go. But I don't think I'm very good at keeping my real last name protected. Oh, well! I enjoyed the post. I didn't know the Bronte sisters had pen names!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kara! I like your story. Yes, the Brontes were Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell (which I just looked up--did you? Lol.) After I wrote this, I remembered that in my only historical, Home to Singing Trees, I did finally get to use Sarah Mary--that was the heroine's name. The hero was Liam...wait for it...McKissick. I really like Sarah Rosanna Darrow, too, but there again, you'd have a long one to sign!
DeleteMy given name is Mary Jean after my grandmother Mary Regina (Queen Mary) Callahan McKee, but I write under M.J. Although I feel honored to be named after my grandmother, I can still hear the "Mary Jean!" when I got in trouble, and Mary's so plain, I decided to go with M.J. I used my grandmother's maiden name, Callahan, for the first name one of my heroes, as well as McKee for the last name in another book, both set in Ireland. I also gave my eldest McKee for a middle name. The Callahans were a very musical, fun-loving, large crew, so my love for Ireland and Irish music is inherited! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this holiday!
ReplyDeleteThe Flahertys are much like the Callahans, including a lot of music. My sister is Nancy Jean, and I've always loved the name Jean because of that.
DeleteI read too quickly and thought the name was McKickass, and thought that you were being funny LOL
ReplyDeleteMcKissicks lol much more normal
We're Irish up the wazoo. My mom's cousins still live there :)
I do like the sound of McKickass. From what I heard about the name--although not so much my branch of it--it would be fitting!
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