This week on Romance Writer's Weekly, we've been asked to blog about the story behind our name, and if we have a pen name, how did we come up with it?
If you joined me from A.S. Fenichel, welcome! I do and I don’t use a pen name. Brenda is my real first name, and Margriet is my middle name. With a little bit of detective work, anyone can discover my full name (hint – check the copyright pages of my books!). I decided not to use my last name when I published for a couple of reasons. One was that it tends to throw people off, as it's rather unusual. I didn't want to scare people away from asking for my books at the store because they didn't know how to pronounce it! The second was more for my own sake – I wanted to keep my writing life separate from my personal life. In the world of social media, it just seemed to make sense. But I think if I were starting over again, I might not do that. Being an author is so much a part of who I am that trying to keep the two separate seems unnecessary now. When I discovered once that one of my favourite authors used a pen name, I have to say it changed how I read her books. It wasn't that I liked them less, but somehow knowing her real name made me feel like I was in on a secret. I actually felt more connected to her. It's hard to explain, and more than a little odd, I know. The next step on your hop is Marc Stevens. I am fairly certain he has an interesting story about how he got his name (because I know a bit about his creation), so be sure to check it out. But before you leave, why not leave a comment below. What do you think of your own name? Do you like it, or do you wish you could change it? If you could change it, what name would you pick?
10 Comments
Chari
3/14/2017 02:27:19 pm
My parents had every intention of naming me Catherine Elizabeth but sometime before my birth they felt it wasn't right for me and they came up with Chari in honor of my mom's 2 favorite aunts. Aunt Charlotte provided the Char and Aunt Toni ( short for Antoinette) provided the i. Its meaning is gift of or one of grace. As a child I disliked having such a different name but have grown to love and embrace it. Strangely enough when I was a few years old my parents met a lady with my same first and last name. Her first name was a nickname for Charlotte and her last name was obtained through marriage!
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Brenda Margriet
3/14/2017 03:09:03 pm
What a great story! My husband and I thought we'd created a name for our first daughter, and then found out it was a "real" name later. But to meet someone with the same first and last name when your first is like yours is very unusual!
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Narda Seaberry
3/14/2017 03:03:12 pm
My name came from the comic strip Mandrake the Magician. One character's name is Narda and my mother loved the name. So here I am. Growing up I didn't really appreciate how different it was, but I grew into it. Now I'm glad my name is not the normal.
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Brenda Margriet
3/14/2017 03:09:40 pm
Well, I certainly like Narda better than Mandrake for you!
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Misty Ferguson
3/14/2017 08:03:36 pm
I don't think it's bad but i don't really like telling people my middle name lol
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Brenda Margriet
3/15/2017 08:54:03 am
What is it about middle names, I wonder? I think parents often let their imaginations run free because they aren't worried about it getting used that often!
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Barbara Van Walsen
3/15/2017 09:52:55 am
I have had a couple of nicknames. When I was young my uncle called me Bob. Since then some people have called me Barb. My parents always called me Barbara so I have used it most of the time. Someone mentioned middle names. I did a job on my daughter. I wanted to name her Elizabeth after my mother so we picked Christine for the first name. Not a problem until she did tests that required her full name. Elizabeth got shortened because there were not enough blocks. See my last name. I have a problem with my last name. Before computers got wired for 2 part last names (and some still can't do 2 part last names). My last name lost it's space. SO, Brenda you can delete the Van because that is not my middle name?
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Brenda Margriet
3/15/2017 10:37:03 am
I love "Bob" as a nickname for Barbara! I am currently working on my first series, and my heroines are sisters who all have male nicknames. I will see what I can do about the Van in your name!
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Carolyn Atta
3/16/2017 06:59:00 pm
I was adopted at birth and when my parents were asked by the social worker what name they had chosen for me they said, "Carolyn Elizabeth." They told me that the social worker was shocked and thought they had had contact with my birth parents which was not allowed in 1968. When my confused parents said no, the social worker showed them my birth record (also not allowed in 1968) which had the name my birth parent gave me: Carolyn Elizabeth. My Mom has always said that it was absolutely meant to be my name.
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Brenda Margriet
3/17/2017 03:46:14 pm
I agree with your mom - it must have been meant to be. Amazing story!
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