Today the Dragon Wins

"Today the Dragon Wins" offers information from Fantasy Author and Professional Editor Sandy Lender. You'll also find dragons, wizards, sorcerers, and other fantasy elements necessary for a fabulous story, if you know where to look...

My Photo
Name:
Location: Misbehaving in Candlelight

Sandy Lender is the editor of an international trade publication and the author of the fantasy novels Choices Meant for Gods and Choices Meant for Kings, available from ArcheBooks Publishing, and the series-supporting chapbook, What Choices We Made.

Add to Technorati Favorites

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Exploring the Pen Name
With Guest Blogger and Author Lisa Haselton
(During the month of June, here at Today the Dragon Wins we explore the use of pseudonyms. Don't forget to participate in the discussion in the comment field to enter the contest for a copy of the eBook versions of Choices Meant for Gods and Apparitions. Details were posted June 1.)

When Someone Already Uses Your Name...

In my younger days, I may have toyed with a pseudonym, but when I started writing and submitting early on, I didn’t use one. I didn’t have any fiction published, but I did receive my first rejections. My first actual publications were clips for local papers, and I used my real name without any hesitation. I still do. Any non-fiction work has my real name.

However, using my real name for fiction would cause chaos since it is already on the New York Times bestseller’s list. Yep, there’s someone out there using my real name, in the genres I write in. She already has somewhere around 60 novels released, too, so I think she gets to keep using it.

It could be fun to try publishing fiction with my real name and see what kind of confusion it would bring, though. Hhhm. Using my real name may even get me in a door or two, to start, too. It would be fun to see our books mixed together on the shelves. Maybe I’d even get to be a celebrity for a little while. Would a publisher actually publish a novel by two people with the same name? Doubtful.
I’ve always wanted to make a name for myself in the fiction world, and since I can’t do it with my given name, I’ve had to come up with a fake one. I came up with one, but it didn’t feel right once I was ready to put it down. My original pseudonym was simply a first name I really liked along with my maternal grandparents’ last name. Then I decided I’d be more comfortable keeping my real first name and using that last name, however, I had a cousin-in-law with that name, and it seemed wrong to have two of us in the same family. She isn’t a writer, and I certainly wouldn’t introduce myself to any family with that name, but it just seemed awkward.

So then, there I was, knowing I wanted my same first name, but a last name I felt comfortable with and that meant something to me. So, I dug back into family history and chose ‘Haselton’. It has a special meaning and the spelling is uncommon. Oh, and it isn’t on any book shelves. Yet!

To learn more about Lisa Haselton's work, check out her Web site and be sure to visit her blog!

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

Tags: , , , ,

Labels: , ,

6 Comments:

Blogger Pauline said...

That would be frustrating to already have someone famous using your name. I chose to keep my legal name because I wanted to be easy for my friends to find, though I did consider using a pen name....

9:26 AM  
Blogger Lisa Haselton said...

It's kind of surreal walking through a book store and seeing my name on the shelf. Sometimes I joke around and tell people I've just met to check me out on the book shelves. :)

9:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Heck Lisa, I'd go ahead an use your real name. Just throw in your middle initial.

If anyone gets confused, just give them a wide-eyed, innocent look, and say "But didn't you see my initial?" lol

10:12 AM  
Blogger Sandy Lender said...

Audrey,
I'm with you on this. Then if the "original" author had a problem with it, think of the fabulous publicity that would begin. You can't BUY marketing like that.

Lisa would have every right to use her own name as well, and could prove it's her own name in court if need be. And I believe she should invite every news camera in the city, county and state to cover the proceedings.

This is the type of fantasy world I live in, by the way. ;) Or maybe I've just been involved in too many lawsuits and court crappings as of late. He he he.

Sandy L.
"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."

10:35 AM  
Blogger Kim Richards said...

I know the surreal feeling there Lisa. There's an actress named Kim Richards who is close to my age. I recieved a fan email once which was intended for her. You just have to laugh it off.

11:19 AM  
Blogger Lisa Haselton said...

You're all too funny. :)

All very valid points, and I've considered them, truly, but then my mind jumps to the 'aggravation' of having to straighten people out as to who I am. What a problem to have, huh?

I like the suggestion of innocently saying "well, my middle initial is there" *flutter eyelashes*. That's perfect. :)

Writers are so creative!

-Lisa

11:28 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home