The Perils of Pen Names

Robynne Rand is my pen name.
Anne Gallagher is my pen name.
Logan Hendricks is my pen name.
None of them is my real name.

Ever since I was little, I've always called myself something other than the chosen name my parents gave me. I'd like to think I was making up characters even then, instead of the likely scenario that I'm really crazy. I was Susan Breckenridge for a long time. I might have been nine. Don't ask me why. Let the therapist figure it out.

Why I Have So Many

I write in niche markets. Traditional Regency romance. Detective murder/mysteries. Contemporary romantic women's fiction. I've found through trial and error that Regency readers generally don't leave the confines of that genre. Women's fiction readers might wander into a detective story, but won't stay for very long if there is too much blood.

In the beginning of my career, I didn't want to lose readers because I didn't write what they wanted to read. Anne Gallagher wrote Regency romance. I did publish REMEMBERING YOU under Anne Gallagher's name, but it was a flop.

I had too many stories, so I found another name.
Too many genres so I found another name.

Why They Are A Problem

Because I have too many. Three different names, four different social media platforms, (remember I'm also piedmontwriter). I can't keep track of half the shit I'm supposed to do in real life, how am I supposed to keep up with four blogs?

I know, I know. Anne R. Allen and I had a long discussion about this a long time ago. She said not to have a pen name. I disagreed. Now, look where I am. Neck deep in schizophrenia. (I don't want to offend anyone if you are schizophrenic. I empathize with your situation.)

Whilst reading a book on menopause, I came across some interesting information. It said women who are going through the change will lose their mind.
Unequivocally.
It's a scientific fact.
I feel so much better.

What I Would Like to Do

I would love to design a website for Shore Road Publishing and house everybody under one roof. That way I'm only there once instead of all over the place four times a week. Sounds good and easy in theory, and probably would be in practice, but I just don't have the time to research and write and upload and download and all that crap. I want someone to do it for me. But I want input. And that costs money.

The cat's surgery broke my bank account. (That's another story.)

What I am Going to Do

Ignore the bullshit. Just write. Sooner or later, after one of the books I'm currently involved in gets published, I'll figure it out. My head's just not in the right space to do so right now. My Saturdays are spent at volleyball games until mid-October. That used to be my work-on-other-things-day-but-still-related-to-writing-so-I-can say-I'm-working-day. And Sunday is my get-the-laundry-finished-day. Mon. thru Fri. I'm writing.

The writing guru's say you need to have a website, blah blah blah. As a Taurus, I find it's easier to ruminate on serious issues before tackling anything this big. But I have to figure it out before my friend moves away. She said she'd help me.


Luckily, I don't think are any other genres I wish to write in, so the names I have will do.
However, I had an idea about a non-fiction book.


Robynne Rand (c) 2017