Thursday, April 24, 2008

Another writer trait (I forgot during the Thirteener Thursday)

I forgot one very big author trait yesterday during the Thirteener Thursday. I say author, not writer, because it's pertaining to our pen names. Those authors who use pen names, often sign their pseudonyms more than their given names (moi, at least). I think we're regular Sybils, with split personalities. You've probably guessed by now that Ashley is not the name my mother gave me. It's the name I've given me. I sign "Ashley" and lately, even "Ash" more than my given name. When I hear someone call "Ashley", my ears perk up and my head jerks up. Soon, I'm sure, I'll answer aloud - probably more than I answer to my name. On the other hand, there's more than one of me (ladies with my given name) in my department at the day job. Since my dopple ganger is called so often, I've become desensitized to my real name and usually don't respond when it's called. I like the name "Ashley" better than my given name. Sorry, Mom. Maybe we should be allowed to name ourselves. As a kid, I always wished I could choose my own name. I was never thrilled with my given name although I've come to terms with it. However, I like it better than my mom's second choice, so it could be worse. Getting to choose our own name is a definite perk of being an author. If I had it to do over (choosing my own pen name), I'd probably pick a different last name. But now I'm known as Ashley Ladd and have several books published under this name, so it's now my name. This is a really funny blog that had a really hilarious tongue in cheek Thirteen on Thursday yesterday. If you want some laughs, check it out. Dane Bramage: Thursday Thirteen #77

12 comments:

Unknown said...

I get called Amarinda or AJ now so often it makes me smile. Like you people know be better by that name - but unlike you I have always liked my real name Janet. And my best friend calls me Lucy (ala Lucy and Ethel) - some days I have no idea who I am but it's fun

Utter Basketcase said...

Ashley is very pretty! I don't mind my real name... I was lucky to escape 'Breony' LOL!!!

BTW RAT GiRL Part 2 is out if ya wanna check it out!!! :-) xx

Unknown said...

My real name is Elaine which is okay, except when my dad pronounces it "EEEE-LAAANE" (long E very emphasized and long A).

I prefer it pronounced "eh (short e)-lane". It's okay, but I didn't like it at all as a kid.

When you speak about Ethel I have to admit I have thought of Lucy and Ethel.

Speaking of good friends/side kicks, in elementary school one of the jerks on the bus called my friend Connie "Yogi" because she had a big ugly brown coat. Then they called me "Boo Boo" because I was her side kick. Then we called him "Cindy" to get back at him. With my lousy luck, the idiot grew up and married my second cousin.

Unknown said...

My real name is Elaine which is okay, except when my dad pronounces it "EEEE-LAAANE" (long E very emphasized and long A).

I prefer it pronounced "eh (short e)-lane". It's okay, but I didn't like it at all as a kid.

When you speak about Ethel I have to admit I have thought of Lucy and Ethel.

Speaking of good friends/side kicks, in elementary school one of the jerks on the bus called my friend Connie "Yogi" because she had a big ugly brown coat. Then they called me "Boo Boo" because I was her side kick. Then we called him "Cindy" to get back at him. With my lousy luck, the idiot grew up and married my second cousin.

Molly Daniels said...

That's partly why I only changed my last name:) But my other pen name...when that one gets to be better known, I'm in trouble...

Did you read my post where my bff's hubby didn't recognize my pen name?

I'll try to remember this when I see you in June:)

Nicole McCaffrey said...

I think Ashley is a pretty name and with Ladd, it has a nice flow to it.

When deciding on a pen name, I kept my first name (even though I've always hated it) because I wasn't sure I'd remember to answer if someone ever called me by another name, LOL.

I did change my last name, though, since my married name is Italian and no one can ever pronounce it, LOL. After all, people can't buy your books if they can't pronounce your name!

But definitely, we should be able to choose our own names, LOL Nicole never seemed to fit me--way too stuffy. And "Nikki"--don't even go there, just hearing it makes me feel like I'm three years old again.

In high school friends started calling me Nic and that just seemed to fit, it felt more like me. I've been Nic ever since.

Phoenix said...

OH MY GOSH!!! I do the same thing! Oh, wait, Kelly IS my real name. Okay but signing my pen name at the RT was crazy and very confusing. I had to work it out and then signing my signature to the room bill made me stop and think about who I was signing for.

Talk..to..Grams said...

Thanks for your visit! How cool you are an author!!!

I love to read! I like cosy murder mystery's! One of my favorite authors is Joanne Fluke who writes these kind of books.

I am going to read your books and tell my daughter Karen about them. She just loves romantic books!!! Blessing, Grams

Jan said...

Ashley is such a pretty name and I only know one other Ashley in life! I happen to love your real name, though as it is my middle name! : ) I go with the long E when I pronounce it as does my 82 year old mother who thinks if she calls me Janice Elaine I'll respond like I did when I was a child! Ha! She's usually right...I do!! I do, however, despise my first name and I think it's because when I was small I had a slight lisp and couldn't say it well! : ) One reason I am now called Jan!

Anonymous said...

Hi Ashley! (I'm gonna stick with that.) Thanks for visiting my blog today! I always wanted to be "Kelly" when I was younger. Hated Robin because it could be a boy's name too. But now I think I'll stick with it.

Unknown said...

Janice Elaine, I also know another Janice Elaine. She's an author.

Robin, the CEO of our corporation is also named Robin. People who don't know him automatically think he's a woman. People write letters to him all the time as "Miss Robin..." or "Sister Robin" and address him as her. It becomes funny when they pretend to know "her". (Somehow, I don't think they do.)

Unknown said...

Robin - you know there are boys named Kelly, too, so you could have the same problem with that name.

Bax - in my part of the world, lots of girls are named Ashley. They're all my kids' ages.

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