OK, here’s a warning: If you are reading the comments, then this will all be a repetition. But, this is exactly why I do NOT like authors’ pseudonyms!
One of MJ’s recommendations for the February 2013 list:
“Ada Madison – ‘Function of Murder’ This series is so smart and intellectual. The story is well crafted and well paced (which is why I really like it – it’s such a smooth and even read). The sleuth (Sophie Knowles) is a math professor at a Massachusett’s college. There’s plenty of drama with the characters and the interaction keeps the story moving, holding the reader’s attention. There’s several possible suspects for the murder of a prominent city official during graduation festivities. Also, subplots involve other student problems to resolve throughout the story. Although I haven’t read of her other series (Margaret Grace – Miniature Mystery series), this is obviously a gifted writer/author who knows how to tell a story, with much attention to detail. Don’t be ‘turned off’ by the math professorial connection. I’m NOT a math (or science) person, but it is very relatable to my ‘level’. It’s an entertaining/easy read.”
My reply:
“MJ, have you tried Ada Madison’s Camille Minichino mysteries? Those are the ones that first caught my attention of Ada Madison/Margaret Grace/Camille Minichino. I am now reading all of her Grace mysteries, and will follow those with her Madison books.”
MJ:
“I haven’t read the Minichino books yet, but plan to do so. Originally I had been ‘put off’ by the technicalities of the series, but after reading the Sophie Knowles mysteries, I plan to start with the Hydrogen Murder. Although I haven’t read the Miniature mysteries yet either, I recommended this series to a friend who is a hobbyist in miniatures. She really enjoys that series (and she isn’t even a cozy mystery reader!).”
My reply:
“MJ, I’m not a “miniaturist” nor am I a physicist-type of person, but I truly enjoy both the Miniature Mystery Series and the Periodic Table Mystery Series. I hope other people aren’t staying away from Minichino’s/Grace’s/Madison’s mystery series because they think the authors (really the “author”) is going to get technical. “They” are on my favorite authors list. I always look forward to reading “their” books.
(This comment is one of the reasons I don’t like pseudonyms! They are GREAT when an author isn’t good, and the publisher doesn’t want you to know they write other series >>> that you might try reading UNLESS you know you don’t like one of the author’s pseudonyms! In this case, I like books by two of this author’s pseudonyms so much, that I am going to go ahead and read the author’s other pseudonym’s books.)”
I am serious about this! I think the publishers must be behind this move for every author having a pseudonym, or in some cases two, three, or four of them. I can’t imagine any other reason than because the publisher wants all of the new series to go out as a ” new series by a new author”>>> thus getting more publicity, and better yet, making sure that in case the author’s other series are stinkers, people would try the “new series by a new author.” In the case of the author MJ and I are talking about, I have her listed in my alphabetized favorite authors’ list, in three different places: Margaret Grace, Ada Madison, and Camille Minichino. To me, even with all three of those names, SHE (not they!!!) is a great find. I just wish she only used one alias!
Wouldn’t it be easier for you to follow an author you enjoy if he/she was able to write all of her/his series under one name? What do you think?
(PS>>> I should add that I have talked about this very same problem before, on various occasions! Can you imagine having an Agatha Christie Miss Marple, a Jane Doe Poirot, and a June Dough Tommy & Tuppence?!?)
Pat S. says
AMEN !! Especially if they are all in the same genre. I can understand a little better where they have books in other genres as well – like romances, etc.
NitaR says
I think some authors who write different genres may have a different name for each genre. But if you write in the same genre then keep the same name.
Personally I tend to stick with the same author if I look for new books or series. The only way I found out about pseudonyms is when I started reading MC Beaton. Now she uses them to show different genres that she writes.
Pseudonyms only confuse me. But this is just my opinion.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Great point, NitaR, about the same genre VS. the different genres. Having to look for the same author in different alphabetical areas of the mystery sections seems a little odd to me.
)I have noticed that M. C. Beaton is re-releasing books she wrote as “Marion Chesney” under the Beaton label.)
Kristi aka FiberFool says
I’m not a fan of the pseudonyms either. I also question the use of them these days. In the old days when you mostly found your books by browsing the shelves of bookstores and libraries it definitely made sense and probably worked really well to keep multiple series unlinked. Now though, when so many buy their books online and even electronically it takes almost no extra effort to tie the pseudonyms together. In some cases they are tied together in the provided book description!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Kristi, you are so right about the internet making pseudonyms secretive.
I remember a few years ago, an author started a new series with a pseudonym he wished to keep secret. I did not publish his “aka” until I got his permission to tie his two names together – since several people had contacted me about it. The reason he said it was all right for me to put his “aka” on the site: Even though he had done a great job of keeping his true identity a secret, his publisher had spilled the beans on their website.
Angela says
I am always surprised to learn that a new to me author is actually an old favorite and Kristi is right, nowadays with the internet it really isn’t hard to unearth the “real” author. That said I think the reason is just like Danna suggested. We all know how picky we are, and you yourself have said that for some reason you very rarely enjoy more than one series by one author. I think the publishers use the pseudonyms to catch people who may have a negative impression of the author from a previous series. I don’t like it much either but I guess I understand it from a marketing stand point.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
So true, Angela!
Waverly Curtis says
Waverly Curtis is a pseudonym since our publisher insisted we (Waverly Fitzgerald and Curt Colbert) couldn’t have two names on the cover of Dial C for Chihuahua. But this article is timely as I am just considering whether to republish my older Victorian historical romances under the name I used then (not a pseudonym), or publish them as Waverly Fitzgerald, the name I am known by now. It’s hard to promote the work of one author, let alone two or three. But I do understand the reason for pseudonyms for multiple genres: readers who liked a writer’s work in one genre, may buy a book she wrote in another genre and be disappointed. Here the assumption is that the author always writes the same kind of book.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Wow, Waverly, it looks like you are facing a big decision, since your Barking Detective Mystery Series seems to be such a success. It’s too bad people now “know you as” Waverly Curtis, instead of Waverly Fitzgerald. And, then add your previous (non pseudonym) name into the mix… That’s quite a decision!
Mary B. says
I’m just getting started in the cozy genre. But I tend to agree that pseudonyms might make for confusion, especially if the author is writing in one series. Think I’ll stick to my “real” name for the time being. Appreciate all these points of view.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Mary, I get the impression the publishers are the reason we see so many pseudonyms.
Patti S. says
It is difficult enough for me to keep track of all the authors that I like. Then I have to to keep track of all the series that I like. I have to keep a list or else I would forget I am sure! An author using more than one name is just confusing!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Patti S, that’s exactly what you have to do! Keep track of the series you follow rather than the authors. Lucky for me I have very few authors who write more than one series that I follow!
Carrie says
I agree, pseudonyms when the author is writing in the same genre are really annoying.
I can understand why they use different name for different genres, one reason is that the reviewers don’t judge them on their previous books in another genre but as a new author.
When I discovered this wonderful site I also found that some of my favorite authors had written other cozy mysteries under another name and I never knew! Presumably the authors don’t mind losing sales because people aren’t aware the same person is writing the books.
I really don’t understand why authors would want to alienate their readers and lose potential customers by confusing them. It just seems to be a completely pointless exercise.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Carrie, I guess the publishers look at it as a roll of the dice: If you don’t like an author you’ll avoid his/her other books. BUT if you do like an author, you’ll do your homework and find all of his/her other books. I agree that it seems “a completely pointless exercise.”
AJ says
I agree. I discovered Jenn McKinlay’s cupcake series and then moved onto her Library series. I’ve just discovered she has 2 other pen names so am going to try one of them because I love her Jenn McKinlay books.
Nikki says
I agree about the “new” authors. But didn’t even Dame Agatha write a romance novel using a pseudonym. I think in that case it was a good idea since her loyal readers would have been less than happy when no dead bodies appeared and just a lot of flower language with no plot.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Aha, Nikki, Mary Westmacott’s romance novels! Yikes!
Donna says
Just mentioning a wee pet peeve here, I hope it doesn’t offend anyone because that’s not my intention. 🙂 I’ve read all the Westmacott novels and they are not exactly romances in the traditional sense of the word. I’ve often wondered if the publishers promoted them as “romances” because they didn’t know how to classify those things Christie wrote that were not mysteries, and perhaps that is also why she used a pseudonym? So her readers wouldn’t be disappointed at the lack of dead bodies and detectives. Unfinished Portrait is sort of a fictional autobiography, if there is such a thing, and Absent in the Spring is a heartwrenching novel about a middle-aged, very selfish woman who examines her life and finds it lacking those things that make life important. In my opinion, a highly underrated novel by a great writer. Here is a link to the Mary Westmacott page on the official Christie site, where you can read more about the novels. http://www.agathachristie.com/about-christie/how-christie-wrote/mary-westmacott/
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Donna, thanks for clarifying this for us.
Ann says
I understand them a little more when it’s someone like Nora Roberts who also writes as J.D. Robb. We all know it’s Nora Roberts but I don’t particularly like the series written as J.D. Robb so know not to pick those up. Other times it’s just frustrating when you’ve found out you’ve been missing a favorite author for years i.e. M.C. Beaton/Marion Chesney. Publishers seem to dislike new authors so I’m really not sure of the reasoning.
Ann
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ann, I saw Nora Roberts on the CBS Sunday Morning News show, and was pretty surprised at her own description of her Eve Dallas series. I had to double check on my site to make sure her page says “Not Cozy”!
Maria (BearMountainBooks) says
Yes, it is the publisher’s idea. With a new name, there are no sales figures following from previous series and it can mean more orders to try a “new” author in a bookstore. If the author does well, they re-attach the old name “author of…” on the old books and the new ones. But if sales numbers were average for a previous series, the publishers often want to get sales people ‘excited’ about a great new author. So they change the name.
Also, if an author changes publishers, the new publisher may want her to use a new name for various reasons (sometimes the name is “held” by the previous publisher, forcing the author to use something else.)
None of the readers like it. But there you go.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Maria, I guess that explains why, once an author is established, they start selling the books with the more popular name followed with “writing as”. Perhaps with e-books becoming more and more popular, publishing houses won’t be able to dictate terms to authors. (just a thought…)
Sheila says
Definitely I agree with all! You need a flow chart (like a family tree) to keep them straight. Do they think they sell more book by using pseudonyms?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Sheila, from what Maria has told us, it looks like they must sell more books with the use of so many pseudonyms.
Laurel says
I wonder how many good books I might miss out on because the author’s written under a different name. If the cover or story doesn’t look that interesting, I don’t bother, but if it was by an author I knew I liked, I’d give it a go anyway. It’s just confusing to me.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Laurel, me too!
Lynn T. says
I agree with most of the posters that I would like authors to keep one name within the cozy mystery genre. I can see if they change publishers, it might be the publisher’s demand for a pseudonym.
However, I did see a few years ago, where using a pseudonym might be a good idea. A best selling author who has a series that is very popular due to a very well liked protagonist and the different locations the books take place in, decided to write a stand alone book. She did not use a pseudonym. The stand alone was a different type of mystery than what she had written before. It was a dark psychological thriller that was so different than her previous books. It was more gruesome and violent than her series.
I purchased the book. I knew it was a stand alone. I did like her series that she is known for better but I was quite surprised at the seemingly anger that some felt at the change of type of mystery. The negative reviews outweighed her normally high reviews. Many who purchased the book thought they were getting a style of writing that they were used to from this author. I think the author wanted to write a different style than her series. I remember thinking at the time “Maybe using a pseudonym does have some uses.” She has not written a stand alone since. Maybe she has one in the works but it appears she went back to her series. Some of the readers sounded like they felt betrayed in their reviews. So while the writer stayed in the mystery field, she changed the type of mystery she normally writes.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Lynn T, in the case you sited, it makes perfect sense for an author to use a pseudonym. I can certainly understand that. I would hate to buy a book by one of my favorite authors and, upon reading the first chapter, find out it’s a graphic thriller. That would be a total turn-off to me.
MJ says
I, also, don’t like the use of multiple pseudonyms. However, pen names are a different story if an author uses the same pen name in all their series (i.e. Laura Childs). I sent an email to a multi-pseudonym author and asked about the use of pseudonyms. She said it wasn’t to her liking, but the publisher insisted on it. Sometimes I’ve noticed it is a different publisher.
Occasionally the author’s series under various pseudonyms (i.e. Minichino/Madison/Grace, Isleib/Burdette) is listed on the author’s page at the end of a book. I appreciate this effort by the publisher. Most of the time (not always, though) if I like the writer’s style, I’ll like their various cozy series. So it would behoove the publisher to give the reader all the pertinent information to generate other sales.
Generally I’m not interested in the other genre series by the same author, however there is a recent exception. I liked Anne Canadeo’s first book so much that I went in search for other books by her. I found she wrote with Thomas Kincade under the name of Katherine Spencer. I can’t tell you how much that is S-O-O-O NOT my type of read! Under normal circumstances I never would have picked it up. But I did read the first Cape Light book. It’s very character driven (which I like) and I found I was sobbing throughout the book. Of course that meant I had to read the second book!
I don’t agree it’s always ‘easy’ to find author pseudonyms or other info via the internet. Occasionally I’ve read a book and want to know something about the author. AND, there is nothing/nada in the book or online about the author. Nor are there any author acknowledgements in the book. I find it strange that an author doesn’t want to shout their publishing success from the rooftop!! Don’t they want to help their success by doing interviews and book signings?
I just looked at nine recently published cozies. Three had the copyright to the publisher (2 to Penguin, 1 to Tekno) and 6 had the copyright to the author. That begs the question – if the copyright on the title page is assigned to the publisher, does the publisher then have the ‘rights’ of the series? Therefore, could it change authors if it chooses? Several of the books did not have any author information on the inside back page. Another question – is anonymity the author’s or the publisher’s choice?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
MJ, I don’t mind pen names, either. They certainly make sense. Aha, thanks for telling us about the author you contacted. That explains a whole lot!
About it not being easy to find out about authors’ pseudonyms. There is one female, best-selling Cozy Mystery author who is supposedly a man. He (she?) has done such a great job of hiding his true identity, that no one actually knows for sure. However, there is a lot of speculation…
Susan* says
Pseudonyms have their place – who would read a romace written by a man? Especially if he was known for violent thrillers? Peter O’Donnell / Madeleine Brent anyone? – but I agree they can be annoying in other ways.
I’ve found the best way to keep track of things is an online catalogue. Some use a spreadsheet, I use a site called FictionDB – and of course The Cozy Mystery List!
Cheers!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
You’re right, Susan*. I would think a romance written by a man would be a lot more (should we say?) graphic than a woman’s romance.
Donna says
I don’t really mind the use of a pseudonym as long as the author (or publisher) is upfront about it, which kind of defeats the purpose of a pseudonym, I guess…but if one series is good, the other series is probably good too and I’d like to know it’s the same writer so I can read all the books. There’s also the possibility that the publisher wants to continue the series later with a different writer, as in the Nancy Drew series or even one of my childhood favorites, Victoria Holt. I was so disappointed to discover that after the “real” writer passed away, the books were continued by another writer, in my opinion, not as good as the first ones.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Donna, I guess that explains what I have at the top of the Victoria Holt page!
[“Victoria Holt (aka Eleanor Alice Burford, Philippa Carr, Anna Percival, Ellalice Tate, Kathleen Kellow, Elbur Ford, Eleanor Buford, Jean Plaidy, and Eleanor Hibbert!)]
linda c says
Danna, I had no idea that Victoria Holt was all those other people. I wonder how they kept the different names straight! I would think with having so many other names that some authors would forget from time to time who they are themselves.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda C, I thought that all of those were simply pseudonyms of the same person. It turns out they all weren’t!
linda c says
Sometimes I think either the author and/or the publisher use the pseudonyms to see if we readers are reading, or not reading, certain books because of the name of the author or for the story and content or context. If I have read a book by some authors who have had storylines that I don’t really care for, especially those with way too much profanity or sexual content or way too much violence then I just won’t try that author again. So maybe the writer and/or publisher finally realizes this and wants to try and see if the writer can change from using this bad language and the explicit sexual content if more readers will buy these books. I know there are a few authors that while I really like the original books, I just can’t quite get interested in books by the same writer but under a new name.
When I want to read a good Cozy I just don’t want a lot of blood and gore, the step by step description of the sexual parts of the story, nor do I want a lot of bad language. I guess I am just a little, (maybe more than a little!!) picky in what I read but there it is. I know what I like and what I don’t.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Linda, I wonder if authors don’t just mellow out as they get older. Since I always try to start with the first book in a series, it might not be fair to authors who have changed with age. There are just too many books out there to read…
Susie says
This is interesting! I’ve also seen cases where the publisher asks the author to use their initials or change their first name (to make either more masculine sounding for women, or feminine sounding for men). I think it confuses the authors sometimes; at conferences, they don’t know how to refer to themselves (real name or pseudonym).
I’m currently working on a young adult novel; I’ll be curious to see if they want me to have a different version of my name. 🙂
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Good grief, Susie! Where do you find the time? We know you are beginning a new mystery series for adults, but now you tell us you’re embarking on a YA novel!
Rane Aria says
Thank you for this article!
I asked this question on a cozy group and everyone seemed to point to different genres of cozy (aka paranormal) or if one series isn’t as likable as the other. For me I think it’s a waste of time. If I adore an authors style of writing, I’m going to read any and all their works end of story.
I find it a hassle for not only the readers but for these authors to keep track of all these pseudonyms!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Rane Aria, it works both ways— If I dislike one series by an author, I won’t even try his/her other series. This seems like the best reason I can think of for publishers wanting so many pseudonyms.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
When you read the above entry, I want to make it clear that Camille Minichino is one of my very favorite authors. I have read her entire Periodic Table Mystery Series, and am currently working my way through her Miniature Mystery Series (written as Margaret Grace), with plans to read her Ada Madison Sophie Knowles Mystery Series. My husband has told me that he thinks the above discussion (using her as an example) might be viewed as a negative comment on her. That couldn’t be further from my intention! I have a “select group” of authors who I consider my favorites, and she is one of them. I was just making the point that it is difficult for us to follow our favorite authors when (I assume) the publishers make them use different aliases for each of their series.