Wednesday Wonderings 2

Hello again,

First the random bit of information. I was watching the Olympics yesterday and saw a boy I used to go to school with representing Britain in the rowing. Now, I didn't know him particularly well, but it was still kind of fantastic to see someone I know out there going for a gold medal. It's nice to see someone I know succeeding at what they love doing.

Which leads nicely into my wonderings for the week. Pen names. Now most writers, especially writers who's characters forget to close the bedroom door, use a pen name. So I do. But since I've had something accepted for publication I've found myself in a difficult position. A lot of my friends, close and otherwise, know I've been writing for several years. Now and then they ask how the writing is going.

Now I'm finally in a position to say, yes - it's going quite well, my first novella will be published by Total-e-bound on February 16th next year. My pen name is Kim Dare. Only... doesn't that sort of defeat the point of a pen name? I suppose it boils down to a simple question - do I want them to know what I write?

Well, actually, I don't have a problem with people I know knowing what I write. The problem comes when X tells Y, who then tells Z - and Z happens to be a psychopath. Maybe I'm paranoid - but I can just picture the conversation:

Z - "Aren't you X's friend - the one who writes books about kinky sex?"
Me - "Yes, that's right."

Does anyone else get the feeling this conversation is going to go down hill very quickly at this point?

On the other hand - I'm not ashamed of what I write and hiding it somehow feels like saying I'm doing something wrong.

*Shrugs*

I guess I still have a lot to think about on the subject.