Surname

I think if my dream of becoming a published writer is ever going to come true, I need to come up with a pen name. I mean after all, who's going to talk about a book by an author who's name nobody can pronounce.

Nobody, with rare exception, can pronounce my last name. I suppose, I could just drop half of it and go by the second half of my godforsaken 14 letter long last name(s). But "Brings" is so boring.

Maybe I'll give myself a really pretentious last name, like Windsor. Or something soft an unassuming, like Henderson. Lord, anything that isn't Slavic. Or excessively German. Or boring Irish.

I need something original, something that will stand out. Not over the top, yet strong.

While I'm at it, I might as well invent myself a new first name. After all "Megan" is just so plain. Everybody is named Megan these days. Well, not really, but it is a very popular name.

I wouldn't like to be called something plain, like, well, Jane. Or something popular, like Megan or Sarah. I like the name Siobhan, but its pronounced "sahvonne" and I don't like that. Perhaps something from another culture, or language? But that seems too assuming. It has to be modern, but not too trendy (after all, we're trying to avoid the whole common name thing here). Something that screams "artist".

I like Victoria. But that seems too..."hey, I'm named after a queen". Not to mention, people would want to call me "Vicky" and I hate that. I could be Genvieve, but that's too French. I like Penelope, but even that sounds too girly.

This is very difficult.