This is a cross post from Wave’s site.
If you have an urge to comment, feel free to do so in either place.
I read with great interest the post that Alexi Silversmith did the other day on the topic of pen names used by authors of m/m romance and erotica as well as the comments it generated.
Yet, one thing kept on going around and around in my head – so much so that I begged Wave to let me do this follow up post – and this was the question ‘do readers actually give a toss about pen names?’
Now don’t get me wrong.
I’m not deliberately being dismissive about why authors choose or choose not to use pen names because there are many very valid reasons as to why they would or wouldn’t. However, whilst reading the comments on Alexi’s post, I kept asking myself ‘do I really care about who the person is behind the pen name?’ Erm. No offense meant. 😀 Hey, I’m not a hypocrite! I only use part of my RL name myself because of the existing online presence I have associated with the EDJ.Still,
this was me pondering:Do I care if it’s a girl or boy author writing the m/m romance and erotica? Nope.
Do I care if it’s a pen name? Umm, why??? I pretty much assume most of them are anyways.
Do I care if it’s a girl/boy with a boy/girl author name? I’d probably be O_o, but, as long as their writing doesn’t suck and they’re not a total prat about it, it’s none of my business.
In fact, there was only one real instance I could think of where I’d be pretty pissed off about the use of a pen name.
This would be when an author has deliberately started to use a pseud so as to avoid the shit storm associated with their last/other author name. To me, especially if that situation was the author’s own damned fault, this borders on the unethical.But maybe I’m the only reader who is this laid back about the whole issue? *shrugs*
Could be.So what about you?
Have you actually stopped mid-purchase to say ‘oh, I’m not buying that m/m book because that’s obviously a pseud’? As a reader, do you actually give a toss about an author using a pen name?Oh, and keep it civil please. No mentioning names or being rude.
I am WAY nastier than Alexi and Wave and will hold no punches in return. Just warning you.
Kris + Books = Good. *Sometimes*. 
It never actually enters into my decision making process. For me it's about the plot and the writing 🙂
I've always wondered why some people get so worked up over this topic (well, not here evidently ;). I've stopped following some big romance blogs precisely because the discussion about pen names/gender ambiguity became explosive, in very a bad way. I don't care if an author uses a pen name and I don't care if an author is male or female. Reading some of the comments here I see why some people might do (i.e. feeling tricked after exchanging emails and generally after having established some kind of deeper connection with said author) and I see why it may be embarassing for a reviewer – these are valid points and work in specific instances.
As an aside, the reason beyond a female author's decision to use a male name (or vice versa, for that matter) may have nothing to do with business – and that would make it really none of my business :).
Orannia: As you can see from the comments, many other readers feel the same way too.
Sara: This topic could have easily turned into a wankfest of the type you and I have obviously both seen at different sites, Sara. I'm seriously glad it didn't because what I really wanted to do was get at the heart of the issue; that is, does it actually affect your book buying. The answer to that is unless the situation is a particularly WTF-brand of misrepresentation then no, it doesn't. I'd hoped I wasn't the only one who felt this way.
Pingback: A J Llewellyn – a study in deception » Rants and Ramblings By An Old Bag