Comments on: What do you think?

By: Jaymy M.

Jaymy M. — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 19:54:24 +0000

just another reason self-publishing concerns me. That’s what publishers are for … to help prevent such things. However, it’s possible for people to have the same name as someone else, who they may never have known, publish and learn later from readers. And, if searches and ratings are counted by name along, then mistakes can happen.

But, I think if you know you have the name as someone else, to establish your own identity you need to add an initial or a pen name might be better. On the flip side, if you’re trying to generate press, using a known name will certainly get attention. And some do believe there is no such thing as bad press… attention is attention.

I think we are all individual and should establish ourselves as such, but… can’t account for what others do. Just have integrity and follow your values, guides, rules, morals, etc….

Aside from the fact that I’m not crazy about it, I don’t use my first and last name because my great-aunt and I share it. I don’t use my real name on blogs and in fiction writing, one as a safety precaution, and two because I use my legal name in news publishing. Home/personal and daily work are separate. I suggest others with name concerns do the same.

By: Leslie Kelly

Leslie Kelly — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 16:03:03 +0000

Actually, I’ve been waiting for this to happen to me because another Leslie Kelly self published a romance some years ago before the huge explosion of indie e-publishing.

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:35:21 +0000

I buy a lot of books and if I got one that I thought was from one of my favorite authors and it wasn’t I would be on every blog I could outing the person. She did what she did for a reason and that was to be deceitful I hope not too many people were deceived. I hope that I am on authors sites enough that I know what is coming out by that author.

By: Lyn

Lyn — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 08:28:21 +0000

Totally agree with everyone else, and I think that it won’t only hurt the “author” but has the power to hurt Nora’s sales if someone was to try her books for the first time by buying that book.
Even if that really was her real name, one would think any aspiring writer that shared a name with a well known author would know that they have to us a pen name for their writing.

By: katie

katie — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 05:15:10 +0000

crazy…karma is a b, if you know what I mean.

By: Julie Leto

Julie Leto — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 02:26:52 +0000

I think we can all agree it is wrong. Part of the reason I posted was so that readers would be aware. If you see a book that you don’t recognize by an author that you do, do a little checking before you buy. Buyer beware is always a good rule of thumb that didn’t use to have to apply to books, but now it does!

By: Tina S

Tina S — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 01:04:21 +0000

That is so wrong!

By: ev

ev — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 00:01:46 +0000

Did you see the blog on Smart Bitches about it, complete with a response from La Nora?

By: Paula R.

Paula R. — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 00:01:23 +0000

That is pretty crazy and unfortunate for the author people thought they were buying. When I see a “new” book by one of my faves, image sure it is them. Names can be so common nowadays, that extra look helps me.

Peace and love,
Paula R.

By: StacieD

StacieD — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 22:18:57 +0000

Other industries only allow so many people to use the same name professionally. Here are a few examples: Michael Keaton’s real name was Michael Douglas but another actor was already using it. David Bowie’s real name was David Jones but he changed it so no one would confuse him with the Monkee.

I think it is pathetic that an “author” would intentionally mislead the readers by stealing another author’s name.