Charlotte Brontë and her sisters faced a 19th-century society that often repressed women’s voices. When Jane Eyre was first published in 1847, it was under the guise of Currer Bell, an ambiguous name that provided a shield, allowing the novel to be judged free from the gender biases of the time.
Adopting a male pseudonym was common for female writers seeking to ensure their works were taken seriously. The Brontë sisters, each with their male pen name, collectively published a volume of poetry before their novels came out. The choice of the name Currer was thought to be derived from Currer Ellis and Co., a firm in the same business as their father, and Bell, perhaps an Anglicization of their mother’s maiden name, Branwell, was calculated. These names were not randomly plucked but chosen with intention and meaning, weaving a deeper story behind the novels we hold dear.
The revelation of Charlotte Brontë’s true identity brought a mixture of scandal and admiration. Imagine the 19th-century readers, their eyes widening in disbelief as the author they presumed to be a man was unveiled as a woman. This unmasking didn’t harm Brontë’s career, fortunately; instead, it amplified the power of Jane Eyre, with many readers feeling a renewed connection to the novel’s strong-willed heroine, knowing she was birthed from the mind of a woman fighting her societal constraints.
The world of pseudonyms is not just confined to women hiding their gender. There are stories of authors who adopted alter egos to write in different genres or to escape the typecasting of their previous successes. A famous example is Samuel Clemens, who sailed under the nom de plume of Mark Twain, an identity that became as legendary as the man himself. Twain, a riverboat term meaning two fathoms deep, was as much a part of Clemens’s identity as his name.
The history of literature is dotted with such cases: Lewis Carroll, known to friends and family as Charles Dodgson, who ventured down the rabbit hole of children’s literature while maintaining his academic reputation; George Eliot, the pen name of Mary Ann Evans, who wanted to ensure her works were judged by their literary merit rather than her gender; and Robert Galbraith, a contemporary mask for J.K. Rowling, when she decided to venture into the world of adult crime fiction.
What we find in these stories is not just an act of hiding but an act of liberation. Pseudonyms offered writers the freedom to explore and to be judged on the content of their prose rather than the contours of their lives. It was a dance of shadows and light, where the essence of an author could be distilled into the characters they brought to life, unhindered by the world’s judgments.
This journey through the alcoves of pseudonymity reveals a side of literature that is as human as it is fascinating. It reminds us that behind every book, there is an author, and sometimes, behind an author, there is a story just as compelling as the ones they write.
So, next time a book is picked up, it might be worth pondering the name that graces its cover. Is it a name born from necessity, from desire, or simply from the whim of its creator? The answer may add another layer to the story, making the reading adventure even more delightful.
We Don’t Want to Write the Laws; We Want to Publish the Books
We Believe in the Power of Authors Short Video: https://bit.ly/45z6mvf
Writers Reshape the World Short Video: https://bit.ly/47glKOg
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Bringing Your Book to Market Short Video: https://bit.ly/3Q3g2JD
Author Campaign Method (ACM) for Authorpreneurs
This is Publication Consultants’ motivation for constantly striving to assist authors sell and market their books. Author Campaign Method (ACM) of sales and marketing is Publication Consultants’ plan to accomplish this so that our authors’ books have a reasonable opportunity for success. We know the difference between motion and direction. ACM is direction! ACM is the process for authorpreneurs who are serious about bringing their books to market. ACM is a boon for them.
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Facebook Profile and Facebook Page
Active Social Media Participation
Ebook Cards
The Great Alaska Book Fair: October 8, 2016
Costco Book Signings
eBook Cards
Benjamin Franklin Award
Jim Misko Book Signing at Barnes and Noble
Cortex is for serious authors and will probably not be of interest to hobbyists. We recorded our Cortex training and information meeting. If you’re a serious author, and did not attend the meeting, and would like to review the training information, kindly let us know. Authors are required to have a Facebook author page to use Cortex.
Correction:
We take the quote by Marcella Smith, Small Press Business Manager, Barnes & Noble seriously: “The author is essential to the success of the book, giving energy behind the book to make it something that a customer will come in and ask for. That is what makes the difference in a book that sells, that develops legs, and has a life of its own. Otherwise the book goes on the shelf and stays there for three months. Then it gets returned.”
This is Publication Consultants’ motivation for constantly striving to assist authors sell and market their books. ACM is Publication Consultants’ plan to accomplish this so that our authors’ books have a reasonable opportunity for success. We know the difference between motion and direction. ACM is direction! ACM is the process for authors who are serious about bringing their books to market. ACM is a boon for serious authors, but a burden for hobbyist. We don’t recommend ACM for hobbyists.
We’re the only publisher we know of that provides authors with book signing opportunities. Book signing are appropriate for hobbyist and essential for serious authors. To schedule a book signing kindly go to our website, <
An Author Page on Amazon Author Central is a serious author ACM requirement and desirable for the hobbyist. Author Central is a free resource designed to help authors become more active participants in the promotion of their books. In Author Central you can manage an Author Page, update information about your books, and view Customer Reviews and sales information for your bibliography. If you don’t already have an Author Page on 
We hear authors complain about all the personal stuff on Facebook. Most of these complaints are because the author doesn’t understand the difference difference between a Facebook profile and a Facebook page. Simply put, a profile is for personal things for friends and family; a page is for business. If your book is just a hobby, then it’s fine to have only a Facebook profile and make your posts for friends and family; however, if you’re serious about your writing, and it’s a business with you, or you want it to be business, then you need a Facebook page as an author. It’s simple to tell if it’s a page or a profile. A profile shows how many friends and a page shows how many likes. Here’s a link <> to a straight forward description on how to set up your author Facebook page.
Active Social Media Participation
Mosquito Books has a new location in the Anchorage international airport and is available for signings with 21 days notice. Jim Misko had a signing there yesterday. His signing report included these words, “Had the best day ever at the airport . . ..”
The Lyin Kings: The Wannabe World Leaders
Time and Tide
ReadAlaska 2014
Readerlink and Book Signings
2014 Independent Publisher Book Awards Results
Bonnye Matthews Radio Interview
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When he published those overseas blogs as the book The Innocents Abroad, it would become a hit. But you couldn’t find it in bookstores.
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Erin’s book, 
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