Nicole Jordan admits she considered the 'ABC rule' when she chose her surname. Bantam author Sandra Chastain thinks falling in the C s can contribute to the cha-ching of cash registers. Sandra credits sheer luck for marrying into a name which always seems to land her books a great spot on the shelves. Lots of authors come up with pen names starting with A, B, or C, so I just keep getting moved down the line, to a choicer slot. The ABC rule doesn't normally apply to category romance writers, but could come into play for top billing in an anthology, according to Carla Fredd, who writes under her own name for Pinnacle Arabesque.
Pinnacle is one of many houses which arranges the books in an anthology alphabetically by author.
Carla was thrilled to be listed first on the cover of an upcoming release, even in the company of authors she considered to be more notable. Writing under a pen name can also have a few drawbacks. Like many authors, Patricia Van Wie was encouraged by her publisher, Harlequin, to adopt a pseudonym. Pat writes for both Superromance and Temptation as Patricia Keelyn, which is a family name. She admits it gets confusing being known as two different people.