Changing Identity - Pen Names and More

Driftwood and Amethyst was written over a two year period when I lived a very different life. Without washing my laundry, I was ill, I was someone's wife and I did my best to make a difficult situation better. I failed.Not on my own, I'll give myself that. But it necessitated a huge change for me, one which over the last three years has resulted in a very different life.
I made the decision last year to go back to my maiden name. Not a decision I took lightly, as I have two boys who carry their father's name - regardless of our relationship or should I say lack of it - and I wanted to make sure this did not cause any undue distress. But the boys were very generous and actually were instrumental in helping me revert back to who I wanted to be.
It may only seem a name to anyone reading, but giving up my name was difficult in the first place and done only at the express wish of my partner-to-be who in time lost the right to have a say.
I have just gone through a rather laborious process of changing my author name to match my maiden name and I feel so light as a result. My books are being reprinted as are all the links to my writing name - future novels will have the same name as will my business and business links as my future workshops and works evolve.

The publishing company have been amazing and were able to keep costs to a minimum. As a self published writer, this is such a huge help and I know how much better I feel as a result of having the support of the company (Xlibris) running alongside me.

My next book, The Faerie Plot, an equally dark children's story may be half written, but just the change and joining up of the dots here has allowed me to refocus and work daily on this first draft with a view to having a draft to send to the editor by the end of the summer holidays. Writing is such a reward in itself yet I feel so lucky to be able to make this change and ensure that all my work can be tied together in my own name.

A pen name is a huge part of a writer's identity.I know great writers who have a completely different name for different genres within which they write, yet for me I know I've made the right choice.