Mike, the 3 boys, and I are going on a little spring trip. where exactly? ummm. don’t know for sure. When? yeah, that’s still up in the air, too. We’re leaving tomorrow, probably, but is anyone packed? ummm. no. I have created mounds and mounds and MOUNDS of unfolded, clean laundry, but that’s as far as my pre-trip preparations have gone. I frequently say of Mike and I, "We’re last minute sorts." And we are.
And that sounds ultimately better than ‘we procrastinate.’
So. I have to clean, pack, plan, organize um… everything, and i haven’t ‘pre-blogged’ anything of course. But! I don’t want it to be all quiet around here while I’m gone… so. Will you help?
When I started this blog my purpose was to build a ‘name’ that would be familiar to future readers of my many hilarious, as yet unpublished and sooooo inspiring novels.
ha.
But. I didn’t really WANT to put my name on my blog. So I’m known simply as Kelsey. And HolyMama. But I’ve refrained from putting forth my entire name.
And it turns out it just might be time. There might be a real need to have an author type name out there, as a book contract is being mailed to me even now!
In light of the whole privacy issue, I humbly ask you to name me.
Let’s keep the ‘Kelsey’ part, but what about a last name? Not my maiden name. Not my real last name. But I hate to toss out the name I love - the name I got the day I married Mike.
This thought process led me to ‘Kelsey Michaels’ as an option, but I think there are already a lot of So and So Michaels, and even a Casey Michaels, which sounds almost identical. Mike says, ‘keep the last name or use your middle name.’ It doesn’t sound terribly writerly though. (Kelsey Elaine.)
My mom suggested ‘Kelsey Kilgore.’ It’s a family name, alliterative, and I like it. But it doesn’t have the Mike Factor (as opposed to the Max Factor) that I was going for.
Toss out those pseudonyms, y’all! Name me!
please!
PS
Mike just said we can’t leave until Saturday since there’s just NO way we’ll be ready. Yeah. We’re last minute sorts.
11:22 pm
How about:
Kelsey Miguel
or
Kelsey Michelle
which are other forms of the name Michael?
11:27 pm
Kelsey Kilgore is adorable.
Kelsey Maxwell (that has absolutely no significance except that I like it)
Kelsey Mitchell
Oh, I could do this all day long.
Kelsey Kincaid
I’ll stop now.
Have a great trip!
AND - congratulations on the contract! That’s HUGE!
11:28 pm
Kelsey Kincaid
Kelsey Krandall
Kelsey Cransworth (kind of regal sounding huh)
oh, this is fun. I’m sure I’ll come up with more. Have fun on your trip. I’m still doing laundry for ours as well.
11:38 pm
I like Kelsey Kilgore…has a texas feel to it too without being twangy or dorky..
i also like Kelsey Kate…. or Kelsey Cate (it looks nice and hip and fresh..both visually and audibly..make any sense)
Kelsey Dane (just random)
Kelsey Cain
Kelsey Kain
ok it is late…i better stop..
12:15 am
ok, i KNOW i’m supposed to be doing laundry (and technically I am) but i had to see what y’all were saying. LOVE the suggestions. Keep em coming!
I wouldn’t have thought of Miguel or Michelle , but i like them. and desert diva - those names are so great that if i don’t use them, one of my future characters wilL!
3:25 am
What about
Kelsey Factor
for the Mike Factor….
6:42 am
Hmmm…Kelsey Husband?
Kelsey Heart?
Kelsey Hunkaburninlove?
7:03 am
You have a contract!?! Woo hoo! I’m so happy for you! Can’t wait to hear more about that book.
Okay, names…I like Jeana’s best. Especially the last one.
How about…
Kelsey Mike
Kelsey Michols
Kelsey Lane or Laine
Kelsey Cale
Kelsey McCale
7:44 am
What is Mike’s middle name? My Hubby’s name is Michael William. How about:
Kelsey (your Mike’s middle name)
Kelsey Williams
Kelsey Christian
Kelsey Wellsley (Is that too Fancy Nancy? LOL!)
8:47 am
I’m jumping on the Kelsey Kilgore bandwagon. It is memeorable. And you have an instant tie-in to the world famous Rangerettes. What more coud you want?
9:53 am
I love Kelsey Kilgore and Kelsey Hunkaburninlove. My office is full of fumes right now so the only other option that occurs to me is Kelsey Dillon but I’ll work on a list for the weekend and get back to you.
10:37 am
I can’t name you; I barely named my kids!
But remember this: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.
Hey… Kelsey Stones has a nice ring to it…
12:34 pm
Kelsey Cartier
Kelsey Carlisle
Kelsey Conundrum
just some randoms for ya
12:51 pm
i’m loving Kelsey carlisle - also Kilgore is good.
I’m thinking of something like Kelsey Kippington or Tippington. Tifferly? Kifferly? i don’t know.
this is tough, i’m glad you’re getting lots of good ideas (from other people!)
2:05 pm
Congrats on a book contract! Awesome news!
I say — go ahead and use your real last name.
When you start doing radio interviews and speaking, I think having a pen name would get old. But that’s just me!
2:09 pm
how about
Kelsey Kensington
Kelsey Kingston
Kelsey Knight
2:37 pm
Book contract! Yay you! I will be the first one in Dallas at the book signing. And oh, I get to host the book signing party too!
Name? Name? Um… How about
Kelsey Ineedshoessobuymybookplease
I’ll keep thinking
3:25 pm
I have to agree with Kelsey Mitchell because if you take all the letters of Mitchell (minus one “l”) each of them appears in Michael’s or one of your 4 kids’ names. That has meaning for your family.
Congrats!
3:30 pm
Hmmm, well, it all depends on what kind of book we’re talking about…
Contemporary? Kay (get it? “K” for Kelsie) Maxwell
Romance? Kelsey Kensington
Suspense? Kelsey Kilgore would work…or how about Kelsey (name of my hometown for a last name)? Like, Kelsey York for someone from New York
or how about first initial, middle initial, and then Maxwell, for that Max Factor vibe??
6:06 pm
Kelsey Kilgore. It’s a name that would make me look twice. Congratulations! I’ve been a lurker for a while. Your blog is cute!
8:51 pm
Congrats on the deal! I could only think of one so far…
Kelsey MacClaine (combines Michael and Elaine)
I’ll be back if I think of any others
8:53 pm
I REALLY like the suggestion of using Mike’s middle name.
Of course . . . after this post you could use Mike’s last name and no one would know that it was your real name.
Kelsey Kilgore sounds too perfect–like it was made up.
10:29 pm
Okay…this is random and I KNOW you won’t want to use this, but how about Kelsey Kudos? I think is sounds…rather…uuhh…foreign? Mysterious maybe…nah…just stupid, but you know me…that was the first thing that popped in the noggin.
10:19 am
Congrats to you, Kelsey!! Can’t wait to see it in print. I know I adore alliteration, so:
Kelsey Kilgore is my hands down favorite — sounds hip, has a familial tie, and would look great on the bookshelf.
But if it isn’t a winner for you here are some other ideas:
Kelsey Kittredge
Kelsey Karlyle
Kelsey Kingston (puts you right by Karen Kingsbury on the bookshelves, primo spot if you ask me) I think of these things when I have contemplated a pseudonym. Just a tip. Position yourself close to a popular author and they’ll pick up your book, too. I know I’ve done it!
7:51 pm
Over from the blog party …
How bout Kelsey in the Kingdom
GP in Montana
2:20 pm
Coming out of “lurk-dom” to add my two cents…
Kelsey Carmichael (or Karmichael, if you’re going for the K.K. theme)
Have a great trip and congrats on the book contract!!!
5:48 pm
Go Kelsey! Book contract? Heck yeah! You rock!
I love Kelsey Kilgore.
8:56 am
You could always include a mysterious initial, which most of us would know the meaning of: Kelsey M. Kilgore.
4:04 pm
I vote for Kilgore, for the most part…
4:29 pm
Well, I leave for a few days and you’ve got all this going on? First, CONGRATS on the contract–woo-hoo! Second, that’s so funny about the name thing. Why don’t you just go as: Kelsey. You know, like Sting or Madonna, ha. My cousin’s a rocker (Dave Navarro) so some thought I should go with my maiden name, which just so happens to be Navarro, but I decided to keep hubby’s beautiful name for my book. Anyway, I’m rambling. Just so thrilled for you, and btw, my daughter’s middle name is Elaine so I kinda like that too
10:03 pm
Kelsey Leahcim
10:05 pm
Book contract. Did I miss that post?
I’ve gone back and forth about using my real name or not, still haven’t decided though everyone says to use your real name!
So does that mean you’re an official writer and will join my webring?
11:28 am
Hey there! I’m back! I see that you have been doing well! I am excited for you on your book contract! That is truly awesome! So this name thing? hmmm.
I think using a real name is better because there are times you should be able to be the real you, like when you have a great book to be proud of! But I guess this is the real world and perhaps it’s better to be safe sooo…
I think you should use a last name that it’s obvious it’s not your real name and it adds a bit of suspense or humor to the whole thing.
Like… Kelsey Von Trapp
okay I’m kidding.
Not good at serious names here.
Kelsey Van Damme (you know, the actor?) he he
okay, I guess I’m no help. Can’t be serious for very long and my time expired over an hour ago! xoxox
Congrats again on the book!
8:17 am
Kelsey! Congrats on the book contract. I’ve been trying to think of some really catchy last name suggestions….but can’t think through the fog of the plans we should start to have a blogging reunion in Dallas simultaneous with your first book signing!!!!!
Kelsy WTG Michaels?
Kelsy HM Michaels?
Kelsey…….
Drats….can’t get creative here….all I can think about is the blogging reunion!!!!
Congrats!
Diane
8:41 pm
Wow, congrats!
I think I would go with my real name. That would feel really cool when you get checks, fan mail and other stuff with your real name.
BUT, I’m guessing you are concerned about people knowing your kids last names from the net.
So, I like:
Kelsey McMichael - all your kids are the “son of Michael”.
Kelsey McHale (Michael)
Kelsey Laine, or Kelsey Lane. Or (sneaky sneaky) Kelsey E. Laine (hee-hee!)
Kelsey Austen (half for the author Jane Austen, and half for the city of Austin)- well, I love Jane Austen, I don’t know if you do. But it’s what I might do.
And finally, since I am a genealogist at heart, I would do some research (Ancestry.com) and pick a name that resonates with you if Kilgore doesn’t do it. I will even do some for you if you’d like. I LOVE the research (it’s FUN!) and I already have a paid subscription to Ancestry.com.
Anyway, good luck and CONGRATS!!!
Lorie
8:44 am
Book contract?!?!?!
You go on with your nameless self! So proud for you, Kelsey Something!
7:23 am
I do like the name Kelsey Kilgore because it’s mine!
Someone wrote “Kelsey Kilgore sounds too perfect–like it was made up.”
But it isn’t just a made up name.
It really is my name!
As much as I like the idea of using a pseudonym,
I don’t like the idea of someone using my name as one!
Sorry,
Kelsey Kilgore