I just published my first childrens book under my chosen name. However, I am gender queer which is why I have a chosen name and I thought publishing under it was the right thing for me but now that it’s out I’m feeling very uncomfortable about it as it turns out maybe I’m not as ready as I thought I was to be out of the closet in the public eye yet. I think I need more time to feel my chosen name in, despite having it for years.
I’m already under contract on my second book (not the same series) and I’m thinking of doing a couple of initials from my given name and then my surname instead so I can be free to experiment with my name until I’m sure of it. It’d also be nice to have new runs of my current book updated if that be the case. My publisher has been very supportive of my queerness and knows I’ve changed my name before but I’m afraid making changes now after publication may make them feel like I’m a hassle to work with or that it would damage the career I’m trying to build.
Have there been authors before me who’ve also changed their names, maybe even multiple times without it being a pseudonym? Maybe I’m just nervous since it published this month and I haven’t thought anything of it until now.
