What's In a Nom?

Last December, I published my first book, a collection of short stories called "(C)rock Stories: Million-Dollar Tales of Music, Mayhem and Immaturity." The fruit of 10 years of labor, the book was originally subtitled, "True Stories of Fake Things That May or May Not Have Happened." The 15 stories carry the unnamed narrator (AKA, me) from high school through his late 20's, as he discovers punk rock, goes to gritty clubs, fights off perverted street people, survives three Butthole Surfers gigs, fails with girls, fights with friends and learns that sometimes loving a band means hating who they are.

Click here to read a really nice review that one-time Billboard rock columnist Ed Ochs wrote of my book.

I have other books in the works. OK, when I say "works," I mean that I've worked on them, but not lately. One of the books is a novel about space aliens, government cover-ups, road trips, love and archeology. It has a companion soundtrack of original music. The whole project actually started out as a concept album, but I turned it into a novel nearly four years ago. And then figured I could handle both a book and an album. It's gonna be a while before it's done, but it will be done.

I also have two children's books "in the works."

When talking to a few parents at my daughter's preschool last month, including one who has a children's book in progress, I mentioned that I was writing a rhyming alphabet book for preschoolers. And the director of the school, who I've known for many years, said, "And you just published a book of short stories."

And one of the moms said, "Oh, cool. Is it for kids?"

No, I said, it's for grown-ups.

Herein lies my problem.

Do I write the children's books (I have a counting book "in the works" as well) under my own name? I would feel weird publishing under a pen name, but I don't want to confuse (or scare off) potential buyers of children's books who realize that I've written a collection of short stories filled with swears and adult situations.

I have no idea if a publisher would push me in that direction. "(C)rock Stories" is self-published, so it's not likely to sell many copies (under 100 to date after six months on the market), so maybe a publisher wouldn't care.

I've thought about using initials before my last name (D.J. Brigham), or using my mother's maiden name (David Bogert). Or something totally made up and unrelated to my name (Dagger McTavish). I know I'm putting the cart before the horse on this. I still have to finish the books and find somebody to publish them.

Any feedback from folks who've run into this problem, or know somebody who has, or who just want to toss out noms de plume just for fun, I'd love to hear from you.