JAYNE EXPLAINS HER THREE NAMES

Okay, I'll admit I'm new to the series concept. Sure, I've done a few trilogies over the years -- one of which, the Lavinia & Tobias series -- was not exactly supposed to stop at three books. But that's sort of what happens when no one buys the books. Publishers tend to lose interest. Ahem. That story, however, belongs in another blog, the one in which I discuss my numerous near-death experiences in the writing business.

As I was saying, I came late to the series thing. When I did decide to jump in, I chose a spectacularly awkward way in which to go about it. I opened up the Arcane Society series under two of my names Amanda Quick and Jayne Ann Krentz, and then, just to complicate my life, I decided to add my Jayne Castle world.

The most recent novel in my Arcane series, THE PERFECT POISON, is on sale now and I've been doing some local Seattle area signings. I'm getting hit with the same question, again and again. Why do you write Arcane under three names?

It's a logical question, of course. But I'm afraid the answer is complicated. The bottom line is that, by the time I arrived at this point in my career I had fired up three different writing landscapes: historical, contemporary and futuristic. In effect, I have established three different audiences. And until I created Arcane there was not much overlap. Giving up one of my names would have meant giving up an entire world and the readers who went with it.

Yes, if I had it to do it over again, I would have stuck with one name. But what's done is done. So I have concocted a brilliant rationale for my three names, one that makes it look like a shrewd, well-thought out career choice rather than the result of a lot of bumbling and pratfalls along the way.

My explanation for my three names: This way, when you pick up one of my books, you know immediately which world you'll get.

You see? In life it isn't the mistakes that matter, it's how you recover.

I will admit that it would be nice to know I'm not the only writer out there who wound up with three names. Can you think of anyone else you enjoy reading who struggled with the same situation?