Now that I’ve revamped the Q&A section, it’s time to start answering questions again! Let’s start at the very beginning:
Is Jennie St. Thomas a pen name?
Yes, Jennie St. Thomas is a pen name.
Technically, it functions as a d/b/a (“doing business as”) name. I copyright my creative work under it and use it for official purposes, including those related to this site. On my W-9 tax form, it currently appears as a sole proprietorship. At some point I may convert it to an LLC, but there’s no practical reason to do so right now.
It’s not that hard to find out my real name, although it takes a little bit of effort. But I never meant this pen name for secrecy in the first place. It exists for clarity.
I write professionally, in a business subfield, using my legal name. That work carries its own responsibilities, expectations, and audience. My creative work is written for an entirely different audience. Using a pen name lets me keep those two bodies of work separate, which is the entire point. They serve different purposes and exist for different reasons.
That said, in the past I have used a pen name to hide my identity. I originally began writing under one because I started out writing fan fiction, which carries a poor reputation in some creative circles. At the time, I also was not “out” to my employer as someone who wrote creatively on their own time. Thus, the pen name created necessary distance — and even plausible deniability, if I needed it.
My fan fiction handle, Cat Lady Firebird, has its own origin story. Years ago, I fell in love with Firebird by Kathy Tyers, back when it existed only in its original Bantam Spectra edition. I initially used “Firebird” by itself online, but that inevitably prompted questions about cars rather than books. To distinguish it, I borrowed the honorific “Lady” from the character Firebird Caldwell. Later, I added “Cat” — a nickname I could legitimately claim in real life (although I rarely do), and a playful nod to my long-standing habit of referring to myself as a crazy cat lady.
That, then, is the origin of Cat Lady Firebird. I still use that name for fan fiction today.
When I began writing original fiction, I debated my pen name for a long time. For a while, I had settled on something different, but I was never completely satisfied with it (and I never published anything under that name). By the time I actually had something I was ready to share, I’d decided it wasn’t worth keeping. Instead, I came up with one that better fit my work, my professional identity, and my personality.
Like “Cat,” Jennie is a nickname I can legitimately claim in real life — although, again, I generally don’t. It’s also the legal name for at least two of my recent ancestors, both of whom used the -ie spelling. Using it as part of my pen name honors their legacy even as I create mine.
“St. Thomas” is a reference to St. Thomas More, who nearly became my patron saint when I was confirmed in the Catholic Church. Although I ultimately ended up choosing a different confirmation name, I still look to him as a patron because many of my life circumstances mirror his. In most situations, such an homage would omit the “Saint” prefix, but Jennie Thomas was a bit too generic. Including the prefix makes the name unique without crossing into pretentiousness.
So, to answer the question: yes, I use a pen name. I have for years. But it isn’t one I chose lightly or without thought. It’s intentional. And while it isn’t my legal name, it reflects important aspects of who I am. My hope is that the work I produce under it proves worthy of the name.