FAQ - Pen Names

Q: Is Vicki Lane a pen name? How did you choose it if it is? And why did you decide to use one?
A: Vicki Lane is the name on my birth certificate. My married (and legal) name is  Vicki Lane Skemp.  When my first book  was nearing publication, I asked my editor what she thought I should use -- Vicki Skemp, Vicki Lane Skemp, V.L. Skemp, etc. -- and she said, "I think you should use Vicki Lane. It puts you in the middle of the bookshelf or book store... "

Actually, I suspect she just thought Skemp is a somewhat clunky name -- as do I.

People have various reasons for choosing a pen name -- some for privacy, to to evoke a certain feeling -- romance writers often have rather exciting names that I suspect are made up -- Yasmyne de la Fuente, Amber Flame, Smolder Trelawney . . .
And sometimes writers who are switching to a different type of  fiction will use a different name so as not to confuse their fans. Abigail Butterworth may write sweetly pretty cozies but when she's writing as Dominique Scarlett, expect the fiction to sizzle.
I'd suggest googling possible names to make sure there's not another someone writing and publishing under whatever name you choose to use. There's a Vicki Lane who writes romances (unpublished so far) and has a pretty active web presence. I don't know if I'd have gone with some other name because of her but had she been already publishing, I might have.