Why I Write Under a Pen Name
I’m pretty open these days about the fact that Cameron Cooper is a pen name. But that wasn’t always the case.
I’m pretty open these days about the fact that Cameron Cooper is a pen name. But that wasn’t always the case.
Like many fans of The Murderbot Diaries, I was both thrilled and deeply wary when I heard that Apple TV+ was adapting Martha Wells’ beloved series. On one hand, more Murderbot! On the other… well, adaptations are tricky, aren’t they? They can capture the heart of the source material (The Expanse), fumble it (Wheel of Time), or turn it into something unrecognizable (Foundation—which, to be fair, I ended up loving once I let go of my expectations).
From SRP Author Cameron Cooper: Last week, I talked about author email lists, free books, and how to handle them
Free books are everywhere. You can find them on every major retail platform, on author websites, in BookFunnel and StoryOrigin giveaways, at signings, in newsletters, and beyond. Readers can easily fill their e-readers with thousands of books without spending a dime. I know this because I’ve done it myself.
But here’s where things get interesting: Readers are increasingly frustrated when an author asks them to sign up for an email list in exchange for a free book. I’ve heard readers say they feel like they “should” be able to get the book with no strings attached. That signing up is a hassle. That they don’t want “more emails.”
Let’s unpack that a little.
Out in the deep, where the stars burn cold and distant, and many years from now, old space dogs who miss the silence and loneliness of deep space race their solar yachts, harnessing the silent power of starlight to propel them through the void. No combustion, no fuel—just the delicate physics of light pressure on vast, shimmering sails. It’s a vision of the future, one where humanity reaches beyond, moving not with brute force, but with elegance and efficiency.
From SRP author Cameron Cooper: There’s nothing like staring up at a clear night sky to remind you just how
The Doomsday Clock just moved forward again. We’re now at 89 seconds to midnight—the closest humanity has ever been to self-inflicted oblivion.
From SRP Author Cameron Cooper: As I’ve mentioned before, Amazing Stories is in the middle of an effort to revive
C.S. Lewis, who wrote the Narnia books that start with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (complete with Oxford Comma!), is also a science fiction author known among true aficionados of the genre.
Yeah, that’s me. I’ve actually read all his SF, too. Go ahead. Say it. I’m a geek.
From SRP Author Cameron Cooper: It’s such an evocative name. I’m a huge West Wing fan — I’ve seen all