I received an email yesterday from an old friend, who has read my blogs over the last year and a half. He asked why, when I moved to Spain I started to write under the pseudonym, Luke Martin-Jones. I have been asked this question before, but have not actually discussed with my readers, the reason for the name change.
A lot of writers use a pseudonym, assumed name or pen name, just as an actor will use a stage name. I have written under my real name as well as my married name and using both names, have discussed very different subjects, unrelated to what I am writing about in Spain. It is easy to be stereotyped, using a name, you have expended for a while, writing about a particular subject, during a certain period of your life. Over a year and a half ago I decided to write about a subject very close to my heart, Bipolar. It affected me every day and I had been living with the adverse effects, for quite a while. My first Blog, Bipolarcoaster, documented a dramatic period in my life, after suffering from a Bipolar relapse. The circumstances behind the relapse were criminal and the consequences for myself were life threatening, brought about by an employer and colleagues, whos motives still remain unclear, although, now I do at least know the basics of what happened to me and others, through ill-treatment, neglect and bullying. I began writing this blog under my real name, married my partner and used my married name also.
As I recovered from this distressing period in my life and started the process of recuperation, I started a new blog, Forever Enduring Cycles. This blog detailed my recovery from a situation that is still not fully explained, due to the nature of what happened. This blog was written under my newly married name. The times that Bipolarcoaster and Forever Enduring Cycles were written, were very different to now. They were disturbing, dreadful, debilitating and terribly upsetting. I had no qualms about writing under my real identity, because I was still not fully aware, of what had happened to me, that would become clear later.
After my Wedding, during what was essentially the most difficult time for me, revelations came to the surface, about what had really happened. I don't mind telling you, I was unable to cope with the full ramifications behind my state back then. At the time I was given advice, both legal, from the Police as well as from charities and helplines, all of those who were involved in my eventual decision, came up with the same conclusion. I had been the victim of one and possibly more Sociopaths, during my time working for a major international charity. Rules had been broken, safeguarding ignored and lives had been endangered. I was informed I would be unlikely to discover the full extent of what had happened to me, because of further fears for my health. The involvement of people I knew, from family and friends, was also of grave concern and should never be overlooked. The detailed disclosures were extremely damaging, once again for my health, as those responsible walked away scott free, at least in the short term. The charity had a reputation to protect, I was expendable, they were not.
At the time we were given advice, about what we should do, under the worst situation, I had ever faced in my life. The consensus was, I should change my name, to avoid any more harassment from those people I worked with. Worst of all, I should leave the country, don't look back and never return. These people were bad in every sense of the word and continued their rampage, even when I had gone.
I was left with a dilemma. I was a writer, who still wanted to write. I had accepted that I had to leave the Country and change my name, but I still wanted the freedom of expression. Taking a pseudonym was the answer. I chose the name Luke Martin-Jones, using names that were important to me. My partner Darrell, also the subject of abuse, asked me to keep his name out of my blog and chose to take his father's name instead.
For the last six months I have been living in Spain, I have written under the assumed name Luke. Spanish Views is a very different blog, to those I have written before. I did not want this blog to be influenced from my others and wanted it to stand on it's own merit. Bipolarcoaster was and continues to be very successful. I want Spanish views to enjoy the same success, but standing alone. Today, Spanish Views enjoys its own popularity and has just yesterday, surpassed Bipolarcoaster in its accomplishments. This blog has achieved all I wanted it to and it is now time to link the three blogs together.
In Spain I will continue to write under the pen name, Luke Martin-Jones. All the time I write here, either through my blog or the column I write, I will be luke. I am still writing under my married name, for other publications, where my name is important, writing about issues surrounding Bipolar, Sociopathy and Bullying. Spain offers me very different writing opportunities and as Luke, I will be exploring the limits of my creativity.
Spanish Views charters a happy and enlightening time in my life, where the ghosts of the past are gradually being laid to rest. My writing is different, the subject matter also and I now enjoy the freedoms I did not have even six months ago. A name change for protection reasons, is no longer important to me. I have more than come to terms with what happened. The people in Spain, the friends I have met, know my real name anyway, and that is the way I like it. Luke Martin-Jones is still alive and kicking and is writing great things in Spain, as he will continue to do. Moving from a terrible situation, experiencing relief and freedom, demands a new persona. it is all part of the exhilarating experience, that I continue to pursue on my new journey.
There are of course other reasons why authors, choose to write under assumed names. Famous authors like Stephen King, also choose to write other genre. Stephen chooses to write other styles under a different name, to prevent his well known name from muddying the waters, it is about a book standing on its own merits and distancing himself from previous writing, rather like, what I have done myself. For many authors, writing is not their day job. Sometimes they may write about subjects that may conflict with their place of work. Writing anonymously solves this problem. The most important aspect of a pseudonym is the avoidance of being stereotyped. In the same way an actor does not want to be seen as a one ship wonder a writer equally wants to avoid labels or being pigeonholed, a pen name is the way forward.
