If you've ever been guilty of reading a book just for the author, you're not alone.
Sales on a new crime novel called "The Cuckoo's Calling" shot up more than 500,000% when it was revealed that the author, Robert Galbraith, was really J.K. Rowling writing under a pen name. Rowling, author of the best-selling "Harry Potter" series, explained that she wanted the chance to "publish without hype or expectation."
As it turns out, Rowling isn't alone in the secret world of famous authors penning stories under pseudonyms. See if you recognize any of these eight books written under pen names by some of the most well-known authors around.
"The Regulators," by Richard Bachman
Author's real name: Stephen King
Though King is one of the most popular and well-known authors of all time, he started his writing career with short novels, like "The Regulators," as Richard Bachman.
When asked why he decided to take a pen name for some of his work, King explained that in the early days of his career, there was a belief by publishers that the public would only accept one book a year from an author; King wrote as Bachman so that he could write two books a year, one under each name.
"Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell," by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell
Authors' real names: Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë
"Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell" was a collection of poetry written in male pen names chosen by the Brontë sisters. Each sister used the first initials of their first names and adopted men's names instead so they could preserve their identities and avoid the sexist views of those who didn't take kindly to female writers.
The Brontë sisters are known for their poetry and novels written in their own names, including "Jane Eyre" (Charlotte), "Wuthering Heights" (Emily), and "Agnes Grey" (Anne).
"The Adventures of Lucky Starr," by Paul French
Author's real name: Isaac Asimov
The author of "I, Robot"; "Foundation"; "Nightfall;" and over 300 other works wrote a popular young adult sci-fi series called "The Adventures of Lucky Starr" under the alias Paul French. The books share the story of an orphan, David Starr, who becomes a space ranger who solves intergalactic mysteries.
According to a reviewer of the "Lucky Starr" books, Asimov eventually grew tired of his pen name, and left clues in later books that would lead readers to discover Asimov as the real author.
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