Famous Pen Names of Authors Trivia Word Search

This Pulitzer-winning editorial cartoonist blended his first and last name for his pen name; he was born Herbert Lawrence _ _ _ _ _.

Chinese novelist Ba Jin, whose pen name blends syllables from anarchists Bakunin and Kropotkin, was born Li _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

Portuguese poet Fernando _ _ _ _ _ _ wrote much of his work under invented alter egos like Alberto Caeiro.

Author Pearl S. _ _ _ _ published the novel 'The Townsman' under the male pen name John Sedges.

British crime author Barbara Vine was a pen name used by Ruth _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

Nobel laureate Toni Morrison was born Chloe Ardelia _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

Author Howard _ _ _ _ wrote espionage novels under the pen name 'E. V. Cunningham.'

Prolific sci-fi author Andre Norton was actually born a woman named _ _ _ _ _ Mary Norton.

This horror novelist published several early books under the pseudonym Richard Bachman before revealing his real surname, _ _ _ _.

Historical mystery author Ellis Peters was really named Edith _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

Blockbuster novelist Sidney Sheldon was born Sidney _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

'A Series of Unfortunate Events' author Lemony Snicket is really named Daniel _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

The 'Little Women' author, born Louisa May _ _ _ _ _ _, secretly wrote pulpy thrillers under the pen name A. M. Barnard.

Novelist Romain Gary is the only author to win France's top literary prize twice, once under the alias Emile _ _ _ _.

Feminist author bell hooks, styled in lowercase, was born Gloria Jean _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

The romance novels behind Netflix's 'Bridgerton' were written by Julia Quinn, whose real surname is _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

A founder of modern Chinese literature, Lu Xun was born Zhou _ _ _ _ _ _.

Chilean Nobel laureate Pablo Neruda was born Ricardo _ _ _ _ _ Basoalto.

Essayist Charles _ _ _ _ wrote his famous personal essays under the pen name 'Elia.'

Sci-fi writer James Tiptree Jr. was revealed to be a woman named Alice _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

Futuristic crime novels published as J. D. Robb are secretly written by bestselling romance author Nora _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

Advice columnist Ann Landers was, in her later and best-known years, really named Eppie _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

Author and former pimp Iceberg Slim, who wrote 'Pimp: The Story of My Life,' changed his name in 1961 to Robert _ _ _ _.

Romance author Amanda Quick is a pen name used by novelist Jayne Ann _ _ _ _ _ _.

Mystery writer Amanda Cross was the pen name of literary scholar Carolyn _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

Chick-lit author Sophie Kinsella, who wrote the 'Shopaholic' series, was born Madeleine _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

Screenwriter Diablo Cody, who wrote 'Juno,' was born Brook _ _ _ _ _.

Before 'Lolita' made him famous in English, Vladimir Nabokov wrote in Russian under the pen name Vladimir _ _ _ _ _.

Novelist Ford Madox Ford, co-founder of a famous literary review, was born Ford Madox _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

Novelist George Sand, known for wearing men's clothing in public, was born Amantine _ _ _ _ _.

Dutch author Multatuli, who wrote 'Max Havelaar,' was born Eduard Douwes _ _ _ _ _ _.

Celebrated Indian lyricist and poet Gulzar was born Sampooran Singh _ _ _ _ _.

'No Longer Human' author Dazai Osamu was born Shuji _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

'Out of Africa' author Isak Dinesen was really the Danish writer Karen _ _ _ _ _ _.

This American writer, born Washington _ _ _ _ _ _, published a comic history of New York as 'Diedrich Knickerbocker.'

Mark Twain, author of 'Huckleberry Finn,' was born Samuel Langhorne _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

French novelist Stendhal, author of 'The Red and the Black,' was born Marie-Henri _ _ _ _ _.

Japanese novelist Natsume Soseki, once pictured on the 1000-yen note, was born Natsume _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

'Jane Eyre' first appeared under the male pen name Currer Bell, hiding a British novelist's real surname.

Horror writer Joe Hill, son of a famous novelist, was born Joseph _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ King.

Pioneering Hindi and Urdu novelist Premchand was born Dhanpat Rai _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

Before writing 'Jurassic Park,' this author published early thrillers under the pen name John Lange.

'The Smurfs' creator Peyo was really the Belgian cartoonist Pierre _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

Mystery writer Ellery Queen was a joint pseudonym; one of the two cousins behind it was named Manfred _ _ _.

French playwright Molière was born Jean-Baptiste _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

Mystery author Elizabeth Peters was really the Egyptologist Barbara _ _ _ _ _.

Novelist Gore _ _ _ _ _ wrote mystery novels under the pen name 'Edgar Box.'

Poet and future UK Poet Laureate Cecil _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ wrote detective novels under the alias Nicolas Blake.

The 'Geronimo Stilton' book series is credited to a mouse author but actually written by Italian author Elisabetta _ _ _ _.

Irish novelist Flann O'Brien, author of 'At Swim-Two-Birds,' was born Brian O'_ _ _ _ _.

'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' was written by Charles Lutwidge _ _ _ _ _ _ _, under the pen name Lewis Carroll.

Nobel laureate Anatole France was born Jacques Anatole _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

French writer Boris Vian published a fake hard-boiled American crime novel under the pen name Vernon _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

Agatha _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ wrote romance novels under the pen name Mary Westmacott, apart from her famous mystery-writing career.

Legendary wuxia novelist Jin Yong was born Louis _ _ _.

This German-Swiss novelist briefly published 'Demian' as Emil Sinclair before using his own name, _ _ _ _ _.

The 'Captain Underpants' series is by author Dav _ _ _ _ _ _, who once used the joke pen name 'Sue Denim' for one book.

'The Wheel of Time' author Robert Jordan was born James Oliver _ _ _ _ _ _ Jr.

'The Bell Jar' was first published under the pen name Victoria Lucas, hiding poet Sylvia _ _ _ _ _.

This bestselling suspense author, born Dean _ _ _ _ _ _, published early novels under many aliases, including 'Leigh Nichols.'

Etiquette columnist Miss Manners is really named Judith _ _ _ _ _ _.

German philosopher-novelist Jean Paul was born Johann Paul Friedrich _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

The pen name 'Jane Somers' hid the identity of this Nobel Prize-winning novelist, testing how a new author would be treated.

'The African Queen' author C. S. Forester was born Cecil Louis Troughton _ _ _ _ _.

'Atlas Shrugged' author Ayn Rand was born Alisa _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ in Russia.

'A Clockwork Orange' author Anthony Burgess was born John _ _ _ _ _ _, using his own middle names as a pen name.

As a teenager, Benjamin _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ wrote newspaper letters under the pen name 'Silence Dogood.'

Short-story writer Saki, known for tales of dry wit, was born Hector Hugh _ _ _ _ _.

'All Quiet on the Western Front' author Erich Maria Remarque tweaked his birth surname, _ _ _ _ _ _.

Spy novelist John le Carré, author of 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,' was born David _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

French philosopher Voltaire was born François-Marie _ _ _ _ _ _.

Comic artist Jack Kirby, co-creator of many Marvel heroes, was born Jacob _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.

The author of '1984,' George Orwell, was born Eric Arthur _ _ _ _ _.

Short-story master O. Henry was really named William Sydney _ _ _ _ _ _.

Children's author Dr. Seuss was really named Theodor Seuss _ _ _ _ _ _.

'Perry Mason' creator Erle Stanley _ _ _ _ _ _ _ also wrote mysteries under the alias 'A. A. Fair.'

Crime novels published as Robert Galbraith are secretly written by this 'Harry Potter' author.

Fantasy author Piers Anthony's full birth name was Piers Anthony Dillingham _ _ _ _ _.

Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee split his birth surname to make his pen name; he was born Stanley Martin _ _ _ _ _ _.

'Middlemarch' was published under the male pen name George Eliot, hiding novelist Mary Ann _ _ _ _ _.

The Federalist Papers were written under the joint pen name 'Publius' by Madison, Jay, and this future Treasury Secretary.

Bestselling novelist Harold Robbins was born Harold _ _ _ _ _.

Japanese mystery writer Edogawa Ranpo, whose pen name echoes an American horror author's name, was born Taro _ _ _ _ _.

Novelist Joseph Conrad's full birth name was Jozef Teodor _ _ _ _ _ _ Korzeniowski, the root of his pen name.

Hardboiled crime writer Richard Stark was a pen name of novelist Donald E. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.