Nom de Plume

I've decided on my pen name: Shelli Proffitt Howells

My parents named me Linda Michelle, but I've been called Shelli ever since I was three days old. It caused me embarrassment, at first. Painfully shy, I dreaded the first day of school when undoubtedly, my new teacher would call "Linda Proffitt?" I would sheepishly speak up. "Um, it's Shelli." Later, I found my dual personality quite useful. All of my legal documents, of course, were signed Linda Proffitt. I decided to go by Linda at work, to save confusion. When dating, I came up with a screening system for the boys I met. I told them I was Shelli if I thought I might be interested, Linda if I thought I wouldn't. It wasn't fail proof. My future husband called me Linda for weeks. (In my defense, he was wearing a very LOUD suit when we met.) But Shelli is the real me, the authentic me. If I'm going to be honest in my writing, it has to be Shelli.

Proffitt, as you may have deduced, is my maiden name. It ties me to the family I grew up in. And what a family it was! Two brothers and five sisters, a mom and dad who loved each other and each of us. We were loud. We were fierce. We were a mess. We were perfect, because we were so very, very imperfect.

Finally, Howells is the name I took when I married Rom. If my family made me everything I am up to adulthood, then it is because of Rom that I have become who I am since. He believes I am so much kinder, prettier, and smarter than I really am. He seems puzzled at my doubts. He sees me as infallibly capable. He honestly thinks I am talented. He believes in me, and he is absolutely certain ... certain! that I can do this. So, I think I shall.