Who Are You?

My name is Aaron McQueen. I graduated from University of St. Andrews in 2007 and I have been writing ever since. My wife and our partners live outside Raleigh, NC in a lovely little place with two cats.

Why Use Pseudonyms?

I use pseudonyms for two reasons. The first is to segment my brand. When someone picks up a book by Charley Shannon, they know it is going to be a romance novel. When someone picks up a book by Aaron McQueen, they know it is going to be an adventure. Employing pseudonyms ensures that no one ever buys a book that turns out to be something other than what they want to read.

The second goal is more aesthetic. Whenever we pick up a book, some part of us intuitively connects to our expectations of the story. I seek to ensure that the experience of each of my novels, from the front cover to the back, fulfills those expectations. Perhaps the subtlest of these expectations is the voice of the perceived narrator. By employing pseudonyms, I can ensure that this voice relates as closely as possible to the target audience of the novel.

Why Tell Us?

While I believe that pseudonyms play a crucial artistic role, I have no desire to deceive my audience about who I am. I include these answers here so that my readers have no difficulty learning about who is writing the books that they love.

I love your work! How can I support you?

Buy my books, of course!

Joking aside, if you would like to support me more enthusiastically, I have a Patreon account. There is only one membership tier. Joining entitles you to numbered, stamped, signed copies of every book I write. It can be found here: https://www.patreon.com/imperialsf

What if I have a problem?

All inquires should be directed to support@imperialsf.com