Lately, I’ve been meeting a lot of new faces due to the Halifax Twitter community really putting the emphasis on social when it comes to social media. There’s even an entire wiki dedicated to the events around town, and it keeps growing. From Third Wednesdays to Halifax Chicks, random tweetups and even Pupp-E play dates (that’s right, my dog is a social media geek too), my Google Calendar is kept pretty full.

That brings me to the dilemma of making introductions. You see, I only came out of the anonymous blogging closet earlier this year. Most people I’ve met online know me by my Twitter handle: Alias Grace.

So, I’m left in social situations with the awkward introduction of, “Hello, I’m Alias Grace aka Kimberly.”

And, after an appropriate amount of introductory conversation, inevitably I’m asked: why Alias Grace?

Here’s the long and short of it. When you’re blogging anonymously, you want a name that’s easy to remember yet reflects who you are. Or at least I did. The following is a breakdown of my thought process:

1. First and foremost, I’m a bookworm;
2. I needed an alias;
3. My middle name is Grace;
4. One of my favourite books is Margaret Atwood’s Alias Grace (hear me reading an excerpt on Seen Reading).

With the help of points 1 and 4, I was simply able to combine the other points into a name that actually had rhyme and reason. And it stuck. Not only that but I kind of built a brand around it.

Work in the online world, finding information through internet searches is key. Google “Kimberly Alias Grace” and you find me. Try the alternative and you’ll just find a UK pop star who swears she never inhaled.

But here’s the rub: a short while ago, in conjunction with the launch of her upcoming book, the real Margaret Atwood appeared on Twitter (see point 4 above).

ZOMG!

This bit is where Frankenstein’s creature comes into play, right? Particularly since the character of Grace Marks in Atwood’s book is a convicted murderer, based on a real person. However Ms. Atwood, if you’re reading this, yes I would squee like a fangirl about that fact alone, but I can promise you that it’s not in an I’m-your-number-one-fan Misery kind of way. I’m just a geek girl bookworm who has been extolling the virtues of reading and literacy through social media (but in a nice way so as not to upset the villagers).

Me > Frankenstein’s creature.

I promise.

That all being said, it’s a whole other ballgame for CocaCola if my husband Cokebaby ever joined Twitter. You might want to hide your bottles now, polar bears.

Your turn. Do you have a nickname or online handle? If so, what’s the story behind the name?