Where the ‘N’ came from!

In the world outside of writing, I’m simply known as Michael, or more often than not, Mike, and am often asked how I’ve come to be Michael ‘N’ Wilton as my pen name…

I was born on August 26 1929 at 9 Eastcombe Avenue, Charlton, which now no longer exists, because the road eventually had to make way for a bypass. My father rushed off and named me Norman Wilton after his brother, a chemist.

My mother didn’t care for the name and called me Michael – which everyone has used ever since. My local Bank manager got over the problem by letting it be known that I was ‘Norman, known as Michael Wilton’.

When I started writing fiction, I adopted the pen name of Michael Roll, as a tribute to my mother’s side of the family. However, I discovered that another writer was already using the pen name and I was about to change it to ‘Michael Wilton’ when I discovered that there were already over twenty Michael Wiltons in the U.S, one of whom was a well-known guitar player! 

So, after reflection, my son Richard persuaded me recently to change my name by deed poll to ‘Michael Norman Wilton’, which would keep everyone happy, and it was all done in a few days, much to my surprise and Michael N Wilton became my official Nom de plume!

So now you know!