Revelations and Introductions
Quite a few of you new readers probably don’t know that Mara is not my real name. I have been blogging and posting on the internet as Mara since I was sixteen– spurred by my old username and elf name, Maranwe Telrunya– and the fact that when I started up online, I was young and the internet seemed like a scary place. I decided quite a while ago that when I publish my writing, I would like to use the pseudonym Mara Bjornsson (the last name is a very old spelling of my real last name) because I never thought my real name was very author-y.
But lately, along with revealing more and more of my life on the blog, and becoming more relaxed with posting, and out of the desire to really be “me” around here and not feel like my real life and what I post on the blog are two separate things, I’ve had the desire to use my real name (first name, anyway) and fully merge real life with blog life. Because, no matter how honest I try to be when I post, I still feel like using a pseudonym somewhat separates my blog life with my real life.
I don’t know if it’s odd to you all that I have never revealed my real name on the internet, or if it makes you feel as though I have been playing fake all along. If the latter is the case, I’m so sorry! I have felt lately a little like I’ve been lying to you all, especially as I get to know you better. But let me reassure you, nothing I ever post here is anything but me! I may use discretion for the sake of others, or pull back from posting incredibly personal things because I still think there are some things in life that should be kept off the internet, but everything I post is a part of me.
And as I get more involved in the community of bloggers around me, I feel as though I want to be wholly me online, and not just one side of me.
So, here’s to second introductions. I hope you all will forgive me for my secrecy all this time.
But, before I tell you my name, I would really like to know: what would you have imagined it was, had you known (or if you already know) that my name was not really Mara?
Have a guess? Well, keep it in mind, and tell me in the comments.
And, let me introduce myself (again.) My name is Kristina. I have been writing since I was seven, and someday I hope to publish what I write. I never imagined I would become a fashion blogger, but I absolutely love it. I certainly never expected this blog to gather as many wonderful followers and friends as it has, and I hope that you all will stick around and get to know me and let me get to know you!
{Thrifted} Heels: $12.99 | Cardigan: $2 | Belt: $0.99
{Forever 21} Shirt: $17.80
{Target} Skirt: $5.38
{C/O Mess of a Dreamer Designs} Earrings
{Total}: $39.16
If you have any questions whatsoever, you can comment, email me (marabird@eccentricowl.com), or ask on formspring.
And, I know a few of you (ahem, Picco) want to know Mr. Owl’s real name, but he’d rather I kept that a secret for now. So we’ll just keep calling him Hunky McGorgeous. It’s fitting.
Have a wonderful Tuesday!
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55 Comments
Picco
Wow. Just, wow. I thought we trusted each other enough that I’d never have to question your real name, Mara… I mean, KRISTINA. Is there anything ELSE you’d like to tell me? What, is Santa not real either?
Also, I don’t know if you knew this about me, but my real name isn’t Picco. I know I know, it’s shocking. I guess today is Surprise! I’ve Lied To You About My Real Name All This Time Tuesday. It’s a great day. Put it on your calendar.
So after I found out your real name I was like wait, maybe she’ll tell us what Hunky McGorgeous’ real name is too. And then I kept reading and saw that…ummm…I’m very predicable and you already knew I’d ask that. So you’re psychic too?
Oh, and my sister and I both agree you totally look like a Mara 🙂
Kristina at Eccentric Owl
Hahahaha! Oh, my goodness. Your comment made me giggle SO much! (Santa’s not real. Buahahahaha.)
Totally putting Surprise! I’ve Lied To You About My Real Name All This Time Tuesday on my calendar. It’ll be a new holiday!
I really wanted to! I asked him, and he said “my name is so special, I’d like to keep it a secret.” Maybe someday I’ll convince him to let you all know his real name.
Maybe I look like a Mara because Maranwe is derived from Kristina according to the elf-name generator. 🙂
Alice
Well hello Kristina, I don’t know why but I had a name with K in my head, although I was thinking Katherine or Kirsten. I can’t believe Mara isn’t your name though, I’ve gotta admit I was kind of shocked, but I can understand why chose to do it xo
Kristina at Eccentric Owl
Yeah; after a while, it became such a habit to use Mara that I wondered if it was really worth it to use my real name even. But I just feel like it’s the right time to start going by my own name, since I’m older and the internet isn’t as scary as I thought it would be. 😉
Roshni kalam
Hey, using a pen name isn’t a bad idea though, it was cool… I just wanna know that how did you make your mind to write articles like these, I mean what inspired you any story…..????
Bye the way Kristina is one of my fav. name 😛 🙂
Eccentric Owl
Thank you! I quite like Kristina, too. 😉
I just write about life. No particular inspiration. 🙂
Comy
You have a beautiful name, Kristina. It suits you. I have a friend named Kristina. It’s an awesome name. 🙂
It never really crossed my mind that Mara might not be your real name. It doesn’t matter, at least to me. You are who you are, and what we call you doesn’t change that. 😀
I can’t say that I was shocked. But that was probably because I happen to be slightly emotionally challenged – to great dismay of my friends and family.
My name is Milica, by the way. Don’t worry if you aren’t sure how you’re supposed to pronounce it.
Have a great week! 😀
Eccentric Owl
It IS an awesome name. 😉
I know that people who have come to the blog from my Fiction Press days would know that Mara isn’t my real name (or I’d assume), but y’know. Maybe that’s why you’re not too shocked. 😀
Milica is such a cool name! I would pronounce it “mill-icka” but that’s probably wrong. 😀
Comy
Thanks! 😀
Reading and writing in my language is different and way more simple than in English, so I can’t really explain how it should be pronounced – you’d need to know how the letters themselves are pronounced. It’s nice of you to try though. 🙂
Hey, it’s Friday! Have an awesome weekend Kristina! 😀
Eccentric Owl
Yeah, it’s always hard to explain pronunciation if you’re going from one language to the other!
Yay for Friday! I hope you have a wonderful weekend, too! Thank you!
glamorouslydefined
i absolutely LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE your shoes!
http://www.glamorouslydefined.com
Eccentric Owl
Thank you! So do I. 😉
Sarah With A Bow
Another stunning set of photos. I’m a little jealous, you know.
Also, I’ve been talking with you way less time than others but I feel like I’ve got the Mara-owl connection so deep in my head it will take ages to separate, haha. (: Welcome to your real-life persona online.
Eccentric Owl
Aww, thank you. I have to credit Mr. Owl for the awesome pictures. I’m usually just like “Okay, take the pictures so we can go do stuff!” and he gets all photographer-y and picky about the shots until he has them just right.
Ahahah! It’s actually really, really weird for me to use my real name and see my new signature. I’m still automatically signing things as Mara without thinking about it! It’ll take me a while, too.
Selective Potential
This outfit is so beautiful – I love it! The pattern mixing and colors are perfect. Plus, amazing photos! xo
Kristina at Eccentric Owl
Thank you! This outfit actually reminded me a LOT of you!
Mereana Beconcini
Hi Kristina! I had no idea that Mara wasn’t your real name, I think its cool you feel comfortable to use it now 🙂 Love your outfit today, I especially love your cute shoes 🙂 Nice mix on the patterns too!
Picco’s comment made me laugh too! hilarious, hahahaha
Eccentric Owl
Hello! 🙂 Ah, I think it was getting emails from people like you who loved the blog that made me really want to use my real name. It just feels better this way!
Thank you! I really loved this outfit. It may become a repeat outfit!
Isn’t she great? She always makes me giggle!
tiallarising
Wow. I never would’ve thought of your name being Kristina! I always just figured Mara was your real name, and that it fit you well. I came to think of you as Mara…and wow. Kristina is a beautiful name. I’m so glad you chose to share it with all of us! 🙂
-Tia
Eccentric Owl
I still sign off as Mara sometimes before I catch myself. It’ll take me a while to get used to it, too!
Thank you. 😀
faith
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mariecarolk
I figured somewhere in the back of my mind your name wasn’t Mara, but I thought it’d be something like Elizabeth or Marissa. I like Kristina though 🙂 It’s a very beautiful name.
But now I feel like I should have used a pseudonym; I’m a very non-mysterious sort of person. My real name is Marie Carol…awkward.
PICCO? THAT’S NOT YOUR NAME? *shocked*
mariecarolk
But, uh, not gonna lie. It’s gonna be so hard to not call you “Mara.” And just a little weird… 🙂
Kristina at Eccentric Owl
You can still call me Mara if you want to! I don’t mind!
Picco
I know, right? Who woulda thunk?
Eccentric Owl
Oh, by the way! I forgot to say you would have been pretty close with Elizabeth– that’s my middle name.
So, I’ve always read your name as “Marie Carolk” like “Carolk” is your last name. And I always liked the name Marie. 🙂
Elana Katz
I COMPLETELY understand why you used a pseudo name for so long, sometimes I feel like I share too much personal information and that it’ll come back to bite me one day. Well, I’m glad that you trust your readers enough to share you’re real name, I think it’s brave of you and it’s great to get you know you better 🙂 As for the outfit, this is such a wonderful mix of patterns! I’m kicking myself for not picking up that skirt when I first saw it.
Eccentric Owl
Haha, I know! There have been times when I’ve been writing a blog, and then I go back and wonder if that blog is going to come hit me someday. Thankfully, it usually doesn’t. Or I decide to retract the post before I publish it. 😀
Thank you! Ah, this skirt… it was way too big for me in the first place, but I decided I could do some tailoring and I’m so glad I did! I love it to death!
Violet
It’s funny; the first thing I noticed when I checked your blog this morning was your little side blurb that says, “Hi, my name is…” and saw that it said Kristina, not Mara. For a split-second I thought I was at the wrong blog, but then I read the title and assumed you were revealing your real name. I was pretty amused that I was right! 🙂
Anyway, thanks for the introduction (again). I agree with most people here, where I wouldn’t have even guessed that your real name wasn’t Mara. You really do look like a Mara! Or maybe a Sarah or Beth or Hannah. Kristina’s a pretty name, though. 🙂
My name actually isn’t Violet, but like you, I’ve used the pseudonym for a long time, and my real name isn’t very author-y. Also like you, I find the Internet a scary place to divulge personal information. In fact, when I first started my blog, I didn’t post any pictures of myself for fear of stalkers. A fellow blogger friend finally convinced me that posting pictures of myself made me more relatable.
I still haven’t become comfortable enough to reveal my real name (though I’ve already said a few times on my blog that it ISN’T my real name) or even the state I live in (though if someone really wanted to stalk me, I suppose they could probably put some clues together). But perhaps once I start to get a bigger following, I’ll get more comfortable. 🙂
Thank you for this post, though. It’s good to know I’m not alone in posting a pseudonym on a blog.
Also, I love, love, love your outfit! Those shoes are adorable.
Eccentric Owl
Pictures definitely make you more relatable! And I think it’s funny in retrospect that I post pictures almost daily, yet never put up my real name.
I used to have a blurb in my “about” saying Mara wasn’t my real name, but eventually I figured it didn’t matter too much… and then I felt guilty for not using my real name and here we are! Hehe. It really helps that I’ve been getting to know people in the blogging world; the internet is a lot less scary now!
It’s definitely good to know we’re not the only people who use Pseudonyms!
Thank you. 😀
Georgia Matthews
Considering I already knew your name I feel left out because I can’t be shocked haha. So I’ll just say I absolutely adore this outift (especially the shirt, can I please steal that from you?) and your makeup is absolutely beautiful in this photoshoot too. Maybe doing a tutorial on it would be something cool you could do when you have time.
Also, LETTER -side eyeballing you- I have many things I want to writ to you about so I need another letter so I can write you one back XD
Lots of love <3 xx
Eccentric Owl
hehehe, you and one other commenter knew my real name. 😀
I might do a tutorial on it; it’s super easy to do once you know where to start. Although I still mess up my makeup. Hehe. Ah, I know! I’m still working on the letter. I promise, I’ll try my best to get it mailed out by the end of this week! Although, I might be typing it up instead of hand-writing, because I write faster and easier that way. <3
Salazar
Funny, I saw your comment on my blog signed as Mara/Kristina and I thought “Did she get a contributor?” This explains it 🙂
I applaud your honesty (hey, I’ve been using a fake name too), though I do have to admit I’ve thought of you as Mara for so long that Kristina might take some getting used to. And I agree with Picco, you look like a Mara 😀
Eccentric Owl
Kristina is taking some time for me to get used to, too! I’m just so used to typing Mara that I still forget and sign off with it and then catch myself.
Avra-Sha Faohla
It’s funny. I’ve known your real name for quite a while (since long before you got so popular!), but I’ve always thought of you as Mara anyway. It’s weird to see you using your real name! But I suppose if you use it from now on, I’ll get used to using it too, and probably faster than the others because I knew it already. 😉
I don’t think I’ll ever reveal my real name on my blog because I’m really wary of the Internet! Every time I’m starting to relax because no creepy people seem to be stalking me, I hear another scary story about someone just like me! I think it’s safer for you, though, to reveal personal information.
Eccentric Owl
I think of myself as Mara in regards to this blog, so I know what you mean! It’s weird for me to see the new signature with Kristina instead of Mara.
It probably is safer for me, and I’ve never had any strange followers or stalkers (yet), so I’m not too afraid. Besides, I don’t reveal my address publicly, so there isn’t a way for people to find me unless they somehow wrangle it out of me.
myidahohome
Since I started reading blogs yours is one I’ve read the longest. I loved your name, it sounded sorta Biblical or something. So I tried to guess your name and I could only think of Rebecca, hmmm…wrong. I would never have guessed a name that started with a K, even though I’m a Kathy. I understand your caution of revealing too much on the internet, but I also appreciate your honesty in letting us know the truth. I think you are beautiful and if I had a daughter, she would be like you. Oh, I also appreciate your honesty about diet, weight etc. on a previous post. That took courage.
Eccentric Owl
Thank you so much! That is so sweet of you to say. I love the name Rebecca, so it makes me happy that you would think that.
Emily B.
Oh wow, my mind has been blown. I never thought for a second that Mara wasn’t your real name! Though I can completely understand not wanting to reveal your real name on the internet. Kristina is a very lovely name though.
I love this outfit- your shoes are adorable.
Eccentric Owl
I was wondering how many people would be shocked. Hehe. But thank you!
Feathers & Freckles
Well, hello Kristina 🙂 I never knew! You look absolutely beautiful and I love that skirt. Also, those heels?! I scrolled down so I could see where you bought them and I was going to click that link so fast and pull out my wallet. I seriously think those are the best thrifted things ever. In the history of thrifting.
Eccentric Owl
Thank you!
Ahaha, I know! I love these shoes so much, and I wish I knew where I could buy shoes like them! Modcloth used to have shoes in a similar style, but I haven’t seen any lately. Which makes me sad.
kristina!
oh my goodness! we’re name buddies! 😀
i’m a Kristina too, so i guess i’m a little biased when i say i love your name (;
gorgeous outfit as always!
and those earrings! i love them!
Eccentric Owl
Aww! That’s awesome! Hehe. Yes, Kristina really is the best name. 😉
Thank you!
Jeanne
What news!! I actually knew Mara wasn’t your real name, and where it came from, but it kind of slipped into a lower kind of consciousness… Because you started using just “Mara” as your name, I began to assume that it was at least very close to your real name, which I imagined being something starting with M and ending with A (though now that I try and think up concrete names, they’re not that obvious: Marina, Marlena… LOL ! that’s not you).
Kristina is very pretty, anyway. I think I’m surprised it sounds so… Scandinavian, or Slavic! (The spelling.) ^_^ My mom as well as one of my best friends are both called Christine (French version). I also have characters named Krystyna (Polish version) and Christine in two of my on-going novel projects.
Eccentric Owl
Yeah, I figured a few people would know. I used to have a blurb about how it wasn’t my real name, but eventually I rewrote my about page and it didn’t fit any more.
Thank you! I am not sure why my parents chose the K version of the spelling, but I like it, too. And Krystyna is such a cool spelling!
Jamie Rose
I think it’s so cool that you have an internet pseudonym! I actually wouldn’t have guessed that Mara isn’t your real name, but since I’m used to it I think it really suits you.
Also, you look so pretty in this outfit. I always love a nice mix of blue and red. Those prints look so nice together too.
Eccentric Owl
Thank you! I loved this outfit.
BethieWood
I have tried and tried and tried to comment here, but each time I do, the internet goes turncoat and does not allow me!!
Hello, Kristina! It is wonderful to meet you again, in a more transparent manner! You reasons for waiting so long to reveal your real name are perfectly understandable, and you should feel no regret for caution. I started talking to people I didn’t know on Neopet forums when I was 14 and 15, and I always went by Byrd. People were shocked to discover my real name when I finally revealed it.
I think your name is very pretty and suits you, but in a surprising way. I never would have guessed you were a Kristina, just like I imagined your voice to be very different from your vlogs. I did have a few guesses before you told us. The top was Catherine/Katherine, followed by Elise, Ellie, or Evelyn. But the more I think about it, Kristina suits you best. 🙂
Eccentric Owl
Yay, it let you comment!
Haha, I know, the amount of people who never guessed is almost amusing.
I love all the guesses! I have a niece named Elise, actually, so hey… that’s in the family!
kelly loh
Yarg I want this outfit! It’s so cute. You found that skirt at Target? I’ll have to be more thorough when I go through their racks now haha.
(“Yarg”? I guess I’m a pirate.)
Meanz Chan
Well it’s nice to meet you Kristina! I feel like I’ve been too absent from your blog lately, that’s why I am leaving you a load of comments, and of course to show you how much I just adore your blog and style. Anyways, I love this outfit, it’s very sailor-esque, and I am absolutely in love with those heels!
shree
Oo..hello there Kristina! I agree with some of the comments here…you really do look like a Mara…and maybe a little of a Kristina too 😉
Aria Grace
I am desperately looking for a copy of My Beloved. Are you publishing, can I buy it somewhere, is it available online somewhere. Please tell me. I have emailed multiple times, but I suspect you are no longer using the email linked to FictionPress. Please!
Jessica at ThePyreflies
Just now reading this because I looked at your about page… that’s awesome you had a fake name. i did too. When I was little I used to go by “Ayu.” I also started blogging when I was 10-11 and my sister made me use a fake name, just for security/privacy concerns. I didn’t reveal to my friends that my real name was Jessica until I was a bit older, maybe like 16. Craaaazy. So glad to know I wasn’t the only one 🙂