anagram (noun): a word or phrase made by transposing the letters of another word or phrase
I love the idea of hidden or thinly veiled messages in novels – that’s why I enjoy narratives that are thick with symbolism, allegory, etc. One literary device that I don’t see too much of in contemporary genre fiction, however, is the use of anagrams, the jumbling of letters in a word to create a new word with a sometimes deeper (and oftentimes nonsensical) meaning.
My fascination with anagrams started in 2006, at the height of the Lost television show’s popularity. Bad Twin, a tie-in novel to ABC’s hit television series was released, being touted as the last novel written by a popular mystery writer who disappeared on Oceanic Flight 815. I enjoyed the book but I absolutely loved that the author’s name (Gary Troup) was an anagram for Purgatory. That one little anagram and its thinky veiled revelation absolutely made Bad Twin an unforgettable read for me.
After a little searching, I found numerous sites that listed some intriguing anagrams of historic literary figures:
• Henry David Thoreau = A Very Hidden Author
• William Shakespeare = I'll Make a Wise Phrase
• Edgar Allan Poe = Pen a Large Load
• Emily Dickinson = Income is Kindly
• Truman Capote = Teacup Matron
• Albert Camus = Macabre Lust
It got me to thinking about whether there were some kind of revelatory wisdom in the anagrams of my favorite authors’ names. I fed a few names of some popular genre fiction novelists through an online anagram generator and this is what I found:
Paranormal Fantasy Luminaries
• Seanan McGuire = Sanguine Cream, Ceasing Manure
• Nicole Peeler = Epic Eel Loner
• Faith Hunter = Hath Fire Nut
• Kim Harrison = Sir Monk Hair, A Rhino Smirk
• Jeanne C. Stein = Eject Nannies
• Kevin Hearne = In Here, Knave
• Kelly Meding = Milky Legend
• Marcus Pelegrimas = Clumsier Rampages
• Richard Kadrey = Dark Rich Ready
• Jennifer Estep = Fine Pen Jester
• Mark Henry = Rank Rhyme
• Sandy Williams = Mind a Wily Lass
• Laurell K. Hamilton = A Killer Human Toll
• Caitlin Kittredge = Legit Acid Knitter
• Stacia Kane = A Cake Saint
• Carrie Vaughn = Ravage Urchin
• Natasha Rhodes = Hardhat Season, She Hard Sonata, Death Has Sonar
• Kat Richardson = Dark Chains Rot
• Jeaniene Frost = Jester of Inane
• Cherie Priest = Creepier Sh!t
• T.A. Pratt = Apt Tart
• Vicki Pettersson = Spikiest Convert
• Phaedra Weldon = Deadpan Howler
• Justine Musk = Time Junks Us
• Lori Handeland = An Android Hell
• Nancy A. Collins = No Silly Cancan
• Allison Pang = Paling Salon
• Stina Leicht = Ethical Snit, Saltine Itch, Titan Chisel
• Yasmine Galenorn = Eagerly Moans Inn, Ermine Nylon Saga
Science Fiction/Fantasy Luminaries
• George R.R. Martin = A Merging Terror
• R.A. Salvatore = Avatars Lore
• Patrick Rothfuss = A Pitchfork Rusts
• Cat Rambo = Macro Bat
• Douglas Adams = Loud Mad Sagas
• Paolo Bacigalupi = A Biological Pupa
• Ken Scholes = Heckles Son
• Michael Rowe = Hair Welcome, A Heroic Mewl, I Wale Chrome
• John Meaney = Enjoy He-Man
• Rio Youers = Rosier You
• Jon Armstrong = Strong n’ Major
• Thomas S. Roche = Horse Stomach, Chaos Smother
• Jonathan Maberry = Any Abhorrent Jam
• Saladin Ahmed = Handmaids Ale
• Adam Connell = Lance Almond
• Rhiannon Frater = Hater Ran For Inn
• David Oppegaard = A Dapper Diva Dog
• Keith Melton = Think Omelet
• Kirsten Imani Kasai = A Seminarian Ski Kit
• Bryan Thomas Schmidt = Madman Bitchy Shorts
My conclusion? My search for hidden wisdom through the use of anagrams was largely in vain. But it was a highly entertaining way to spend a few hours – and the next time I see Bryan Thomas Schmidt, well, let's just say that I'll have a new nickname for him..... 
Paul Goat Allen has been a full-time book reviewer specializing in genre fiction for the last two decades and has written thousands of reviews for companies like Publishers Weekly, The Chicago Tribune, Kirkus Reviews, and BarnesandNoble.com. He is a member of the National Book Critics Circle.
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This is great, anagrams and author names. I will have to look for an anagram generator.
