rod griffiths

Rod Griffiths writes short stories and novels and helps other people edit their work. He is also a founding Director of Black Pear Press.

Who am I?

Rod Griffiths or Rod Whitebeard

Some writers use different names for different genres. Using a pen name in that way does two things, it gives the writer a degree of anonymity and it allows the reader to make a more informed selection. I use the name Rod Griffiths when writing genre-less fiction. In Side Effect I invented a drug that does not exist, that has a side effect that makes it much more difficult to spot — a plausible medical mystery. In Aimless Fear I wrote a thriller where the bad guy is an evil spirit, and a lone village policeman finds himself trying to solve the mystery. Without the supernatural evil and multiple deaths, it could have been a cosy mystery. In Triple Trouble my main characters are teenage triplets who happen to be telepathic, but they ride horses or sail boats the way anyone would. It is possible to write stories where many elements are entirely imaginary, but I think that makes it harder for the reader to identify with the characters. I forget who said fiction is made up truth, but that is a notion I agree with. I want my fiction to feel real. I want my characters to feel like ordinary people who have extraordinary things thrown at them and grapple with them as best they can.

If someone reads one of my Science/fantasy books and would like to read another, I think it is only fair to use the same name. On the other hand, if someone likes one of my contemporary romance stories, then to find another, look for Rod Whitebeard not Rod Griffiths. If you google Rod Griffiths you will find someone with a medical science background. If you google Rod Whitebeard you find references to some of my romance stories and novels.