Everything and nothing.
Fair Juliet does not have the corner on questioning the purpose of a name. Writers do it all the time. We often ponder the use of pen names to distance ourselves from our writing should Aunt Edna read that steamy chick lit novel we wrote. Or Holy Wow, what would we do if Nana picked up a copy of our latest murder mystery?
Writers choose anonymity over accolades for many reasons. Names that are difficult to pronounce or spell may be exchanged for simpler ones. Likewise, common names can be as annoying as off the wall ones to potential authors. Gender, genre or ethnicity may also play a role in whether we trade up or not.
My pen name is a tribute to my children. Whenever I see it written, I feel like my kids are with me and in my writing. That is a powerful thing. C, A and T are the first initials of my first three babies (though being seventeen makes it debatable that Eldest is a baby), while Woods is the middle name of my youngest. It also happens to be my maternal grandmother’s maiden name.
All in all, it has everything a good pseudonym should have. It’s easy to pronounce, nearly impossible to misspell and has a nice unforgettable ring to it.
I am Cat. Hear me roar!
Words from the Woods 
I like reading about how other writers come up with their pen names!
I do, too!