I have been going over in my head this "pen name" I have... not that it matters at this point, but am I really feeling like Ava Pavlova? I came up with it through a year long career as a tantra goddess. Like my other former occupation, as an exotic dancer, I am used to using any name I please. Once it was Juliette, then it was Ava... and now... a last name. To avoid sounding like a drag queen gone wrong, I figured I'd draw on my Russian heritage. I mean, my grandfather's family was from Odessa, and, well, the Russian name was shortened when they arrived to the States. Still, it doesn't carry the romantic sparkle like "Pavlova" (the famous ballerina). I have a few thoughts for new names, but, maybe I am just kind of used to Ava. When I think of changing it, I feel, well, attached. And French names can turn into drag queeny names very very easily. Two queens in my past life dubbed me: One liked to call me "Fifi Leroux"-- and the other called me "Dorothy L'amour". Neither of those would I take seriously. Besides, I am not a fraction of French in my DNA... no... I am some kind of Russian-Slavic soup... I am built for borscht and pierogies, I can slog down vodka like it's water, I am strong like bull and graceful like swan. Ava Pavlova. I kind of like the ring to it.