Yes, always.

I seriously considered keeping my maiden name when I got married. But when the actual proposal came, I was happy to change it. The year that I was married, many of my friends chose to keep their maiden names. I think our identity is important no matter if we choose to keep our names or change it.

And to add to that, I would be really pissed if I was considered only an extension of my husband and not my own person. And I can totally empathasize that it bothered you.

I write as extension of who I am...not just my husband's wife, but to also to carve out my own identity.