Charles Warren Stoddard (August 7, 1843 - April 23, 1909) was an American author and editor best known for his travel books about Polynesian life. Stoddard began writing verses at a young age amid the growing literary climate of California. His first published work saw print in The Golden Era for September 1862 under the pseudonym Pip Pepperpod . He later recalled how he clandestinely slipped his contribution into the Era’s mailbox without anyone knowing: No member of my family suspected that I was so bold as to dream of entering the circle of the elect who wrote regularly every week for the chief literary organ west of the Rocky Mountains .