Lilleypadgifts
its insanely stupid for me to reply months later, I didn't come here much I am doing a house up :)
.. the authors system can be a pain if one just doesn't want to do it like that..

The original design by Moku was done in this way because it eases the way the data is held... I used to run two logged in browser windows of admin, one to add authors, the other doing the normal product insertion once the new author is in.

The authors search sidebox does just list authors in alpahabetical order.. But if someone wants a another way of searching they can use the normal zencart searchbox to trace products , it should search authors names in its general search.

So use the full authors name otherwise it will give an odd authors sidebox search list just of your first letters.