Now over to S.G. :
What’s In a Name?
Is naming your characters a joy or a chore?
Charles Dickens had a way with names. Many of his characters had odd, but
memorable monikers, such as Wopsie, Winkle, and Spottletoe. Some were more descriptive, like the
bombastic Mr. Bumble or the festive Mr. Fezziwig. Author JK Rowling has fun with her character names,
too. Gossip columnist Rita Skeeter
connotes an annoying mosquito and the cruel Dolores Umbridge isn’t that far a
stretch from the word umbrage.
Strangely enough, I find it easier to name
secondary or tertiary characters than the main ones. Perhaps it’s because I feel some sort of pressure to make my
main characters somewhat dignified, approachable, or attractive. Since that
impression is subjective, it always takes me longer to decide which way to go.
Is it just me?
Even though naming my main characters is
always a bit of a challenge, picking names for the remaining residents of my stories
is a delight. My creativity is
unfettered and my humor comes to the forefront.
In my latest fantasy release, Tournament
of Chance, my protagonists’ names are the relatively straightforward
Heather, Dane, and Joe. Some of
the minor characters, however, have more amusing names like Gumm the troll,
Towcheez the fairy, and the one-eyed chef, Piers. Fun details won’t save a weak
storyline, but a strong plot can be further enhanced with a little
imagination.
As a reader, do you feel memorable names
increase your enjoyment of a novel, or are they a distraction? As an author, do you agonize over your
cast of characters?
After all, a rose by any other name might
just be fantastic.
~ S.G. Rogers
In Tournament
of Chance,
a hunter’s daughter becomes the spark that ignites a revolution—in time.
When a beautiful commoner enters the Tournament
of Chance archery competition, her thwarted victory sparks a revolution in the
oppressive kingdom of Destiny. Although Heather never believed the legends
about the restoration of Ormaria, after three shape-shifting Ormarian wizards
awaken from a long magical slumber, she joins their perilous quest to regain
the throne. Heather battles vicious predators and angry trolls to free the
wizards’ magic, but at a horrendous cost. She is unexpectedly torn from the
arms of the man she loves and hurled back in time to fulfill a prophecy not yet
written. The ensuing maelstrom tests Heather’s survival skills, wits, and
endurance. Will she become an unwritten footnote in history, or can she trust
the magic to lead her back to her one true love?
Now available at Musa Publishing
Author Links:
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5 comments:
Looks like you hit the target with this read, Suzanne! Best wishes on all your publishing ventures, and boy are you one busy author! Cheers!
Great little post. Names are super important to readers and writers.
Roald Dahl was another great one with names. Really enjoyed this post, S.G.
Thanks for dropping by Sharon and Ann.
Makes me want to think up some quirky names for my next book. Congrats, Suzanne!
Quirky is always good, Rita :D
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