I’m excited to feature fellow Wench of
Words, S.G. Rogers, an author of speculative fiction, as well as a young adult
author, on my blog today! Take it away, S.G…
What’s In a Name?
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.
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
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: http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=396
Author Links:
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/SuzanneGRogers
It's great to be a wench, Sharon! Thanks so much for having me on your blog. :-D
ReplyDeleteWe wenches sure know how to live life, Suzanne! You're welcome back anytime! Cheers and best wishes for a stellar publishing career!
DeleteEnjoyed reading your thoughts on naming your characters. I use names of people I've met or known well, just to add a little personalization to my characters. Sometimes I'll change a name around a bit but it's obvious to me who the character is named after.
ReplyDeleteIf I name a character after someone I know, I make sure it's one of the good guys!
DeleteGood post, S.G. I usually stab my finger in the phone book.:) Tournament of Chance is going to make a perfect birthday gift for my granddaughter.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sloane!
DeleteThe phone book, Sloane! Uh huh. For my contemporary romantic suspense, that's fine, but for Regencies, well...they have specific rules with very little choice. I think Gumm for the troll is just right. A great change from my wretched Carolines and Elizabeths. Sigh. Obviously writing in the wrong genre.
ReplyDeleteHi other Wenches!
My current project is a Victorian romance, Vonnie, and you're so right about the constraints! I admire the discipline and research it takes to write in the Regency genre. For me, it's been a tough slog.
DeleteI love the sound of this book, and the art work is brilliant.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Amaleen! I'm very pleased with the cover.
DeleteI love coming up with names. Sometimes it's something I see that inspires me, sometimes I look at meaning, but I usually have to have the names of my main characters before beginning to write. :)
ReplyDeleteAnother great look at a Wenches with Words book....
I'm like that too, Eleni - to me, it gives the character life. Cheers for popping by!
DeleteI agree, Eleni. I have to have the names right before I can go forward. Once, I had to change the name of a main character because I realized it was too similar to a name of another character I couldn't alter. And that was after the whole manuscript was complete!
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