Wednesday 24 October 2012

Wenches of Words Wednesday: S.G. Rogers


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?
 
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
Tournament of Chance 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?
 
Author Links:
 
 
 

13 comments:

  1. It's great to be a wench, Sharon! Thanks so much for having me on your blog. :-D

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    1. We wenches sure know how to live life, Suzanne! You're welcome back anytime! Cheers and best wishes for a stellar publishing career!

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  2. Enjoyed 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.

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    1. If I name a character after someone I know, I make sure it's one of the good guys!

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  3. Good 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.

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  4. The 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.

    Hi other Wenches!

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    1. 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.

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  5. I love the sound of this book, and the art work is brilliant.

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    1. Thank you, Amaleen! I'm very pleased with the cover.

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  6. I 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. :)

    Another great look at a Wenches with Words book....

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    1. I'm like that too, Eleni - to me, it gives the character life. Cheers for popping by!

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    2. I 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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