tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36709846.post2406101808589829659..comments2024-03-27T00:13:45.857-07:00Comments on Tote Bags 'n' Blogs: What's in a Name? -- Anne McAllisterLeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14583249444580245924noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36709846.post-71090956702487920832008-06-23T17:46:00.000-07:002008-06-23T17:46:00.000-07:00Michele, It's comforting to know that it isn't onl...Michele, It's comforting to know that it isn't only authors who obsess about names. I tend not to be fond of names that were "popular" at the beginning of the 20th century. I like some of the good old classic ones, and I tend to like some ethnic ones . . . <BR/><BR/>Like Eamon, Aideen! I'll have to ask Abby if she knows the same 50 year old you do. That would be interesting. Small world -- Anne McAllisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04408045786951555625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36709846.post-59007358157648742332008-06-23T10:32:00.000-07:002008-06-23T10:32:00.000-07:00I'm in the middle of naming names at the moment, A...I'm in the middle of naming names at the moment, Anne and it's really difficult, especially as it's a two-book thing and I need two sets of names NOW. <BR/><BR/>My Sylvie named herself. It's not a name I'd ever have thought of. That is so helpful ... I wish this lot would hurry up and decide what they want to be called so that I can start. :)Liz Fieldinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10464889663853976327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36709846.post-46359931329675253522008-06-23T06:46:00.000-07:002008-06-23T06:46:00.000-07:00Hi Anne,I'm afraid that I would have to agree with...Hi Anne,<BR/><BR/>I'm afraid that I would have to agree with Abby on this one. I'm familiar with two Eamon's. One is a 50 something year old man and yes, he does live at home with his mother...and aunt none the less!! Honest to God, does Abby know this person too??!<BR/>The second 'Eamon' in question is a nice enough man but is so boring I'd rather have root canal done than have to listen to Aideenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04950392332349673188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36709846.post-86451955963997353172008-06-23T01:58:00.000-07:002008-06-23T01:58:00.000-07:00Anne, it's good to know this fixation with names i...Anne, it's good to know this fixation with names is common in writers. I suffer the same thing. Well, suffer probably isn't the right word, but you know what I mean. The name has to be right and the idea of changing a character's name at the end of a book fills me with horror. <BR/><BR/>I started a book with Tessa as a heroine (a name I'd wanted to use for ages). I decided she couldn't be Tessa Annie Westhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16804740491737358014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36709846.post-34750860413651649172008-06-22T22:02:00.000-07:002008-06-22T22:02:00.000-07:00Hi Anne,Loved your post! I am not an author but do...Hi Anne,<BR/><BR/>Loved your post! I am not an author but do love names too. I agree, I correlate the character to it's name in the story. I have read some books where I didn't like the name at first but loved it by the end of the story. <BR/><BR/>Some names I don't like are common ones such as Andrew, Peter, Chris, Dwayne, Ted, etc. I like strong names like Grant, Victor, Pierce, Quinton, LandonMichele L.https://www.blogger.com/profile/15827059770508809460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36709846.post-34273385705077743862008-06-22T20:53:00.000-07:002008-06-22T20:53:00.000-07:00I meant they "weren't" bad. They were very pedestr...I meant they "weren't" bad. They were very pedestrian. Which is not to say that the names my kids have now are off-the-wall. They're not. But they suit them. The 5th grade choices weren't.<BR/><BR/>And no, Brendan wasn't among them.Anne McAllisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04408045786951555625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36709846.post-27407964608719470262008-06-22T20:50:00.000-07:002008-06-22T20:50:00.000-07:00Pat, with nine kids I might have stood a chance of...Pat, with nine kids I might have stood a chance of a Brendan at our house. We didn't get that far. I have a friend who was the eleventh child in his family and got named after one of his older brothers' friend's dog. Fortunately the dog was called Steve!<BR/><BR/>Anne, I think she's a Sophy for sure. I like Sylvie all right, but apparently that's not her name. My fingers know best.<BR/><BR/>Anne McAllisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04408045786951555625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36709846.post-18268423063723482192008-06-22T17:04:00.000-07:002008-06-22T17:04:00.000-07:00I agree. It sounds superficial, but the right name...I agree. It sounds superficial, but the right name for the character is hugely important to me, too. It sounds crazy to non-writers, but it's often the first key to unlocking his/her character. It's almost as though there are real people living in my head but unless I call them by their correct name they won't reveal themselves.<BR/><BR/>I've had all sorts of characters who I initially struggled Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02564152027118499399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36709846.post-44818950755506904622008-06-22T16:42:00.000-07:002008-06-22T16:42:00.000-07:00No way would I have my childrennamed by the fifth ...No way would I have my children<BR/>named by the fifth grade! My fifth grade teacher,Mrs. Robertson would not have allowed it! Besides, Mother had already used quite a few names for my siblings. There were nine of us! In fact, for the last three Daddy let us put names into <BR/>a hat. My suggestions were drawn <BR/>for #s 8 and 9. LOL!<BR/><BR/>Pat CochranPat Cochranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11997396930842831460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36709846.post-25588697235270361862008-06-22T15:37:00.000-07:002008-06-22T15:37:00.000-07:00Ah, Aideen, I totally understand. But I'm always ...Ah, Aideen, I totally understand. But I'm always stumped when it comes to replacing the name in my mind with something else. And I tend never to buy books about heroes with certain names because it just won't work for me. Great names, but not for me.<BR/><BR/>As for the boys, I know what you mean. I did have names, but had at least two for each of them and when I met the boys (and one girl) inAnne McAllisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04408045786951555625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36709846.post-3675369548025421762008-06-22T14:53:00.000-07:002008-06-22T14:53:00.000-07:00Hi Anne,I'm really loving my visits to Tote Bag & ...Hi Anne,<BR/><BR/>I'm really loving my visits to Tote Bag & Blogs lately as the variety of posts are wonderful.<BR/>I attended the first ever Mills & Boon workshop in Ireland last March and was wowed by Abby Green & Trish Wylie.<BR/>When we had questions and answers time my first question was about character names.<BR/>I love romance and will always read it but if a character has a name that I Aideenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04950392332349673188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36709846.post-7734804216458960162008-06-22T12:14:00.000-07:002008-06-22T12:14:00.000-07:00Anna, It's funny that you should say that about Ma...Anna, It's funny that you should say that about Matthew in Untouched, because he never seemed like a Matthew to me when I read him. I hadn't considered an alternative, of course, but he didn't feel especially Matthew-ish. I'll have to rethink him as a Titus.<BR/><BR/>I had the same experience with a hero I wanted to call Raymond. Actually he was going to go by his last name anyway, which was Anne McAllisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04408045786951555625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36709846.post-54345494561453813392008-06-22T11:51:00.000-07:002008-06-22T11:51:00.000-07:00Anne, what a great post! I'm like you - if I don't...Anne, what a great post! I'm like you - if I don't have the name, I don't have the character. I think Sophy is going to win, by the way! There's something about those subconscious proddings! Sometimes with the name I've ALMOST got it, but not quite. Like it's been misfiled somehow. I had a Harriet in one of my manuscripts who was definitely a Hester as I discovered after a couple of chapters. ButAnna Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06695579361323275316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36709846.post-79080133838808549652008-06-22T10:14:00.000-07:002008-06-22T10:14:00.000-07:00Yes, Shari, I'm beginning to think that fingers kn...Yes, Shari, I'm beginning to think that fingers know best. Mine have convinced me that Sylvie is really Sophy.Anne McAllisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04408045786951555625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36709846.post-68335247890347682312008-06-22T09:14:00.000-07:002008-06-22T09:14:00.000-07:00LOL!! Timely post, Anne. I have a character in thi...LOL!! Timely post, Anne. I have a character in this next proposal I'm writing that I want to call Constance, but my fingers keep typing Charlotte. I think I'll let her have her way.Shari Antonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04624755109245094179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36709846.post-47194097476368093572008-06-22T06:42:00.000-07:002008-06-22T06:42:00.000-07:00Mags, we certainly do seem to be kindred spirits! ...Mags, we certainly do seem to be kindred spirits! And yes, I agree about having irrational negative feelings toward names that are perfectly fine -- they just remind me of someone in my past I don't much want to remember (or not happily).Anne McAllisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04408045786951555625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36709846.post-24395871515294101662008-06-22T01:02:00.000-07:002008-06-22T01:02:00.000-07:00Anne, what a great post. We are definitely kindre...Anne, what a great post. We are definitely kindred spirits on the issue of character names.<BR/><BR/>I'm very character driven. Ninety-nine percent of the time everything starts with the people for me. They slip into my head, begin to grow, reveal their backstories, their vulnerabilaties, their issues and match up with what will, when the book is finished, be their perfect partner. Even if Margaret McDonaghhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17311554155441835957noreply@blogger.com