Choosing Characters Names - CrimeSpace2024-03-29T11:53:10Zhttps://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/537324:Topic:87294?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A87598&feed=yes&xn_auth=noIntercourse and Bird-in-Hand…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-11-01:537324:Comment:881622007-11-01T00:23:28.577ZDana Kinghttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DanaKing
Intercourse and Bird-in-Hand are both just down the road from Blue Ball. Really.
Intercourse and Bird-in-Hand are both just down the road from Blue Ball. Really. Truth or Consequences (NM) wa…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-10-31:537324:Comment:879182007-10-31T13:42:56.036ZI. J. Parkerhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Truth or Consequences (NM) was named after the game show -- for substantial support from the Television folks. Some names aren't cheap.
Truth or Consequences (NM) was named after the game show -- for substantial support from the Television folks. Some names aren't cheap. I opt for the names that ador…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-10-31:537324:Comment:879082007-10-31T13:15:35.861ZJana Oliverhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JanaOliver
I opt for the names that adorn all the Spam I receive offering to enhance a portion of anatomy I do not possess. Like Pescadero Thompson and Euphrates Talent. As mentioned above, you don't dare use too many of them in a book, but one or two adds spice.
I opt for the names that adorn all the Spam I receive offering to enhance a portion of anatomy I do not possess. Like Pescadero Thompson and Euphrates Talent. As mentioned above, you don't dare use too many of them in a book, but one or two adds spice. I sometimes have to use place…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-10-31:537324:Comment:878982007-10-31T11:18:23.045ZRosemary Harrishttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/rovideo
I sometimes have to use placeholders for characters names until they reveal themselves to me a little more, and it's not unusual for me to change a name 3 or 4 times in the course of the writing. I read once that Mario Puzo got the name Corleone from a small town in Sicily. I took a page from his book (ouch) for the one Italian in my mystery and was very glad I did - Chiaramonte. I love it. Everything else I'd tried felt as if I'd lifted it from the Sopranos.<br />
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On other towns...don't forget…
I sometimes have to use placeholders for characters names until they reveal themselves to me a little more, and it's not unusual for me to change a name 3 or 4 times in the course of the writing. I read once that Mario Puzo got the name Corleone from a small town in Sicily. I took a page from his book (ouch) for the one Italian in my mystery and was very glad I did - Chiaramonte. I love it. Everything else I'd tried felt as if I'd lifted it from the Sopranos.<br />
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On other towns...don't forget Bird-in-Hand, which is close to Intercourse (although you don't need a cigarette after) and Truth or Consequences. God. Now there's a good name…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-10-31:537324:Comment:877602007-10-31T02:16:30.481ZDaniel Hatadihttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/danielhatadi
God. Now there's a good name for a kid. Me, I'm legally changing my name to GALACTUS.<br />
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Hopefully Marvel won't sue me.
God. Now there's a good name for a kid. Me, I'm legally changing my name to GALACTUS.<br />
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Hopefully Marvel won't sue me. There are three Sams in my so…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-10-30:537324:Comment:877382007-10-30T23:57:29.770ZJohn McFetridgehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JohnMcF
There are three Sams in my son's class -- two are girls. I'm sure it changes by neighbourhood.<br />
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I live in - and write about - Toronto, a city where half the population is from another country. You can get bus directions in 140 languages. I didn't know there <i>were</i> 140 languages. But it makes for some interesting character names. The police department is somewhat typical of most institutions here, the most veteran members (and top ranking) are almost all Irish or Scottish men, the newest…
There are three Sams in my son's class -- two are girls. I'm sure it changes by neighbourhood.<br />
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I live in - and write about - Toronto, a city where half the population is from another country. You can get bus directions in 140 languages. I didn't know there <i>were</i> 140 languages. But it makes for some interesting character names. The police department is somewhat typical of most institutions here, the most veteran members (and top ranking) are almost all Irish or Scottish men, the newest members pretty much evenly split between men and women and with names from all over the world.<br />
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The RCMP is interesting, too, because as a federal institutions its top ranks need to be bilingual - which nine times out of ten means a french guy who learned english. And they have a special program for hiring native people, but it's new so most of them are fairly young. And yeah, have names like Armstrong and Jones and Robinson. What's interesting about that…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-10-30:537324:Comment:877022007-10-30T21:31:43.016ZSandra Ruttanhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Sandramre
What's interesting about that is, many Natives actually have very common traditional English names. I have a book here by Chief Dan George. When I toured Tuktoyuktuk our tour guide's name was - I kid you not - Ricky Martin. I spent three years living on Thetis Island, which is co-serviced by the BC Ferry that runs to the Kuper Island Reserve. Tal James was probably the most non-"English" name I encountered. Doesn't mean others didn't have more traditional Native names, but I don't buy it. Even…
What's interesting about that is, many Natives actually have very common traditional English names. I have a book here by Chief Dan George. When I toured Tuktoyuktuk our tour guide's name was - I kid you not - Ricky Martin. I spent three years living on Thetis Island, which is co-serviced by the BC Ferry that runs to the Kuper Island Reserve. Tal James was probably the most non-"English" name I encountered. Doesn't mean others didn't have more traditional Native names, but I don't buy it. Even as a kid in school, the few Native girls that came for a few years were named Patti and Susie.<br />
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And I'm not a frozen drunk. My hot temper makes that impossible. ;) The gender-neutral name thing…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-10-30:537324:Comment:877002007-10-30T21:25:53.323ZSandra Ruttanhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Sandramre
The gender-neutral name thing drives me nuts as well. Every other female lead seems to be named Alex or Sam. Now, if there's a reason for it, fine. But as someone who actually worked with children - and over the past decade I've easily worked with over a thousand kids - I've worked with exactly one Samantha. A few Alexandras. Far more Jessicas and Emilys and Emmas and Kaitlins.<br />
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In the same way, I'm not likely going to name a child in a book Elma or Bertha without a damn good reason. Those…
The gender-neutral name thing drives me nuts as well. Every other female lead seems to be named Alex or Sam. Now, if there's a reason for it, fine. But as someone who actually worked with children - and over the past decade I've easily worked with over a thousand kids - I've worked with exactly one Samantha. A few Alexandras. Far more Jessicas and Emilys and Emmas and Kaitlins.<br />
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In the same way, I'm not likely going to name a child in a book Elma or Bertha without a damn good reason. Those names just aren't used as commonly now. We can go toe to toe with tha…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-10-30:537324:Comment:876982007-10-30T21:20:39.978ZSandra Ruttanhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Sandramre
We can go toe to toe with that. Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump, for starters. Vulcan, Alberta. Weird-ass prairie town names.<br />
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There's a town in the US called Intercourse. Now I'm just waiting for the character.
We can go toe to toe with that. Head-Smashed-In-Buffalo-Jump, for starters. Vulcan, Alberta. Weird-ass prairie town names.<br />
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There's a town in the US called Intercourse. Now I'm just waiting for the character. The others are towns in the U…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-10-30:537324:Comment:876882007-10-30T20:48:17.594ZDonna Moorehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DonnaMoore
The others are towns in the UK - I've had the pleasure of visiting Bell End :o)
The others are towns in the UK - I've had the pleasure of visiting Bell End :o)