Namestorming

In my exhaustive search for the best southern name ever for a continuing character I plan to introduce in my next thriller, I ran across an article called “Namestorming” by Lisa Tribolo. It’s a great article and it reinforces the importance of choosing the right name for your characters. Like naming a baby, the moniker will follow that character for the rest of his or her life.

But what I really loved was the whole concept of namestorming—brainstorming for the perfect name. Because let's face it, names do make an impression. A great name affects the reader on both a conscious and subconscious level. Even changing the spelling of a common name--Emily, Emilie, Emilee--can create a completely different perception of the character.

Think of some of your favorite continuing characters and how their names help you perceive them. Could James Lee Burke’s alcoholic Cajun detective be called anything but Dave Robicheaux? You can almost smell the bayou when you say his name aloud. Or how about Amelia Peabody, the Victorian-era spinster daughter of a reclusive scholar created by Elizabeth Peters? Can you not picture Amelia serving tea in the drawing room of an English country estate (whilst secretly daydreaming about her next trip to Egypt)? The name suits her perfectly. As does Nina Zero, the ex-con, celebrity-paparazza protagonist in Robert M. Eversz's stylish noir punk series by the same name.

Names do matter. That’s why I’m agonizing long and hard over the one I give my continuing character because it’s my hope she’ll be around for a while. And I want my readers to remember her long after they finish the book.

The Killing Moon

The one question writers are most often asked is: Where do you get your ideas? The answer, of course, is everywhere--the news, movies, dreams, real life. Back in the eighties when I first began to seriously consider a professional writing career, music was a huge influence on me. My first book was inspired by the Echo and the Bunnymen song, "The Killing Moon." It's still one of my favorite songs, and after twenty-something years, it's held up a helluva lot better than my book.

So without further ado, I present the cheesy eighties cover of my very first book, and the still fabulous video of "The Killing Moon".

A Tribute to Villains

I mentioned in an earlier blog that B. J. Daniels, Joanna Wayne and I gave a workshop entitled “Killers to Die For” at the RT Conference. As we were preparing for our presentation, we surprised ourselves by how differently we three view our villains. Which shouldn’t have surprised us, considering we have very different writing styles.

B. J. likes to write what she calls a ‘soft’ villain, someone who does bad things because he or she has been backed into a corner. Someone who is, more often than not, personally connected to the protagonist.

Joanna prefers the psychological villain, the kind who likes to get inside his victims’ heads and mess with their minds. This person usually gets off on the game as much as he does the kill.

I’m more into the deranged, scary, psycho villain. The predator without a conscience. These whack jobs scare me the most because you can’t protect yourself from them. If you fall into their specific criteria, they’ll find you.

I'd love to hear what type of villain you prefer and who your all-time favorite bad guy is.

And now for my tribute to villains:

April Contest Winner

Congratulations to Eva whose name was drawn in my April book and T-shirt giveaway!