It’s all in the name, right?
Readers often ask us where we get the names for our cozy mystery characters and if any of them are real. Heavens! Not if we can help it. Our characters tend to be so over-the-top that if we did use a real name, we’d worry about a lawsuit!
We do, however, use first names from family and friends but not in major character roles. We tend to reserve those names to fit the roles. And frankly, it’s not easy. Sometimes we create a character and then try to come up with a name for him or her. At other times, the name just pops into one of our heads and then we begin to come up with a physical description, character traits, and past history. Also a reason to commit murder, or wind up being the victim.
We’ll give you two examples and have you think about them for a minute. Here goes: Savannah Jones and Eunice Cranklemeyer
We’ll bet you come up with two entirely different characters like we did.
So where do we get our names? Well, to be honest – Everywhere!
We hear names in passing that are so intriguing that we write them down and wind up putting them in our books. Two of our names came from readers we met at book signings. Their first names were so neat that we had to use them – Vernadeen and Hestherlee.
Four first names came straight out of the Sun City West Dog Park, along with requests to “put my name in the title” and “make sure I get a movie role if your book goes anywhere.”
We find names from the Realtor listings in our local newspaper. The Phoenix area has a zillion real estate agents and it’s a regular bounty when we check out the names.
Since we live in a retirement community with a plethora of clubs, we scour the club lists for names, too. That’s how we discovered the names for our book club ladies in the Sophie Kimball Mysteries.
Church and synagogue bulletins have an amazing array of names as well. One of the things we do is mix-and-match a first name from one person with a last name from another. We’ll also add an extra letter or two to make it original.
We’ve learned that popular names seem to vary by decade so when we create a millennial character, we find names like Ashley, Amanda, Jessica, Michael, Tyler, or Ryder. Character names from the 1950s are easier – Mary, Patty, Linda, Robert, John and Paul. Post Woodstock names are fun, too – Rain, April, Stormi, Lavender, Sage, and Windy.
Our favorites are the names from the turn of the twentieth century – Grace, Hazel, Mildred, Florence, Clarence, Harold, Albert and Walter.
All of the names we use require thought. From the delivery guy to the CEO of a major corporation. After all, one of them could be our killer. And as for the pets in our series, their names are equally important as well but at least we don’t have to worry that one of them will come after us for libel when we mention “Scruffy got into a fight with Buddy.” Especially since there are at least half a dozen “Buddys” and “Scruffys” in our neck of the woods.
We do keep a running list of possible names in our “murder notebook,” so if you have any ideas you’d like to share, please feel free to let us know! Our website is jceatonmysteries.com and you can find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as well.
Happy character naming!
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Molded 4 Murder (Sophie Kimball Mystery) by J.C. Eaton
About Molded 4 Murder
Cozy Mystery
5th in Series
Kensington (August 27, 2019)
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
ISBN-10: 1496719905
ISBN-13: 978-1496719904
Digital ASIN: B07L2FJ1PN
A view to a kiln …
Sophie “Phee” Kimball enjoys working as a bookkeeper for a private investigator. If only her mother Harriet could enjoy her retirement at Sun City West in Arizona—instead of constantly getting involved with retirees being prematurely put out to pasture. This time Quentin Dussler, a prominent member of the clay sculpting club, was found dead, clutching a piece of paper scrawled with Phee’s mother’s name.
Terrified she’s been targeted by assassins, Harriet begs Phee to investigate. What Phee uncovers is a complicated scheme that only the most diabolical of murderers would ever devise. And as she chisels away at confusing clues and potential suspects, Phee unearths something far more precious and valuable than she could imagine. Eager for answers, she takes a bold step—placing herself in the crosshairs of a stonefaced killer …
About the Authors
Ann I. Goldfarb
New York native Ann I. Goldfarb spent most of her life in education, first as a classroom teacher and later as a middle school principal and professional staff developer. Writing as J. C. Eaton, along with her husband, James Clapp, she has authored the Sophie Kimball Mysteries (Kensington) was released in June 2017. In addition, Ann has nine published YA time travel mysteries under her own name. Visit the websites at www.jceatonauthor.com and www.timetravelmysteries.com
James E. Clapp
When James E. Clapp retired as the tasting room manager for a large upstate New York winery, he never imagined he’d be co-authoring cozy mysteries with his wife, Ann I. Goldfarb. His first novel, Booked 4 Murder
(Kensington) was released in June 2017. Non-fiction in the form of informational brochures and workshop materials treating the winery industry were his forte along with an extensive background and experience in construction that started with his service in the U.S. Navy and included vocational school classroom teaching.
(Kensington) was released in June 2017. Non-fiction in the form of informational brochures and workshop materials treating the winery industry were his forte along with an extensive background and experience in construction that started with his service in the U.S. Navy and included vocational school classroom teaching.
Visit their website at www.jceatonauthor.com and Like and Follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JCEatonauthor/
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Thank you for being part of the book tour for "Molded 4 Murder" by J.C. Eaton.
ReplyDeleteAdore the cover and can't wait for the opportunity to read this book on my TBR list.
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