Naming Characters

Naming characters isn't easy. There are some basic rules for naming characters in a romance novel:

1. In contemporary realistic fiction, the names has to be common enough that most readers can pronounce it. It's annoying to have to guess at how to say the name. It took me forever to get Declan right (DECK-lan, not DE-clan,) and that mostly happened because my friend named her son Declan. Nah, who am I kidding? I totally still say De-clan. Once you get it wrong, there's no going back. Fantasy and science fiction don't have to abide by this rule, though your made-up names should be phonetically accurate. Don't go throwing a silent S in there.
2. Names need to fit the character's personality. If she's quirky, the name has to be
   
   quirky. For example, in Re/Viewed, my heroine's name is Tru, which is short for Gertrude. This tells you that her family is traditional, but she breaks the mold. Jessica from SAFE Security/Forging Love was named after a cat my mom had. She was feisty and a fighter, but sweet and loving at the same time, which fits the character.
3. I need to keep a list of all the characters I've ever used in a series, for parts large and small, because I don't want to confuse readers by using names a second time.

Complicating this issue are rules based on personal preferences.

1. I can't pick names that are very popular today or in the last 18 years. I can't read romances where the main characters have my kids' names. It doesn't matter how much I like the author. I'm sure other people are the same. You don't want to read a story where the heroine is moaning your son's name or the hero is telling someone with your daughter's name how sexy she looks in that lingerie. I'll never use my kids' names in a book, not even for a supporting character.
2. Then there are the names of other people you know well. I still have trouble with David (Re/Leased, Treasure Me, Switching It Up) because I have two cousins with that name (different sides of the family.) David was named by a reader who won a contest, and she chose to name him after her husband. My gut reaction was to scream, "NO! I changed their diapers!" but it was a contest, and the only guideline I gave was that the last name needed to start with an E. She chose Eastridge. She also named Autumn/Brea, but I got over that one quickly. I've only met a few Autumns in my time, and none were relatives.
   
   
3. As a teacher, so many names are out-of-bounds at different times. One recurring nightmare I have is when I write a character who has a name that hasn't appeared in my classroom, and then the next year, before I'm finished writing the novel, I get a student with that name. Oh, wait. That happens all the time. Awkward. Name popularity comes in waves, so I'll use a name once they fall out of favor and the kid has faded from my memory, like Darcy, Katrina, Amy, Jessica, or Breanna. Fifteen years ago, I had 2-3 per class. Now I have none. Right now, I'm avoiding Hayden, Chloe, and anything that uses "Maddie" or "Mack" as a nickname. I have at least 6 of each right now.

What does that leave me? A lot, actually. I spend a lot of time on babynames.com or on a fake name generator site to find names. Sometimes I'll watch the closing credits of a movie to harvest names. Either way, it usually works out.

In other news: Re/Leased is on sale this month for 99 cents. If you haven't read the series, this is a great jumping-on point, as it introduces new characters and a new storyline. It's the story that launched the SAFE Security series, so if you like David and Autumn, you'll be happy to know their story continues in two more novels. (It's not a trilogy. No cliffhangers. These are complete, self-contained stories.)

It's on sale because my street team, Read Between the Wines is featuring it as the Book of the Month. I'll be doing a live chat in that group on Sept 28, and I hope to see you there.

Re/Viewed (Doms of the FBI 6) by Michele Zurlo

I have a new release out this month, the sixth installment of my Doms of the FBI series.

Blurb:

As a writer for The Eclectic Traveler, adventuresome daredevil Tru Martin indulges her penchant for travel and thrills of all sorts. After her discovery of a murder victim brings two sexy FBI agents into her life, Tru suggests combining their efforts instead of letting their interest in her divide them.

With a murderer on the loose and a crime ring known as The Eye to bring down, Jed Kinsley and Liam Adair are game to give it a try. Though Liam is new to the lifestyle, Jed is an experienced Dom, and the trio goes undercover to a private, fetish-friendly inn and there assume the roles of a submissive and her two Doms. As the investigation heats up, so does their chemistry. Jed and Liam soon discover they want more from this uniquely sensual woman, and they’ll do whatever it takes to make her fall in love with them.

Warnings: Menage, D/s, anal sex, double penetration, base jumping, and an unpredictable sixth sense 

PG Excerpt/Tru's POV:

A low chuckle vibrated from his chest, and he resumed his quest for a kiss. His lips had barely grazed hers when they were interrupted.

“Seriously? This is how you keep an eye on her?”

Tru looked over to see Liam standing two feet away, hands on hips, and waves of anger emanating from his tight expression. She hadn’t expected to see him ever again. Her jaw dropped, and she jerked away from Jed’s kiss. “Liam?”

“I see you do remember me.” He came closer and directed the entirety of his ire at Jed. Rage simmered below the surface, giving her a first glimpse at just how powerful he could be. She’d known he was strong, and she’d suspected he was dominant, but she hadn’t realized that he had a dangerous edge. “I asked you to watch her, to be there for her, not to make a move on her.” His fists clenched and flexed, thick tendons clamoring to make contact with Jed’s face.

Though it looked like they were evenly matched, Jed didn’t appear concerned about the physical threat Liam posed. He released one of her hands in order to face Liam, but he kept hold of her other one. “You left. You didn’t bother to tell her you were going, and the two times you’ve called, you haven’t asked about her. We both assumed you’d moved on.”

“Well, I didn’t.”

Shocked that Liam thought he had a claim, Tru didn’t know what to make of his jealousy. She’d liked him, but he’d left, exiting her life without saying goodbye. Whatever the issue and her role in it, she didn’t want to see them come to blows. “Liam, it was one kiss, not a promise or commitment. I mean, you said you’d see me for breakfast, and when I stopped by your room, I found out that you’d gone.”

“And that’s when Jed moved in. He sensed a weakness, and he took advantage of it.” His blue eyes flashed like a storm in the night.

“Hold up.” Jed put up a cautioning hand. “That’s not how it happened. I told her that you were gone, and later we went kayaking together. We hit it off, and the rest is history. You know the saying—once you have black, you never go back.”

Liam’s lips became a slash, the lightning of his internal storm. “You’re half Asian, asshole, a quarter white, and only a quarter black. That saying is stupid for a lot of reasons, and not just because it’s on the list of crap you say.”

Tru had wondered about the ingredients of Jed’s multiracial makeup, but she hadn’t asked because she felt it wasn’t her business unless he wanted to tell her. Right now she had other concerns. Jed dropped her hand and took a step toward Liam. Sliding between them, she parked one hand on Liam’s chest and the other on Jed’s. “Gentlemen, let’s not hurl insults. Really, there’s nothing to get upset about.”

“He moved in on my territory.” Liam’s lip curled, a sexy growl that made her want to rub her body against his. Damn, but these were two very attractive men—and dominant to boot. She imagined what it would be like to be sandwiched between their naked bodies, and a tingling began at the apex of her thighs. Alex, her former Master, had often indulged her love for ménage sex.

Shaking the thought away, Tru forced herself to focus on the real problem. She narrowed her eyes in Liam’s direction. “I’m not your territory.”

“Yeah, she’s mine.” Jed’s chest puffed out, pushing against her palm.

Tru hated to burst his bubble, but it had to be done. “I’m not yours either.”

He tore his glare from Liam and turned it on her. “What?”

It took a supreme act of will not to step back or lower her gaze. “Tonight is my last night here, and then I’m moving on to my next job. You’re almost finished here as well, and who knows where your investigation will take you next? It’s a fling, Jed. Neither of you has a claim to me.”

That seemed to take the wind out of both their sails, and though each man relaxed, neither backed off. They studied one another, and Tru had no idea what either of them was thinking.

“You’re friends, right?”

Silence greeted her question. After a time, Liam managed a curt nod, though his steady gaze remained glued to Jed.

“And you work together? You’re a team?”

This time she didn’t have to wait as long for a reply. Without seeming to move, Jed answered. “Yes.”

“Then maybe you should look at this as an opportunity to work together in a different way.” The need to keep them apart had passed. She slid her palms down each man’s chest as she let her hands drop away. “I’m game if you are.”

 

Buy Links

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2kVZ1QD

       Apple, Nook, KOBO: https://www.books2read.com/u/bOrqwo

Hands-On Research #michelezurlo #RB4U

Writers often live vicariously through their characters. In writing an emotional scene, maybe they’re working through some internal angst of their own. Sometimes we write scenes for the exact same reason readers want to read them—because we’d like to experience something without having to leave our house. This summer I took a different approach. On our family vacation, I scheduled some activities in which my heroine, Tru Martin, engaged.

In Re/Viewed (Doms of the FBI 6, available November 2016), Tru is an adventurer. She loves getting out there and doing things, which is the exact opposite of me. However when the chance arose to do hands-on research, I seized it. In the novel, Tru skydives, dead-air drops from a balloon, and BASE jumps. Those are things I’ll never do because I don’t have a death wish and I’m afraid of heights.

Crater Lake--Pictures don't do it justice. It's a long drop to the bottom, so I only peeked over for short periods of time.

But she also kayaks along the Pacific coast, explores caves, and goes white-water rafting. These are things I was willing to experience. I’m the kind of geek who loves geological features, so I went to Oregon Caves. They’re made from marble, and the archeologist who led our tour was great about giving history and answering all my questions. This didn’t lead to changing much in the draft because I have an earth science certification, and I have been to a lot of caves in the US. This one, though, was carved from marble. The picture shows a strike-slip fault visible in the ceiling of the cave. (The reflection of the flash looks pretty cool.)

Next we went white-water rafting along the Rogue River. I’d never been, and I had a blast. Our guide, Patrick, was helpful with explaining everything having to do with the raft and the river. I went on a different river from my heroine, but this experience still led me to make some major revisions in that part of the story. For starters, the guide does most of the paddling work. At one point, Patrick dove out of the raft and told me to practice steering. There’s nothing like paddling a 6-person raft with huge, heavy oars to remind me that I don’t work out, and that my left side is significantly weaker than my right. We didn’t take pictures of this, but if you get to southern Oregon, I highly recommend going white-water rafting. The Rogue isn’t a difficult river, and there was plenty of time to stop and swim. I’ve included a picture of the Rogue River we took where it disappears into a lava tube and spits out about 30 meters downriver. (And, as an added bonus, this picture captured a rainbow.)

Lastly we went on a kayaking excursion that ran along the coast in central California near Van Damme State Park. It explored the coastal flora and fauna as well as ducking into several coastal caves. This was not the excellent experience I’d anticipated, but I blame Wife. On the ride there she delighted in taking a winding road that left me car sick. Once on the ocean, I lasted forty-five minutes before I fed the fishes. It’s been almost 14 years since the last time I vomited (during pregnancy). Otherwise it was great. This one also led to minor revisions. For starters, the coast of California where we were was not at all warm. We also didn’t take pictures of this, but I’ve included the picture we took of our first glimpse of the mighty Pacific.

These experiences served to make my writing richer and authentic. While I don’t feel the need to do everything my characters do, it was very cool to tuck a few new adventures under my belt.

Keeping Characters Straight #RB4U by Michele Zurlo

When there are a lot of characters, how do you keep them straight? A peek into Michele Zurlo's brain and writer's notebook.

Have you ever read a novel with a lot of characters and had a hard time keeping them straight? Writers have the same kind of problem, especially when writing a series. The first few books aren’t that hard. We’re focusing in on the main couple, and so is the reader. By the third book, readers want to see cameos from the couples they love. When we’ve spent 100K words with someone, we know them, so keeping them straight isn’t a problem.

It’s the new characters who throw us off. Not only do they have small roles, but they’re usually not integral to the plot. We’re all focused on the main couple. Will they outsmart the villain? Will they get together?

But then those minor characters show up in the next novel—as the main character.

Discerning readers look for inaccuracies, anything that doesn’t follow from previous books. Oblivious ones (like me) will not even remember them. In Re/Defined (DFBI 4), I introduced some minor characters in order to move the plot forward. When Brandy Lockmeyer suspected that the villain was someone in the FBI, she needed outside help, and they had to be people she trusted. Enter Jesse and Frankie—security specialists.

They were minor characters, but they gave me ideas. They forced me to fill in their backstory so that I could write Re/Leased (DFBI 5).

As a teacher, you’d think I would be good with names, but you’d be wrong. I keep calling my 7-year-old cat by the wrong name because he looks like a cat I had growing up. I once went an entire school year calling a girl by the wrong name, even though it was spelled correctly in my electronic attendance program. (In my defense, she never corrected me; I found out 5 years later when a friend of hers told me.)

In my writer’s notebook, I keep lists of names and attributes. The picture I took for this post shows the page I started when I thought up Frankie and Jesse, and you can see (black, and then purple, ink) where I added on when I came up with David and Dean. You can tell from the cross-outs that I change my mind a lot. You can also tell that David’s name was originally Wes. I used that name as a temporary placeholder because naming David and Autumn was a contest I ran when I was writing the story. I am using that page a lot now as I’m brainstorming the first book in the new series, which follows the adventures of the SAFE Security team.

And here I editorialize: Readers shouldn’t need a notebook to keep track of characters. Authors should develop the characters, even the minor ones, enough so that a reader can keep track of them. Using a system like mine (or even one that’s typed up or even written legibly) is a valuable tool that enables authors to plant those small clues that allows readers to identify and differentiate one minor character from another. You never know when someone with a small part is going to get a starring role.

Midwestern Book Lovers Unite: https://dominantpersuasions.com/

Doms of the FBI page: http://www.michelezurloauthor.com/doms-of-the-fbi.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authormichelezurlo/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MZurloAuthor

Blog: https://michelezurloauthor.wordpress.com/