~ The Perfect Fit ~
Strange as it sounds, I often find myself spending more time on picking names for my characters than I do in plotting a novel. One of the reasons for this is that the story itself comes to me as I am writing. The other reason is that I feel the names of the characters reflect on the story itself. Keeping this in mind, I knew the name for my dark wicce in my novel, “Spur of the Moment,” had to be wickedly perfect.
Considered a historical romance with a fantasy twist, Spur of the Moment, splits its time between the 12th and 21st centuries. With my dark wicce residing in the twelfth century, I dug through the research binders I used for my novel, “A Knight of Silence.” Anyone who knows anything about Medieval Europe would tell you the easy to pronounce name choices are limited. Nowhere else have I seen so many Matildas, Williams or Henrys as I have in Medieval-based romances. It was a definite struggle recreating a historic battle scene in “A Knight of Silence” with no less than four Williams on the field. In the Middle Ages, the masses took “brownnosing” to a new level entirely by naming their children after Kings and Queens.
Flipping through page after page of medieval monikers, I became discouraged. I could not find a single name that would fit my villain. The names of Bronwyn and Euric popped into my head for the leads before I typed my first word. Even the name for Euric’s mother, Gwyllion, based on Welsh folklore, was a no-brainer. Hoping something would eventually come to me if I stopped obsessing about it, I moved on.
Chapters into the story with nothing but an underline where my dark wicce’s name should be, I was in the midst of doing internet research on twelfth century witches when I stumbled across it. I wish I could credit the website for helping me out, but I was so excited I did not save it to favorites.
In the coming months, I will give you a little more insight into what makes her tick. For now, I would just like to introduce the nemesis in “Spur of the Moment”: JAENELLE.
On the slight chance that a Jaenelle reads this article, please allow me to quote comedian Jerry Seinfeld, “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.” It was just the perfect fit.
Candace Bowen Early
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Candace, as always I completely agree. That’s another startling similarity between us, in that I also write “as I go along”. Plotting? What’s plotting? All my novels have “written themselves”!
In the matter of names, however, what I do when I find/invent a name I like the sound of is to type it into my “novel names” file. I list them all alphabetically. Mostly, like you, I find that my characters choose their own names (certainly all the major characters come to me with both given and family names). But sometimes the minor characters don’t have obvious names, and so I go to my list. It’s never failed me yet!
Cas, it’s always such a relief to hear I’m not as abnormal as I think I am ~ lol.
The list is a great idea for minor characters. I usually incorporate the names of people I know for that purpose, but am going to run out more sooner than later. I will definitely follow your lead. Thanks!
Are you a Seinfeld fan?! I love Seinfeld. And Jeanelle seems like a modern name, but if its for the 12th century, too. I’ve had a very hard time finding names, as well, that fit into my fairy-tale novellas. I think my favorite so far as been Eolande – the name of the fairy godmother in Cinders.
I’m a big fan, Michelle. I think Seinfeld had a little bit of something for everyone. The Soup “Nazi” is my all time favorite.
Although I love unusual names, I keep authentic to the time period I’m writing about. Jack of Hearts is done in Victorian England so the names are pretty boring. My leads are Katherine and Edward, but I’m thinking of changing Edward to something else since a certain sparkly vampire stole all the thunder ~ lol.
Love the name, Eolande.