Hello Fabulous Readers!

First, I want to inform you that I will post regularly – my posts will be on Wednesdays, and Saturdays will feature guest authors beginning August 9th. I’m excited to bring my world to you weekly, along with introducing you to other authors.

Second, this post is about how I name my characters, so let me get to it.

Naming characters can be a challenging task for authors who want their characters’ names to reflect their strength. In my HIS series, most of the female leads are named after my nieces—Caitlyn, Rylee, and Madison. Additionally, I named two of the children after other nieces—Reagan and Amber. I believe these are strong names, so I crafted the characters to embody those qualities. For other characters, I gather names from various sources: a name I hear while out and about, one from a television show, I ask my readers, or even use readers’ names. The possibilities are endless!

Oh, I have used my nephews’ names, with AJ as the main character and the others as side characters. Plus, I’ve used more family members’ names. They’re the easiest.

Let’s just say that I rarely create names spontaneously. When I hear a first or last name I like, I write it down for future characters, whether they are main or side characters. Sometimes, none of those names work, so I ask my family and reader group for suggestions before I turn on the television or go out to find a suitable name.

That’s how I name characters. Do you want your name in a book? Just let me know, and I can weave it in a story—whether first or last name.

Until next time,