One thing they never tell you about child raising is that for the rest of your life, at the drop of a hat, you are expected to know your child’s name and how old he or she is ~Erma Bombeck
While that is surely true for mothers, it’s also very true for writers. In the past when I give a book talk, somebody will ask something about one of the characters in this or that book. They will have forgotten the name, but they expect me to remember. That’s understandable. They may have read the character’s story, but they didn’t invent them and live with them for a year or more while sharing their stories. No, I was the one who did that. But those names can slide down into the murky depths of past books. I nearly always know my main characters. Nearly always. But sometimes the names slip away, especially if it wasn’t a major character in the story.
Sometimes I’m the one trying to tell about this or that character in my stories and I have to ask those listening a character’s name was. As if I wasn’t the one who named him or her. Usually, somebody in the group will take pity on me and tell me the name. You’d think I’d do some last minute name cramming so that wouldn’t happen. The truth is I’ve named a lot of men, women, children, dogs, cats, and various other animals throughout my writing years.
I do remember the name of my main female character in my first published novel way back in 1978. Sarah. And that was before I had a granddaughter named Sarah. In that book I had a little brother named Johnny, a wrong love interest named Cave and a right man named Matthew – I think. I could be wrong on that Matthew name. I have no idea what my main characters were named in my second published novel 44 years ago. I’ll have to hunt up that old book and check.
Meanwhile closer to now, I do remember the names in my Heart of Hollyhill books. At least all the important characters. Probably. But then I did write three books about them, Scent of Lilacs, Orchard of Hope, Summer of Joy, and I did not so long ago do the narration for those audio books. Reading the stories aloud has a way of planting the words/names in my head. I also don’t havew problems remembering the characters in my recent release, The Song of Sourwood Mountain. Well, most of them anyway.
I certainly remember Ada June since seeing her name on my church’s prayer list was the inspiration for her character. Not sure why, but that name spoke to me. However, I might have to peek back into the pages to bring up all the mountain characters. There was Nicey Jane. And Ada June’s dog, Bo. But there were so many more making appearances on those pages. Also, I’ve already moved past that story to name and write about all the characters in my next spring’s story, The Pursuit of Elena Bradford. And now I’m in the process of naming a whole new cast of characters for my work in progress.
A lot of people must be named in a novel. Of course I start out with the main characters, my hero and heroine. Then I give them family members and friends and sometimes enemies. We are surrounded by people who have names. So are characters.
Those names circle us like a swarm of bees. Sometimes the names stick and rise up to our lips when we need to speak the name. Sometimes the name is firmly entrenched in our brain, but it refuses to come out where we can say it. At least, not when we want to remember the name. It might show up hours later while we’re thinking about something totally different. The name can pop into our head out of the blue and sometimes we’ll say we knew it started with a “J” or whatever letter.
For certain, I will remember Ada June’s, Mira’s, Gordon’s names for a while. Oh, and Bo, Ada June’s dog. Some of the other names may slide a little away and already have to be dredged back up. At the book event yesterday, I met three ladies I have talked to many times at book events in that area. I couldn’t come up with their names although I remembered them but… I had to ask their names. One was Kayla, and I really enjoy talking with her. I intend to remember her name in case we meet again, but will I? Maybe. I hope so. Then there were two sisters, Selinda and Yvonne. When Selinda told me her name, I told her I thought I had used that name in The Song of Sourwood Mountain. The baby, but then I wasn’t sure. I just looked it up to be sure, and I was right. Maybe she will get a kick out of seeing her name in the book she bought.
I hate it when I can’t remember the name of someone or when a person comes up to me and talks as though we’ve been fast friends for years but I have no idea what their name might be. I need to keep notes, but that could be a lot of notes. I give myself an excuse. All those names of people I actually know get stirred into the mix of hundreds of names I’ve come up with to name characters in the 40 plus books I’ve written. It’s a wonder I remember my own name. I’m pretty sure it’s Ann. Without an e. 🙂
Two questions for you now.
First, do you have trouble remembering names?
Second, I’m wobbling on my new main character’s name. I’ve already completely changed it once. Now I have a name in mind but I can go two ways with it. My character is a mountain girl. I’m going to name her Callie. I’m pretty sure I am. So here’s your question.
Which do you like better Callie Mae or Callie Sue?
Comments 40
Yes I do have trouble remembering names and I like the name Callie Mae the best.
Author
I think the votes for Mae have won out, Connie. I am thinking of changing Callie a bit. Make it Kallie Mae. Thanks for your input.
Callie Mae! It was my great grandmother’s name.
Author
Callie Mae definitely is coming out on top over Callie Sue, Lynda. I had a Mae in my Hollyhill books, but she wasn’t a major character and actually had already passed away before the book began.
I like Callie Mae.
The older I get, the more trouble I seem to have remembering names. And please don’t ask me to remember off the top of my head the birthdays of our 14 grandchildren! And now that some of our grandchildren are married, we have the names and birthdays of spouses and great grandchildren to remember!!
Author
But how blessed you are to have 14 grandchildren names to remember, Roberta. I have nine and I feel blessed too. I don’t try too hard to remember the names of my grandkid’s special friends until they do get married. Things can be changeable in the teen years. 🙂 So far I’m not having trouble remembering their birthdays, but who knows if or when that connection in my head gets dim.
Oh, yes, I have trouble remembering names. I’ve worked at an elementary school since November 2007. My job as a special ed para takes me into a lot of classrooms each year so there are always some kids I know from previous years but plenty of new names to learn. What I find annoying is to see someone I knew in class a year or two previously but don’t work with this year, and can’t for the life of me remember their name. I guess with all the new names entering my brain some of the old ones get pushed out!
I like the name Callie Mae best.
Author
That sounds reasonable to me, Pam. I always think about teachers who have so many different students and how important to kids for them to remember their names.
I struggle to remember sames of the people I meet at booksighnings. Sometimes it’s someone I do know and know well but their name flies out of my head and I can’t catch it. I have a similar excuse as you. I have all those character names swirling about in my head and making me forget. 🙂 That’s better than no excuse.
I like Callie Mae. More old fashioned sounding
Author
That’s a good reason to choose Callie Mae. My story will be set in the early 1900s.
I like Callie May.
My husband is good at names. I’m pleased if i can think of a name before he can.
Author
I don’t have to worry about that, Una. My husband has always had a block on remembering names. He’s always asking me it I can come up with this or that name. “You know that guy that worked on my truck” or “You know what’s his name that did…?”
I do often remember a name before he does.
We had a cat that was named Cassie May, but I think Callie goes better with Sue. I get mixed up with names more and more every year and forget some that I haven’t seen in a while. Sometimes I know the name but it quickly leaves my mind like it evaporated. I sometimes do an alphabet thing if I am trying to come up with the right name where I start with A and start thinking of names and move on until the right one comes back into my mind or someone else tells me it. Electronic memory gets full, and I think ours does too at times and we have to “forget” some things to make room for new information.
Author
Maybe that’s it, Hope. I forget some character names to make way for new character names. I like your comment about the names simply evaporating. That’s how I often feel when someone I know shows up at one of my booksignings and I want to come up with their name without them having to tell me. But then the name evaporates as though I’ve never known them at all. Sigh. When I’m trying to remember a name I do sometimes feel as though I’m sure it starts with this or that letter, but the retrieval is still hard.
My preference for your main character is Callie Mae.
Author
Thanks for your input, Mary. Seems most are liking Mae as the second name. I was leaning toward Sue, but now I’m leaning toward Mae. And someone mentioned Ann. I don’t think I’ve ever named a character Ann. But it could be I’ve used Ann as a middle name sometimes. Surely I have. Ann is a very common middle name.
I’m terrible with names, especially adults. For some reason I remember kids names a lot easier.
I was ready to say that you already had a character named Callie in a previous book. But then I looked it up and realized her name is Calla. I do that a lot…mixing up names that sound alike. I have 3 friends with daughters named either Ella or Emma, but I can never remember which one for the youngest girls.
I must get it from my mother because after my baby sister Lisa was born, I was always called Lisa!
For your new character I like Callie Mae for a country girl, but Callie Sue if she’s a town girl. Either one is pretty.
Author
Now that you mention it, Callie is very much like Calla, Lavon. Perhaps I should reconsider that name too. Hmm. Maybe go back to thinking about Cassie or Mallie or something else. Poor girl. She’s having a hard time being named.
I like the way you differentiated the names country to town. That’s a great point too.
And I’ve always been able to remember kids’ names easier than adults and don’t tell anyone, but sometimes I remember dog names better too. LOL.
Definitely Callie Mae. Callie Sue sounds like a rather frivolous person and not the type I would be inclined to get to know well. Callie Mae is a person with more depth of character and although I don’t yet know her she tugs at my heartstrings. I’d love to meet her.
Author
Interesting how names can affect us, Karen. I do like Callie Mae, but not sure using Sue instead would make me think my character was frivolous. But I do need a deeper character and one who tugs on a reader’s heartstrings is the kind I want.
I sure do have trouble remembering names, especially the older I get! I would choose Callie Mae for the name mainly because Callie Sue would not particularly enjoy being teased with ‘Suey, Suey pig’ (as I did when young) unless it helps with your story! I can see that happening with one of your characters.
Author
I can see that happening in my story too, Susan. I don’t blame you from not enjoying the Suey pig teasings. I would have never thought of that just because you’re named Susan.
I LOVE the name Callie. That just might be because it is our first grandjoy’s name (Callie Renee}. I like Callie Ann over Callie Sue.
Yes, at 80, I have so much trouble remembering names. I even mix up the names of one set of grandjoys (Callie, Cooper, and Calah). That really bothers Cooper!
Whatever you name your characters, I will forget them shortly after having read the book. I will love reading about them regardless of their names.
I have met you several times at book sales in Frankfort. Were you there when Roger Mudd attended the big sale in Frankfort? He is a cousin of mine.
I would love to take you to lunch someday. I live so near you (in Georgetown).
Author
I’ve tried to work out a book signing in Georgetown a few times, but nothing ever gets worked out, Sharon. Lunch sometime sounds fun. We’ll have to give that a try.
I did enjoy the book festivals when they were in Frankfort, but I don’t recall seeing roger Mudd. Probably because I was too busy talking with readers. There was always a great crowd at those in Frankfort. Still nice crowds in Lexington, but not quite the same.
I appreciate you reading my books whether you remember my characters’ names or not. After all, sometimes I almost forget them.
Callie Sue if she is blonde . Callie Mae if she’s brunette.
Author
That’s neat that you chose the right name by the color of their hair, Cindy Sue. Are you blonde?
My Callie, if that remains her name, will have brown hair maybe with some sun bleached blonde strands.
Callie May flows easier off the tongue.
Author
It does that, Suzanne. Right now Mae as a middle name seems to be garnering the most support.
Callie Mae !! I forget names of people I know. After church yesterday I could not think of the name of a person in our small S.S. class whom I have known for several years. This morning I was ready to get the church directory out when my husband came up with his name ! Very frustrating and at times embarrassing .
Author
You have that right, Nancy. Both the frustrating and embarrassing part. I am campaigning for every person who comes to a book event to have a name tag. So far with no success. I’ll just have to keep trying to remember names and especially come up with those I should know.
Callie May is the name I would choose.
Author
And that might turn out to be her name, Birdie, but I’m a little concerned now that Lavon reminded me that I just has a Calla. They don’t sound that much alike but the do look a lot alike in print. I’ll have to do some more thinking about it. My first choice was Lindy but then I remembered about Aunt Lindy in my Hidden Springs mysteries.
Callie Sue sounds like a girl in the 1950’s and up. Calllie Mae sounds like a girl from before the 1950’s. Both sound like girls I’m sure going to look forward to meeting. Keep up the good work!
Author
I do need an old fashioned sounding name, Debra. I might have to go back to my tried and true way to be sure it’s an old name — using one from the Bible. I do hope I’ll keep on bringing her to life to make her story a good one.
I like Callie Sue.
I sometimes forget names of new people I have met, when I try so hard to not forget!
Right now I am trying hard to remember Juliana, a new lady at church. I should remember because I have a cousin named Julie.
I remember the character in Angel Sister, because she repeated it to herself every night!
Blessings!
Author
I think sometimes I don’t listen well enough when I meet a new person, Paula, because I can turn around twice and the name has, as Hope commented, just evaporated. I need to do those suggested exercises that helps you remember a name when you’re introduced.
I’m thinking now that you’ve typed your new friend’s name a few times and thought about it to comment here, you might be fine and have a firm clasp on Juliana’s name.
I Like Both but I would say Callie Sue!
Author
I like them both too, Sarah, but now with Lavon reminding me about my charter Calla in When the Meadow Blooms, I might be back at square one.
You’ve written dozens of books and had to come up with hundreds of names. There’s bound to be some that sound alike and even get duplicated. I like the name Callie Mae (or Sue), and if you call her by both names together, they’re not that much alike. I love the way southerners go by first and middle names together. Callie Mae sounds like a girl that will have grace and grit mixed together to be a beautiful lady to get to know.
Author
Good points, Lavon. I hadn’t thought about them being the same while I thought about the names. I may stick with Callie Mae. We will see how she liked her name when I let her test it out. 🙂