Analiese is one of my favorite characters. Having known LOTS of ministers, male and female, she is something of a composite. (I am a minister's wife. He just retired after 40 years in the pulpit.) Struggling not to judge others is probably one of life's greatest hurdles, and minister's don't get an easy pass on that one or on any of life's challenges.
How did I choose her name? I'm not sure, to be quite honest. I think that one just popped into my head. I am careful not to have too many character names that "look" alike, i.e. they begin with the same letter or have the same general sound. Of course that's not always possible in a long book, particularly in a series. And sometimes a character who's written to be minor-minor turns into a major character who happens to have a similar name to someone else and it can't be changed.
The trials and tribulations of authorhood.
However I find names to be super-important. Vital. And I have been known to come to a complete halt on a book until I find the right one, sometimes for days. Once I've selected one, editor beware. If I change the name, I feel I have to change the character, too. Quirky, I know.
However, that being said, my editor after her first look at this book said that she found Taylor and Morgan hard to keep straight, both last names as first names. You might ask who Morgan is? Five minutes after I read that Morgan was effortlessly changed to Maddie. For some reason the change worked better in my mind, too, and I didn't mind coming up with another name. But that's rare.
Names must also fit trends at the time. Unless they don't. There's an eleven-year-old Edna in this book. Go figure. She was just Edna from the moment she popped up in the story. No hope of changing it.
Another great discussion. You rock.
