Unique Names...and then again maybe not

 

Coming in October

Names are important to writers. We spend a lot of time researching titles and even more time finding just the right name for each character in our books. I remember early in my writing career, I had settled on a name for my heroine which was tied to a twist in the plot. When my editor read it she told me that name was a well known romance author and perhaps I should change it. (Not really a suggestion.) In changing her name, I also had to change other names and modify the plot. After that, I began taking a little more time when deciding on names.

Just this week, I discovered a whole new perspective on names. My sister came to visit me in Kansas City. Because of COVID we hadn’t seen each other in a couple years, plus the fact she lives in Illinois. But there was an ulterior motive to her visit. You see, her name is Linda, and she was also coming to the L.I.N.D.A. convention being held here. You read right. They have a convention for people named Linda. Check it out at L.I.N.D.A. Club – Lindas Involved in Network Development (lindaclub.org). They’ve been having conventions since 1987 and my sister has gone to so many that she had enough tee-shirts for me to make her a quilt!

 Well, of course, I had to see if there was a Barbara convention, but regardless of whether I looked up “convention”, “conference” or “club”, I couldn’t find one. I did come across My Quest to Find All the People Who Share My Name - The Atlantic. It’s a fun and interesting article from the Atlantic about “All the other Julie Becks and Me”. Even if your name isn’t Julie Beck, the article has interesting information about how the internet has changed our sense of identity.

 Within that article was the website http://howmanyofme.com/. You can put in your first and last name and find out how many people in the U.S. have the same name as you according to the census, although the site does state the numbers aren’t absolute. There is also a section on statistics and famous people with your name. It even lists names similar to Barbara: Barb, Barbie, Bobbi, Bobbie, Bobby.

 Because I know you’re curious, there are 1,638,172 people in the U.S. with the first name Barbara. There are 98,093 people with the last name Baldwin. There are only 481 people named Barbara Baldwin.

 I tried to find a site that gave a list of all the different “name clubs” around the country but without spending days going down a rabbit hole in the internet, I had no luck. I did find Same-Name Clubs - American Profile, which gives information about clubs for people named Betty, Bob, Linda, Phil Campbell, Jim Smith. You would think there would be a club for John Doe or Jane Doe or at the very least “Karen”. I did look to see if there were actually real people with those names and there are 236 John Doe; only 18 Jane Doe. It didn’t surprise me that there are over a million people named Karen. Make yourselves a club, ladies!

 No matter how unique you might think you are, chances are there’s more than one of you out there. (Or in my case 481.) I decided to check out a few of the characters from my novels. According to the “how many of me” website, which as I said is not absolute, the numbers in parenthesis indicate how many real people have the same names as my fictional characters.

            Charles Cannon (644) and Jacy Douglas (1 or fewer!) from “Loving Charlie Forever”

            Joseph Donovan (354) and Cheyenne Tucker (only 3!) from “Prelude and Promises”

            Erin Thomas (652) and Remington Matthews (1 or fewer!) from “Snowflakes and

Kisses” (upcoming release Oct2021)

It’s no wonder many books have a disclaimer at the front stating that characters and places are fictitious and not related to persons past or present.

To find out more about others with my name, I googled myself. I found an actress, realtor, VP of Marketing and an artist to name a few. I was WAY down on the list, but when I put in “Barbara Baldwin author” I was number 2 on the Google search. Not bad! Just so you know if you Google yourself, there are also obituaries!

The U.S. Census Bureau statistics tell us that there are at least 151,671 different last names and 5,163 different first names in common use in the United States, although some names are more common than others. No matter how you do the math, you’re probably not going to get by without someone else having your name.

Barb Baldwin

http://www.authorsden.com/barbarajbaldwin

https://bookswelove.net/baldwin-barbara/

 

           

 

Writing What You No? by Vanessa C. Hawkins

 

 Vanessa Hawkins Author Page

Is it the ninth again? A month goes by fast when you're doing jack! Well... maybe not Jack but certainly his young brother Zilch. As I scratch my head wondering what to write about, I suddenly remember that I have published another book! 

Well, maybe not JUST published, but it came out a few months ago. Unlike Ballroom Riot--which has damsels and dragons and romance and as many F Bombs as a small army barracks--my other book, A Child to Cry Over, is about a young, eight year old girl who is convicted of the murder of a two year old boy. 

Yeah... it's a bit heavy!  

Ballroom Riot= Light as a lady's fart
A Child to Cry Over= Heavy as the solid stuff!

I wrote it a little while ago actually. Before I had my daughter and when I was a callous young woman with no heart or soul and who had tons of time to sleep or brush their hair and could go to the bathroom by herself without a tiny human having to attend every single time. 

Every. Single. Time.

But regardless of whether I could write such a book now that I am a mother, I did write this one, and I set it right dab in the middle of my hometown in rural New Brunswick, Canada. Which had... more than it's fair share of unsexy results. 

See, my little pee-brained, not-yet-famous-but-maybe-one-day author voice told me it was a good idea to write what you know. Write a book about a little girl who grows up in rural NB and jot down all her observations about the place in which she lives. The local people will love it! Until some aspects don't paint the town in a great light... then watch out.

Let me tell you, I got my fair share of critics! As well as some great accolades, mind you, but some people were under the impression I was bashing my home town! Nooooooo! Not at all...

Okay maybe some, but not really. If I didn't love Not Here, New Brunswick, I certainly wouldn't be living there, right? Right. 

Honestly though, it's a nice place.

But despite my sentiments, I did get some flack. I also got a lot of local interviews and newspaper articles so... I mean, no regrets! Writing what you know works! But it also meant that people knew who I was. I got private FB messages, texts, calls! so people could tell me what they thought. Which IS pretty cool but also hella awkward depending on the situation. And it's not to say I never got those kinds of things from family and friends before... but its just... now I got it from people I didn't know... 

 

You read my book and live close to me and want
to talk about it?! Oh. God. No.

Which was an experience to say the least... And Mostly good. 

Mostly...

But it has certainly opened my eyes in regards to writing in a real setting. You're not going to please everyone, so please yourself I guess. Which is funny considering my next book is an erotica.

My puns are funny to me at least...

Wait, what was the point of this blog post? Oh yeah. Writers beware! Oo~ooh! Writing about your hometown and not having the good sense to change any or most of the names in that hometown may be baa~ad! Oo~ooh! And if you do it anyway? Be prepared for lots of messages and  .....*&(#%@( . Oo~oh! 

Or not. I mean, maybe no one wants to read your drivel anyway. 

I want to read your stuff George! Don't cry... 
You just need to write it before the sun explodes.

Book Series by J. S. Marlo

 

J. S. Marlo's BWL Books

I just finished reading an historical fiction book set in Nova Scotia during WW2. I really enjoyed it, but not once while reading it did it occur to me that it was part of a series. It wasn’t until I reviewed it on Goodreads that I realised it was the second book of the series. The title of another book she wrote was printed on the cover, but nothing indicated that other book was in fact the first of the series.

There was no series name or number on the book cover, so I started searching to see if there were written or unwritten "rules" on how to set up a series. I didn't  find any rules, which I thought wasn't a bad thing since it meant I was breaking any elusive rules, but I discovered that series were classified by types.

 

These are the three most popular types of series: Dynamic, Static, or Anthology Series.

 

Dynamic Series:

A dynamic series follows the same characters as the main story carries out through the series. The characters grow as the series progress. The series should be seen as one whole story, not distinct installments in the characters’ life. These individual books are not standalones and need to be read in order for the story to make sense.

 

Static Series:

A static series follows the same characters, but these characters don’t develop in any major ways over time. Each book features a different story, and these individual books are standalone and can usually be read in any order.

 

Anthology Series:

An anthology series do not follow the same characters for every book of the series. The series are tied by a world, a setting, or character relationship. These individual books are standalone, and while some series can be read in any order, other series may need to be read order to avoid spoilers.

 

 

While I was writing my first novel Salvaged, I wasn’t thinking about series. My goal was to finish it, then not get lost in the overwhelming and scary world of synopsis, query letters, and publishers. It wasn’t until I finished my second novel Unraveled that the word “series” struck me. By then, I had found a publisher and Salvaged was tiptoeing into the published world, so I had started looking farther into my publishing goals. The truth is, I became very attached to the characters in Unraveled. Since I wasn’t ready to let them go, I turned the book into a series.

So far, I have written twelve novels. Eleven are published and the twelfth "The Red Quilt" is scheduled for release this coming December. Out of the dozen, only two are not part of a series. The other ten novels are part of four different series...but what kind of series?

 

In my Duty Bound Series, the main character in each new book is a minor character from the previous book, but few other characters from the previous book make it in the next one. Each book takes place a few years after the previous one, the recurring characters evolve, but it introduces new plots and new characters. There are some dynamic & static elements in them, the books are standalones, but reading them out of order gives spoilers about the previous books. So, to my great surprise, it looks like an anthology series. I'm not sure why, but I would never have associated the term 'anthology' to my series until now.

 

My Heart & Endurance Series is a bit different.  The first two books start with different characters and intrigue, but at one point in the second book, characters from the first book begin filtering through. The main characters in the first two books become minor characters in the third book whose storyline revolves around two new main characters. Each book takes place a year or two after the previous one, the recurring characters evolve, but there is a minor loose end that isn’t resolved until the third book. As much as I would have liked to tie that loose end in the first book, it realistically takes years for justice to render a verdict, so while that verdict didn’t come as a surprise, it only became official in the last book. While these three books can be read as standalone, they should be read in order to avoid spoliers. Again, this series looks like an anthology series, even though there are

dynamic & static elements.

 

My Unraveling the Past Series is definitely an anthology series. Brand-new characters in every book. Different settings. Different years. Different means of time-travel. Standalone stories. No continuity. The theme of the stories is what ties them together. In each book, the main character travels back in time and tries to right the wrongs of the past. In retrospect, I shouldn’t have numbered that series.

 

My Fifteen Shades Series will probably resemble my Duty Bound Series in the sense that one of the minor characters in the first book will become the main character in the second book. More about the first new book of that series The Red Quilt next month. I'm finishing my edits, but I received its book cover. It’s gorgeous! I can’t wait to share it with everyone.

 

Happy Reading & Stay Safe

JS

More info about book series, visit Ignite your ink

 

 

J. S. Marlo's Website

 

Do-It-Yourself Writing Retreat by Eileen O'Finlan

 

    Click here for purchase information

     

   

   

    

Click here to visit Eileen O'Finlan's website 

I have spent that last eight months researching in preparation for my next historical novel. It's always a tough call for me to assess when I'm ready to begin the actual writing. Though I know research will continue through to the final page, there has to come a point when I feel I have done enough to be comfortable diving into the writing. Still, typing those first words is daunting. This time I had just the boost I needed.

On Monday, July 19th, my friend and fellow author, Jane Willan, and I set off for the home of another friend and writer, BWL author, Eileen Charbonneau in Bellows Falls, Vermont for a homemade writing retreat.

Every morning after an amazing breakfast served up by Eileen's husband, Ed, we each went off to our own corners of Eileen's lovely home to write. We had lunch on our own whenever we got hungry and either ate yet another amazing meal cooked by "Chef Ed" or we all went out to eat. Each evening, the three of us gathered to exchange what we'd written that day and critique one another's work.

I doubt I have ever been so productive in such a short time, especially at the start of a new novel. In the five days I was there, I completed the first draft of three and a half chapters. Given that my work-in-progress has a dual timeline, something I've never before attempted, having the guidance and feedback from these two veteran authors was indespensible. 

Writing with others and being accountable for accomplishing something by the end of each day provided great motivation and inspiration. With each of us in a different place with out current projects - Eileen in the middle of her next novel, Jane working on the final revision, and me at the very beginning - we ran the gamut of the writing process.

Thanks to Eileen, we were able to offer a presentation and book signing at Village Square Booksellers. We were honored to be featured in this Bellows Falls book store's first post-COVID event and grateful for a good and enthusiastic turnout.

Though there are many worthwhile writing retreats offered all over the world, the cost and travel involved make them unobtainable for many. My advice to those who would love to go on a writing retreat is to find another author or two and create your own retreat. You don't have to go far or spend a lot of money. You can do as we did if space allows and hold it at the home of one of the writers. What's important is a dedicated time and place to write and, later, to meet for critique. It is amazing what can be accomplished. Of course, it helps to have a guy like Eileen's Ed around to handle all the meals in spectacular fashion.

                                            Left to right - Jane Willan, Eileen Charbonneau,

                                            Eileen O'Finlan at the last critique session of our

                                            writing retreat (follwed by Ed's homemade pizza!)

I Carry Home With Me by Jay Lang

 

                      I Carry Home with me

                                 Author Jay Lang

                                          

My time as a child spent on Read Island was nothing short of magical. If I wasn’t jigging for cod in our beautiful little bay, floating under the magnificent eagle that would sit on a branch hanging over the water, I was traipsing behind my dad in the forest.  He would point out little places, under the canopy of the majestic trees and on the lush forest floor where tiny creatures could hide. He used to say, “Be careful where you step. You don’t want to tread on a gnome’s home or a fairy’s lair.” It was the sparkle in his eyes and the enthusiasm in his voice that convinced me the island was an enchanted place. Looking back, I understand just how privileged I was to witness the wonder of my surroundings, from the playful seals that would pop their heads up beside our dock, or the magnificent whales that would pass by and breach high out of the water. I was living in a moving painting. The memories of Read Island are imprinted deep in me, and no matter where I’ve travelled or how far my journey sometimes takes me, my heart and my spirit have always belonged to the coast.  

When I moved away and attended university and became a writer, I always knew that in order for my stories to come to life, I needed to write about places I loved and knew well.  So, before I write, I close my eyes and go back all those decades ago when I was a young girl sitting in Surge Narrows on the Dodmans Wharf eating a chocolate bar, the feeling of the salt air on my skin, the sound of the waves in my ear, and I’m there again. Granted, my stories are suspense novels, but every book I write always has a strong connection to the beauty of the coast. Read Island is part of the Discovery Islands, located between Vancouver Island and the mainland. The small island had an old one-room schoolhouse which taught grades 1-12. The school boat was operated by whomever volunteered to pick up the kids from around the bays and coves of the island. Instead of electricity, running water and markets, we had woodstoves, kerosene lamps, wells and gardens. All these years later, Read Island hasn’t changed. There are no ferries that go to or from Vancouver Island, only water taxis or private boats.

For purchase information on Jay Lang books click book covers

 

 

If ever you wanted to see rustic beauty in the purest, most spectacular form, I highly recommend a visit to Read Island. 

 All of my novels are available at bookswelove.net/lang-jay/ 

My novels are Hush, Shatter, Shiver, Storm, The Cove, Impulse, and I’m currently working on my next novel, The Immoral.