Inventing Names

Names are tough. They can be the second-hardest part about writing a book.

Author names:

As an author, myname is a pseudonym. That’s not even the whole story. My first name is correct, but my last name is more complicated to pronounce/spell than Christine. It’s important to pick an easily pronounceable name, else readers won’t be able to recommend you to friends.

As a reader, I remember talking with a friend about Tamora Pierce. You’d think a name like that would be easy to pronounce, but it...