IS IT REALLY A HOMAGE?

Character names are important. Writers do not select names that are bland, generic, or run-of-the-mill. They may be indicative of character or an ironic twist to a character’s true essence. They may imply physical characteristics. Once a name is selected and the book becomes a truly memorable piece of fiction, the name sticks with the reader as the remembrance of a great event.

I started in my formative years simply by “making up a name” in a rather blasé fashion. There was no rhyme or reason. I turned to the next great resource (which now no longer exists): the phone book. I would flip through and run my finger down the columns of a random page, seeking surnames that were unique yet, at the same time, very real.

At times, seeking a specific implication of character, I would look up baby names and their meanings. Thomas is Aramaic for “twin”. If the character had a hidden characteristic or perhaps multiple personalities, this would have been a good name. Diana, from the Roman deity, meant ‘divine”. A good character might have that name; or, if she were evil, that name could be used ironically.

It became too difficult to pursue this intellectual manner of name selection. I realized I didn’t necessarily need meaning so much as a unique name. I determined a way to find these names while at the same time engaging a group of people who might not automatically be readers. I used variations of the names of co-workers and other friends.

This started eight years ago when I approached a female co-worker who had a delightful name for a film noir-ish femme fatale: Heather Devore. I asked her permission to use her name and she agreed (as long as I made her – in her words – hot and sexy). You will find this femme fatale in Ark City Confidential.

The issue I encountered was I had more male characters in my books than females but worked with more females. In order to get some excited about the prospect of “being in the book”, I had to convince them their names would be male characters. Many acquiesced, some begrudgingly.

Of course, when you write crime fiction there are likely to be deaths and those looking for literary infamy, in a manner of speaking, might be disappointed by their demise. A former supervisor made the cut as a vicious pimp. He was thrilled when I told him he was in two scenes, but then became further excited when I referenced two more scenes. I asked two young ladies if they would mind being dead prostitutes. “Sure” they both said with a shrug.

I started my current job in May 2021. This was about the time I was outlining the second book in The Wichita Chronicles, The End of The Treachery (to be released December 9, 2024) Naturally, my new co-workers were titillated about my writing and happy to be in the book. At least a half dozen of the characters that were created are based on people no longer with the company. I’ll have to let them know in some fashion.

So, is this a homage or a slick ploy to gain followers and interest in my work? The answer is: a little of both. The end result is I have names for my characters and a smile on my face for remembering where they were obtained from. Maybe those folks will get a kick out of it as well. Assuming their character didn’t wind up dead!

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Next week, I will be uploading a video of AI created representations of some of the characters in The End of the Treachery, Volume 2 of The Wichita Chronicles. And, yes, the inspiration for these characters will be tagged in social media.