Naming Characters in To Tempt a Viscount

When one reads a novel, it might all seem perfectly pieced together. Easy even. That is what I thought when I started to pen my debut novel, To Tempt a Viscount, and boy was I wrong.

Naming characters was a challenge. I stole several different names from family members and friends but surnames were much more difficult. Every person, no matter how small a part, required a name. So, I brainstormed names and moved on, writing my story down on legal pads. Bunches of them. Unfortunately, some of my characters resurfaced throughout the book, so I would have to return to my stack of legal pads to remember those names and their precise spelling.

As you can see, this was a horrible system, and I learned my lesson. For my next novel, To Dodge a Duke (which will be available soon from The Wild Rose Press!), I made lists of character names and kept them handy. My new system cut down on a significant amount of wasted time, although I still had to brainstorm those surnames.

Here's a random tidbit for you. Laura and Gavin meet at the Songfeld house party. Originally, (after one of my brainstorming sessions) I named the house party the Shropshire house party. Little did I know Shropshire is actually a county in England. Once my wonderful editor informed me of this, I changed the name to Songfeld.

To Tempt a Viscount book cover

Blurb:

Lady Laura Rosing knows two things: first, she will marry for love, and second, she detests rakes. When she meets Lord Gavin Farris, she understands immediately that he fails both her criteria, and worse yet, he is an absolute cad who refuses to leave her be.

Lord Farris has always appreciated women and cannot understand why Lady Laura is so resistant to his charms. While pretty, she is not his usual type, but something about her intrigues him. Much to his chagrin, he finds himself desperately in love with her, but he may be too late. His adamant refusal to marry just might have planted her firmly in the arms of another.

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Naomi Boom
http://www.naomiboom.com