How Do You Solve A Problem Like Elizabeth, Elizabeth and Elizabeth?
One of the first ideas I had when thinking about this new series, was
that the three heroines would all have the same name. That might sound a bit
odd at first, but they’ve been friends since they met in the same class at
primary school, and when I was in their position there were three other girls
all called Sarah as well as me. My current neighbours both have little boys who
have the same name, and we see it every year with those charts showing popular
children’s names.
The problem with being Sarah is it’s very hard to shorten, or even
elongate – middle names were out because there were two Sarah Louise’s and two
Sarah Jane’s, so I needed to come up with a name that was popular and had lots
of diminutives.
Catherine might have worked, but Kate, Katie, Cathy, Kitty all sound a
bit too similar which could be confusing to the reader and also a bit squicky
when one of the hero’s is the older brother of one of the three women. There’s
nothing romantic about whispering sweet-nothings to your girlfriend and her
name being almost the same as your kid sister’s!
It would have been easier if I’d just abandoned the whole idea and
given them different names, but a writer’s brain is a funny thing and once we
seize on something, we hate to let it go—just ask our poor editors! Thankfully,
I eventually settled on them all being called Elizabeth and Beth, Eliza and
Libby were born. That’s the other thing about the way my brain works, I can’t see a character until I get their name
right.
So what do you think? Were you in class with several boys or girls with
the same name? Maybe like me, you spent half your time being told ‘No not you,
the other Sarah.’ I’d love to know!
Sarah Bennett has been reading
for as long as she can remember. Raised in a family of bookworms, her love
affair with books of all genres has culminated in the ultimate Happy Ever After
– getting to write her own stories to share with others.
Born and raised in a military family, she is happily married to her own Officer (who is sometimes even A Gentleman). Home is wherever he lays his hat, and life has taught them both that the best family is the one you create from friends as well as relatives.
When not reading or writing, Sarah is a devotee of afternoon naps and sailing the high seas, but only on vessels large enough to accommodate a casino and a choice of restaurants.
Sarah is the author of the Butterfly Cove trilogy, published by HQ Digital UK.
Born and raised in a military family, she is happily married to her own Officer (who is sometimes even A Gentleman). Home is wherever he lays his hat, and life has taught them both that the best family is the one you create from friends as well as relatives.
When not reading or writing, Sarah is a devotee of afternoon naps and sailing the high seas, but only on vessels large enough to accommodate a casino and a choice of restaurants.
Sarah is the author of the Butterfly Cove trilogy, published by HQ Digital UK.
Her new series is set in the
beautiful seaside town of Lavender Bay, and will follow the lives of three best
friends - Beth, Eliza and Libby.
Book
Links
iBooks
https://geo.itunes.apple.com/gb/book/spring-at-lavender-bay-lavender-bay-book-1/id1291866254?mt=11
Blurb:
A season for change…?
Beth Reynolds loved growing up close to
Eleanor’s Emporium – a bric-a-brac shop full of wonders on Lavender Bay.
Devastated to learn that Eleanor has died, she returns home from London
immediately and is shocked to discover that the elderly lady has left the shop
to her!
Vowing to restore it to its former
glory, she only intends to stay until the end of the season. Although the longer
she spends in the colourful seaside town, the more she falls back in love with
everything she left behind…and quite possibly, with her best friend Eliza’s
older brother, local chef Sam Barnes!
Why didn’t she notice he was quite this
gorgeous before? And will their spring fling be enough to convince her to stay?
Don’t miss
Spring at Lavender Bay, the first book in the enchanting Lavender Bay trilogy!
Perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley, Rachael Lucas and Hilary Boyd.
Book 1: Spring at Lavender Bay
Book 2: Summer at Lavender Bay
Book 3: Snowflakes at Lavender Bay
Book 2: Summer at Lavender Bay
Book 3: Snowflakes at Lavender Bay
Spring at Lavender Bay Blog Tour Giveaway
Prize: Kindle Fire 7, Room Diffuser & L'Occitne
Hand Cream Set
UK Only
Hi Sarah and Rachel,
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Sarah.(I know at least three other Sarah/Saras! :) and growing up in Wales, known by my second name Lyn, I was always getting confused with other Lyns and requently called Lynda, which is NOT my name!)
I understand completely what you mean about characters' names, I need to have them named before they're 'real' enough to write about too. I think calling them Elizabeth, shortened to Beth,