Back in my single days when my best friend said I needed a theme song, I chose “It’s Raining Men”. Not because men were abundant in my part of the world where there are still eight single women to every single man. It was more like a plea and a belief in the power of positive thinking.
Something must have worked because after 80, I stopped counting how many first dates I went on. Suffice to say, very few contenders made it to date three. After all, a girl has her standards. And you can tell a lot just by a man’s name before you even meet. I went through a spate of Garys, Larrys and Barrys, and none of them were for me. Luckily there were always book boyfriends.
These days, between my reading and writing it really does feel like it’s raining men. With many of my own books having the name of the hero in the title, it’s not easy to come up with a new, yet suitable name for each of those hunks. Plus, if I’m in a multi-author series, I have to make sure I’m not using the same name as one of the other authors.
What kind of name do you prefer your book boyfriend heroes have? Do you like something different? I mean, who could ever forget Roark in Shanna? Or do you prefer a more formal name like Jonathan? Personally, I like a name that rarely gets shortened, except perhaps by the heroine in a moment of intimacy. Would it put you off reading a book if you didn’t like the hero’s name? Cue back to my dating days. More than likely it would for me.
No matter what the weather, as long as we have romance novels, it will always be raining men. https://books.bookfunnel.com/histrom99c/ewt0st0z9n
There is also a promo
of new historical releases from January to March. Check here to see if you missed any favorites. https://books.bookfunnel.com/histromnew2/fc2hrql36j
For now, stay dry and enjoy
a good read.
Kathleen
Kathleen
Lawless blames a misspent youth watching Rawhide, Maverick and Bonanza for her
fascination with cowboys, which doesn’t stop her from creating a wide variety
of interests and occupations for her many alpha male heroes.
Her hero,
Steele, in HER UNDERCOVER COWBOY is a modern-day cowboy, so when she was wooed by a man called
Steel—while he’s not a cowboy, he is an Alpha male and her forever hero. Which is why all of her stories end Happily
Ever After.
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Kathleen’s VIP Reader Newsletter to receive a free book, updates, special
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I have a tendency to use typical names unless my hero has a background where he'd need something more unique. Like TJ Bannister in True Dreams. His parents are famous rock and troll superstars. They'd never name a child something common. His real name is True Jam Bannister.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun way to make your hero unique and memorable! I love it.
ReplyDeleteNames, names, and more names! It REALLY IS challenging. Love your post, Kathleen, and I bow in homage to your skill in writing historicals. I enjoy seeing all the different names our Gems authors have in their books. Lately, I've chosen more common names for my heroes...the guy next door sort of thing. Choosing names from history is much more difficult, at least for me. Thank God for the internet! LOL
ReplyDeleteThe interesting thing about names is how cyclical they are. Names I would have considered too old fashioned for my children are now back in vogue.
ReplyDeleteAt the first RWA conference I attended, I was in a seminar taught by someone whose name I've forgotten. A shame, because she was very helpful and was, I'm sure, someone I'd be impressed to know I'd met. She suggested that readers identify more with heroes with names including hard consonants. I try to incorporate that rule. Thanks for including my book in the graphic, Kathleen.
ReplyDeleteOf course, Caroline. Glad you are feeling better. I think about those hard consonants. Maybe I was at the same RWA conference. Definitely some letters are hard and some are soft.
DeleteI have so much trouble naming men—it’s as if they don’t answer until I get it right! Nice post, Kathleen.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Liz. Some of those heroes are so difficult!
DeleteLong ago, in my lunch lady days, the ladies and I sat around one day and came up with names that made you think of attractive men. We did the same for beautiful women, but we had more fun with the men! ;) Now that I have over twenty books out, though, the list is dwindling. I used the "It's Raining Men" song in one of my books where the ladies went for a bachelorette party to a male revue. I played with the idea a bit, too, by having my naïve heroine not know that "It's Raining Men" is commonly used in shows like this, while everyone else knew, including the hero and his friends. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, Kathleen! As I look at the forecast here in the Midwest, it appears we picked an apropos theme for the month!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a fun lady lunch! Wish I had been there! Oh, but then we'd have heroes with the same names.
DeleteEighty first dates? I give you credit for perseverance and I'm glad you don't have to do that anymore!
ReplyDeleteOh, yes. Me as well. But it was fodder for books.
ReplyDeleteOh, dear, that song is now stuck in my head! Great soundtrack for your post!
ReplyDeleteIt is a fun song!
Delete80 dates? I now have you beat and most are still not worth a second round. Imagine being married to a Walter? I was. Luckily he used his middle name. I like the baby name books with the years when certain names are popular. Anytime I meet anyone with a different name I like, I jot it down. After a while you start recycling.
ReplyDeleteWow, is there a Guinness record for first dates? If not you could be it. You really know how to catch attention with your posts. I remember a Ally McBeal episode where they all went to the bar downstairs and dance to that song.
ReplyDeleteI'll happily pass that baton over to Marcia. I remember that Ally McBeal episode! That series was ground-breaking in its day.
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