By any other name
This post on Open Wardrobes got me thinking about names in the run up to this new book (working title: The Murder School). Names are one of the weak points of After the Service I will freely admit to. I usually slap a name on my characters at about the same time I think them up, which leaves me with some rather dull character cognomens. My main character’s name is “David,” his roommate is “John,” his editor is “Jane,” his pastor is “Rick,” and his police detective is named “Anderson.” (Anderson might take offense to being called David’s police detective, but that’s what he gets for being a supporting character.)
Jim’s poetic ruminations on the importance of naming, combined with my own innate laziness, have actually combined to force me to take a bit more care in the naming of my supporting cast in The Murder School (hereby called “TMS“).
As I’ve been outlining, I’ve been neglecting to give any of my new characters names, with the exception of the victim. Instead, I’ve been referring to them by initials or abbreviations. My hope is that, eventually, I will come up with stellar, creative, descriptive names that illuminate the nature of these characters without being overly heavy-handed or–even more important, with a mystery–giving anything away!
I don’t know when I will actually give names to these folks, so I may end up posting excerpts with these nicknames still intact. So, without further ado, I present to you the new characters to be found in TMS:
- JL: Jenny Lee: This is the one character I’ve named–the victim. She’s a Christian music star and alumna of Seattle Pacific University. She was supposed to give the commencement address for David’s graduation, but she’s found dead in her hotel room a couple days before. I like this name, because it’s the kind of short name a pop star should have, but it’s actually her real name.
- AG: Alumni Guy. SPU director of alumni relations, or something like it. He contacts David on behalf of the school, asking him to investigate JL’s death–and hopefully to prove that it had nothing to do with SPU, which is getting tired of the tag “The Murder School.” (Get it?)
- Mgr: Jenny Lee’s Manager. He also contacts David, having read up on his earlier exploits while doing advance work for his client. He, too, wants independent eyes and ears on the investigation.
- Rep: Reporter. A reporter and SPU alum David knows vaguely from way back. He’s still trying to hit the big time, and also asks David to investigate, hoping to get some cheap labor that will give him a major scoop.
- PA: JL’s Personal Assistant. A young, cute, freckled Tennessean with an accent David finds adorable. She’s devastated by her boss’ death, and by being stranded alone in a strange city. Or is she?
- KB: JL’s keyboardist. A hip young musician, who, while he was feeling creatively stifled in his current position, is worried about the loss of his steady gig, and mourning the loss of his friend. Or is he?
- JLM: JL’s Mother. A Korean immigrant who has lived nearly her whole life in the States. I imagine she has a Korean name, but that she hasn’t used it in years, and goes by a more American-sounding one. Not very close to her daughter, but angry and distraught by her sudden and mysterious death. Or is she?
- HSBF: JL’s High School Boyfriend. A former jock, who the years have treated a bit less well than he may have hoped, he nonetheless could be said to have some rugged charm, if you overlook the small paunch and receding hairline. But while he still thinks his former girl is smokin’, he hasn’t seen her in years. Or has he?
- VA: JL’s Violin Adviser. First violin for the Seattle Symphony, and one of JL’s music professor at SPU. A young prodigy grown into a less-young hotshot, he maintains more familiarity with his female students than David thinks appropriate. But he also hasn’t seen her for quite some time. Or has he?
- AP: JL’s Accountability Partner. A friend from Tennessee, she knows more about JL than any other person, and loved her anyway. Or did she?
- DKM: David Kelter’s Mother. Or is she? Yes, actually, she is. This isn’t the first time she’s appeared–she’s in the first scene of the forthcoming All That Death, but never got a name. The time has come. She’s kind of a flighty sort, but sharp in her own way–usually having to do with baseball statistics. Hates that David keeps finding himself involved in these murders.
- DKF: David Kelter’s Father. The owner of a fairly successful printing business in the town of Mount Vernon an hour north of Seattle. Covertly fascinated by, and even a little envious of, his son’s escapades.
If you have any suggestions for these names, I’m all ears. At the moment, I’m considering taking names directly from the Washington State voter rolls, for some verisimilitude. But this time, I’m determined to make sure the names fit the characters well–and that will mean I’ll have to actually start writing the book, and get to know them.
