Wow, it’s officially fall around these parts and not only are the leaves starting to change, but uh, it’s cold out there! I shouldn’t complain, since for most of the summer all I did was complain about the heat.

Anyway, I hope late September finds you well!

I’m getting ready to release the first book in my indie contemporary romance series, OFFSIDE. It’s due to be released in ebook format, Tuesday, October 2nd and I’m thrilled!

You can read the blurb and an exclusive excerpt HERE

But for this blog post I wanted to chat a little bit about names and how we identify them with characters, and how I as a writer come up with them!

First off, for me, I can’t even begin to write until I have a clear picture of my characters–what they look like–and their names. I’ve started books before and a few pages in I already know I need to change the name. It doesn’t work for me and I can’t get into the characters. I’ve also found out that I tend to gravitate toward ‘J’ names and ‘M’ names. AND that I’ve used the same name more than once (Logan I’m looking at you) BUT they’re so damn important. Seriously, could you envision Jericho Barrons as hot and sexy and alhpa as he is if his name was Wendell Barrons? Or even Paul? NO!

For me a name automatically generates a picture in my head and sometimes it takes a bit before I get it right for the character I’m writing. In my contemporary trilogy, The Barker Triplets, I need three names that would fit and luckily I didn’t have far to look.

I have an aunt, a beautiful lady who gave birth to three daughters. She was a huge fan of an old television show, PETTICOAT JUNCTION and well, my triplets are named after my cousins, Bobbi-Jo, Billie-Jo and Betty-Jo! For this series, it was perfect!

Have any of you ever read a book where you loved the story and characters but found the name didn’t work? I’m just curious….