Today, Bonnie Engstrom talks about how she goes about picking names for her characters.  She has published two novels, several novellas, and is currently publishing a series of novellas with Forget Me Not Romances.  Her latest is Connie’s Silver Shoes  (The Candy Cane Girls) (Volume 4) which was published in July, 2016.  Bonnie. and her husband live in Arizona.

Well, here I am, bamboozled into writing a blog. Seriously, not really bamboozled. But, Jim’s blog instructions did throw me for a loop, and not an ACFW loop comment. I have been blessed to be on several blogs, but in Q and A situations. Did I really agree to this? If I did, I hope I can live up to Jim’s expectations. Otherwise, why would he have invited me? Maybe Jim had brain fog?

There is one question most authors are asked immediately, me included.

* How do you chose names for your characters?

I wish I could say I research names that have meaning for each character’s personality. Some authors keep lists, some check out baby book names, and some make diagrams. Me? My characters names simply pop into my head. Really. I only deliberately sought the “right” name for two characters – Betsy in Butterfly Dreams because the original title was to be a word play on the “Heavens to Betsy” expression (maybe I should have stuck with that title), and the second character? I knew the first story in The Candy Cane Girls series would be about a woman planning a Christmas wedding. So, I thought about Christmassy names. Of course Joy came to mind, but I wanted a more definitive name. Somehow, maybe an extension of my minimal background in French, I decided on Noelle Day. Get it? Christmas Day slightly disguised. Or, maybe it derived via buried memory since Betsy’s hero in Butterfly Dreams is named Noel. But, where I got his name is still a mystery.

I wish I had given more thought to the six, now seven, women’s names in The Candy Cane series. They all simply popped into my head. But, other than Noelle, they are names that end in “ie” or “y” sounds. I mean Cindy, Connie, Melanie, Natalie, and for true sound repetition, Candy. Why would I name a Candy Cane Candy? When I finally got to girl number six, I realized I had overdone it. That’s when Doreen’s name was born. But, I didn’t stop there. I introduced Emily as a minor character.

Some of the characters’ names are real names of real people. I love to use real people, especially ones I know personally. I always get a release from them, and so far all have been thrilled to be part of a story. Two have been men, male heroes; several have been women and men as minor characters. Knowing them, and seeing their faces as I write, makes the story more authentic to me. One character who is in every Candy Cane story is Jill the wedding coordinator. Since I don’t use her full name, I haven’t asked for a release. But, she is definitely needed for each Candy Cane wedding. What would the brides, grooms and their families do without her? Especially, Jaeda in Connie’s Silver Shoes. Without Jill the ending of his and Connie’s wedding would have been very different. And certainly not as much fun.

I have my daughter in several books and two of my grown children and all six grandchildren in another. Someday they will have fun reading about their roles in a beach wedding.

I had prayed to be published before I became ancient. I think I have joined the ranks of ancient, but I’m having so much fun. I had always dreamed of writing a series, but I had never given any deep thought to how complicated it can be. All those characters with the same sounding names!

Bonnie’s email is:  bengstrom@hotmail.com.

Her website is:  www.bonnieengstrom.com  where you can sign up for her quarterly newsletter Life on the Lake.