"Romance novel" character names

[raphy]

Re: I must confess...

Forgive me authors, for I have sinned... I read those books with the sappy covers of impossibly beautiful women and studly men with bulging biceps and rippling abs. Sigh. Someone, punish me, (please?!)

Oh.. the temptation....

 

[whispering_surrender]

*sigh* I read the "they fall in love, a terrible misunderstanding tears them apart, they come together again, all is well" romances too.....

*grin* I call them "brain candy". Great for a five minute break from life or to counteract insomnia.

Whisper

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I read a few Cartlands myself as a curious teenager. I remember I stopped abruptly after throwing one of the sappiest ones in the wall, hurling. The man had built a shrine to his dead wife, and the young girl told him that she thought that he was a demi-god, and she longed to serve him, even though she could never be as good as his first wife... *barfs again*

The stupid names always amused me. Camelia, Seraphina, Emanuellinde...

And no matter how stupid and ridiculous I may find them, you have to admire a woman who managed to sell the same story over 800 times, simply by changing the names and cities!

 

[Guest]

I don't read romances. They are so sickly sweet, they make my stomach turn. I'll take a good mystery book over a romance novel any day.

 

[McKenna]

.

 

[oggbashan]

I have been building a collection of Baby Name books to help my inspiration. I now have seventeen of them.

The definitions of the names' meanings vary. The popularity of names changes over time and because of local politics. The connotations of each name can be dangerous.

"Wayne" could be a ballet dancer after "Wayne Sleep" or a knuckle dragging uneducated dim-wit. Tracey is an Essex Girl or Blonde Bimbo.

"Charlotte" and "Emily" are 1970s babies. Any person named after a character in "Neighbours" or "Home and Away" has a lot to live down.

Unisex names are difficult for boys - "Francis" and "Frances", "Robin" and "Robyn", yet Francis Drake and Robin Hood are masculine heroes. Who is the woman out of "Hero and Leander"?

Cultures make a difference. A local man is called "Marcial" because he is French. He gets letters addressed to "Ms Marcia".

Names are one of the difficulties in writing fiction. There is a very good "How To" on naming characters. Often I call my characters AAA and BBB until I get a feel for their personality, then use locate and replace to give them proper names. Usually AAA and BBB don't last much longer than the initial outline but some names have been changed in the final edit.

Now what do I call a pantomime dwarf? "Atlas" won't do.

Og

 

[Quasimodem]

One of Ms. Heyer's heroines was called "Hero," so I imagine Leander is the masculine one.

Phineas would do well for a pantomime dwarf, or Yorgi.

I started reading Heyer because of "The Infamous Army" following Wellington's Army through the major conflicts of the Peninsular War, 1809 - 1814. (Edit: or was that "The Spanish Bride" )

She also wrote murder mysteries, and several Georgian and other Historical stories. She practically created the Regency Romance on her own, although I would not call any of them a bodice-ripper.

Every new writer down the pike is puffed as the "New Georgette Hewer" but few measure higher than the lady's ankles. None display her level of research.

 

[Guest]

(1) One of them has non-consensual and bondage scenes the likes of which will keep you warm and breathless for months, (2) the other describes a masturbation scene that I hadn't ever seen covered in any other book, also very hot.

Mack, post or PM the titles to me, please.

Perdita

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Now what do I call a pantomime dwarf? "Atlas" won't do.

How about "Petey"?

 

[McKenna]

.

 

[oggbashan]

I started reading Heyer because of "The Infamous Army" following Wellington's Army through the major conflicts of the Peninsular War, 1809 - 1814. (Edit: or was that "The Spanish Bride" )

"The Spanish Bride" was the Peninsular War and was based on the real Lady Smith, bride of Harry Smith. (the town named after her was relieved during the Boer War).

"The Infamous Army" was the Waterloo Campaign.

At one time both were on the recommended reading list for Sandhurst.

Og

 

[Quasimodem]

"The Spanish Bride" ... "The Infamous Army" ... were on the recommended reading list for Sandhurst. Og

Do you think this was part of a "MAKE LOVE NOT WAR" campaign?

It makes me smile to think of all those baby Major-Generals reading bodice-rippers

Editted to Add:

Og,

Oh, you mean Ladysmith! I was trying to imagine why I couldn't believe that Mafikeng was a Spanish name.

 

[Guest]

It makes me smile to think of all those baby Major-Generals reading bodice-rippers

Quas, the way you put it made me grin.

The govt. here did or is going to put on "Henry V" for the troops. I so hope they don't get cute with the cry on "George".

Perdita

 

[Quasimodem]

Quas, the way you put it made me grin.

The govt ... put on "Henry V" for the troops.. . hope they don't get cute with the cry on "George". Perdita

Perdita,

Did you see "Renaissance Man" starring Danny DeVito?

If so, what did you think of the "To Be Or Not to Be" Rap?

 

[Guest]

Did you see "Renaissance Man" starring Danny DeVito?
If so, what did you think of the "To Be Or Not to Be" Rap?

Yes, I did, Quas. The specifics do not come to mind now but I do recall that I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and was glad someone in its making obviously knew Shakespeare well. It's something I'd watch again sometime. Now if only our troops get as good a presentation of Sh're.

Perdita

 

[Quasimodem]

Perdita, you failed to mention whether George will be there. If so, there will be at least one, Double-D in the audience.

 

[Guest]

Quas, a theatre co. is going to go from base to base in the states, doubt our Geo. will be in attendance at any. P.

 

[shereads]

She practically created the Regency Romance on her own, although I would not call any of them a bodice-ripper.

If no bodices are ripped, where's the romance?

 

[Quasimodem]

If no bodices are ripped, where's the romance?

One of her characters was named Waldo, while another had been given the nickname Gog, and those were her heros. I doubt that Heyer was one of the "Romance" writers about whom Muffie was complaining.

Instead of ripping away bodices, her novels exposed a lot of research into the personalities, daily customs, and language - especially cant phrases - of the early 1800's, plus a dollop of history.

In the case of "The Spanish Bride" and "The Infamous Army," that order was reversed, to the degree – as Og reminded – that it was considered an acceptably accurate history, and recommended at Sandhurst.

Barbara Cartland (for an example) on the other hand, did not even write acceptably accurate facsimiles of human speech.

(Speaking from the experience of having got six pages deep into one of her contrivances. What can I say, I was grossly mislead. Luckily, I was still at the library and therefor, it was never recorded upon my reader database.)


For all I know, now that Heyer is gone, unscrupulous feather merchants may be marketing her novels with the "sappy covers of impossibly beautiful women and studly men with bulging biceps and rippling abs" of which McKenna wrote, but if so, they are doing her work a great disservice.

Georgette Heyer was a better writer than all that.

 

[LadyJane]

Instead of ripping away bodices, her novels exposed a lot of research into the personalities, daily customs, and language - especially cant phrases - of the early 1800's, plus a dollop of history.

Just have to jump in here. I adore Georgette Heyer and am currently in the process of reading all of her Regency romances. Her secondary characters are hilariously drawn (Fawnhope the Byron wannabe in The Grand Sophy to name just one). She meticulously describes Regency society, customs, and fashion. And her faithful rendition of the cant phrases has me thinking things like, "I should plant him a facer" or "what a lot of fustian." I love the language of her books and prefer her to Jane Austen.

I'm an aspiring romance writer myself, and I'd be thrilled if I could get published by Harlequin. Believe me, it's not easy...

 

[Uther_Pendragon]

I wish nobody did name girls names like the heroines
of romance novels. But I've heard a professor moan that
the commonest names for coeds sound like they'd come from
romance novels. (Probably, they really come from romance
movies.)
For nearly a century, "Mary" was the most popular girl's
name in the USA. Often more popular than any boy's name
as well. (The most popular boys' names are generally more
popular than girls' names.) Sometimes it was joined in the
top 10 by "Marie" or "Maria." Then it disappeared from the
top 10 girls' names.

 

[Stormraven23]

Romance

Hi all.

I've been reading the thread on romances, and I have got to say, there's a very good reason I -do not- write Romance.

Although I enjoy romances, particularly the wilder types (traditionally the historicals) the genre in general is still really tame for today's market.

In other words, I like the stories that are rated at the very least 'steamy' and even though the market -is- opening up to more erotic romances (as it really ought to be, if you think about it, this is -Romance- after all, the whole idea is to get sexy with someone) it's still way too tame for me.

I only started including straight erotic elements into my novel-length fiction recently, because I enjoyed writing the little erotic 'fun-stuff' I have posted here, sooo much.

But I have -always- wanted to write it in, I just figured having words like "cock" and "pussy" and graphically detailed sex scenes would nearly kill my options for publication (please, any of you who have been published with your erotic fiction, let me know who you're with).

Romance is a wonderful, old genre. And the books published in the 60's and 70's were much racier than the ones that were subsequently published in the 80's and 90's for the most part. This was really due to a change in what publishers thought the readers wanted. Even so, the erotica publishers I've come across seem to want the standard romance formula with the erotic elements included.

Which doesn't make a whole lot of sense to my DH and I, who is trying to find me a publisher who will take a regular erotica type book (ie: one in which the main characters both have sex with other people in varying ways throughout), even though there is an element of romance in the story, the idea of the 'heroine' and 'hero' having sex only with each other defeats (I think) the whole idea of the erotica genre.

As for names (which I realized the name of this thread is focused on) a lot more romance novels are having 'normal' names for characters nowadays. Only a few years ago, naming a romance, Alpha Male hero "David" was sure to get your MS refused.

Other hero names that publishers didn't seem to like for Alpha Males were: Joshua, Alyn, Samuel... Of course, if anyone's read my latest, one of my most Alpha Male characters is named "Joshua". ;>

Traditional names for males, if we're really going for the 'kitsch" would be: Blade, Storm (can be used for females also), Rake, Raife. Names for women come up like: Rayven, Rowan, Storme, Raine, Rayne (anything pretty much sounding female and ending in 'a').

Heh,
Stormraven (there's a reason for that)

 

[Wills]

Re: Romance

Names for women come up like: Rayven, Rowan, Storme, Raine, Rayne (anything pretty much sounding female and ending in 'a').

Did I miss something?

Will's

 

[sweetnpetite]

I have a romance story inside me that is waiting to be written, and the characters have unbelievably cheesy names. But that *is* their name! I can't do anything about it!!!!!!

The woman's name is Katherine Blake. However, she's a romance writer who's pen name is Caitlin Bliss.

The man's name is Vic Valentine. It's a real last name that I have always liked, and I also like the alliteration.

So sue me

Katherine's aunt's name is Aimee (a spelling that I have always hated!) and her mother's name is Pearl. The novel written by Caitlin Bliss is called, "Violet in Paradise" and you can guess the protagonist is named Violet. Her follow up novel is going to be Rose in Paradise. (VIP and RIP) Her novel is the conventional 'bodice ripper' while her own story is rather different altogether. She writes over the top formula romance, but she doesn't believe in any of that stuff.

Ok, so laugh away

I read romance novels sometimes. They are a good quick read. Certain things in them I like, and others I don't. Some romance novelists have a pretty good understanding of human nature. I've actually learned quite a bit myself from reading them. Reading *anything* is a way to see through somebody elses eyes, to see a new way of looking at the world that you may not have considered. It's a great way to open your eyes and expand your mind and to see that there is not one right way to think and to be.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Names with alitteration belongs in Humour & Satire, not Romance!