I am so excited that author Pamela Taylor is here today at my blog. She’ll be talking about naming her characters! Her book Pestilence is currently on a blog tour with WOW! Women on Writing. First, here’s a little bit about her book:
At the dawn of the Renaissance, Alfred – the eponymous second son – must discover the special destiny foreseen for him by his grandfather. Now, the unthinkable has happened: Alfred’s brother is king. And it isn’t long before everyone’s worst fears are realized. Traditional allegiances are shattered under a style of rule unknown since the grand bargain that formed the kingdom was struck over two hundred years ago. These will be the most dangerous years of Alfred’s life, forcing him to re-examine his duty to
personal honor and to the kingdom, while the threats posed by his brother
constantly remind him of his father’s final words of advice. What choices will he have to make to try to protect the things he holds most dear?
Be sure to add this to your GoodReads reading list!
And now for Pamela’s guest post on naming characters:
One of the great delights of being a writer is choosing names for our characters. But when those characters lived over six hundred years ago, we also have to pay attention to what people were actually called in those times.
I really had great fun finding period-appropriate names for the Second Son Chronicles. The kingdoms in which the events of the Chronicles play out bear some resemblance to northern Europe, so that’s how I framed my search for suitable names.
Some names seem to have been with us in more or less the same form for more than a millennium. Names like John, Phillip, Mary, Samuel, Margaret, and Peter have been in use since at least the Middle Ages. This most likely stems from the Judeo-Christian heritage of the geographic area in question. But other names come and go. In the ninth and tenth centuries, Saxon names like Ethelflæd or Ealswith might have been common, but they’d largely vanished by the early fourteenth century as the English language evolved under the influence of Norman French following the victory of William the Conqueror in 1066. Names of Saxon origin persisted longer among the lower classes, so I’ve reflected that in characters like the protagonist Alfred’s squire, Osbert, and the blacksmith, Fulk.
Another thing I found fascinating about discovering period-appropriate names for the Chronicles was to see how slight changes in spelling over the centuries led to names we would recognize today. Take, for example, Avelina, the wife of one of Alfred’s close friends. A slightly earlier spelling was Auelin, which led to Avelina, which eventually led to the modern Evelyn. Or Emaurri, which became Amory or Emory, and eventually today’s Emery. I have no idea when Ralf became Ralph – or why.
Other names that would likely have been common in Alfred’s day – Estrilda or Berengaria, Wymer or Goscelin – have faded away over time.
Very early in the series, Alfred comes into contact with the still-feudal societies to the west of his grandfather’s kingdom. To reflect that difference in culture, I turned to more ancient languages for suitable names: Gaelic, Breton, and Cornish. One of my favorite names in the series is Kensa which means “first” in Cornish, and she is, in fact, her parents’ firstborn. But readers will discover after they meet her in Volume 4 and follow her through the rest of the series why I like her name so much.
Once, while working on Pestilence, I needed a name for Lord Rupert’s squire. I’d picked out three good candidates and just couldn’t settle on one – and the squire wasn’t being particularly helpful – he seemed to have no preference at all for what he was called. So I turned to my readers with polls on Facebook and Twitter. When the votes were tallied, Rolly was the clear winner.
I hope you enjoy reading the Chronicles as much as I’m enjoying bringing them to life. And who knows – if you sign up for my mailing list or follow me on social media, you might get a chance to help choose a character name.
About the Author
Pamela Taylor brings her love of history to the art of storytelling in the Second Son Chronicles. An avid reader of historical fact and fiction, she finds the past offers rich sources for character, ambiance, and plot that allow readers to escape into a world totally unlike their daily lives. She shares her home with two Corgis who frequently reminder her that a dog walk is the best way to find inspiration for that next chapter.
You can follow her online at:
Author Website: https://pamela-taylor.com
Series Website: https://www.SecondSonChronicles.com
Twitter: @PJTAuthor
Instagram: PJTAuthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSecondSonChronicles
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/51487326
Pestilence is available to purchase as a print copy and as an e-book
at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. Be sure to add this to your GoodReads reading list too!
