Character Names - Very Important!

     Okay, I am finding out the hard way that character names prove very important. A friend of mine asked me, "Where in the world are you finding names for your characters?" I laughed and told her that the names just appear in my head - Will, Breanna, Cleotyne, Jasmine, Stanley, Leon, Ollie - and I go with that. Other times I thumb through the phone book to use a first name here and a last name there.
     No more, not after that conversation! My friend envisioned Stanley as being unattractive and heavy-set; he was the hero in one of my books. She didn't care for the name Leon either - not for a book character. After I pondered more on the name Stanley, the more I kept thinking about the character, Flat Stanley, in Jeff Brown's children books.
     In a new work in progress, I have these unofficial names selected for the two main characters: Adrienne and Alex. Now that I am seeing those character names together, I am thinking I may need to change one of them to something else since they both start with A.
     No more phone books. No more daydreaming! I've decided to visit www.babynames.com and Character Name Generator at www.be-a-better-writer.com/character-name-generator.html.
     Have an opinion? Should I change the name Adrienne or Alex? How do you select character names?http://www.flatstanleybooks.com/

Writing Idea

     Ideas for writing are everywhere. I am not kidding. It could be anything from a thought to a dream/nightmare to something that you see, read, or hear. Right now I'm listening to the heavy downpour of rain outside, and I am thinking about letting my main character be caught outside in it. Well, maybe not...she could be home in bed fretting over some dilemma, listening to the heavy downpour. Finally, the pouring rain outside lulls her to sleep...

                  Anyway, my family and I were watching one of our favorite game shows, "Family Feud" with host Steve Harvey.  The question: Ladies, what would you do if your man asked you to sign a prenuptial agreement?
          Bingo! It's like a light went off in my head. Why don't I write a short story about a man who asks his woman to sign a prenuptial? So, what am I doing? Working on that short story, of course. 
           I'd like to get you involved, though! Yes, YOU! Interested? I am going to post some titles. Let me know which title you think I should go with. Let me hear from you, and by all means, please vote or leave me a comment.
         

    

203 Words from Through Angel's Eyes

Jasmine watched Leon stiffly. Her facial expression remained emotionless. Even so, her heart fluttered wildly in her chest, and she sat mesmerized. Her breath caught in her throat, and she was acutely aware of how handsome Leon still was. Seeing him now only reminded her of how much she once loved him, of how much she still did. Her heart skipped a couple of beats as she studied him silently. Leon was dressed well as usual. He was a little thinner, but it only enhanced his appearance, made him that much more appealing and sexier than ever. Oh Lord, why couldn’t it have worked out between us? she spoke breathlessly to herself.

She had always imagined them growing old and gray together, she and Leon – holding hands at doctor’s appointments; taking long, slow, leisure walks around the house, enjoying the fresh afternoon air; sitting on the porch side by side in the cool evenings biting into slices of watermelon or delighting in bowls of vanilla ice cream, content and happy in each other’s company. Even though they would be old and gray, to Jasmine, life with Leon would still have been complete bliss. Why couldn’t it have been? Why wasn’t her dream his?

Blessings!

     I have really had extraordinary opportunities to come across some wonderful people in this world - people who do seem to care; people who, indeed, reach out a helping hand to help others; people who show random acts of kindness without expecting anything in return.
     Don't ask why? I don't know. I guess I was in a bit of a rush around the holiday season. I dashed into Walmart, knowing what I was going to purchase; in my heart, feeling that I had enough cash in my hand. Unfortunately, when I got to the register to make my purchase, I discovered that I was twenty-nine cents short! Yep! It was embarrassing. My purse was in my car locked yards away outside.
     "I'll be right back," I said. "I've got to go back to my car for twenty-nine cents."
     Suddenly, to my surprise, an "angel" stood behind me.
     "Here," the woman spoke and reached me fifty cents.
     "Thank you!" I said with a surprised smile.
     "Merry Christmas!" the lady said.

    ------

     This evening I happened to be shopping in a store. Grabbing three needed objects, I walked quickly to the   rear of the long line. I realized that I would be in for a wait. A man and his wife looked back at me. Their buggy was laden with clothing and food items that they needed to purchase. 

      The man's face and smile were kind. "You don't have much at all," he said with a grin. "You can go ahead of us!" Looking back, his wife smiled and agreed. "You go ahead," she said. (Honestly, I thought that was usually my line.) 

     "Thanks!" I gushed. "You are both so kind. Thank you! Thank you!"

     I realized then that when you do a kind deed for others, that kindness will almost always get paid in return.

------

     This week I endured huge, painful headaches. I missed work two days. During that time, I had after school duty one afternoon. Another "angel" stepped in to take my place, not thinking of the cold temperatures 

outside, but stepping in to help a co-worker in a time of need, expecting nothing in return. 

     You, dear angel, know exactly who you are. "Thanks, my kind friend!".