Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Random Fact About A Secret Fire #1

Favorite Names

For years, I've been obsessed with the name William. I can't remember how it came about, but I believe that there is no stronger, handsome a name in the world. So when I saw A Knight's Tale, that wonderful movie with dreamy Heath Ledger playing a stalwart knight named William Thatcher, I fell in love with the name even more and promised myself I would name my son "William" someday. And that was at age twelve.

Well, I still have that desire, some ten years later, and am dead set on making it happen (and luckily my husband likes the name, too)!

William?

Whenever I wrote stories, before I figured out a male character's name, I would always slip in "William" until I found the real ones, but William has never stuck with any character, and that is for two reasons. One, I don't want my son thinking he was named after a character in my book. I think a girl would be okay with it, but not a boy. And CERTAINLY not after a romance book. And two, the name is so special to me that I want to save it solely for a future son (and hopefully the name fits him!)

How Thatcher Came to Be

So, I had a dilemma. I wanted the main male character in A Secret Fire to have a good, solid name, but what name could compare to William?

I've loved the name "Thatcher" since I'd seen A Knight's Tale, but there were two problems again. One, it's a LAST name, not a first. And two, my husband (and family) didn't see the sense in naming a son "Thatcher." Years before, I had always thought it a strong name and wanted to name another son that, but, I gave in and agreed that we wouldn't name our future son "Thatcher." But it was hard, I tell you! How could I NOT name my son "Thatcher"?

And then it hit me. Thatcher was the man in A Secret Fire. There was no doubt about it. I brainstormed for a few more weeks, but nothing else came close to the name, not even William! And I won in so many ways by choosing this: because I got to name someone "Thatcher," because I finally found the solid name I'd been searching so long for, because Thatcher makes me think of a strong, handsome man, and because I absolutely love the name!

His Last Name

Then came choosing Thatcher's last name. I wanted something different and strong to match his first, so I thought long about this one, too. I scanned through phone books, school directories, baby name books, the credits on movies, the graveyard I walked through every day to get to school, but nothing popped out at me. I knew I wanted some strong, almost harsh letters to match the "ch" in
"Thatcher," so the name "Deacon" caught my eye while I was browsing the internet one day. I loved the fierce sounds of the "d" and "c". But, I didn't like the spelling because it seemed almost too preachy. That, and it didn't fit at all with his character. So I tweaked the spelling, ending up with the strong "Deakon."

Rest at Last

I couldn't believe when I finally found the name I liked enough to name a character after it, but I was relieved when it happened! There is nothing more freeing than finding that name the character needs, and there is nothing more satisfying than creating a solid name like Thatcher Deakon.

Find A Secret Fire at http://www.asecretfire.com/

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