PROGRESS REPORT: WEEK ENDING JUNE 14, 2014

"By any other name...?"

As we celebrate the 50th post on my writing blog...

Work continues on Chapter 10 of ALPHA, BOOK 2: WAYWARD SON; but I got stuck trying to come up with an appropriate name for a character who is pivotal to the second half of the novel.

I wanted something genuine sounding to represent a certain ethnic group, but I did not want something cliche or stereotypical either.

I feel that names within stories, at least for all the major lead and supporting characters are important. You want the proper name to represent at least an aspect, if not the whole character.

"John Smith" or Hugh Monn?

Could you imagine a private detective on another planet in the far flung future being named "John Smith" instead of Hugh Monn, a play on the word Human.
It just doesn't sound right. But a human would stand out amongst all the alien races in such a science fiction setting.

What if ALPHA was BETA, or some other letter?
Just wouldn't have the same impact on being a superhero, would it?

In any event, I did finally decide on a name for the character after auditioning and considering a lot of possibilities.
Hope to have Chapter 10 finished and working on Chapter 11 by next week's progress report.

Meanwhile, The Free Choice E-zine is doing well, and there is currently only one short story commitment left on my 2014 agenda at this time that still needs to be honored. Hope to have that finished before the end of the summer, well ahead of its late October deadline.

Take care, and see you around the Internet.
Lee Houston, Junior
15 June, 2014