tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post4382989504966797632..comments2023-08-14T10:44:59.007-04:00Comments on Novel Spaces: Changing the Name of a Fictional TownKeVin K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14792797517571690942noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-76822322429077671612017-05-19T12:22:02.115-04:002017-05-19T12:22:02.115-04:00Thank you Beth for your ideas. We'll see how t...Thank you Beth for your ideas. We'll see how this plays out. If I decide to ignore my husband's protests, I may go back to Zemporia, but I could end up using something totally different (one that kind of ties into the plot). I know changing a name is something an author can do at the last minute. I had to do it with my first book. My daughter started dating a man with the same last name as one of my characters. The man called right before I sent it off to the publisher and said "Debbie and I are getting married, so if that's an issue with your character having my name here's your chance to change it." I did although I told him that my character had that name first!authorlindathornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02605805996356003012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-3004476998879205982017-05-19T11:20:27.922-04:002017-05-19T11:20:27.922-04:00Since I want my middle school readers to know abou...Since I want my middle school readers to know about locations they may never travel to, I use real life places like Atlanta, Manhattan, Detroit. However, I must admit that when first starting to write, I felt concern someone might feel I slighted their hometown, especially when I used a small place like Canton, Maine. I got over that quickly figuring any true reader knows better than to get offended if a story fringes (or infringes) on their own experience and territory. After all, they are reading "fiction." For instance,although Emporians might connect Zemporia to their town with its proximity to Topeka, I say go far it if it best fits your story. Mystery readers are probably more sophisticated than provincial. Even so, I also liked how you arrived at Grandville for a possible name. That could prove to be an irony.Beth Finehttp://imaginepurple.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-27818165167357544782017-05-18T16:58:59.118-04:002017-05-18T16:58:59.118-04:00Thank you, Maggie and Liane. Yes, the process of w...Thank you, Maggie and Liane. Yes, the process of what goes into naming a place or character can get quite complicated. I like the idea of putting real places like the three redneck bars into one named the Moonshine Inn. I may convince my husband to let me go back to using Zemporia.authorlindathornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02605805996356003012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-75857431371047355442017-05-18T12:20:41.070-04:002017-05-18T12:20:41.070-04:00I often give the real settings of my books fiction...I often give the real settings of my books fictional names too. Nonwriters would not believe the amount of time, thought and research that goes into a simple place or character name! But I thoroughly enjoy the process.<br /><br />Lovely shots of Granville! It looks like a very peaceful place.Liane Spicerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05035607144500219524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-39663077346345494232017-05-18T12:12:23.342-04:002017-05-18T12:12:23.342-04:00I like Zemporia! Each to her/his own. I haven'...I like Zemporia! Each to her/his own. I haven't yet written about a fictional town, but I do add fictional elements to real places. The Moonshine Inn in Murder at the Moonshine Inn is a heavily embellished combination of three redneck bars in Richmond, VA. Although some of the locals knew which three they were!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-79685845352838691962017-05-17T20:14:28.782-04:002017-05-17T20:14:28.782-04:00Thank you, Morgan. By the time the book comes out ...Thank you, Morgan. By the time the book comes out I may a totally different town name. authorlindathornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02605805996356003012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-55625511552552545302017-05-17T19:07:28.514-04:002017-05-17T19:07:28.514-04:00It's the little things that can blog an author...It's the little things that can blog an author down at times, but also can be fun. Sometimes I use actual cities or towns, but usually when I do I make up street names. Otherwise, people could get mad. It's also fun to think up new names for towns or cities, but not always easy. Most of them are already taken.<br />Morgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-60135015626025551392017-05-17T13:24:52.803-04:002017-05-17T13:24:52.803-04:00Kathleen, Two Horse sounds like a perfect name of ...Kathleen, Two Horse sounds like a perfect name of a fictional town so long as it's set in a state like Montana. Not sure if it would work in some of the northeastern states. Love how you put it in a snappy title too.<br />Judithe, glad you like Grandville. I still think of going back to using Zemporia from time to time. My husband is so critical of it and then we have another author, Carolyn Haines, who has a successful series set in a fictional town called Zinnia. It might look like I tried to use her idea of adding the "Z." Actually, I may've got the idea from her books. authorlindathornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02605805996356003012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-37677325131750564802017-05-17T13:07:07.033-04:002017-05-17T13:07:07.033-04:00I like the name Grandville! Names can convey a lot...I like the name Grandville! Names can convey a lot so naming places and also people as an author can really take a lot of time and thought, more than most readers probably realize. <br /><br />Judithe LittleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5594341074652821017.post-50332975366933633762017-05-17T12:00:43.647-04:002017-05-17T12:00:43.647-04:00I enjoyed reading your post, Linda. Most of the to...I enjoyed reading your post, Linda. Most of the towns I write about are real places, but in one of my mysteries I fictionalized the name of the location, which is in a remote area of Montana. I called the town Two Horse and decided to entitle the book, A Two Horse Town. Writing fiction is a lot of fun. I like Zemporia. Maybe you can use it in another book.Kathleen Kaskahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16500241341014235792noreply@blogger.com