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Eleanor Kohn

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Born

New York City, The United States

Member Since

February 2016

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I'm always curious about how authors choose names for their characters. I'm guessing you named Lina's cousin Rachel after your daughter. Did you name Ramona after the character in Beverly Cleary's books? Any other naming stories? Thanks!

Eleanor Kohn I enjoyed the process of naming my characters. The names needed to fit their personalities. I came up with names and backstories for the major players…moreI enjoyed the process of naming my characters. The names needed to fit their personalities. I came up with names and backstories for the major players before I started writing the book.
I wanted the names to be easy to pronounce. It’s annoying to encounter a tricky name in a book and you can’t ask the person how it’s said. When my daughter read the first Harry Potter book, she called Hermione “Hermy-one” since it’s not a common name in the U.S. It was harder for me to come up with last names, and I ended up with pretty pedestrian ones, for the most part. It was crucial to her back story that Joanna have an unusual surname. The meaning behind her name, Blaze, will be explained if I write my next book.
I met a Ramona at the gym and thought that name suited the yogini in Death by Yoga. When I got to know Ramona, she was nothing like my fictional person. Later on I decided that she was named after the character in the Beezus and Ramona books.
When it came to the minor characters, I used the names of people’s grandchildren: Octavia, Raven, and Kaylee. I’m a big music fan and I chose the names of some singers I like: Ani (Di Franco), Cliff (Eberhardt), Jackson/Jaxon (Brown) and Van (Morrison). I don’t know where I came up with the name Glory.
Because Michael is so boring I wanted him to have the most common man’s name ever. I once knew someone with the last name of Poole. Some of the characters are named after people in my family: Rachel (my oldest), Matthew (my son-in-law), Cha’relle (my sister-in-law).
Coming up with Kevin’s ‘yoga name’ was hard. Again, I didn’t want something long and hard to pronounce, like some of the asanas. When I learned the story behind the god Krishna, it seemed appropriate for Kevin. More than three years into my book, I met a yoga teacher named Krishna, and we became friends.
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What are you currently working on?

Eleanor Kohn I am currently writing another murder mystery, which also takes place in my hometown of Teaneck. Most of the characters from "Death by Yoga" are in it…moreI am currently writing another murder mystery, which also takes place in my hometown of Teaneck. Most of the characters from "Death by Yoga" are in it, although Heather and Amber have matured in the past few years.
I am having fun developing the new characters, especially the murder victim.
Since a few of the places I wrote about in my first novel have since shut down (the gym that Get Fit was based on, and Louie's), I'm hoping that other Teaneck stalwarts survive my second book. I miss both those places, and would hate to lose more hangouts. Andy's Corner Bar, thankfully, has survived being a part of my first book. It also survived the Covid pandemic that shut down so many local businesses this past year. (less)

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Eleanor Kohn’s books

Average rating: 4.28 · 18 ratings · 3 reviews · 2 distinct works

	Death by Yoga: A murder shocks the yoga community 4.24 avg rating — 17 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Dead in the Water by Eleanor Kohn (Goodreads Author), Michelle Wheeler (Illustrator), Matthew Wheeler (Illustrator) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars