Karen Witemeyer's Blog
June 20, 2014
What's in a name?
For those of you who have children, do you remember the excitement (and perhaps the anxiety) that filled you as you began selecting names? It’s a weighty responsibility, knowing your child will be saddled with whatever you choose for the length of his/her life. No pressure. Ha!
Names are so important. We want our girls’ names to be beautiful and our boys’ names to be strong. Yet more than that, we want them to have meaning. Perhaps you chose a name because of the meaning inherent in that name’s origin. Or maybe you selected a name from your ancestry that carries significance for your family.
As an author, I’m faced with the same dilemma when selecting names for my characters. Not only do I want the names to sound good and roll easily off the reader’s tongue, but I love to give extra meaning to the names, perhaps a meaning that no one else will ever pick up on besides me.
For example, in my debut novel, my main characters are Jericho Tucker and Hannah Richards. Yes, I love using biblical names. They fit the historical setting perfectly, but in my hero’s case there was extra meaning involved. Jericho’s name was symbolic. Like the biblical city whose walls came tumbling down, Jericho or “J.T.” had built walls around his heart that needed to come down in order for him to open himself to the heroine’s love. And Hannah Richards? Well, her name had personal significance to me. You see, my dad died when I was only 16, and I wanted to honor him in some subtle way in my first published novel. His name was Richard, and it seemed fitting to let my heroine carry his name.
Gideon Westcott and Adelaide Proctor from Head in the Clouds had some play on their names that probably only I cared about, but they helped me relate to the characters as I wrote. Gideon Westcott was a British nobleman who came to Texas to run a sheep ranch. Gideon from the Bible used a sheep’s fleece to ask God for confirmation of his mission. Adelaide Proctor was a teacher and teacher is often synonymous with the term proctor.
Of course, the Archer brothers from Short-Straw Bride and Stealing the Preacher were named for heroes from the Alamo – Travis, Crockett, Bowie (who went by Jim), and Neill. I had fun tying those into Texas history since my books are all set in Texas. But did anyone notice that the heroine who paired up with Crockett - Joanna Robbins – had a play on her name as well? Her father was an ex-outlaw who robbed stage coaches and trains. (Yes, I see your eyes rolling.)
In my latest novel, Full Steam Ahead, I had some more fun with names. My heroine and her family have French ancestry, so I chose names befitting that heritage. However, for my hero, I went back to my love for biblical names. Darius Thornton is the oldest son of the Thornton clan. Now the rest of his family are mentioned in the book but are never “on stage” so you would have to be a very savvy reader to pick up on the subtle play I instigated with the names of his family members. The name of their shipping company plays into it as well. Darius. His brother David. His father Saul. Kingstar Shipping. You figured it out, didn't you?
One of my favorite sources for names is the Social Security website. You can search the most popular names by year as far back 1880 – ideal for a historical writer. You’ll find timeless names like Charles and Michael, Elizabeth and Mary. But then there are the names that make you wince like Elmer and Rufus, or Gertrude and Bertha (yes, all these made the top 100 in 1880). But what is really interesting from a historical perspective are the popularity of cross-gender names. Now, girls have worn boys’ names proudly for years, but back in the day, it’s a little scary how how popular girls’ names were for boys.
Here’s a few from the 1880-1885 lists – remember these are boy’s names:
Marion Leslie Pearl Lynn Pink Mary Loren Madison Cary Fay Allie Sandy Dee Jean Jules Anna Clair Minnie Kelly Shirley.
Now, just because a name is historically accurate, does not mean it would make a great character name. I just can’t imagine naming my rugged cowboy hero Minnie or Shirley. And calling him Anna or Mary would just leave readers scratching their heads. Especially if the heroine was named Lou or Johnnie (popular female names during that time). Although . . . I have dear friends named Lacy and Jaye. Lacy is a very masculine Texas game warden while Jaye is his lovely wife. When they were first introduced at church, however, it took me weeks to get their names sorted out.
What kind of names do you enjoy most when you are reading novels?
What weird names have you run across in books or real life that make you cringe?
Names are so important. We want our girls’ names to be beautiful and our boys’ names to be strong. Yet more than that, we want them to have meaning. Perhaps you chose a name because of the meaning inherent in that name’s origin. Or maybe you selected a name from your ancestry that carries significance for your family.
As an author, I’m faced with the same dilemma when selecting names for my characters. Not only do I want the names to sound good and roll easily off the reader’s tongue, but I love to give extra meaning to the names, perhaps a meaning that no one else will ever pick up on besides me.
For example, in my debut novel, my main characters are Jericho Tucker and Hannah Richards. Yes, I love using biblical names. They fit the historical setting perfectly, but in my hero’s case there was extra meaning involved. Jericho’s name was symbolic. Like the biblical city whose walls came tumbling down, Jericho or “J.T.” had built walls around his heart that needed to come down in order for him to open himself to the heroine’s love. And Hannah Richards? Well, her name had personal significance to me. You see, my dad died when I was only 16, and I wanted to honor him in some subtle way in my first published novel. His name was Richard, and it seemed fitting to let my heroine carry his name.
Gideon Westcott and Adelaide Proctor from Head in the Clouds had some play on their names that probably only I cared about, but they helped me relate to the characters as I wrote. Gideon Westcott was a British nobleman who came to Texas to run a sheep ranch. Gideon from the Bible used a sheep’s fleece to ask God for confirmation of his mission. Adelaide Proctor was a teacher and teacher is often synonymous with the term proctor.
Of course, the Archer brothers from Short-Straw Bride and Stealing the Preacher were named for heroes from the Alamo – Travis, Crockett, Bowie (who went by Jim), and Neill. I had fun tying those into Texas history since my books are all set in Texas. But did anyone notice that the heroine who paired up with Crockett - Joanna Robbins – had a play on her name as well? Her father was an ex-outlaw who robbed stage coaches and trains. (Yes, I see your eyes rolling.)
In my latest novel, Full Steam Ahead, I had some more fun with names. My heroine and her family have French ancestry, so I chose names befitting that heritage. However, for my hero, I went back to my love for biblical names. Darius Thornton is the oldest son of the Thornton clan. Now the rest of his family are mentioned in the book but are never “on stage” so you would have to be a very savvy reader to pick up on the subtle play I instigated with the names of his family members. The name of their shipping company plays into it as well. Darius. His brother David. His father Saul. Kingstar Shipping. You figured it out, didn't you?
One of my favorite sources for names is the Social Security website. You can search the most popular names by year as far back 1880 – ideal for a historical writer. You’ll find timeless names like Charles and Michael, Elizabeth and Mary. But then there are the names that make you wince like Elmer and Rufus, or Gertrude and Bertha (yes, all these made the top 100 in 1880). But what is really interesting from a historical perspective are the popularity of cross-gender names. Now, girls have worn boys’ names proudly for years, but back in the day, it’s a little scary how how popular girls’ names were for boys.
Here’s a few from the 1880-1885 lists – remember these are boy’s names:
Marion Leslie Pearl Lynn Pink Mary Loren Madison Cary Fay Allie Sandy Dee Jean Jules Anna Clair Minnie Kelly Shirley.
Now, just because a name is historically accurate, does not mean it would make a great character name. I just can’t imagine naming my rugged cowboy hero Minnie or Shirley. And calling him Anna or Mary would just leave readers scratching their heads. Especially if the heroine was named Lou or Johnnie (popular female names during that time). Although . . . I have dear friends named Lacy and Jaye. Lacy is a very masculine Texas game warden while Jaye is his lovely wife. When they were first introduced at church, however, it took me weeks to get their names sorted out.
What kind of names do you enjoy most when you are reading novels?
What weird names have you run across in books or real life that make you cringe?
June 10, 2014
Women Who Succeed in a Man's World
Full Steam Ahead, my latest novel, officially released this past week. Hooray! It's always an exciting and nerve-wracking time when a new book comes out. Exciting - because I love hearing from readers who have been looking forward to the book and finally have it in the hands. Nerve-wracking - because . . . well . . . will they like it?
So what does that have to do with women succeeding in a man's world? As it turns out, my heroine, Nicole Renard, is an exceptionally intelligent woman. While back east at school, her teachers recognized her keen mind for mathematics and managed to get a copy of the test the young men over at Harvard took the previous year and administered it to Nicole. Her score would have placed her in the top 25% of the Harvard gentlemen, had she been allowed to sit for the official exam.
When Nicole answers Darius Thornton's advertisement for a secretary, Darius assumes she'd be good for nothing more than penning pretty letters and answering social correspondence. A complete waste of his time. He needs a man with a grasp of mathematics and mechanical engineering, someone who can decipher schematics and logically deduce answers to scientific quandaries. Nicole dares him to test her, and she exceeds all of his expectations. Too desperate for competent help to care what gender that help might personify, he hires her, and our adventure begins.
As it happens, a few days ago, I was researching something for my current manuscript, and I stumbled upon a story that immediately caught my attention due to its similarity to the fictional scenario I had concocted in my imagination for Nicole. In 1890, a true heroine did the impossible. Philippa Fawcett received the top score in the Cambridge University mathematics tripos exam - the most prestigious mathematics exam in the world.
Women at this time were not allowed to study at universities nor to obtain degrees. Not only were women considered weaker vessels, but Victorian physicians warned that women who strove to achieve academic honors put themselves at risk for madness or infertility. A woman's brain just couldn't stand up to the same level of strain as a man's.
In the 1870's, there were two women's college associated with Cambridge - Newnham and Girton. Philippa attended Newnham. Eventually, female students were allowed to take the same exams as males, yet their results were tallied apart from the men's and revealed at a separate ceremony. While a few women, such as Agnata Ramsay, achieved remarkable success on classical exams, the mathematics exams remained dominated by men.
Candidates for the tripos exams typically sat for 5 1/2 hours a day for eight days, then those who scored well enough to compete for the title of Wrangler, continued on for three more days. Can you imagine?
In June 1890, Philippa Fawcett's score was revealed. She had scored 13% more points than the leading male candidate.
However, since she was ineligible for the title of Senior Wrangler, when her score was announced, it was announced as being "above the Senior Wrangler."
No single achievement in academia's history did more to prove the equality of women to men. Thankfully, Philippa lived long enough to see that the seed she planted as a young woman had finally borne fruit. One month before her death at the age of 80, Cambridge University finally approved to allow women to earn degrees alongside men. The year was 1948.
Who is a woman you admire for making a name for herself in a man's world?
So what does that have to do with women succeeding in a man's world? As it turns out, my heroine, Nicole Renard, is an exceptionally intelligent woman. While back east at school, her teachers recognized her keen mind for mathematics and managed to get a copy of the test the young men over at Harvard took the previous year and administered it to Nicole. Her score would have placed her in the top 25% of the Harvard gentlemen, had she been allowed to sit for the official exam.
When Nicole answers Darius Thornton's advertisement for a secretary, Darius assumes she'd be good for nothing more than penning pretty letters and answering social correspondence. A complete waste of his time. He needs a man with a grasp of mathematics and mechanical engineering, someone who can decipher schematics and logically deduce answers to scientific quandaries. Nicole dares him to test her, and she exceeds all of his expectations. Too desperate for competent help to care what gender that help might personify, he hires her, and our adventure begins.
As it happens, a few days ago, I was researching something for my current manuscript, and I stumbled upon a story that immediately caught my attention due to its similarity to the fictional scenario I had concocted in my imagination for Nicole. In 1890, a true heroine did the impossible. Philippa Fawcett received the top score in the Cambridge University mathematics tripos exam - the most prestigious mathematics exam in the world.
Women at this time were not allowed to study at universities nor to obtain degrees. Not only were women considered weaker vessels, but Victorian physicians warned that women who strove to achieve academic honors put themselves at risk for madness or infertility. A woman's brain just couldn't stand up to the same level of strain as a man's.
In the 1870's, there were two women's college associated with Cambridge - Newnham and Girton. Philippa attended Newnham. Eventually, female students were allowed to take the same exams as males, yet their results were tallied apart from the men's and revealed at a separate ceremony. While a few women, such as Agnata Ramsay, achieved remarkable success on classical exams, the mathematics exams remained dominated by men.
Candidates for the tripos exams typically sat for 5 1/2 hours a day for eight days, then those who scored well enough to compete for the title of Wrangler, continued on for three more days. Can you imagine?
In June 1890, Philippa Fawcett's score was revealed. She had scored 13% more points than the leading male candidate.
However, since she was ineligible for the title of Senior Wrangler, when her score was announced, it was announced as being "above the Senior Wrangler."
No single achievement in academia's history did more to prove the equality of women to men. Thankfully, Philippa lived long enough to see that the seed she planted as a young woman had finally borne fruit. One month before her death at the age of 80, Cambridge University finally approved to allow women to earn degrees alongside men. The year was 1948.
Who is a woman you admire for making a name for herself in a man's world?
