Naming One's Sci-Fi Characters (When One is Casey McKay)

This is my 'N' post for the Spanking A-Z Blog Challenge. "What's that?" you ask. Check out my page here for more information and a list of all the wonderful bloggers taking part.

I don't have guest bloggers round these parts very often. I should definitely do it more. I keep this blog scrupulously hoovered and stocked full of tea, coffee and snacks. Guest bloggers are always welcome. You don't even need to take your shoes off.

And I am very excited to have Casey McKay, the World's Second Best Writer of Spanky Erotic Romance on my blog today. 

(I do hope Ms McKay isn't offended by the "second-best" bit of my introduction. As a good friend, she understands my utter fangirlish obsessive love of Number One Erotic Spanky Romance Writer, Renee Rose better than anyone. I am sure Casey would be hugely impressed with the "I HEART Renee" tableau that I have constructed in my living room. It's very tastefully done. I have constructed a life-size replica of Lord Darlington via the medium of balloon modelling and everything. Being the very best writer of spanky romance (apart from Renee Rose) is the best compliment that anyone who isn't Renee Rose can possibly hope to aspire to.)

So I will hand you over to the lovely Casey McKay now. She is going to discuss her new book and her first Sci-Fi romance, His Rebellious Queen and talk about how she found choosing names for Sci Fi characters wasn't the same as coming up with names for characters in her previous books.

Available in all good bookshops. Also, evil ones.

Thanks for having me over today Etta! 

(Etta: Delighted to have you here, Casey. Have a cup of tea and a chocolate digestive. What are you planning to talk about?)

Today I thought I would talk about naming characters and the fun I had figuring out names for my new sci fi romance, His Rebellious Queen.

I am the type of author that I need to have names figured out before I start writing. I am not a plotter, mind you, so I don't need to know what the characters are doing just yet, but I need to know their names and have a personality sketch of each one in my mind. For this reason I love naming characters in historicals because I can Google search names from that time period and then jot down five to ten that I like best. It's pretty simple.

But then when I started writing a romance in the sci fi genre, I didn't know where to start. I can't just go around calling an Alpha warrior alien man from another planet Joe, can I? I mean I guess I could but it really doesn't have a nice ring to it.

"He is the greatest warrior in all of five galaxies. The scourge of our many evil hostile enemies.
He is known as ... Joe.
Oh, and that lady there? She's his personal trainer, Doris."

Instead of a Google search I delved into a Wikipedia binge. I do this from time to time for fun anyway. You know when you look something up and then end up clicking on other helpful links on the Wikipedia pages and suddenly you are twenty pages deep and have no idea why you are reading the origin of oatmeal, or why it seems like the most fascinating thing you've read in days. (No? Just me then, I guess)

To be fair, Casey, you are not the only person fascinated by oatmeal.
You are in very good company.

I think I started with constellations. I pored over lists of constellation names and then galaxy names. Scientists, astronomers, planets, and stars. In the end I only remember the origin of a few things. But I named my heroine Lyra, which has something to do with a harp, briefly at one point in time she was going to be musical. That fell by the wayside, no time with all of the secrets and revolutionary plots (maybe in the sequel). My hero became Astor also something constellation related, don't quiz me on which one, it could even be the latin form of something.

Astor's arrogant cousin became Pavo, which in some derivative somewhere means peacock and what could be a better name for a hot arrogant alpha male strutting his stuff?

Hot. Male. Arrogant.
Yup, I think we can all understand Casey McKay's perverted mind just a little bit better now.

Lyra's sister Vela may have just been made up. I can't remember the exact reasoning for this except for the fact that if a couple gave birth to a daughter named Lyra, they would probably follow it up with another one and name her Vela. You wouldn't have a Lyra and an Ethel, that's just weird.

Did you really need to know the inner workings of my mind? Probably not! But hopefully some of you stuck around for the excerpt I brought with me!

Lyra kissed down Astor's neck and trailed down to the open V of his tunic. He stopped her downward progress with a hand under her chin. It was a silent battle, she pulled away, trying to continue her seduction and he pulled her up. Winning by sheer strength, Astor sat up and pulled her onto his lap. "Are you distracting me with sex, wife?"

She felt her face heat, but she shook her head. "I was only repaying the favor. You are more than deserving, you surprised me with the picnic and so far I'm the only one to have had fun," she bluffed.

He remained still, holding her in place on his lap as he studied her face. "I am having fun too," he said, finally, with an easy grin. "But know this, if you try to distract me with your womanly wiles I am of a mind to have you cut a switch." He nodded toward the thicket of trees they picnicked in front of.

A chill raced down her spine. She did not doubt his threat for a minute and although she had never felt a switch on her backside she was certain it would not be pleasant. She hid her face in his chest and tucked her head under his chin. It surprised her to find she felt warm and safe in this man's arms. If only he could help her conquer anything as he had promised her in his vows. She was not that naive.

"Please, Astor, do not spoil the fun by getting cross. I only wanted to show my appreciation," she stared down into her lap, afraid to meet his all knowing eyes.

"Oh, little dove. You bewitch me," he murmured. She was not even sure she was supposed to hear it. Releasing her from his clutches he placed her aside and reclined on the blanket, placing his hands behind his head. "I'm all yours. Assault me however you wish."

"However I wish?" she asked as she sat up on her knees beside him.

He frowned at her, "What goes on in that mind of yours?"

She wiggled her eyebrows at him and tried her best to look wicked. She knew she failed miserably when he let out a chuckle.

"Do not tease me, woman," he barked, his hands shooting out and pulling her forward.

She squealed as he pulled her off balance and she spilled across his chest. "Stop it, you big brute," she reprimanded through her laughter.

"You have not seen me be brutish yet."

I have just bought His Rebellious Queen and am hugely looking forward to reading it. Based on every other book I've ever read by Casey McKay, I assume it will be wonderful, Maybe I'll even end up making life-size balloon models of my favourite characters.

Oh my dear fucking god, this is actually a thing.
Someone made life size balloon sculptures of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children.
Well, that's my nightmares sorted for the next fortnight, thanks.

O is for Outlaw

This post is part of the Spanking A-Z Blog Challenge. What's that I hear you ask? Check out my page here for more information.

Renee Rose + sexy cowboy. You know you are going to love this.

Today, we have Renee Rose in the house! Renee is one of the fantastic team of writers behind the bestselling Sons of Johnny Hastings boxset. I absolutely love her book, The Outlaw's Bride which tells the story of spunky, independent ranchwoman, Mabelle and the strong, sexy outlaw who fate throws in her path. I'll let Renee tell you all about him...

O is for Outlaw.  Who in this case, happens to be named Sam Pride. Thank you, Etta, for letting him visit you today!

There’s something about the bad boys as romance heroes that makes my heart go thump-thump.  Add in spankings and a cowboy, and I’ve turned to mush. The trick with the bad boy, though, is to still make him likeable. In Sam Pride’s case, he’s Wanted for killing four men, but it was in self-defense.  Here’s how he tells the story:

“You were right when you called me a bastard,” he said with a twisted grin. “I never knew my father. My mother ran a saloon in Central City during the Colorado Gold Rush. I grew up in it, watching gunfights and hearing stories about the quickest draws in the West.

“The sheriff there took me under his wing. Taught me to shoot before I could stand tall enough to serve behind the bar, and I practiced every chance I got.”

“How many men have you killed?”

His jaw hardened. “Enough.”

“Is that why you’re Wanted?”

He exhaled. “Yes. I killed four men back in Colorado Territory. I had a ranch there—sheep, mostly.”

“I’m sorry,” Mabelle said. He could feel her looking at him, but he didn’t turn.

“I had a fine homestead—access to water and old trees. But the cattle men couldn’t stand the homesteaders fencing off what they considered their land. They cut my fences and killed my sheep. When I caught them at it, there was a gunfight.”

He looked out at the horizon, the blue sky dotted with a few fluffy clouds. Mabelle’s eyes still bore a hole on the side of his face. He turned to face her. “I never shot a man who didn’t draw on me first. Never in my life, I swear it on my mother’s grave.”

Her eyes were round and she blinked at him. “I believe you,” she said softly.

He snatched up one of her hands, pulling it to his lips to kiss. Realizing the inappropriateness, he dropped it again and cleared his throat. “I will drive now,” he said gruffly, looking away.

Synopsis:

Mabelle Lawson had been managing her dead sister’s ranch without help for three months. The last thing she needs is a band of outlaws showing up and pushing her around. The Curly James gang members have no patience for her sass, and when their leader attempts to strike her with his fist, one of his men volunteers to spank her instead. She wants to hate the good-looking outlaw, but he seems to have her well-being at heart, even risking his life to protect her from the other men.

Unjustly accused of murder, Sam Pride is on the run and his luck worsens when he tangles with the Curly James gang. The only bright spot is the little spitfire rancher who steals his heart with her courage and spunk. When the two set off together for Cheyenne and then Denver, sparks fly and their magnetic connection grows.

Still, Mabelle is not sure if Sam will commit and even if he does, can he clear his name before a bounty hunter shoots him or brings him in?

The Outlaw's Bride is available at Amazon, Amazon UK and Blushing Books

Perfect for Father's Day. Possibly.

There will be more from the Sons of Johnny Hastings here over the next few days so keep an eye out for the return of these ridiculously sexy cowboys.

Want more? Check out the other spanking bloggers participating in the blogging challenge. The Linky List is here.