Q&A with Solothefirst…

I’ve been asked by a few people now about how I come up with the names for my characters/worlds/universes in my short stories/serials and novels. So I thought I would do a little Q&A

Alien sounding names? I could be cheeky and say I just throw a few letters around until I get something readable/pronounceable… but well… if you have read any of my novels/stories sometimes the names I’ve created are not that easy to say aloud! It’s funny but a lot of the time I think of a name and think about how I can subvert it. I used to be a teacher and some of the children’s names (and spelling!) always made me wonder about their parents… How did they come up with these names? And why? Haha. I have a not-so-regular name myself…. So I think… oh those poor children! But it’s a great way of coming up with names. Some character names come from friends and family that I have changed dramatically it hide them! In the end – I basically have fun with names and location names.

My Science Fiction Universes? Okay this one is a fun one. The universes set in my novels (the science fiction / fantasy ones at any rate) are based on a time so far into the future that Earth has basically become a fairy tale to anyone who remembers it. So many worlds have been colonised that travel between planets is pretty “old hat” by now – everyone does it and you know what? Public transport is the same everywhere – annoying and time consuming… and delays always happen! Having a space ship is like owning a car – nearly everyone has one. Bureaucracy is the same too…. Businesses, the internet, phones, politicians, racism, sexism, careers etc… All the same. Basically my worlds are like NOW only including space travel.

Characters? Ah tricky one. I basically write people I would be interested in finding out more about… particularly gossip wise. If they are interesting to me, their backstory is interesting to me… How they think? How they came to be? What are their thought processes? Their mannerisms… I imagine if there was a gossip article about them – what would make it interesting? There is a little bit of me in everyone – or at least a little bit of the ME I would like to be/could be/wouldn’t want to be. But only a smidgen. And who doesn’t use aspects of friends/family and co-workers? Sometimes reality is more insane and unbelievable than fiction could ever be!

About me? Well… I do work full time as a PA – “assistant”, “secretary,” “busybody,” “go to person” “person to ask when no one has any idea about something,” I’ve been described a lot of ways. I have been writing since I was little and writing chose your own adventures and radio plays in the playground at school. I love to write about “stuff” might not always be interesting stuff… but stuff it is! I love chocolate, coffee, movies, TV, books, food. But I’m also pretty lazy. I’d rather stay home on a weekend and watch telly than go out and “exercise.” I think that’s why my characters are so active! Haha… I wouldn’t want to do it!

So now… that is a few questions and answers? Do you have any questions for me?

 

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