September challenge

I'm back at my desk today. Starting my September challenge a little later than planned, after the weekend's incident. I tried working yesterday morning but my brain wasn't ready to settle. But today's different, I'm back!

For Book 13, I've spent the morning writing a new chapter to fill a current gap. Which feels like a pain when you're writing within parameters of the plot but has given me space to drip feed a few additional details about all the characters. With the new project, I'll be spending the afternoon sifting through character names. I'm not loving the couple I'd already selected so I may well start from scratch with the cast. I'll admit to having certain criteria for naming bods in my books. There are certain letters of the alphabet that I dislike the phonic sound of - they get rejected immediately. I have the proverbial list of 'I know them in real life names' which I'll never use due to association or fear of offending. Then I have my long, long, long list of 'I love that name' names which I attempt to ration myself but usually end up selecting at least one. Or three! Yeah, I've squeezed three into book 12 - ha, I try and kid myself that I show restraint but I don't. I can't. I flex that artistic license when it comes to naming characters.

Update: After browsing my usual naming books and choosing a cast, I ended up wandering around my local graveyard. Don't act so shocked - you know that I do that. I love graveyards for various reasons: the names, the carved masonry/statues and the history. 

---