Tags
Clint Eastwood, fights, handtools, hardass, kickass, Mike Hammer, names, pseudonyms, writing
Since it’s two days off for the maid this weekend, I thought I’d put up what would have been Monday’s post so you’ll have something to read as you ease yourself into the week with your first cup of coffee.
I quite like my name. It’s OK. I’ve also lived with it for 60 years, so I’m rather attached to it.
However, I have a problem. I’m about halfway through my detective novel, and my name doesn’t sound right for a writer of a kickass story. It sounds a bit weedy. Indeed, I am a bit weedy. I can’t fight my way out of a wet paper bag.
The main characters have good names. There’s Blain. Sounds like a mean hombre, no? The Man With No First Name. Very Eastwood. There’s Lou Dubois. A nice mix of tough talking kickass and Southern belle charm. Her partner, Suki Banderanaike. She and Lou teach kick boxing and other martial arts. Good hardass names.
There’s a bit of a mismatch here between my characters and me. A credibility gap is opening wider and wider as I get further into the story. So I need a nom de plume, something with a bit more of a hard edge. The problem is that a lot of the good ones are already out there.
Stieg Larsson. That’s a tough sounding name. You imagine he would have been a good man to have on your side when the pub brawl broke out. Probably good with a broken bottle.
Sven Hassel. I know he doesn’t write detective novels, but he writes epics about WWII, and he has a rock hard name. Sven Hassel. You wouldn’t want to spill his pint, now would you?
Lee Child, inventor of the überkickass Jack Reacher. Hard name, even if he did change it, wisely, from Jim Grant, who sounds like everybody’s favourite uncle, or a character in Neighbours.
As a bit of an aside, Zodiac Mindwarp, the heavy metal frontman for the Love Reaction. Real name Mark Manning, which is nowhere near as rock and roll.
Where was I? Clive Cussler. That’s not bad, though there’s a bit of a ? about the name Clive. Still sounds like a hardnut. Maybe it’s the sort of swordplay sound about the surname Cussler.
With so many of the good names gone, I’m going to have to invent one, and this has been preying on what passes for my mind for some time. It’s easy to be a bit silly here. I don’t think anyone’s going to believe Bruce Nailgun. Scott Rivet is out for the same reason. Mike Hammer has already been done, of course.
My current favoured pseudonym is Brad Gritstone. That’s a real weedgie of a name, isn’t it? It’s got a lot going for it. Brad’s manly, and Gritstone just sounds hard. Of course it lacks any Nordic baresarker connotation. How does Axel Gunnarsson sound? I think it’s got legs.
Maybe Germanic. Max Schmidt. Or Italian. Guido Accetta. That works.
I’m still leaning towards Brad Gritstone. Maybe a poll is in order. Any takers?
charlottecarrendar said:
Definitely go with a poll. You might be surprised by the results. My favourite name for a male chara from my stable is Kraus Zimmerman. Even have his bio on my blog. ❤
nobodysreadingme said:
A poll it is, then.
You’re new here aren’t you?
Welcome aboard.
Keep your arms inside the car at all times.
charlottecarrendar said:
-salutes and folds her arms- I am a newbie too. Thank you for the welcome.
nobodysreadingme said:
I’ll pop over in a minute and have a shufti at tour blog
charlottecarrendar said:
Okies :3
Julie said:
Grit Law
nobodysreadingme said:
It’s a bit wordy, but I like it.
Julie said:
Grit what you eat for breakfast and Law what your word is.
nobodysreadingme said:
My grandad’s Christian name was Law. And Blain’s first name is Just.
Julie said:
Interesting, Grit.
Alastair said:
Gunthar Grindstone
afterthekidsleave said:
Axel Gritstone? Brad is too American for my taste.
I kind of regret now that I didn’t use a pen-name for my mystery series–in part because I’d like to take them back and rewrite them! 🙂
nobodysreadingme said:
Dirk Gritstone? That might work.
I think I’ll run a poll next week.
Anna :o] said:
Hmm – howzabout Sebastian Steele or Trahaearn (Welsh – very iron-like) Williams.
Must admit that Axel Gunnarsson definitely has got legs!
Anna :o]
nobodysreadingme said:
Oh dear, what have I started.
Trahearne has a ring to it. I like that.
ridicuryder said:
NRM,
Skip Brad…..too polo shirt.
Gritstone…..in a pinch.
Lizak Doom……the Liza will pull in all kinds of gay readership and everyone else will follow, you can swap out Doom, but I think it has a nice ring to it 🙂
RR
nobodysreadingme said:
Lizak Doom I like that.
Victoria said:
I’ve always thought you have a good name, although I sometimes read it as ‘ Dunc ‘n’ swallow’ 😀
Swallow is a wistful name 😉
I don’t like brad…Jared? (Jarhead)
Anything with a ‘Mc’ in front sounds tough too …like a certain Susan 😉
nobodysreadingme said:
By George, you’ve got it. Susan Mac Nicol it is!
I like Jared Gritstone too. I thought of Dirk Gritstone over the weekend
moi said:
I was actually trying to think of good names myself but came up blank, it’s a lot harder than it initially seems.
nobodysreadingme said:
I was simply playing around. But it is hard, isn’t it?
I still favoured Brad Gritstone, but opinion seems to feel this is too American. Dirk Gritstone?
Someone else has suggested Jared as a first name. I like that.
😀
moi said:
I used to work with a Canadian guy called Jared. I’ve a friend called Jansen who sound a bit PI (maybe?)
nobodysreadingme said:
Jared Jansen? I like that.
moi said:
Sorted.