CMA AWARDS - FUN WITH NAMES By Morgan Mandel

Country Music's my favorite. I’m all psyched up for the Country Music Awards show tonight! Since it’s on my mind, I can’t help tying it in with writing.

Some good advice is to be careful when you choose names for your book characters. You want those names to reflect the type of people they are. Don’t pick dull names for people you want to seem sparkly, and vice versa. In my experience, real people tend to live up to their names. Maybe it’s a psychological thing. I know my dog lives up to her name, though she’s deaf and can’t hear it. Her name is Rascal.

I’ve made up a fun list of country singers’ names and alternates. You’ll see why their choices were better than the ones I thought up.

Carrie Underwood....Bring Plank
Garth Brooks........Garth SlowWater
Brad Paisley........Brad Swirlpattern
Keith Urban.........Keith City
Reba McEntire.......Reba LargeHamburgerWheel
Martina McBride.....Martina LargeHamburgerOtherHalf
Alison Krauss.......Alison Sauerkraut
Rascal Flatts.......Rascal Apartments
George Strait.......George Even
Kenny Chesney.......Kenny ChestKnee
Josh Turner.........Josh Spinner
Little Big Town.....Small Large Place
Kellie Pickler......Kellie Pickles
Taylor Swift........Taylor Fast
Big & Rich..........Large & Wealthy
Brooks & Dunn.......Water & Over
Sugarland...........CanePlace


You get the idea. Can you think of any others?

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://bookplace.ning.com
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com
http://mysteryturtles.blogspot.com
http://www.myspace.com/morganmandel

Mark your calendar: Visit Morgan Mandel and DL Larson at Schaumburg Barnes & Noble on Thursday, November 29: 7:00 - 8:30 pm.