Taking a short break from the family tree work I've had to do for Orphans in the Storm. Last week's meeting drove home the fact that my hero, Simon, is a firstborn rather than a middle, so move his sisters around on the tree to reflect that. Also finally pick names for the bad guy's parents and work them into the mix, without resorting to the "default" names. By which I mean names I've seen so many times in romance fiction that I automatically put the book back on the shelf because either A) the name is possibly going to be "shorthand" for the character's traits, or B) I've read so many characters with this name that they are more than likely going to blend in with those gone before.

I know I'm more exacting than others on this, and some of the names that get this reaction in me are favourites to others. Then again I have a penchant for more unusual names. Maybe it started with the Disney Sleeping Beauty being Aurora. Still a lovely name, and would love to see it used more often.

This morning's work meant curling up in the comfy chair with Teresa Norman's Names Through the Ages, which I highly recommend. Check to see what names were used in the 17th century, and note the light pencil marks telling me which ones I've already used, what I have tagged for future use, and what's still up for grabs. Had to jettison one name, since it's too similar to a character in a collaborative work who is also on the bad guy side, and I do not have the brainpower for that sort of sorting anytime before midSeptember.

Still need to finish a particular scene before group tonight, and maaaybe if there's time, figure out why it is that my computer isn't reading its D drive as present. I love writing, but for my breaks, I miss my Sims.