Monday, January 11, 2010

Dreaming with Guest Blogger -- Raine Delight


Hey all,

It's Monday and you all know what that means. That's right. Time for a guest blogger. My very first guest blogger is a fellow Aspen Mountain author and absolute delight. (:-) sorry, couldn't help myself) Let's give a warm welcome to Raine Delight.




How do you name your characters?

Well that question stumps me each and every time I am asked that. How do I name my characters…well for one thing, my characters have a mind of their own. If I say Character A is named Max, he will turn around and say “My name is Dax, not Max” and frankly over power my muse’s desires. I can try to get a word edgewise in but it is a losing battle. I learned early on to give them free reign on their names and personality traits. I like to be surprised by their comments and desires. One day I was working a WIP (work in progress) and found myself instead of dealing with a vampire like I originally planned, he wanted to be a were-tiger instead. Needless to say after butting heads with him, I found myself agreeing he works better as a tiger, especially if he is a rare white tiger with no pride. Hence forth, my next Devon Falls story, Moonlight & Magic was born and I am currently trying to finish it. You can find more on it on my website (http://authorrainedelight.com)

In my Haunting Magic story (out now at Aspen Mountain Press, Amazon Kindle and other places), I tell a tale of a wolf shifter named Rodrick Dracon. Now he was a fun character to create. He was the playboy of Devon Falls and loved the ladies. But alas, destiny has a way of slapping you in the face when it decided that its time to settle down. When fate picked his mate, the feisty and annoying Jaxon, lots of sparks fly and passion boils over. These two characters struck me when I mentioned them in Fiery Magic as secondary characters. They had so many sparks flying, it was any wonder that their story just had to be told.

Here is the cover of it:

Isn’t it gorgeous? I love this cover so much. Besides, who doesn’t want to check out the guys butt while drooling? *laughs*

Here's the blurb for the book...

Rodrick Dracon is the twin heir to the Dragon Inn. When he finds himself longing for a mate after being footloose and fancy free, he finds himself drawn to the most obnoxious, brassy woman he has ever met: Jaxon Sinclair. She is the one woman who doesn't melt when he goes by or hangs on his every word. She is just aggravating and down right sexy as sin! Soon the sparks fly, passion goes into boiling and Halloween approaches. Can a wolf shifter get this woman to heel before the full moon? Or can Jax turn the tables on this ladies man and tame the wolf?

You can check out the book trailer at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8G5qDzyllY

You can read an excerpt at: http://www.aspenmountainpress.com/excerpt.php?prodId=112

Buy at the following places:

Aspen Mountain Press:
http://www.aspenmountainpress.com/more-hot-reads/haunting-magic/prod_112.html

Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Devon-Falls-Haunting-Magic-ebook/dp/B002W14EVG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=digital-text&qid=1259592317&sr=1-2

ArE: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-devonfallshauntingmagic-184676-142.html

1Romance: http://1romanceebooks.com/erotica/devon-falls-haunting-magic/prod_585.html


My inspiration for my characters tends to revolve around Johnny Depp. Anyone who knows me knows I love this man’s acting ability. He plays a wide variety of parts and always seems to deliver a stellar performance each time. So basically all my heroes tend to look like him and go from there. :) Though I have to say some things caught my imagination like what would happen if gamma rays from space hit earth and wiped the planet out…what would happen to the few survivors? That made me think and since I was watching POTC with Johnny, I created my Space Pirates- all alpha male, dominant and sexy fun. :)

So I have a question for you readers, what character’s name was the best you hear or the silliest? I look forward to hearing your answers. (Put your answers in the comments below)



Thanks for sharing, Raine. I hope you'll stop by and blog again. I'll be back tomorrow with more chat and fun news!

Hugs,

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for having me CJ. I love your blog. :)

I am looking forward to hearing the readers answers. :)

Raine D.

Phylis said...

Those sound like great stories. The minute you asked the question, my mind went blank. lol I like Jaxon as the female name...I've read it before as a character. I know what you mean about the characters saying who they are. Wrote a short story and Darian and Sierra told me who they were. lol

CJ England said...

Thanks, Raine.

I know exactly what you mean by fighting with your characters. Although I rarely have problems with names because I wait until they tell me who they are. My problem is trying to lead them where they don't want to go! LOL

CJ

CJ England said...

Phylis,

I've heard Jax as a man's name but not before as a girls. I thought that was a cool switch!

CJ

Maria said...

Great story on the background of how Raine's characgters get their names. I bought the Haunting Magic series 4 books that are out last week and can't wait to get a chance to read them!

CJ England said...

I agree Maria,

It's always fun to find out how a story comes about.

CJ

susan said...

When I think of names for book characters.some that comes to mind are: Simon,Maxwell,Ruby,Marshall,Victoria, Katherine,Susanna. I have to reason to think this way but the names just sounds strong and worth a story line. susan L.

CJ England said...

Susan,

I agree. Names of characters should be strong and reflect something about them. I mean personally I could never have a hero with the name of Ashley because I think of a weak man. JMHO

(my apologizes if there are any male Ashley's out there reading.)

CJ

Julie Robinson said...

Interesting, Raine and CJ. And I agree with the name Ashley for a male. For the most part, male names with 1 syllable sound stronger to me, but I also like male names like Dominic, Lucian, Rafael. Or maybe that's because the romances from the 70'sused those names.

Enjoyed your video and excerpt. Looks like a great shifter story.
Julie

Destiny Blaine said...

What a great combination. Two of my favorite authors in one spot.

Hugs,
Destiny

Anonymous said...

Hi guys,

Sorry for the delay in being back here. Been a crazy few days.

CJ and Phyllis- Most of the time I have no trouble naming characters. it seems the names I chose fit them to a T. It is trying to get them to do anything that drives me nuts. When I want them to go straight, they go left. LOL

I LOVED the name Jaxona nd never heard it as a guys name before. LOL Jaxon was a fiesty herione and she declared that was her name and not to change it. LOL

Maria- I hope you enjoy Haunting Magic. That was a fun story for me to write and the characters are...how to say it w/o giving anything away....very stubburn in their feelings for one another. :)

Susan-I agree Ashley sounds to girlie for my tastes for a man but ASH (as in Dark Hunters Ash) is a better fit for a man. *shrugs* No idea why but that is my HO anyways.

Hey Destiny- Thanks fro stopping by. :)

Julie- I liked those names you chose as well. Strong, male names that have me picturing alpha males with hearts of gold. :) ooohhh I hear a story coming in my head. LOL

Raine D.