This morning I did an interview on CBC Saskatchewan about “Love You to Death”. The interviewer, Stefani Langenegger is a friend – such a close friend that I gave the surname Langenegger to the female protagonist of “Love You to Death”. The character’s first name is “Nova”—the name of a former student of mine. On the first day in class, I was getting acquainted with my new students, and I asked “Nova” where her parents got her name. She told me that she’d been conceived in the back seat of a Chevy Nova, and her parents liked the connection.
Over the years, I’ve often auctioned off names for charities. About 12 years ago, I raised a little over $12,000 for OXFAM by having colleagues at the university bid on getting a name in my book – highest bidder won, but everyone who submitted a bid did donate to OXFAM, so it was a good fund-raiser. Last spring I donated a name to a cancer fundraiser in Saskatoon. When you read “The Nesting Dolls”, you’ll notice an admirable young lawyer who plays a significant role in the climax and denouement of the novel. The lawyer’s name is “Tyler Maltman”. In real life, Tyler Maltman, is a young pre-med student in Saskatoon who shaved his head and raised, I think, close to $20,000 for cancer that night.
All in all, there are probably 25 characters in the Joanne Kilbourn series who have donated money to a charity or a cause in order to see their name in print. I always promise them that they won’t be a bad guy or a dead guy, and so far I’ve honoured that promise.
Occasionally, I just ask permission to use a name that I particularly like. Again in “The Nesting Dolls”, there’s a character named Alwyn Henry. She’s a university friend of Joanne’s and they’ve stayed in touch over the years. I have a real friend named Alwyn Henry, and she’s pretty tickled about being in the new book.
I have a close friend named Terri Haczkewicz. When her much-loved sister, Debbie, died very suddenly, I asked Terri if I could name a character in my book after her sister. Inspector Debbie Haczkewicz has become a continuing character in my books. Like the real Debbie Haczkewicz, my Inspector is a woman of warmth and intelligence. Terri always tells me that naming a character after her sister has been good for my sales because she has a huge family and come Christmas, she buys a hardback for every single one of them.
Camilo Rostoker, Marissa Desjardins and Tom Rousseau are all named after friends of my kids. Alex Kequahtooway’s surname came from a student. This particular student was smart but he was a bit of a wise guy. I told him if he stopped being a wise guy and started working on his English, I’d name a character after him, and I did.
Madeleine and Lena are the names of my real granddaughters. The Peyben Corporation is named after my grandsons Peyton and Benjamin. We have a new granddaughter, Lexi, who’s waiting to make her entrance, as is our granddaughter Chesney. I’m sure both young women will make it into the book I’m just beginning. Our oldest grandson Kai is so talented that he doesn’t need my help to get famous. I’m certain that before Kai is 21, biographers will be writing books about him. I hope those biographers spell my name right.