The Secret Universe of Names

by Gina Ardito

What's in a name?

More than titles, or what comes next in the plot, what most authors agonize over is choosing the perfect names for their characters. A name is so much more than a rose that smells sweet (my apologies to Shakespeare.) Each name helps us create a personality, a past, flaws and foibles, and even a time period.

We all have our share of baby name books, lists of most popular names for any given year, astrological charts, and assorted psychological profiles we've accumulated to create those characters that will resonate with our readers.

I have another method. I use...(what else?)...a book.

THE SECRET UNIVERSE OF NAMES by Roy Feinson is a treasure trove of information on personalities, based on the syllables on any given name. The descriptions include what each personality would be like as a child, as an adult, in love, in career, and as a parent. There's also a famous person linked to each set of syllables who embodies the aspects described. 

For example, in my current WIP, my hero's name is Wyatt, or as the book calls him "The Laughing WT." He's warm, multi-talented and driven, but also impatient, stubborn, and judgmental. He's a born leader, with unlimited potential, particularly in creative fields. As a mate, he's loyal, with a wicked sense of humor, and a down-to-earth parent dedicated to his children's well-being. The famous WT? Walt Disney! Makes sense, doesn't it?

My heroine is Leah, "The Demonstrative LH," nurturing and understanding, but apprehensive around strangers and a homebody at heart. She's feminine and loves to cuddle. Considering my Leah runs the local animal shelter, I think I've made the right choice.

Whether you're a writer, a parent-to-be, or someone just fascinated with the science behind names and personalities, this is a great book to add to your collection. 

Do You Work Better With Chaos or Order?

by Gina Ardito

Years ago, when my son was in elementary school, his class held a Mother's Day tea. During the event, in front of my son, his classmates, and all the other moms, his teacher pointed out my boy's desk, remarking quite loudly how "messy" it was. If she was hoping to embarrass me or my child, she chose the wrong mom and son.

"Remind me," I said. "What's my son's grade average in your class?"

"High nineties," she replied. "He's a straight-A student."

"Has he missed any assignments or homework?" I asked.

"Well, no. But if you look at how disorganized his desk is--"

"Does he share his desk with another student?"

"No."

"You haven't seen my desk at home," I told her. "To anyone else, it seems totally disorganized, messy, and impossible to navigate. But to me, it's 'creative chaos.' It's how I work best. And apparently, my son is the same way. So until his grades falter, he starts missing assignments, or he's sharing space with someone else, I'm not going to worry that his method doesn't meet your expectations. The results meet mine."

I think I became a hero to my son in that moment. I didn't exaggerate the condition of my own work desk. At any given moment, my desk overflows with notes, research books, photos, coffee cups, snacks, and various tchotchkes to keep my muse entertained. While I write, there'll be music playing or a television on in the background, or both. I don't plot or outline. I barely know my characters when I start Chapter One for any story. I throw myself into the storm of ideas and noise and clutter. And then I work my way out from the midst of the madness to create my art.

I thrive on chaos. I set unrealistic deadlines. I paint my characters into impossible corners with no method of getting them out. I throw caution to the wind over and over again. And yet, somehow, it all works out for me in the end. Every single time. This is my process. Crazy? Maybe. But who said creativity has to be sensible?

I guess my son takes after me. Judging by the condition of his bedroom vs. his high grade point average, the scholarships he was offered, and the fact that every college he applied to this year accepted him as an incoming freshman in the fall, this system (or lack thereof) works for him, too.

The thing is, when it comes to creativity, there is no right or wrong. There just is. I know several writers and other artists who need total silence, perfect order, and pristine conditions to work. Some use white boards and Post-It notes and map out every facet of the story before they type a word. Others toss themselves into the abyss like me. And still others find a combination of neat/chaos that works best for them.

As long as the end result is something beautiful, what difference does it make how we get there?

And in case it wasn't obvious, the mug in the photo above sits on my desk--a gift from my son. "Creative chaos is better than idle neatness."

Happiness is a Warm Puppy

by Gina Ardito

Meet Zoe. She's a five-month-old cocker spaniel pup, and the recent addition to our household. 

Now, bear in mind, I already have two cats and a fifteen-year-old Labrador retriever so I was not in the market for another pet. But when my daughter began working at a local animal shelter, the photos started bombarding my cell phone. "Look how cute! Don't you want one?" I resisted the beagles, the terriers, the adorable Yorkie mix named Pixel. But when she sent me a photo of a four-month-old pup named Lily Rose, my heart melted. And she knew it. After all, she was the one who bought me my favorite Disney characters on a sweater, a purse, and on DVD: Lady and the Tramp. To have my very own Lady dog? Yes, please!

I should probably mention that this same daughter swindled me into getting the Labrador fifteen years ago by naming her Kismet (after my historical series). So you think I'd be prepared this time. But when I got my first look at that little puppy face, I was hooked. Look at her. How could you not fall in love?

Lily Rose came home and became Zoe.

Yes, it's tough having a "toddler" in the house again. She chews shoes and ChapSticks and anything made of plastic. She has accidents. She climbs up onto the kitchen table and lays there like a centerpiece. She walks across my keyboard and bites my pen when I'm writing. She can be deadly when she has gas.

But whenever I come home, she races to the door and her whole body wriggles when she wags her tail to greet me. At night, she curls up next to me, her head on my thigh, and she sleeps. And oh, how she makes me laugh! She barks at her reflection in my mirrored closet doors. She chases leaves blowing in the wind and pounces on them. She gives me lots of puppy kisses. We go for walks, and she waits for everyone who passes us to stop and tell her she's pretty. If they don't, she'll harass them 'til they do. She brings me her toys, and we play until she's exhausted or the toy's destroyed--whichever comes first.

Her antics often bring a smile when I'm stressed or down. In short, she makes me happy. Charles M. Schultz was right. Happiness is a warm puppy.

I don't know why she was dropped in a shelter, but I'm glad she was. Because now, she's mine. 

All pets are an investment of time, money, and energy. You have to be sure you're ready before you take one on. But the value they bring to your lives can be well worth it. 

Our Big Fat Greek Easter

By Gina Ardito

Every spring, I wind up explaining that, since my husband's family is Greek Orthodox, we celebrate Greek Easter. What are the differences? 

It starts with the date. Often, Greek Easter falls on a different Sunday than the traditional Western Easter. There are three conditions to the Greek calendar when it comes to the celebration of Easter. 

First, the Greek Orthodox Church follows the Gregorian calendar, not the Julian. Second, Easter must occur on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the official start of spring. Still following along? Yeah, I know. I'm dizzy, too. But hang on. The third condition is the easiest to explain and, therefore, my standard reply when asked. Easter must fall after Passover. 

There are some benefits to the different date. When our Easter is celebrated after Western Easter, we get all our goodies for half-price. The downfall? Since my husband was born in April, there have been years when his birthday fell on Greek Easter. (During those years, he hijacks my birthday in August.)

What are the traditions of Greek Easter? Glad you asked. Most are similar to Western traditions. In the days before, we color eggs, though ours are dyed red. We bake a sweet egg bread called "tsoureki" (tsoo-RECK-ee).

Like celebrants of Western Easter, our kids find baskets full of goodies in the morning, we gather together with family, and share a good meal. We drink ouzo (a strong licorice-flavored liqueur).

After dinner is the highlight of the celebration for my family. The dyed eggs are brought to the table, and each person chooses one for the "tsougrisma" (tsoo-GREES-ma). One by one, family members challenge each other to an egg-tapping contest. One person chooses an opponent. The challenger proclaims, "Christos Anesti" (CREE-stose Ah-NES-tee). The opponent replies, "Alithos Anesti" (Ah-lee-THOSE Ah-NES-tee). The two then tap their eggs against each other--pointed end to rounded end--in the hope of cracking the other's egg while leaving his/her egg unblemished. The game continues around the table until only one person has an uncracked side of their egg. That person is declared the winner and is said to have good luck all year.

This year, our Easter will fall on April 12, the week after Western Easter (and two weeks before my husband's birthday. Whew!)

Whatever spring holiday you celebrate in April, may you be surrounded by love, joy, and good fortune. 

"Kaló Páscha!"

Getting to Know Us—Love Songs

Collected by Jayne Ormerod

 Let’s all sing together now (cue the bouncing ball over the words…)

“What the world needs now is love sweet love…it’s the only thing that there is just too little of!”

In keeping with the Classic and Cozy them this month, we are forgoing our regular one-on-one interview with one of our bloggers but instead have invited members to share with us their favorite Love Song.  Choices say a lot about a person, IMHO, so let’s get to know us a little better. And by the end of your post you might have a few ideas for a Valentine’s Play List. 

Gina Ardito:

My all-time favorite love song is "At Last" by Etta James. Here's why:

Okay, don't tell my husband, but before I met him, I was dating someone else and that song came on the radio while we were parked outside my parents' house. It was late--definitely after midnight. Well, he turned up the music and told me to get out of the car. Baffled, I stepped out, and he proceeded to slow dance with me on the front lawn. All these decades later, it's still one of the most romantic things I've ever experienced.

Sandra Wilkens:

Pick a love song?  Oh, my.  Music of all genres can capture my heart, but I was able to narrow it down.  I’ve enjoyed John Denver’s music since I was a girl and I would sit in my grandma’s black rocking chair to listen to his record.  “Annie’s Song” was a favorite romantic song for most of my life, but a few years ago I found a little known gem called “For You”.  It’s his pure voice and a piano.  The entire song is lovely, but these lines really resonate with me.  “Just to look in your eyes again…Just to live in your laughter…Just to sing in your heart…Just to be every one of your dreams come true…For you—for the rest of my life…For you—all the best of my life…For you alone, only for you.” 

Janis Susan May Patterson

My favorite love song is "If Tomorrow Never Comes - Will She Know How Much I Loved Her" as done by Garth Brooks. It was the song he was singing (at a concert) when I decided that after 50 years of singledom I wanted to marry the man who became my husband. 

Leigh Verrill-Rhys

My favorite love song is: Stephen Bishop's "Looking for the Right One." I heard this song when my husband and I were on a date when we first met (to be detailed on February 24th). The song is so evocative of romance and the heartache of searching for love. I used a line from the Beatles' "I Will" for my debut romance "Wait a Lonely Lifetime" which is echoed in Bishop's later recorded song. Art Garfunkel also recorded  "Looking for the Right One" but Bishop does it best.

Victoria M. Johnson

I'm a die hard Beatles fan--so picking just one favorite love song is hard.  But since my arm is being twisted here, "If I Fell" gets my vote as the most romantic.  The words are so raw, of someone hurt and vulnerable, someone who truly wants to give love another try.  The lyrics are heart wrenching actually.  I would love to love you...  I'm getting choked up just thinking about it.  


Jayne Ormerod

In high school the song my BFF and I thought was THE most romantic song ever was “Muskrat Love” by Captain and Tenille (now divorced…but I digress…)  When it gets to the part about Muskrat Suzie and Muskrat Sam doing the Jitterbug well we substituted our own names paired with whomever the boy was we liked at the time.  My friend Barb would sing “Muskrat Barbie and Muskrat Steve” every time.  She ended up marrying him too! 

So for those of you who have forgotten the lyrics (or are maybe too young to have ever heard them), don’t expect great romance.  In fact from the distance of time they sound kind of cheesey.  But that’s the way we were back in the late 70’s.

Copyright laws preculde me from publishing the lyrics here, but if you need are very curious about the song, you can hear the song and ready the lyrics here:  http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/captain_and_tennille/muskrat_love.html
But consider yourself warned, it's a tough song to get out of your mind!  

First Lines

by Sandy Cody

One thing writers try very hard to get right is their first line. Of course, we want to get every word, every line, right, but we all know that first impressions count, so we spend a little extra time honing that first line. So ... in the name of research ... and, just for the fun of it ... I took a little time to look at how some of my fellow Classic and Cozy authors began their novels. I found an interesting variety in the few I've chosen.

The first two begin (very effectively) with a one-word exclamation; for these two, I included the next sentence to give a sense of what prompted the single, excited cry. The third example is a short sentence that leaves no doubt that someone is facing a rough morning. The fourth is a bit longer, using a snippet of intriguing description. All, I think, do what their creator set out to do: arouse the reader's curiosity. The fifth is from one of my books, so I'll leave it to someone else to decide if it would entice a reader to continue (fingers crossed here).

In each case, I included a blurb after the first sentence to give an idea of where the story might be headed.

BLOND FAITH by Jayne Ormerod 

  

“’RUN!’ The command was redundant, as the sound of a gunshot had been a sufficient catalyst to get me galumphing down the dark paneled hallway faster than a speeding bullet.”

Blurb:  The sound of gunshot has Ellery Tinsdale running for her life, while Samantha "Sam" Green races to offer assistance.  Chaos ensues as the two team up to find out who pulled the trigger that killed the reverend.

Amazon link:  http://www.amazon.com/Blond-Faith-Blonds-Beach-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00L4LLXS2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1411124455&sr=8-3&keywords=blond+faith

A QUESTION OF FIRE by Karen McCullough

“’Miss!’  The word slithered from the bushes behind her, startling Catherine Bennett out of the few wits she'd managed to recover in the peace of the dark, quiet garden.”

Blurb: When Cathy Bennett agrees to attend an important party as a favor for her boss, she knows she won't enjoy it. But she doesn't expect to end up holding a dying man in her arms and becoming the recipient of his last message. Bobby Stark has evidence that will prove his younger brother has been framed for arson and murder. The man who killed Bobby saw him talking to her and assumes she knows where the evidence is hidden. He wants it back and he'll do whatever it takes to get it, including following her and trying to kidnap her.

Amazon link:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002W5RBZS

REUNION IN OCTOBER by Gina Ardito

“No one should have to face a morning with decaf.”

Blurb: Francesca lost her first love. Emily’s teetering on her last nerve. Will they risk their hearts to gain everything they both desire? 

Five years after her fiancé, Michael, left her for a job on the other side of the country, Dr. Francesca Florentino is focused on her work as an emergency room physician and has no time for a love life. That is, until Josh Candolero charms his way into her heart on the same night Michael returns, vowing to win her back. 

Meanwhile, Emily Handler, a 911 dispatcher married to her high school sweetheart for the last seventeen years, can’t seem to figure out what happened to that spark she and hubby, Roy, used to share in their marriage. A life-altering heart attack was not exactly the shake-up she had in mind. 

Amazon link: http://amzn.to/1mid2rh

RELATIVE CHAOS by Kay Finch

“I clomped over Aunt Millie’s threshold in my black steel-toed sneakers that looked like the Goodwill drop-off after closing.”

Blurb: Poppy Cartwright's Klutter Killer business is taking off. But when her Aunt Millie, hoarder extraordinaire, wants professional organizing help, Poppy moves Millie to the top of her to-do list. Surprised by the appearance of a handsome and mysterious handyman hired by her aunt out of the blue, Poppy is in for an even greater shock when amid the piles of junk in Millie's garage she discovers ... a corpse. Poppy is content to leave the case of the unidentified man to the police until witnesses begin to describe a suspect who matches Poppy's son to a tee. Now she must juggle her messy aunt, a suspicious cousin, and a booming business as she searches for clues that will clear her only child. One thing is certain Poppy won t rest until she lines up every detail, a task that might organize her right into a killer's sights.

Amazon link: http://amzn.to/XNetSS

LOVE AND NOT DESTROY by Sandra Carey Cody

“He stood at the crest of the hill, already shamed by the act he was about to commit.”

Blurb:  A baby is found in a basket on the grounds of a small-town museum during their annual Folk Festival. Twenty-two years later, a homeless man is murdered in the exactly the same spot. Connection? Or coincidence? Peace Morrow, the foundling, now an adult working at the museum, is haunted by this question and thus begins a quest that explores the nature of family, of loyalty and responsibility. As she tries to reconstruct the victim's history, his story becomes entangled with her own search for family roots. Her journey leads her through the dusty boxes in the museum’s storage area, to an antique market in a tiny hamlet in northern Pennsylvania, and, ultimately, to the innermost reaches of her own heart.

Amazon link: http://amzn.to/wxIV81


If any of you have a first line you'd like to share, either one you've written or one by another writer, please feel free to include it as a comment. Of course, as always, we welcome any comment you care to leave.

My Birthday Wish...To You

by Gina Ardito

Today's my birthday. How convenient that it's also my day to blog here at Classic And Cozy. Never mind how old I am. Let's just say, I passed the half-century mark a few years ago and leave it at that. With all those birthdays behind me, I have no need for additional gifts. Instead, I'd like to give all of you my birthday wish. I wish for you:

Books you can't put down.

Time to read them.

A cozy spot.

Love.

Laughter.

Good health. 

Magic moments.

People to share it all with.

Know joy. Embrace love. Give to others. Never stop learning. These are the keys to a life well-lived.

P.S.: To begin this wish, I've put my most recent release, REUNION IN OCTOBER, on free download from Amazon for Kindle this week. Beginning today through August 24. You can download your copy here.  

The Crying Game

by Gina Ardito

http://cheezburger.com/7105050368

I'm a big crybaby. For decades, I've been told I'm too sensitive, I take things personally, I like drama, and a dozen other accusations to explain my habit of bursting into tears at the drop of a hat. I make no excuses for my floodgates. In fact, I admit, I love a good cry. It relaxes me, re-balances my tumbled emotions, and often allows me to look at problems in a new way.

I cried the night before my wedding. Not due to jitters, but out of sheer excitement and an overabundance of love. When my daughter was born, I spent half the night crying. Ditto six years later when my son was born. Both times, for the same reason as my pre-wedding crying jag. When I had  to drop my daughter off at college for the first time, I managed to keep the tears in check until the drive home--when I blasted Bette Midler singing "Baby Mine" (a favorite song to cry to, originally in Walt Disney's Dumbo and always guaranteed to break me down when Mama Jumbo rocks Dumbo in her trunk). Songs have a huge impact on my tear ducts. Broadway show soundtracks get me every time.

And when it comes to movies, Dumbo's not my only source for waterworks. I cry at the same scenes in movies every time I watch them. I cry when E.T. dies, at Andy's funeral in Philadelphia, when Aurora pleads with the nursing staff to give her daughter "the shot" in Terms of Endearment, when the high school band plays Mr. Holland's Opus, and when Sarah begs her father to remember her in A Little Princess. I'm a glutton for punishment, and I'll watch these movies over and over, knowing I'll weep, and looking forward to it.

I cry when writing sad scenes in my books. I once killed off a character, then walked around the house in mourning tears for days. Forget those abused animal commercials. I can't look.

Scientists say that when we're stressed or upset, our bodies fill up with toxins, and crying is one of the ways we rid ourselves of those toxins. Tears heal our emotional wounds. Another reason we cry is in awe of something beautiful. Those who suppress the urge to cry tend to deaden their emotions, which isn't at all healthy. In fact, in Japan, "crying clubs" provide attendees with sad books, television shows, and movies to engender group cry-fests. Crying, like laughter, is a big part of what makes us human. 

In the words of coach Jim Valvano, "If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special."

I think I'm well on my way. Are you?