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Fwd: [CCBC-Net] ME Kerr on Writing
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From: Mekerr13 at aol.com <Mekerr13>
Date: Sat, 22 Jun 2002 11:51:12 EDT
Hello, mek - Last month, I saw a videotaped version of a film interview ,vintage 1999 or earlier with you, shown during an MLIS class at University of South Carolina. (The classes are being recycled via videotaped delivery.) It was very interesting to me that you think when you don't have children, your own childhood stays with you. I think you are quite right and have hit on the reason that many writers do not "get" children. They don't remember themselves. My adolescence came rushing back to me when my own children became teens and a good thing it did since it helped me parent the aliens that my teens seemed to be at first. Anyway, I just read Night Kites for this course, which is Young Adult Materials, taught by Pat Feehan, and was very moved. When I finish this program next summer, your books are among those I will go looking for -- when I can read what I want, when I want, and as much as I want.
I too like the idea of pseudonyms. I have a friend who always emails to me with the salutation Dear Estella, and he is Trotwood, by his own naming.
Just wanted to say thanks for the great read.
Wendy Miller
----- Original Message -----
From: Mekerr13 at aol.com
To: Schliesman at education.wisc.edu
Sent: Friday, June 21, 2002 5:59 PM
Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] ME Kerr on Writing
Yes, a minute ago I talked a bit about names and hope that was forwarded ok.
I can't begin a book until I've named my characters and felt the name was a fit. Sometimes I've changed the name of one as I wrote because it no longer seemed to suit the person I'd created.
I am name crazy. I collect old yearbooks I find at yard sales and in them often find what I'm looking for. The character Keats in my Fell series came from a yearbook.
I saw that the girl's last name was Keating, and the nickname was Keats.
I was looking (same Fell book) for the name of a sort of tricky girl, beautiful and
mysterious and someone with the last name Tremble worked for my mother.
She wasn't the most reliable helper but had all the sly bad fun of my character, so I knew Tremble was perfect and Delia just happened into my mind for a first name.
I look at obituaries and death notices and wedding announcements - everywhere.
I'm not always sure how the name comes to me, but I know when it's right.
Maybe having the horrible name Marijane, followed by the middle name Agnes
made me hunger for a better name and then became an obsession.
One thing helped me think about names and that was when I was a child my dad read Dickens aloud, and often acted out the characters ways...and Dickens was
the grand namer, wasn't he?
mek
Received on Sat 22 Jun 2002 10:51:12 AM CDT
Date: Sat, 22 Jun 2002 11:51:12 EDT
Hello, mek - Last month, I saw a videotaped version of a film interview ,vintage 1999 or earlier with you, shown during an MLIS class at University of South Carolina. (The classes are being recycled via videotaped delivery.) It was very interesting to me that you think when you don't have children, your own childhood stays with you. I think you are quite right and have hit on the reason that many writers do not "get" children. They don't remember themselves. My adolescence came rushing back to me when my own children became teens and a good thing it did since it helped me parent the aliens that my teens seemed to be at first. Anyway, I just read Night Kites for this course, which is Young Adult Materials, taught by Pat Feehan, and was very moved. When I finish this program next summer, your books are among those I will go looking for -- when I can read what I want, when I want, and as much as I want.
I too like the idea of pseudonyms. I have a friend who always emails to me with the salutation Dear Estella, and he is Trotwood, by his own naming.
Just wanted to say thanks for the great read.
Wendy Miller
----- Original Message -----
From: Mekerr13 at aol.com
To: Schliesman at education.wisc.edu
Sent: Friday, June 21, 2002 5:59 PM
Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] ME Kerr on Writing
Yes, a minute ago I talked a bit about names and hope that was forwarded ok.
I can't begin a book until I've named my characters and felt the name was a fit. Sometimes I've changed the name of one as I wrote because it no longer seemed to suit the person I'd created.
I am name crazy. I collect old yearbooks I find at yard sales and in them often find what I'm looking for. The character Keats in my Fell series came from a yearbook.
I saw that the girl's last name was Keating, and the nickname was Keats.
I was looking (same Fell book) for the name of a sort of tricky girl, beautiful and
mysterious and someone with the last name Tremble worked for my mother.
She wasn't the most reliable helper but had all the sly bad fun of my character, so I knew Tremble was perfect and Delia just happened into my mind for a first name.
I look at obituaries and death notices and wedding announcements - everywhere.
I'm not always sure how the name comes to me, but I know when it's right.
Maybe having the horrible name Marijane, followed by the middle name Agnes
made me hunger for a better name and then became an obsession.
One thing helped me think about names and that was when I was a child my dad read Dickens aloud, and often acted out the characters ways...and Dickens was
the grand namer, wasn't he?
mek
Received on Sat 22 Jun 2002 10:51:12 AM CDT
