Jennifer Fallon is the bestselling author of the Demon Child Trilogy, the Second Sons Trilogy, the Hythrun Chronicles and The Tide Lords.


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What's in a name?
Posted: 18-May-2008

For my regular Fallon Friday entry on the Voyager Online Blog, they asked me to do something on the origin of characters names. This seemed like such a good idea... and because I am slack very busy today trying to meet a proof reading deadline for Orbit in the UK with Warlord, I am reproducing it here..

I am often asked where I find names for all may various characters. Usually, they’re just lying about the house, waiting for someone to pick them up. In some cases, though, they have a definite origin…

Amyrantha

Tide Lords

From the word “amaranthine” meaning unfading or everlasting.

Arkady

Tide Lords

First saw the name years ago in an article about the artist Brett Whiteley. It’s Russian, and the name of his daughter. Saved it up until I found a character it fitted

Belagren

Second Sons

Named after someone I really, really disliked. Actually, it only rhymes with their name, now. It was suggested I change it from the actual name because HC didn’t want to get sued.

Cayal

Tide Lords

Named after a male model friend who, last I heard, was working for the Discovery Channel in London. I loved his name and told him I was planning to steal it. He didn’t mind.

Dacendaran

Hythrun Chronicles - Demon Child and the Wolfblade Trilogy

My eldest daughter, when she was about 14, told me if she ever had a son, she was going to call him Dace. I liked the name so much I stole it off her and added another couple of syllables to make it meet the Harshini naming convention. The real live Dace was born 8 months before Medalon was first published.

Declan Hawkes

Tide Lords

His real name is Mr Perky. The name Declan came from a baby book and was picked by Stephanie Smith.

Harshini

Hythrun Chronicles - Demon Child and the Wolfblade Trilogy

Name of one of my closest friends. It’s Hindu for “always smiling”

Kentravyon

Tide Lords

Kid by the name of Kentravion went to pre-school with my grandson.

Maralyce

Tide Lords

Named after someone I signed a book for at a signing in Sale, Vic. Her mother emailed me and told me off after the book came out, because I spelt the name wrong because her daughter’s name was Maralice. Once again… nothing amazing… I just liked the name.

Marqel

Second Sons

Named after a paramedic I met once, although her name was spelt “Marcel” although it was pronounced the same. I just liked the name.

Medalon

Hythrun Chronicles - Demon Child and the Wolfblade Trilogy

I was sitting in my dining room trying to come up with a name for the country where R’shiel lived. I found myself staring at the trophy cabinet full of all the kids’ medals. Medal… Medal…on… Medalon.

Stellan

Tide Lords

Because they wouldn’t let me call him Peter.

Syrolee

Tide Lords

I think this one was a racehorse.

Wrayan

Hythrun Chronicles - Wolfblade Trilogy

There is someone named Wray in the credits of the Stargate SG1 DVDs. I stole the name and modified it because it looked better with two syllables.

My favorite story about names, though, comes from when I was writing Harshini, and found myself faced with having to name the other 7 warlords of Hythria. In keeping with the whole predator/weapon theme, I ask my son (who was about 15 at the time) and his friends to come up with some names for me.

The result after several hours of intense discussion?

Lord Snapping-Turtle-Kitchen-Knife, and Lord Guinea-Pig-Baretta-32. Seriously

Not surprisingly, those names didn’t make it into the book :)

Not surprisingly, those names didn’t make it into the book

 


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What the critics say...

The battles are fierce, the losses heartrending in Fallon's beautifully created world, whose disparate inhabitants are once again completely convincing, making Harshini a chilling, thrilling conclusion to the trilogy.
-Booklist

Fallon's strong world-building [Medalon] and strong prose style kept me glued to the pages
- Booksforabuck.com

For fantasy fans comes another title from an Australian Author highly rated in this field. This is the final volume of the Demon Child Trilogy and it lives up to the entertaining action, imagination and power of its predecessors.... Prepare yourself for non-stop adventure and romance. A good getaway read.
- Australian Women's Weekly

'Jennifer Fallon is a writer to watch'
- Peter McNamara, 5EBI FM

'Jennifer Fallon captures the reader from the opening paragraph and you can only break from her grasp when you reach the final page'
- Altair