Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

That Time I Named a Character Ethan Hawke (and a giveaway!)

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I’m so happy to welcome my friend, Jill Lynn, back to Inspired by Life…and Fiction. Her newest release is about to hit shelves, and to mark this special occasion, she’s offering a giveaway!

Stories often change from when I plot and imagine them (and send them in to my publisher as an idea) until they become typed words on a white page. And I have to admit, I agonize a bit over my character’s names. Sometimes I ask for name suggestions on my Facebook page. I might even use a name in my draft and then switch it around until I find the right one. But once I find the perfect fit, I can’t imagine changing it.

As I was writing book three in my Colorado Grooms series, my character’s brother was initially supposed to have passed away when they were younger. But as the story evolved, I changed those details so that he had suffered a freak accident and below-the-knee amputation instead. Which meant he was alive and well…and could be the hero of book four. I wrote the story of these two brothers—Jace and Ethan—in book three. I did edits. And then I handed in the final draft to my editor. I wouldn’t see the book again, and by this point, I was very much ready to hand it off.

I often take a break if I can between books, but in this particular situation, I began book four shortly after handing in book three. I opened up the blank page and typed my first sentence about the main character named…Ethan Hawke. (Yes, spelled exactly like the actor’s last name.)

My mouth fell open. How had this happened? Jace Hawke is the hero of book three, and his brother Ethan was supposed to be the hero of book four. But I’d never written Ethan’s first and last name together until I started the new book.

I immediately emailed my editor, hoping the book wasn’t past the point where we could make a change to his name. She, too, was shocked she hadn’t caught that his name was Ethan Hawke during edits.

In case you’re sitting on pins and needles, we did catch it in time. And so, the book currently on store shelves is Evan’s story…not Ethan’s. 😊

After the fact, I had a good laugh. If it had gone to print with Ethan, it would have been funny and made for a good blog or two. And no doubt I would have gotten plenty of reader emails about the name.

For review…

Ethan: no

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Evan: yes. I used Justice Joslin as the inspiration for Evan Hawke.

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And in case you’re curious, Catherine Lowe was the inspiration for Addie Ricci. Thankfully there were no issues or changes needed with that character’s name. 😊

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What’s a silly mistake that you didn’t realize until it was too late? Or almost too late?

Congratulations to Tish, the winner of the giveaway of Her Hidden Hope!

Jill Lynn is an award-winning author, hot mess, loud laugher and coffee addict who lives with her husband and two children near the beautiful Rocky Mountains. She writes the kind of stories she likes to read—ones filled with grace, humor and happily-ever-after. Her current giveaway can be found at her web site, and she loves to connect with readers online at Facebook and Instagram.

Amazon | Target | Walmart | Harlequin | Jill’s web site

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Becky Wade

Author at Bethany House
Becky makes her home in Dallas, Texas with her husband and three children. She absolutely loves writing funny, heartwarming, and inspirational contemporary Christian romance.
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Comments

  1. I can’t think of anything in particular but I’m sure I’ve done something crazy. I do remember telling my mom’s car technician I loved him when he helped get my mom’s car started while on the phone when we were stranded. He laughed and said he hears that all the time!

  2. I once made a counted cross stitch picture for my mother-in-law with her favorite Bible verse. About six months after I had given it to her, I noticed that one word was one (aida cloth) row lower than all the others in that row of words! Never caught it before!

  4. Once when my son was sick and home from school I sent his teacher an email to let her know what he had been doing and asking if there was anything else he needed to complete. I actually told her that he had been “snorting” poetry, instead of “annotating.” I didn’t catch it until I had already sent the email. We both got a good giggle out of that one. Love autocorrect!

    I am currently reading your book so I don’t need to win, but I wanted to share this story!

  5. I recently ordered from a local grocery store since we are supposed to stay home and I’m elderly. I had requested a bunch of bananas (about 8 bananas) of yellowish green color.The delivery person did a great job with most of my items and even called to check on several possible substitutions. When she delivered the order, I was shocked to find 8 BUNCHES of bananas along with the other things I’d ordered. Instead of trying to return most of them, I decided that it was an opportunity to share with my neighbors and my grown daughter. I’m just wondering if the delivery person suspected that we have pet monkeys at our home since she didn’t ask about that item on my list.

    • haha! I have had issues like this with grocery pick up, but that is hilarious! At least bananas aren’t too pricey and it’s great that you shared.

  6. The most recent silly mistake I made was driving off after getting gas, with my gas cap hanging loose and gas flap open. A man was waving at me, but I just thought he was being friendly and I waved back, until I realized he was waving, shaking his head and pointing at the back of my car. :-\

    ASIDE: I just recently discover Jill Lynn when I read “The Bull Rider’s Secret” (so VERY good) and can’t wait to read more from her. Thanks for a chance to win and the inspiration picture of Evan is MUCH better than Ethan Hawke.

  7. We were told that before you join the conference at work to mute video and audio. My computer was giving me issues when I signed in. I could see and hear people but they couldn’t see me. I thought that I had muted the call but apparently I did not. I got an email from the director that they could hear my side. I had the television blasting and my mom was trying to talk to me at the same time. I freaked out and thought that they could see and hear me. I shut everything down because I was in my old pajamas and my hair was literally a mess.

  8. I walked out of the grocery store and confidently got into my car, and was surprised to discover an elderly woman in the passenger seat. She uttered not a sound as it slowly registered that my car was NEXT to this womans and I quickly apologized and made my exit into the correct vehicle!

  9. My brother and I were traveling together and stopped for a break at a McDonald’s. He ran in while I got out to let my dog out. When I went to get back into the car it wouldn’t let me in. I had the key and kept pressing unlock but I just couldn’t open the door. It was then that my brother came out, looked at me, and said why are you trying to open a stranger’s car? I realized I was at the wrong car! Thankfully nobody else seemed to notice my mistake.

  10. I once was in a cafeteria in a public college in Colombia where they were giving free breakfast to low-income students. I saw the people in front of me reaching to a little bowl and I imagined it was the sugar, so when it was my turn I reached to it and put some sugar in my coffee. When I sat to eat my food I found out I had put salt in my coffee. The salt was for the hard boiled egg that came with the breakfast. 😅

  11. When I first got married I wanted to surprise my husband and make him monkey bread. I bought the dough but it did not rise. I throw it all in my garbage can and as we ate dinner the lid popped off and the dough started to ooze out of the can. I learned by my mistake.

  12. At work there is a recurring report that one of my leaders needs to approve. When it’s ready, rather than typing a new email message, I just copy/paste the one from the previous month and change the dates – unless I don’t. There’s been a time (I think it was just once) when I forgot to update the dates and basically told him to approve last month’s report. I don’t know if he even noticed but I felt dumb! Glad it was just a small thing. ☺️

  13. I know there is something as I do silly things a lot. The only thing that comes to mind it typing out a response to someone and then forgetting to press send. Then I go back to message at a later date only to see my old message I sent 🤪

  14. I wrote two bills out and sent the wrong check with each. I felt so stupid.

  15. I once tried to make an iron on for a shirt, but I forgot to mirror it. So it cut backwards, luckily I caught it before I put it on the shirt.

  16. Hmm, not quite a “down to the wire” mistake, but last night as I was lying in bed, I realized I’d just written a whole scene in which the hero is driving. That wouldn’t be so bad except for that the entire previous scene is him at the DMV failing his vision test and having to rely on the heroine to drive him around. Oops! At least I caught it before the work went to an editor.

  17. Not my mistake but one that makes me laugh every time I think about it. We had an admin assistant who sent an email out to our entire department of about 40 people about the printers not working as they should. Instead of saying “Sorry for the confusion,” they email said, “Sorry for the constipation.”

  19. I often send my emails forgetting to attach attachments. It is often a small problem and I can resend them later. But I can’t believe I did that in an employment email! I forgot to include the contract. It was so embarrassing when people on the other side of the net emailed me ‘I can’t find your attachment. Please send it again.’

    Speaking about names of characters, I am also one to, as you said, agonize about it. Yet I don’t like switching around as it feels strange. It’s funny that I may take days to choose a name, but once it is chosen, the name does not change. And I get used to it within a few hours. Even though I may later think it is not really the best name, I don’t usually change them. I love making up silly and funny names. One of my characters is named Theodore Theophilus Theobald, and there are several names I have typed in a list but haven’t used as real characters, like Polly Esther (polyester) and Polly Evelyn (polyethylene); and Pamela Palmer, Jane Jean James and Joan Jones (read them out); not missing out William Williams, Robert Roberts, Kelly Kelly, James James etc.

    I am moving soon and I am not going to take too many books with me so I actually don’t need the giveaway. Just wanted to share

  20. Naming a character the same as an actor’s name might have something to do with your subconsciousness. You might have Ethan and Hawkes linked together so when you subconsciously know the character’s surname is Hawkes, one of the first names that pops up in your mind is Ethan.

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