A Perfect Name for Kallie Mae

This, of course, isn’t the first time I’ve awaited the release of a new story and hoped it would find favor with readers. It’s actually the forty-second.  I just went to my website and counted. I should know without having to think about it, but I always have to count.

Some of my books are no longer in print, but at one time they too were on the brink of release the way A Chance for Kallie Mae is now. I think no matter how many books I write, no matter how many are published with a chance to find readers, it will be new and exciting for me. That’s because you, the reader, get to meet my characters for the first time.

I’ve known these story people for a while. I’ve lived with them for about two years before you meet them. The first year I was getting to know them as they came to life for me while I followed them down their story roads.  The second year, I was polishing the story with help from my editor and various others along the publishing trail.

Some books go from writer to reader faster than that, but a couple of years is an average time for my traditionally published stories. That’s from when an idea first stirs up my imagination to when I actually hold that finished story wrapped in a beautiful new cover in my hands. I haven’t held that book titled A Chance for Kallie Mae in my hands yet, but it won’t be long now.

There’s something unique about the title of this book that makes it different from all my other books. Can you guess what that is? Look at the title again. A Chance for Kallie Mae.

All right, you probably won’t notice. I hadn’t thought about it until tonight when I decided to write about naming Kallie Mae. This is my first book that actually has my main character’s name in the title. One of my young adult books is titled For Sheila, but Sheila wasn’t the main character but her sister.

I like the title of this story. I like that Kallie Mae’s name is part of it.

Names are an important part of how characters come to life for me. I wanted something a little different for Kallie Mae’s name. I wanted it to have a mountain name sound.

Originally I was thinking Lindy Mae, but that wasn’t quite right. Plus, I have an Aunt Lindy in my Hidden Springs mysteries. I wanted something unique for this young woman who has a dream of learning to read after she missed her chance to go to school due to family troubles.

Then I was thinking Callie. I liked that name, but a little twist in changing the C to K just seemed to fit the person ready to share her story with me.

When I’m searching for the perfect names for my characters, I often look up the meanings of the names. Here’s what I found for Callie.  The meaning was listed as: Beautiful; Lovely; Free person; Beautiful voice.

Doesn’t that sound good?

Then I found out more on a site helping parents come up with the right name for their baby. Characters are sort of a writer’s babies although those freshly named characters can be any age when they get their names.

Callie is a girl’s name of Greek origin, most likely from the name Callisto, meaning “beautiful, lovely.” In Greek mythology, Callisto was a nymph and a maiden of Artemis, who attracted the attention of Zeus. Long story short, Callisto eventually became the constellation Ursa Major among the stars. Callie most likely comes from this name due to its shared meaning; however, some consider it a nickname for titles such as Caroline, meaning “free person,” and Calliope, meaning “beautiful voice.” A name that emanates beauty and elegant simplicity, a baby will always know they are beautiful with a title like Callie.

Then, when I decided to do that first letter change, I found out more about Kallie.

Kallie – Not as popular currently as Callie but with a similar meaning: Most beautiful, fairest; Free man.

And here is the advice for naming babies. Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all? If you believe the meaning of this Greek name, then the answer must be Kallie. This name is a shortened form of Callista and it means “fairest” or “most beautiful.” This cute name can also be used as a different way to spell Callie, an nickname for the French and Latin name Caroline, which means “free man.” This can help baby feel safe to embrace their free-spirited nature, flying where the wind blows them. 

I’m excited for you to meet Kallie Mae in my story and hope she will have a perfect name to help her come to life in your imagination the way she did in mine.

Do you like knowing where names come from, either for people you know or for fictional characters? If you have children or if you are a writer, how did you come up with the right names?

You still have time to take advantage of the Baker Book House preorder special of 40% off, free US shipping, and extras (a bookmark and signed bookplate while supplies last).

As always, thanks for reading.