Mrs. Publicist: Hi, there, Pete! Haven’t seen you in a while and we haven’t done What’s In A Name in ages, where Peter Abrahams aka Spencer Quinn discusses a character name from one of his books, sometimes a Chet and Bernie. I know character names are important to you, Pete. You’ve said you can’t write a character until the right name comes to you.
Pete: I’ll stick by that. One other thing – only characters who speak at least one word get a name. With rare exceptions.
Mrs. P: Such as?
Pete: A corpse.
Mrs. P: So what’ll it be today?
Pete: How about we take a look at Lotty Pilgrim, one of the central characters in Heart of Barkness, a –
Mrs. P: Now available in paperback!
Pete: – has-been or never-was country music singer. Lotty seemed like one of those names that hearkens back – kind of an echo of Dottie, as in the great Dottie West. As for Pilgrim, it more than hints at the wandering minstrel, and there are echoes of the old country song I Am A Pilgrim, recorded many times but never more beautifully than by the Byrds on their Sweetheart of the Rodeo album. I hear you thinking: Pilgrim? Maybe too on the nose? But we’re talking country music! That gives us a license to be on the nose. The famous Nashville songwriter Harlan Howard said country music was three chords and the truth.
Mrs. P: And as readers may not know, Lotty sings a Song For Chet. We’ll post it in a day or two, but meanwhile it’s on iTunes etc. and there’s a video on youtube. See you next month for more of What’s In A Name!
