I remember one of my chats on the phone with Ken Bruen last year, when he said my full name for some reason. I don't remember why, but it stood out because I had to say, "Ken, you have to stop doing that."
He was baffled - what was he doing?
"Saying my name wrong."
Angie has Ken at In For Questioning, and I know he'll be gutted that he slipped and said it wrong again.
I'm officially changing my surname to Smith. Or Hall. Maybe Lee...
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Change it to Dee! Change it to Dee!
I'd be in fear that everywhere I went, people would break out in song.
Which is the exact reason I use my center "L" instead of my middle name, which is "Lea." Which is pronounced "Lay-ah" but which, if I used it, would have everyone calling me "Linda-Lee." And I'm pretty sure Linda-Lee would write books that are quite different than mine.
But wait: Sandra Dee and Linda Lee might together write books that are different still.
"Lay-ah" is the way I like the name pronounced, actually. And it's how they pronounce it in the later Star Wars movies.
But seriously, can anyone imagine me writing as Sandra Dee? See you at the next B'con in my poodle skirt!
This is one of the interesting things about knowing people with some intimacy and yet never hearing their name spoken aloud. Like is it Sandra or Sondra (like Sandra Scoppettone). There's a bunch more if my mind was working.
"I'd be in fear that everywhere I went, people would break out in song."
Ahhh... but they do anyway... Seriously you didn't notice the Bouchercon musical (replete with Al Guthrie tap dancing solo) that happened to erupt every time you were in the room at Madison in '06?
Patti, it is Sandra with a short a for me, not 'Sondra' but I don't mind being called 'Sondra'. It's quite common for Americans to call me 'Sondra' actually. In the grand scheme, because I intensely dislike being called Sandy, Sondra's been fine.
But the surname... Even at LCC I was asked how to pronounce my name and told the person and they announced it wrong. It's somehow programmed in. I feel mortified when I say someone's name wrong. In fact, the boyfriend corrected me on a pronunciation just the other night and I felt awful I'd been saying that surname wrong.
Russel, it must have been the tap dancing solo that did it - I think I suppressed the experience!
Igor: Dr. Frankenstein...
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: "Fronkensteen."
Igor: You're putting me on.
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: No, it's pronounced "Fronkensteen."
Igor: Do you also say "Froaderick"?
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: No...”Frederick."
Igor: Well, why isn't it "Froaderick Fronkensteen"?
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: It isn't; it's "Frederick Fronkensteen."
Igor: I see.
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: You must be Igor.
[He pronounces it ee-gor]
Igor: No, it's pronounced "eye-gor."
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: But they told me it was "ee-gor."
Igor: Well, they were wrong then, weren't they?
Well, one of these days I'll start correcting folks - but I'm always afraid I'll end up saying it wrong myself!
;)
See, it's not just me.
And it looks like I'm in good company too. Are you sure you know how to pronounce your name?
I'm having fun with my character's name. People pronounce Sabiha as Sabiya. It's actually SabiHa. The way it's written is the way you pronounce. I'm going to do the same trick you did and have her correcting someone.
And I have fun with my name too. Once people get it, they're all right. It's just programming it right.
I never used to correct people but then I'd have all these different versions with people convinced they knew my name so now I jump on it quick smart.
All of those nicknames made me laugh. You'd have so much fun in Australia. Everyone's name is shortened or changed. I have so many people calling me Am. It's only a four-letter name but they can't be bothered using it!!! Makes me laugh.
Thankfully it's not too many people that try it or I'd get super-crossed.
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