Jillian Chantal

In my story Runaway, some of my characters are named after towns/exits in Georgia.  And my hero is named after two Alabama towns.    A couple of years ago, as I drove to Atlanta on Interstate 85, I passed an exit outside  of Montgomery called Cecil/Waugh.    A bit down the road, in Georgia, I passed an exit called Senoia/Griffin.   They both struck me as great names for characters and I wrote them down (yes, as I was driving).  I had no idea what story they would fit in but I find inspiration everywhere so I kept it in my idea book.

A couple of years passed and I started working on the romantic suspense I just finished.  Cecil Waugh had become my hero, a half German/half British Interpol Agent  and Senoia Grffin had become the client of my heroine, a Wall Street attorney named Evangeline Fleet.   Had to take another trip to Atlanta on a Wednesday through Friday for work.  I came back the long way as I had to also go to Tallahassee for work on that Monday.  Traveled down Interstate 75 this time.  Evangeline had surprised me with her use of aliases and I found some great ones on the Interstate again.   One of  her aliases is Sophie Tifton and one is Ocilla Sycamore.  I think I need to invest in a Georgia map as it  is a jewel of a state when names are needed.  Imagine what’s out there that isn’t off an exit on the interstate.  

One of my friends, Arabella Stokes, has told me she is going to name her next character Marianna Bonifay.   Both Florida exits.  Have I started a trend?  Always wanted to be a trend setter.

Here is a picture from the Cecil/Waugh area of Alabama: