How do I name my characters?

In Angel’s Grace I used the names of friends and family for the characters in the book. Little did I know I could auction off the honor of having me use a person’s name in the pages of my book! Too late for that now! If you’ve read Angel’s Grace, here’s a rundown of who is named after whom.

Grace Brewster = My grand-aunt by marriage is named Grace; Brewster is the surname of one of my brother’s best friends

Sally = My husband’s step-sister.

Ma = What my mother called her grandmother

Aunty Jackie = My husband’s best friend’s girlfriend (at the time).

Raj = I think it was my best friend from T’dad’s brother, but I’ll have to call her and ask.

Karven Mitchell/Brother John = Karven is my cousin; Mitchell is a friend of my mother (or is it my father?); John was a friend of mine in college, who was also once my substitute teacher in High School.

Bruce Simeon = My husband and I went to high-school with a guy we called Bruce though that wasn’t actually his name; Simeon was my Uncle Gregory’s last name (he wasn’t really my uncle, he was a family friend).

Christine = my aunt

Macire = My best friend from high-school’s first child.

Richard = One of my best friends when I was a teen (also now dancing in the Lion King in Germany! Or is it Cirque de Soleil in Iceland?).

Shankar = A family on my street in San Fernando.

Harry = The guy who drove taxi in my dad’s car (if you’re Trini you know what I mean, if you’re not, don’t ask) and who chauffered my brother and I to and from school. (Actually his name was Harrylal.)

I think that’s everyone.