reply

Hi, Callum,

Thanks for posting and for being such a loyal fan.

Great question! I used to be very dull with character names until I worked out a plan that gave me something more interesting. Names of characters can be Davis and Smith and Jones, but they’re much more memorable if they’re a bit unusual. Silly can be memorable too, but silly, like Fred Butterfingers, takes character away from Fred and turns him into a joke. But a name like Falconer really stands out. It even suggests a majestic bird. 

Try the phone book, or any newspaper. The world is full of names — hey, everybody gets at least one, right?

Hope that’s helpful. Thanks again for writing.                                   —–Gordon Korman—–