Chet The Dog

Posts Tagged ‘Leda’

What’s In A Name?

Mrs. Publicist: Fifteenth of the month and therefore time for What’s In A Name, where we discuss a character name from the Chet and Bernie series. I’m curious about Bernie’s mom, about whom we hear from time to time, but she only makes an actual appearance in the new e-short, Santa 365, where we finally learn her name.

Spencer Quinn: Which is Minerva. Did I ever mention that to get a name in any of my writing, a character has to have at least one speaking line?

Mrs. P: You did not. Do you have lots of rules like that?

Spence: Probably too many. Back to Minerva, Roman goddess of wisdom who sprang fully armed from the cloven head of Jupiter. I thought that sort of mom suited Bernie perfectly.

Mrs. P: And didn’t we discuss how Bernie’s ex-wife Leda’s name comes from  Greek mythology? http://chetthedog.wpengine.com/chet-the-dog/whats-in-a-name-leda What’s up with all this myth surrounding Bernie?

Spence: Isn’t the private eye a kind of figure from modern myth?

Mrs. P: Ah ha! Always up to something, aren’t you? See you all next month for another episode of What’s In A Name!

Tiny Quote That Caught Our Eye

Leda herself wore dark pants and a short jacket with interesting buttons, the color of bone. What would one of those buttons feel like between your teeth? You couldn’t help wondering.

– from TO FETCH A THIEF.

What’s In A Name?

Ms. Publicist: Fifteenth of the month and therefore time for What’s In A Name, where Spencer Quinn and I discuss a character name from the Chet and Bernie mysteries. What’s it going to be this month, Spence?

Spencer Quinn: How about Charlie, Bernie’s son, missed by him dreadfully after the divorce. I think the name says something about Bernie and his ex-wife Leda, and the state of their marriage at the beginning.

Ms. P: Which was good?

SQ: I think so. These are revolutionary – or at least rapidly evolutionary – times when it comes to naming kids. The fact that they gave their son such a traditional, unexciting, but at the same time esthetically quite pleasing name, at least to my way of thinking, says something. And this notion – that Bernie and Leda had something good at one time, has, in truth, just occurred to me! I may do something with it.

Ms. P: Such as? Uh, Spence? Where are you going?

Coming Aug. 5:

What’s In A Name: Leda

Ms. Publicist: Fifteenth of the month, when we discuss names. Last time, Spence, in our discussion of Ms. Oxley, a minor character in A Fistful of Collars, you mentioned how important names were to you, and that you actually can’t write the character until you have the right name. How about this month we talk about a more important player in the Chet and Bernie series, namely – as it were, heh, heh – Leda?

Spence: That came to me right away – there were no other candidates for the name of Bernie’s ex-wife. At first, I was just attracted to the sound: strong, punchy, even a bit harsh. And of course if you had a South Boston accent that would be exactly how you’d say “leader.” That put me in mind of Orwell. So the name was carrying some connotative freight, but hidden so you don’t get hit over the head with it.

Ms. Publicist: Speaking of freight, we haven’t even come to the Greek mythology part yet.

Spence: An added bonus, that led directly to the swan fountain left behind by Leda on the back patio of Chet and Bernie’s place on Mesquite Road. Bernie – at least so far – hasn’t thought about the fact that in the myth Leda had a husband and that the swan was the seducer, and that therefore a stone reminder of her infidelity is splashing merrily away out back twenty-four seven.

Ms. Publicist: Will Bernie think about all that in some future book, say, The Sound and the Furry?

Spence: Good question!

Ms. Publicist: See you May 15, everybody, for our next installment of What’s In A Name!