As some of you know, I'm rewriting Paying For The Gallery. One scene involves the mc, an artist, going to an outdoor market in North Yorkshire and start sketching what she sees. I chose Settle, because I know the place, and it’s in the right area. To keep continuity, this must happen on a Thursday. For the sake of accuracy, I double checked to make sure there is a market at Settle on Thursdays… and discovered there isn’t.

Bums, I thought, I’ll have to find somewhere else. The only suitable alternative I could find was Kirkby Lonsdale. (I spent hours trawling the net looking for pictures of the place because I couldn’t remember whether Kirkby Lonsdale market square is cobbled, but eventually gave up and removed the word ‘cobbled’ from the narrative – only simple bit of the exercise!)

Then I remembered that one of the characters is called David Kirkby… you can see where this is going, can't you… I can't have a character and a place with the same name. So now I'm trying to come up with a new surname.

The main male character holds David Kirkby in contempt, and always says his name with a slight sneer. (yes, I know he shouldn’t, but he ain't no saint ) so I’m looking for a name that conveys contempt without being too obvious.

Any suggestions?

Dee

The obvious suggestion is just to use artistic licence, or make it a flea market or car-boot. If I kept my novel geographically accurate it simply wouldn't be possible. In reality, the cliff I mention in the story is on the opposite side of the river and the cave doesn't exist. If anyone questions the point I'll simply reply, 'It's fiction, dopey!'

Colin

I'd be tempted to make-up a village. Then it can have whatever you want it to have in it - and you can change it to suit if needs be.

Can't offer any thoughts on other market towns. I know Macclesfield still has one, as does Ashton and (I think) Buxton.

Nik.

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PS I know those three aren't in Yorkshire - but there may be some pics on the net of them. :)

Problem is, the two main locations are already fictional. I have a theory that, if you include a few real details, readers will believe the made-up stuff, so I wanted this market town to be real. But, as you know, get them wrong and hoards of people will email to tell you… in my dreams

Dee

I remember there used to be a guy who presented What the Papers Say whose name was Raymond Snoddie, and although the guy himself was very likeable I always thought it was a name which begged to be said with a slight curl to the lip.

But although it's a real surname, is that going too far?

Andrea

btw Dee, I've been trawling to find a link to the website you recently posted in a thread that gave forensics advice to writers. As The Writers Forensics Labs doesn't seem to be operational anymore, so could you make it easy for me and tell me which one it was you mentioned recently? Pretty please?

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eek - mis-spelling - Raymond Snoddy

oooh, I love it... will give that serious thought. Thanks, Andrea.

Did you mean SciTalk?

http://www.scitalk.org.uk/

Dee
x

I've just been there. I'm looking for an expert on genetic mutation. Nothing so far.

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human genetic mutation

Dee, glad to be of help, and thanks for the link - have bookmarked it

Andrea

Colin, contact Ann Lingard at SciTalk and explain what you're after. She might be able to find someone for you.

Dee

Cheers Dee, I'll do that now.

I couldn't find that girl's name or address but decided to have a wild stab in the dark and picked a random geneticist. Turns out he's interested in exactly the same area and send me a brilliant article - it's a bit over my head at the mo so I'm busy reading up on genetics, chromosones and all kinds of complex scientific bio stuff.

Colin M