Quinelle, A Name Change...

I have decided to change the main character's first name from Quinella to Quinelle.

The family last name will still be Quinella.

I have done this for three reasons:

1. While her parents are non-conformists and slightly odd, I'm just not quite believing that they would name their first born with a first name that is the same as her last name. But I do believe that they would give her a first name that is close to it.

2. "Quinelle" is a very lovely and feminine name, which will fit my main character very well, and I personally like the name very much. Because I love my character, I want her to bear a name that she could like as well.

3. I was able to acquire Quinelle.com, which I think is important, given her web savviness.

Now both Quinelle and Qeah, her younger sister, have the dotcom versions of their names--just as it should be.

One more thing: Qeah will play a larger role in this novel than I had originally anticipated.

Qeah, a Younger Sister

Quinella has a sister named Qeah, who is four years younger.

I'm thinking that Quinella is trying to protect Qeah from someone or something (no, not sexual abuse--too overdone in fiction).

I'm still trying to figure out why Qeah might be in peril.

I chose "Qeah" (pronounced like "yeah") as a name because (1) It's a "Q" name (and this family seems to be obsessed with the letter Q), and (2) I was able to acquire Qeah.com for cheap, which is pretty cool.

I'm thinking that Qeah is even more geeky and internet-savvy than her older sister, which makes her having her first-name domain plausible.

Stay tuned.

OX513A--A Genetically-Engineered Mosquito

"The Mosquito Solution," an interesting article by Michael Specter (The New Yorker, July 9 & 16, 2012), might offer some ideas for Quinella.

Summary:

Oxitec, a bio-tech company, is genetically modifying a type of Mosquito called Aedes aegypti, a very dangerous mosquito responsible for yellow fever and dengue.

Instead of using pesticides, researchers are genetically altering males in the lab so that when they are released into the wild, they will mate with females, the males being sterile and/or any resulting offspring dying before they can mature.

I think this is an interesting tidbit that MIGHT warrant a mention in the book. Could Quinella be a budding environmentalist? A contrarian? A protector of the lowly mosquito? Or could she belong to the school of unintended consequences? (Be careful of what you wish for.)

The point is, I think topical items might have a place in this novel, but, in the end, the characters will have to drive the story, not the current news.

Still thinking this over...

Literary Mashup

I'm thinking of incorporating literary mashup into the story line, with Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama presenting as main secondary threads.

Quinella is truly a child of the Clinton, Bush, and Obama eras.