With the dozens of named characters I’ve created in the Ransome Trilogy, it seems like I’ve used up all of the most common British first names for men from the early part of the 19th Century. I’m in the process of writing the proposal for my next historical trilogy, and I’m stuck on my hero’s name. So I decided this requires a contest!

Hop over to my Facebook Fan Page and leave your suggestion in a comment there (you have to “like” the page before you can leave a comment). If I pick the name you suggest (if you’re the first to suggest it), I’ll send you a signed copy of Ransome’s Crossing!

http://www.facebook.com/kayedacus

Here’s a visual for inspiration:

Vital information:

• Year: 1848
• Twenty-nine years old
• Worked to put himself through school
• Now a solicitor with a prestigious law firm in London
• Son of Sir Drake Pembroke, heir to the Pembroke baronetcy and Marchwood house/land/mills
• Middle name is Grayson, last name is, of course, Pembroke
• Wants to go to South America to build his own farm/ranch where he can use scientific methods of farming and animal husbandry (which his father won’t let him do) and make his own way in the world

Names that are out of consideration:
William
George
Henry
Charles
James
Philip
Collin
Bradley
Edward
Michael
Horatio
Robert
Patrick
Walter
Archie (Archibald)
Ned
Lewis
Richard
Harry
Thomas
Matthew/Matthews
Arthur
Josiah
Jeremiah
Ruben
Levi
Asher
Alexander (because of William’s ship Alexandra)
Lawrence/Laurence (George’s last name in Stand-In Groom)
Martin (Midshipman/Lieutenant’s name in RC and RQ)
Geoffrey (used in RC)