Sarah Ash – fantasy author

What’s In A Name?

Names are very important to me when starting out on a new story. If the name I’ve chosen for a character or a place is wrong, then the story often stalls until I change it and get it right.

Gavril started out as Tian Andar. That name just didn’t suit him at all. Because all my fantasy stories feel more like alternate histories, I want to give each country an identity of its own – and names to match. So it made sense for Gavril – the son of an Azhkendi ruler and a Smarnan artist – to have an Eastern European name.

And now that I’ve returned to Azhkendir and am writing – for my own pleasure (and I hope that of all those of you who have been kind enough to ask me ‘What happened next?’) – I find myself introducing new characters and searching diligently for new names that will suit them.

So here are a few Azhkendi names (originally from Eastern Europe/Russia) and their meanings:

Larisa Nagarian (daughter of Gavril and Kiukiu) – sea bird, sea gull

Vartik – friend of Vassily, Bogatyr Askold’s younger son

Kion – martyr (Ninusha’s son with Anders)

Krasa – beautiful (Gavril’s roan mare)

Nothing raises an author’s spirits more than the news that their editor is promoting their work on-line. My thanks go to Anne Groell for these kind words as Lord of Snow and Shadows gets this week’s spotlight on Fridays on Suvudu. Do drop by and see what she says…

http://sf-fantasy.suvudu.com/2011/11/del-rey-spectra-50-page-fridays-sarah-ash.html

Here http://www.sarah-ash.com/short-stories  is the first of the short stories that are linked to the Artamon novels. Others will follow…

Song for a Naming Day was first published by Newcon Press in 2010 in The Write Fantastic Anthology ‘Anniversaries. ’ My thanks go to Ian Whates and Ian Watson for their editorial expertise! Find ‘Anniversaries’ and other excellent publications at:
http://newconpress.co.uk/category/anthology/

The new, specially commissioned and gorgeous colour illustration is by Marcelle Natisin; see more of her work in progress, including the original sketch at:  www.scribbleymark.tumblr.com

Thank you, Marcelle – I sincerely hope that we can work together on more projects!

I’m always thrilled to receive new art that relates to my stories, so I was really excited to see this splended dragon from artist Sue Leach; thank, you, Sue!

(With its horns, it looks as if it might be an oriental dragon, or even… a Tide Dragon…)

I was delighted to be approached by author Erin M. Hartshorn to be part of a new A to Z series on her blog. Each post will discuss 3 to 4 women authors of science fiction and fantasy.

I’m honoured to be included alongside C. L. Anderson, Eleanor Arnason, Catherine Asaro; many thanks, Erin, and I’m looking forward to reading about many other authors in the genre every Wednesday!

http://www.erinmhartshorn.com/anderson-arnason-asaro-ash/