Charles Blackwood, my second British Agent, is English born, but his family and heritage hail from Scotland. This history not only comes in handy for unraveling a secret someone wishes to keep buried, but it gives him a deeper connection to the heroine, Rhona Davidson.
When choosing character names, I first find a name that I like, but then I want to ensure that it works with the character and the story. I love saying the name "Blackwood." Charles showed us his charming and care-free side in Alaina Claiborne, but in Blackwood Crossing, we learn about his past, learn why he became an agent, and what drives him to do what he does. This ancient Scottish/Old English name spans two countries, as does Charles.
The name "Blackwood" conjures all kinds of images in my mind. Whenever I say it or think it, I can visualize Charles' personality, his thoughts, his passions, his dreams, and his darkest of secrets. Blackwood Crossing will unravel secrets the agents never could have imagined, and Charles will have to become someone he thought he'd left behind forever.
And to think it all began when I chose his name . . . Blackwood.
