Wednesday, May 30, 2007

The "Name My Dastardly Villain" Contest...



UPDATE!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!! I'm so excited about all the submissions. As I'm about to have a baby (in like, a week) I'll not get to these until July, but please know that every name has been counted, and there WILL be a group of finalists, and a winner! Hurrah!


Okay, I've never done a contest of any kind before, but I'm stuck on something. So I'm turning to the small (but growing) number of brilliant people who read this little site for help with my next book, "Any Which Wall."

Here's the deal:

I need to NAME a dastardly fellow, a filthy scoundrel, a naughty man from the Wild Wild West, stuck in the 21st century. He's truly rotten-- cruel to animals, mean to kids, and willing to rob banks and kidnap YOU just for the fun of it. He wears a black hat and a long dark coat. He smells funny.

Can you help me???

Just enter your suggestions (as many as you want, but one per comment please, so I can keep track of how many entries I've got) in the comment field of this blog.

I'll select the best name I'm offered for use in my book (Random House, 2009), and the winner will be thanked most graciously, and also given a signed ARC of the finished book, and the chance to name ANOTHER character in the book as well (I'll select the character). But they can name this other character ANYTHING THEY WANT!

I suggest that the winner use this opportunity to honor their mother or win points with their boss (I've discovered recently that moms LOVE to appear in books). But as far as I'm concerned, anything (suitable for readers 7-11) goes!

So bring it on! Help me write a book! Name my villain!

(Disclaimer-- while at least one person WILL win, and receive the chance to name a secondary character and a signed ARC, I reserve the right to change the dastardly villain's name at a later point if I have a middle-of-the-night writing freakout or a stroke of genius. Because, after all, writers are flaky and controlling and fickle!)

And please, if you have a blog, feel free to plug/link this contest! I need all the help I can get...

174 comments:

emilyschmemily said...

Dusty Trappings
Pinky Red
Hector Beasty

Anonymous said...

Scratchett. Hitchen Scratchett.

Anonymous said...

Jed Scratchett?

Just Lucy said...

Fusty Rusty the Bad

Erin said...

Mustard Kitt

Erin said...

Bill Riley

Erin said...

Jeb Douglas

Erin said...

Zachariah Coots

Erin said...

Daniel Beanshot

Erin said...

Duck Barnes

Erin said...

Rusty Wiles

Marissa Doyle said...

Sylvester Viperspitt, but you can call him Sly for short. :)

Ann Herrick said...

Stinky Cyrus

Marissa Doyle said...

Horace Noosethrottle

Marissa Doyle said...

Rupert Stench

Elizabeth Bunce said...

Snick O'Bannion

Elizabeth Bunce said...

Curt Strumpthwaite

(This is Elizabeth Bunce, btw... I can't seem to shake my Blogger ID and post as a normal person....)

Marissa Doyle said...

Benjamin Blackwater

Marissa Doyle said...

Quentin Fracture

Erin said...

Bart Nickles

Erin said...

Dillon Finch

Erin said...

Lazarus Keyes

Erin said...

Heckle Johnson

Erin said...

Isaiah Mean

Rachel said...

William Turnipseed

Rachel said...

Eli Thenwhistle

Rachel said...

Rusty Malcontent

Anonymous said...

Wichita Grim

Kaethe said...

William Claude Dukenfield (later known as W. C. Fields)

Kaethe said...

Laird "Baldy" Mort

Kaethe said...

Dane Grey

thisbe said...

George Thornybush

thisbe said...

Byron Schwerdfager

Kaethe said...

John "Pinkeye"Higgins

Kaethe said...

James Younger

Kaethe said...

James Jessey

Kaethe said...

Frank Jessey

thisbe said...

Elwood Snell

thisbe said...

Hezekiah Stritch

thisbe said...

Zelophehad Murk

thisbe said...

Bezodeiah Smerch

thisbe said...

Ezer Burr

Daniel Nester said...

Colonel Claude Mutton

thisbe said...

Eber Crabbage

thisbe said...

Sarcophagus Spitz

Erin said...

Brian Snick, "The Brain"

thisbe said...

Mortimer Flatch

Erin said...

Red Killjoy

Erin said...

Nate Phook

Erin said...

Odabi Hurt

Erin said...

Sammy Fletcher

Erin said...

Henry Boar

Erin said...

Nick Flat

thisbe said...

Hashabneiah Gruel

thisbe said...

Mordecai Twitt

thisbe said...

Archibald Grub

Ivy said...

Black Boots McGraw

Ivy said...

Algy Sanchez

Anonymous said...

Willy Joe Hoss

Anonymous said...

(I like Marissa's "Blackwater" surname.)

Ivy said...

Bill 'Low Ball' Blaggard

Just Lucy said...

Wicked Wendall

Ron Hogan said...

Leon Cobarde (it's Spanish, but it's funny in English!)

Ivy said...

Rattlesnake Magoo

lizzie skurnick said...

In honor of your email, with a small twist, what about:

SPAME

Erin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Erin said...

Duey Rattin

H said...

Ron

Just Lucy said...

C. (creton) Musty the Bandit

Laurel said...

Wow! This is awesome everyone!!!! Thanks so much. I'll let the contest run awhile, and announce a winner sometime in the not too distant future.

Keep em coming!

xoLaurel

ninanelson said...

Altick Crumpnick

ninanelson said...

Scorpion Sam

ninanelson said...

Buckteeth Jack

AMPace said...

Roderigo Banshee

Lisa Schroeder said...

Zeb Stenchabunch

~Lisa Schroeder

Lisa Schroeder said...

Wild Willy Gunkenspout

thisbe said...

Angus Byle

thisbe said...

Dirg Snagglerot

thisbe said...

Idaho Retchet

thisbe said...

Thratch Knappit

thisbe said...

Burge Druggit

thisbe said...

Reginald Crupt

Vinnie said...

Bitmus Cormorant

Rafael Santiago said...

Cadius Fellow

Lisa Schroeder said...

Stanley Schlepastinker

~Lisa Schroeder

Antoine said...

Gunther Quinte.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Hannibal Hogswaller

Anonymous said...

Finn McCracker

Anonymous said...

Judd Crackstone

Anonymous said...

Eli Whippet

Anonymous said...

Egil Skinflint

Mandarina said...

Snarky Sarsparilla

John said...

To hell with grammar, sense and all that crap -- me had some fun. Plus it's very, very late. Best o luck, L.


He is known by many names, for he has a twisted knack for slighting everyone in a slightly different way. His first moniker was Toothy Timmy, the name given to him by his wet nurse, for he was the first and only child she tended born with a full set of teeth (yellowed and sharp at that). In the schools of Montgomery he was known Pigtail Pulling Pete and in the calvary as AWOL Jackson. New York dandies still put one hand on their wallets, and the other on the pearl handle of their Derringers, at the name of Wilhem Stunkbaden (of the Hoboken Stunkbadens) and Michigan farmers still nightly lock up their daughters and stoke the watch fires with the butts of their pitchforks while muttering old-country curses upon Herr Dr. Von Tonic and his Marvelous Mixtures. To the Pinkertons he was Second Story Sam and to railroad detectives Canonball Clyde and to the U.S. Marshals Tinhorm McSwindle O’Cheater. From the cardrooms of the Pecos to the wharves of San Francisco back to the gas street lights of St. Paul, the wanted posters all wanted him by a different name. El Sombrero Mas Feo. The Briny Rustler. Steve the Sturgeon. And in the different languages of the Huron and Soiux, the Lakota and Inuits, his name was the same: Talks with Two Faces. Yet, in the dark of plains at night, in the light of the campfire, he twirls his eyebrows into little horns in the dull reflection of the silver and gold he’s swindled from oil barons, hoopleheads and orphans. “Will they ever catch I? In a pig’s eye! For I am Napoleon Wilkes Bligh!”

Michael A. Wells said...

Boulder C. Whenchelsnot

Casey said...

Xander McLaren

Michael A. Wells said...

Hollester Van Weasel

Michael A. Wells said...

Wallabutt Grossner

Michael A. Wells said...

Darcaster B. Slapster

Laurel said...

LOL!

You guys all know I'm also looking for baby names right now... don't you?

xoL

thisbe said...

Percival Snitt
(that's NOT a baby name suggestion!)

Sarah said...

George Bush.

Oh wait, that's taken.

V. said...

Lester Grisslethorn

Anonymous said...

Ezra Retch

Reen said...

Horvus Framboise

Fred Wilson said...

Bilk Crowbait

Arielle Greenberg Bywater said...

Wilfred Tantamount Hicough

J.D. Hart said...

how about--
Sly Gallows

Laura said...

Cecil Dregroot
Percival Munch

Erin said...

Harvey Sikes

Erin said...

Andy Wartsol

Erin said...

Rob Whist

Emily said...

Mortimer Sly
Gregory Flunker

Unknown said...

Warrington Latherby

Unknown said...

Wendigo Turnip

Rachel said...

marcus deadwyler

Fred Wilson said...

Bunko Hoosegow

Fred Wilson said...

Debauchee VonViviant

Fred Wilson said...

Lecher Mudsill

Anonymous said...

My 12-year-old suggests:

Whiplash Willy
Clint Copperhead
Buckeye Bill
Jude Spur
Billy Claptrap

My 9-year-old says:

Jebadiah Meanie

Jim Dog

Goadingthepen said...

Ike Thorton

Laurel said...

Christy,

I want to meet your kids! I especially like "Billy Claptrap."

xoL

Julie Carter said...

Flinch Winchell

Julie Carter said...

Daniel Foe

Julie Carter said...

Roy "Redeye" Grayby

John said...

Cephus Yoder

Julie Carter said...

Blaise Quantrill

Julie Carter said...

Lucas "Cuss" Fluster

Julie Carter said...

Buster Custer

Julie Carter said...

Rance Kyler

God said...

Shep Beardsley

God said...

Russell Flintlock

God said...

Shecky 'Garbagepants' McKraven

God said...

Roddimer 'The Rotten' Ruckenshaw

God said...

Scabby Flathorne

God said...

Jim E. Crackcorn
(and no one seems to care)

God said...

Darnell 'Dirt Throat' Wallace

God said...

Gordon 'Red Eye' Thicket

Roxyanne Young said...

Uriah Crank

Seth Abramson said...

Jonas Creeper

Seth Abramson said...

Ichabod McSleeth

Seth Abramson said...

Elgin Crabb

Seth Abramson said...

Leroy Kilter

Pamela Johnson Parker said...

Sorry, couldn't resist: Dubya the Kid.

Sidewinder Slim.
Dangerous Al Litteration.

Jim Matthews said...

"Dead-Eye" Mordecai McDreary.

Jim Matthews said...

Lester P. Muckenfuss (I once knew a kid named Muckenfuss).

katie s said...

Jasper Spitoonjuice.

Stephanie said...

Flint Nightwine

anuma said...

Johnny Unpleasant

anuma said...

Evil Joe

Stephanie said...

Random Shade

anuma said...

Jonny Vicious

anuma said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
anuma said...

Kit Vicious

anuma said...

Matt the Morbid

Jennifer said...

Hi Laurel:

May I suggest Shameless Snakepole?

Unknown said...

Evil Bunny
Snark Snark Higginbottom

B. Marie said...

Skelly Tombstone

B. Marie said...

Ruffin Whippe

B. Marie said...

Blackjack Carver

B. Marie said...

Traxton Widowmaker

B. Marie said...

Redrick Haint

B. Marie said...

I also like the post for:

Jonas Creeper.

Anonymous said...

Lemuel Pitt

Ivy said...

Maynard Sickafoose

Maddie Christofer said...

Ely Darkwater

Maddie Christofer said...

Buckeye Flint

Editor said...

Fletcher Lent

Edwin P. Clamp & Contributors said...

Booth Rami
Malgur Mizzry
Adamant Stone

Ivy said...

Woody Two-Shoes

stevefinbow said...

Jobber Skald
Cornelius Crake

Seth Abramson said...

Artemis Rump

Unknown said...

Mr. Horace Crankypants

Liz Straw said...

Will Grubb

Will Barrow

Barry Fish