I Need Some Texas Names

I told y'all last time that I'm getting serious about writing on my book again and I've been true to my word, at least this week. I'm trying to flesh out some of the minor characters in the book, naming them and creating back stories to set the stage in my weird little Texas town. I need some suggestions for good, solid Texas names for both men and women. I don't want any cliche Hollywood names, like "Billy Bob" or "Clementine." I want real names of real people like your grandparents and their ilk. Would you take a few minutes to send me some candidates?

Here are some of the characters I need names for:

• The brother of the local police chief. He owns/operates the town's only pharmacy, inherited from their father.
• Matriarch of the town. Everyone respects and defers to her. She is kind and compassionate, but has iron rules and lines that you just don't cross. Her name would probably have a "Ms." in front of it anytime she was addressed, like "Ms. Lillian."
• A group of "philosophers" who hold court in the town's cafe every morning, drinking coffee and dispensing wisdom to anyone who gets within ear shot. Texas-sounding nicknames would be good here, too. Any ideas?

My sweet husband, who is now playing the role of my business manager, has been doing some research on the changing world of publishing. He saved me this very interesting article last week from the Wall Street Journal, about the rise of self-publishing and electronic publishing and how it is redefining the relationships between authors and publishers. Those of you who are writers or hope to be may find this trend very inspiring. It means that just about anyone can write a book, publish and distribute it, rather than being one of the very few who can find an agent, get their book accepted and actually onto the shelves of bookstores. If you have a story to tell, one that you want your children or grandchildren to know, or one that has just been burning a hole in you for years, you can write that story and share it with others, and maybe make a little money to boot. It's an exciting time to be living in. 

Please note that I am changing with the times, too. Today's grammarians have decided that it is finally acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition, making the last sentence of the preceding paragraph totally OK. My seventh grade English teacher, Mrs. Enderli, is turning over in her grave. Because of her, I can still recite sixty-six prepositions in alphabetical order: aboard, about, above, across, after, against, along, amid, among, around, at, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, besides, between . . . . 

I've got to get back to the book now because the juices are flowing. Thanks for stopping by today; send me some names when you can.