A question from Kylara (wow!)
Hello,
My name is Kylara and I have a story I’d like to share with you about my name and ask a question? I hope this is alright.
So as I’m sure you figured my name came from a book of your mother’s and your book series. Growing up I did not know this I had asked my parents and my grandmother and all they could tell me was we got your name from a book. I spent years off and on looking for the book my name came out of.
I went to several book stores and no one could help me and back in 2012 I was searching on google and finally came up with Dragonriders of Pern. I called both my parents and grandma and asked them if this was the book. After hearing the title they said yes and how much they had enjoyed reading them. I went out that day and bought the first book and loved it. Unfortunately I have not read past book three.
Well two years ago I found out I was pregnant and I wanted a unique baby name and I just couldn’t think of any! My wonderful mother gave me a list of baby names. We had already decided on a boys name (Kindan) witch had came from the book she was reading. I had yet to even think about a girls name so she gave me a list of names for girls and right before my ultrasound to find out if I was having a boy or girl I picked the name Nuella.
I asked her where she found the names and both the names I had pick came from the same book. Another Dragonriders of Pern book. I not only gave my little baby a unique name I also gave her a great story to go with it and started a tradition of sorts. Oh and I guess you vould say two traditions. See my grandmother was reading them when my mom was pregnant with me and my mom was reading them while I was pregnant with my daughter. If I ever have a boy still plan on naming him Kindan. My family really loves the series and the beautiful unique names.
So my question is how did you and your mom come up with the names Kylara and Nuella? I have tried finding their orgin and have come up with nothing. I would just love to be able to tell her all I can about her name and how she ended up with a beautiful unique name.
Thank You,
Kylara Brown
P.s. sorry for my rambling and misspelled words.
Dear Kylara,
Your letter came at a time when I most needed it and for this I bless you!
I am so glad that you were given Kylara’s name. I don’t think of her often but when I do I realize she was a survivor of some form of early abuse. Her dragon was her chance at recovery and redemption but she couldn’t make it. It sounds like you, however, did and I’m glad to hear it! (Given that Pern isn’t supposed to happen in our timeline for another 3000 or so years, perhaps you are the progenitor of the name!)
I just recently re-read Dragon’s Kin, Dragon’s Fire, Dragon Harper. We authors tend to notice every little thing in our books (naturally!) and as we’re always striving to get better, it’s hard not to cringe at what we wrote in our past. However, when enough time has passed even authors can read their works with the kindly eyes of a regular reader. I was quite pleased with what Mum and I wrote back then.
As for Nuella, the working title of Dragon’s Kin was Nuella’s Dragon so, as you can see, Nuella was there front and center pretty much from the beginning.
How did I come up with the name? It sort of came to me. In fact, I initially resisted because it didn’t seem right, like it was “New Ella” or something. But the character insisted that she didn’t mind at all and would I please get on with writing about her first watch-wher so she could relive those happy memories and remember the friends who saw her gifts as the strengths they are?
Nuella, as you may have discovered, continues to drive Zenor to distraction with her love of flying upside down in darkest night. She’s a character (in the Irish term, usually said with many shaking of heads and fond grins). She developed a quiet grace which has only grown over time and she is a truly marvelous person.
I may be rather biased but I believe you could not have picked a better name for your baby! ::grin::
Cheers,
Todd