By Bailey Bird, best friend of Jenna Hart
From Stirring the Plot, the 3rd in a Cookbook Nook Mystery series
By Daryl Wood Gerber aka Avery Aames
If you don’t
know, I am Jenna Hart’s best friend and current employee at The Cookbook Nook
in Crystal Cove. And I have a confession. I hate my name. I know. What’s in a
name, really, right? But honestly, I’ve been teased my whole life about my last
name. Tweet tweet, chirp chirp. Bwaaak!
I’ve been asked whether I deliver babies. My name isn’t stork, but some guys think that is so
funny! Yuk, yuk. Not. It doesn’t help
that my name is also alliterative. My mother thought it was cute. Bailey Bird. Sheesh. How I wished my mother had
switched back to her maiden name after the divorce. I would have latched onto
the surname Hastings in a flash. Bailey Hastings. That has style, don’t you
think? My father, a decent guy who practices law in San Francisco, would be
upset, but he would allow it.
At least my name isn’t Bingo like
this woman I know; she’s a friend of Jenna’s aunt’s and owns Aunt
Teek’s antique shop. How she ever got saddled with the name Bingo is beyond me.
Maybe her mother thought she was a dog. Okay, not funny, and I, of all people,
shouldn’t be making fun. Bingo’s real
name is Barbara. Maybe she hated it like I hate mine and changed it herself.
You certainly can’t forget the name. At my old place of employment, Taylor
& Squibb advertising—I worked in the numbers arena when Jenna was slaving away as an
advertising executive—they’d call that branding. In addition to running her
antique shop, Bingo is second-in-command of the Winsome Witches, a fund-raising
group that gets together every year around Halloween to raise money for literacy.
Pearl Thornton is the High Priestess of the Winsome Witches. Oh, hey, I just
thought of this. Pearl was married to a geologist. Do you think she had a tough
time with her name? She’s a gem of a gal. A real rock. LOL! Bad, Bailey.
The witches put on a faire and
have a luncheon with a lively auction. It’s great fun! The town really gets
behind the week of events. We have a parade and a pumpkin-decorating contest.
We’ve been snazzying the store like crazy, and we ordered in some of the
kookiest Halloween-themed cookbooks with recipes for things like Wart-topped
Tortillas and more. Oh, lest you be worried, the Winsome Witches aren’t really
witches; however, they’re encouraged to wear elaborate witch hats to the
luncheon. You’ve got to see some of them! Jenna put together a cute little gold
number for her and her kitten, Tigger. Now, there’s a name!
Do you like your name? Do you
have a nickname? Would you change any aspect of your life if you could? Would
you go so far as to change your name?
******************
Posts
My mom named my sister and I Sally Ann and Mary Jane, which meant I spent years first listening to someone sing "Little Sally Saucer" to me and then "Mustang Sally" and my sister had to constantly tell people, "My FIRST name is Mary Jane, I have no middle name." So yep, I would have liked to change it. The couple of times I dared tell my mother that she asked me if I would prefer to be "one of those Debbies, Lindas, Cathys . . . " - being just like everyone else wasn't something to aspire to at our house.
ReplyDeleteI am Grandma Cootie to my grandkids (we called our kids cootie bugs), Gigi (great grandma) to our great grandkids, and Pepe to my nieces. Wouldn't change any of those! And my 5-year old great-granddaughter calls my husband Papa Gigi ;-).
Ah, Grandma Cootie, I totally get it. My author's name is Daryl. You can imagine how many different things she's been called through her life. Not to mention "her other brother Darrell" jokes! LOL
DeleteBailey from Crystal Cove
My name is Patricia and I did change my name sort of, most everybody calls me Trish. I'm NaNa to my children's dog and cat (who are the only grandchildren I have at the moment), and one of my nieces calls me Mammy. I like Trish or Patricia...just please don't call me PAT, never did like being called that. :)
ReplyDeleteI like my name and have never really wanted to change it. Well, there was that time in 3rd grade when I decided Peter was such a better name. I had fallen in love with Narnia and for a couple of weeks I tried to go by that name. Then I forgot and went back to Mark.
ReplyDeleteAh, Narnia. One of my favorite places to visit!
DeleteBailey (a true reader!)
I'm used to my name so I think it would be confusing to change it.
ReplyDeleteMy name fits me or I fit my name.The only part of my life I would change would be to be healthier. Everything in your life goes into making you who you are.
ReplyDeleteI didn't always like my name. When I was little I wanted a name that was more popular. I could never find personalized items with my name. But now I like it.
ReplyDeleteI like my name it's short and simple.
ReplyDeleteI've never really liked my name, though not sure what name I'd like better. At one time I thought about changing the spelling to Dyan. My Mother spelled my name Dianne, but most people want to spell it Diane. Like Tina, I can never find personalized items with " Dianne". What is out there is always" Diane". At this point in my life, I'm not going to change it. I guess I can be thankful, my Mother didn't choose one of the popular names of the time, which would have been Barbara, Kathy or Donna.
ReplyDeleteI love my name and would never think of changing it or using a nickname!
ReplyDeleteskkorman AT bellsouth DOT net
I don't like my name, boring. My husband calls me LisaLu..I like it a bit better :) Love the cover of the book! A must read for me :) Thank you for the chance to win
ReplyDeletejslbrown2009(at)aol(dot)com
Sweet. LisaLu. Very cute. Wish I had a husband...but I want to make sure he really really loves me first. :)
DeleteBailey
My name is ok. If I could have chosen my name, I'm not sure I would have chosen it. When I was little the kids called me Beverly Hillbillies and one not so funny drama teacher wanted to give me the nickname Bevo (what did he think I looked like the University of Texas mascot?). I hate when people I don't know or don't know very well, shorten my name to Bev. It implies a sense of familiarity or closeness that is often not there. Is Beverly too hard to say? I do have a nickname. My husband and I ride motorcycles with a group of veterans. My road name is Booklady. That one fits for sure!
ReplyDeleteI like my name Linda now since it's not as common as it used to be.
ReplyDeleteLOL, I never liked my name, I'd love to change it but its kinda late now. I have no idea what I'd change it to either lol. When I lived in England they called me Deb's (not too bad lol)
ReplyDeletedebbiec1313@yahoo.com
My nickname was "Sam". My maternal grandfather thought that I was going to be a boy and called me that the whole time before I was born and it just stuck. When I had my daughter I named her Samantha Lee. She is actually named after me and my grandfather. As far as my real name goes, people who meet me for years stated something about "Tanya Tucker", then "Tonya Harding", that got old, but mostly I'm okay with my name. I do miss being called Sam though (my grandparents are long gone).
ReplyDeleteI'm okay with my name but I did get alot of Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm when I was younger.
ReplyDeleterjprazak6@gmail.com Becky Prazak
Being saddled with an unusual name can be fun and a bit frustrating. People always try to "cross" my L and turn me into Janet. ;)
ReplyDeleteAlways felt my first name was boring (Linda). When I was little, I would play pretend and only use my middle name, June, because that seemed more mysterious (this was the early 60's!). Nowadays, Linda is actually a rarity. LOL kuzlin(at)aol(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI don't mind my name my I shorten it to Deb but my dad has called me Debs for years, unless I am in trouble. I would never change my name because my Mom and Dad picked it and they had a reason to so I am happy with it. I guess I might be considered boring but I am happy with my life. Would love my husband to be retired and we could travel but other than that I am good
ReplyDeleteBobby is the nickname I was given at birth. Hated that doll...Barbie. Not my name. Didn't like Babs either. Really wanted to change my last name. Had to spell it for everyone. Have a shorter last name thanks to marriage, but people shorten it even further by leaving out the e. I asked Joe Law to marry me, as I wanted his last name. He said no.
ReplyDeleteI do like my name though it can be comical. Anne, I was told, means grace in French, however I am far from graceful!
ReplyDeleteI guess having the name Melanie for over 47 years I can't think of something different that would fit me
ReplyDeleteI like my name and never thought of changing it since no one has this name as it is from the olden days.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was young I wished my parents had given me a more unique name. Now I just except my name for what it is.
ReplyDeleteA classic name such as Anne is what I love and always felt suited me.
ReplyDeleteI never cared for my name much, Elaine, I never had a nickname. Now I don't care much and I know my parents liked the name or they wouldn't have given it to me. And I love my mom so much and miss my dad so much. So I guess I will keep my name. But if I could change one thing about me, I think I would change my hair, which started turning gray when I was 26 so everyone thinks I am much older than I am. I have even been called my sister's mom and she is only three years younger than me.
ReplyDeleteMy middle name is Ann and I always hated it. It was suppose to be Marie, but while my Mom was sleeping away in her hospital bed, my Dad and the insurance man of all people had me named Lisa Ann. Daddy always called me that too. Lisa Ann, like it was Mary Ann. But I'm thankful now to Daddy, because even though I was born before her, later in life I'm sure I would have been asked over and over if I was named after Lisa Marie Presley. My little sister is the only on to have ever nicknamed me and she only uses it once in a while. She calls me LeRe.
ReplyDeleteHa! And your mother didn't get a vote? Men!! LOL
DeleteBailey
I never thought about it much. Carol is just my name. I don't love it or dislike it. I have no nicknames.
ReplyDeleteAlways wanted a nickname - none comes with Karen - but now I'm called mom, grandma Karen. No complaints on those!
ReplyDeletekpbarnett1941[at]aol.com
You won the giveaway. Contact me, Daryl, at daryl at darylwoodgerber dot com to claim your prize!
DeleteDaryl (author of the Cookbook Nook mysteries)
Info emailed! Thank you so much!
DeleteI was called Betty Lou until I wanted to be call Betty. There was a Betty Lou in my class and we disliked each othef
ReplyDeleteFrom Daryl (the author) - love all these comments. Thanks so much to all for playing along with Bailey and entering the contest, too. Remember, someone will be picked at the end of the day! Savor the mystery!
ReplyDeleteDaryl Wood Gerber aka Avery Aames
My real name is Finnish, I dropped a letter from my name because people couldn't pronounce it.
ReplyDeleteKit3247(at)aol(dot)com
I do like my name, Michelle (Mich or Mish for short), though when I was little I wanted a more unusual name like our dogs had (it's possible I actually wanted to BE a dog--I was rather an odd kid). When I married, I vacillated about whether or not to change my last name and ultimately decided not to, but I did change my middle name to my mother's maiden name because it always bothered her that she gave it up.
ReplyDeletemichstjame at gmail dot com
You mean like Spike or Rover? :) How cute!
DeleteBailey from Crystal Cove
Actually our dogs had names like Shadrach and Babylon. :)
DeleteNames are tricky things. I did not change my last name when I married 42 years ago. The name was "me".
ReplyDeleteMy name is Natalie. Nickname is Natty (Betty) Crocker if I'm cooking and Natty (Martha) Stewart if I'm crafting. I love my name and wouldn't change it.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Sandra, and my nickname is Sandy. I am happy with my name.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Karen I never thought about changing it
ReplyDeleteDo I like my name? Yes and no. I am actually old enough that "security" hasn't always been an issue. My parents had a debate on my middle name. One wanted me named after a favorite aunt--Lou. The other wanted to put her name as my middle name--Katherine. So I ended up with Lou. Not my choice. So when I was in high school and we were filling out government forms, we were told to fill in out full legal name. I decided to "fix it" then and there. So I added my name of preference, thus havin four names instead of three. Low and behold, that then became my "legal" name, which was only modified when I added my married name a few years later. There has never been a question about that chance I made for myself. All my legal papers have my addition. As a result, we gave each of outer children two middle names. The tradition has continued down to every one of our grandchildren. Now, I understand that today's security would never allow for that little high school trick of mine, but it sure makes a good story and tradition in our family. So "yes" NOW, I like my name for sure!!!! Ronnalord(at)msn(dot)com
ReplyDeleteRonna, sweet! What a fun tradition to pass down, too.
DeleteBailey from Crystal Cove
My given name is Sandra. I'm only called that at an office where I have an appointment (when they call my name). I prefer to be called Sandy, mom or gramma. Although, when my awesome husband calls me "baby" I melt! Sandy in So. Cali sxygrndma48(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI am surrounded by people who don't use their given names - my great grandmother was 'Bubby', my grandfather went by 'Red', my mother is 'Deed' or 'DeeDee' or sometimes 'DonnieMae' but never her given name of 'Donna', my sister Colleen has changed her name to 'Kate', my great aunt goes by 'Jeanie' even though her first name is Lana. We have family friends who have monikers like 'Lugga' and Pudgy'. I actually love my first name however, my family insists on adding a middle name that is not actually anywhere on my birth certificate but...what can I do? I think I shocked them all when I named my son 'London'! LOL! ~signing off~ Lisa 'Jean' - londonandlisa@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteForgive me if there are 2 posts, my first doesn't look like it went through. I'm ok with my name now, I answer to Deborah, Debbie (preferred) or Deb (not crazy about). I was nicknamed Sam when I was younger (a shortened version of my maiden name).
ReplyDeleteI would definitely change my name. Something more generic definitely. geringlisa@gmail.com. Although email addresses are a snap! Lol!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had a middle name. So much so that I am going to give my children at least three names to choose from! Raquel36m (at) gmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteRaquel, LOL! Bet they don't like writing their entire names very much. How about on all those forms with itty bitty spaces... Or on a check draft... Or... LOL. But what fun!
DeleteBailey Bird from Crystal Cove
I like my name I no longer go by Elizabeth, I call it my official, okey-dokey name, but it is my name and I like my middle name. My last name says it all. There are not a lot of people with the last name Straw - I rarely run into anyone - if I do we can usually track down a common ancestor. Although I haven't run into many outside of the state I live in and there are several further out west. ;)
ReplyDeletePerhaps you are the last Straw. (Okay, everyone, a collective groan, please! I'm not a punster. My mother, who owns the Pelican Brief Diner can pun with the best of them.) Thanks for chiming in!
DeleteBailey Bird from Crystal Cove
Sometimes I like my name, other time I do not...especially the spelling. Sometimes I wish my middle name was my first name...but it's even spelled differently. Frustrating.
ReplyDeleteI like my name now - as a child - nope could not stand it.
ReplyDeleteI am the youngest of three girls. My dad really wanted a boy so my nickname is Mike. My middle name is Michele. Never minded my name or nickname.
ReplyDelete"Mike," my author's name is Daryl (definitely boyish) and it's definitely been a challenge. :) But she's always liked it. It's distinctive.
DeleteBailey
I like my name--it's Suzan--just enough different to be distinctive, but not enough to be teased about. My mom wanted my nickname to be Suekey, but thank goodness it didn't catch on.
ReplyDeletesuefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
I used to hate my middle name (Rose) when I was younger, but now love it so much I handed it on down to my daughter! Funny how you "mature" when you grow up!
ReplyDeleteMy brother named me and it's better than the name I was supposed to have. I like the spelling but I would never name my kid my name. I hate nicknames because my name is short enough. areewekidding@yashoo.com
ReplyDelete@ yahoo.com oops!
DeleteLOL. Your brother named you? Cool!
DeleteBailey - wishing she had a brother and wasn't an only child
I like my name now, even with the different spelling my mother used. But there was a time I went by a bunch of different nicknames and even going by my middle name just to not be so different from my family and classmates. In seventh grade I even swore to myself that I was going to change my name when I was old enough.
ReplyDeleteI like my name...and its derivatives. My given name is Kathleen, which is how I sign everything and some people call me by this name. Most people call me Kathy. A few shorten it to Kat or Kath...sometimes Kasia (which is the diminutive of Katarzyna-the Polish Kathleen). I've lengthened it for my google name-Katreader (to encompass my love of reading). My best friend in high school called me Spike (I wore spiked heels and would periodically step on him by accident).
ReplyDeleteDon't like my full name at all but love my nickname.
ReplyDeleteI love my name but no one pronounces it correctly. I can always tell if you really know me by how you pronounce my name. Yesterday I went to vote and the first lady mispronounced my name and the other three ladies at the table corrected her as a chorus. It was pretty funny.
ReplyDeletelike my name
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
I love my name (Jill) and all my nicknames (including Jilzee). jeosmond@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteMy name is okay, but it's not much for nicknames.
ReplyDeleteKjohnson952@yahoo.com
My name is all right. My sister is the only one who ever called me a nickname. She called me Linnie. But she passed away (plane crash) so very long ago. I'd love to have her back to call me that again. I guess I like my life enough. I don't really want to change it. lkish77123 at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteI like my name. I have had several nicknames throughout the years, mostly when I was a little girl, Nette, Netts and TeTe and Nettsy.
ReplyDeleteI like my name. =) I have had two nicknames in my life, - One nickname that people call me is Missy, and the other nickname I had is Mel.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win! =)
My name is Kaye Lynn, I dropped the Lynn. I'm happy with my name
ReplyDeletekaye.killgore@comcast.net
I like my name but I wouldn't mind the pet name Mari either...
ReplyDeleteMarilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com
I like my name but I like the name Mari too...
ReplyDeleteMarilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com
I hated my middle name as a child, it is Jo, which I perceived as a boys name . Of course it led to my being teased at school, and that didn't help !
ReplyDeleteJo, my author was invited to join the boys gym class once or twice because of her name, Daryl. ;)
DeleteBailey from Crystal Cove.
Can't wait to read Stirring the Plot. Really like this series.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteFrom me, Daryl (author) :)
Wow, thanks to all who participated today! What a wealth of fun comments and interesting tidbits!
ReplyDeleteSavor the Mystery!
From Daryl (Bailey's and Jenna's author) :)
I suppose I like my name. Not much thought into it, I guess. haha
ReplyDeleteIt was pointed out to me but a smart fan that I did not post a name of who won in the comments, though if you look on the front page of KC upper left, you will see the names of winners each day as they unfold. FYI. Anyway, Karen B won June 4th giveaway and has selected INHERIT THE WORD as her choice from my list of novels. Congrats, Karen. I'll be giving away another book on July 1 as well as July 4! Check back! Good luck to all.
ReplyDeleteDaryl aka Avery
Not a real problem with my name except neither my married or maiden last names are easy to spell or pronounce. I answer to all kinds of things.
ReplyDeleteReally wanted to be after my mom- Helen Cordelia "Cordie" especially after learning both great grandmothers were so named! To me it was a true sense of history and family tradition. Yes, would change my name if someone else could handle the legal aspect. I'd also choose my mom's maiden name. I'd be the Wright girl! Thanks for the summer giveaway!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait!!
ReplyDelete