Name the Gargoyles Contest

Posted on December 19, 2011 by fsdthreshold

How would YOU like to win your very own autographed advance review copy (ARC) of The Star Shard? How would YOU like to get the jump on all the fans who will be camped outside bookstores on the eve of February 28th, braving the sub-zero temperatures as they exchange Star-Shard trivia and speculate on how the novel will be different from the Cricket story? Granted, the ARC isn’t perfect — it was made from a draft before my final going-over, so there are a few continuity and formatting errors. And the ARC is a softcover; the real book will be a gorgeous hardcover. But it still has the wonderful color cover painted by Fernando Juarez. Also, there are so few ARCs that each one will be sought and prized by collectors in the future. So enter my Name the Gargoyles contest, and YOU may become the first reader to know what happens to Cymbril in those reams of extra pages  beyond the story’s first incarnation!

You remember my gargoyles, right?

The gargoyles on Broadway are waiting for names.

Here’s how it works:

1. You think up names for them.
2. You suggest the names in a comment.
3. I am the sole judge. They’re my gargoyles! I have to be convinced. If I don’t really, really like the names, it’s possible that there will be no winner, and I’ll introduce another contest to give away the ARC.
4. The deadline is the end of this calendar year. Get your entry in before midnight on New Year’s Eve — but the sooner the better, because if I fall in love with a pair of names before then, I’ll end the contest and the ARC will go out.
5. Chances are I already know your real-world address. If you happen to win the contest and I don’t know it, we’ll work out the details. If you are the winner, I will sign an advance review copy of the book and send it to you!
 
The name possibilities I’ve already thought of are:
 
Gog and Magog
Phobos and Deimos
 
What are you waiting for? Get those entries in!
 

174 Responses to Name the Gargoyles Contest

  2. Rich Heinz says:

    Don’t know if we can submit more than one suggestion, but I’ll take a stab at it. 🙂

    1. Bernardo and Ubertino

    (As in Bernardo Gui, of the Holy Inquisition, and Ubertino da Casale the elderly monk, who is obsessed with the Statue of the Virgin Mary’s little breasts, in The Name of the Rose.)

    2. William and Adso

    (You seem most anxious to do so.)

    Reply
  6. fsdthreshold says:

    That’s the idea! Please keep them coming! You’re allowed to submit as many entries as you like, and just because I don’t declare you the immediate winner doesn’t mean you may not be!

    A college friend, C. in chapel choir, has submitted these two entries by e-mail:

    1.) Statler and Waldorf
    2.) Froehlich and Isenberg

    Reply
  7. fsdthreshold says:

    Nave and Narthex?
    Lector and Cantor?
    Pulpit and Pew?
    Console and Clerestory?
    Nones and Compline?
    Lucifer and Crucifer?

    [Hmm. Some of those sound like magazines for cathedral enthusiasts . . . or else stores where you buy church furniture & accessories . . .]

    Reply
    • fsdthreshold says:

      Terce and Vespers would be better if we’re talking canonical hours, because Vespers is in the evening and therefore intrinsically more cool, and Terce is a pun with “Terse,” which is very gargoyle-appropriate.

      Reply
  8. fsdthreshold says:

    Ooh! Ooh!

    Nox and Noctis

    That’s Latin for “Night” and “Of the Night” . . .

    [Don’t worry–the contest is still very much open!]

    Lux and Lumen?

    Reply
    • fsdthreshold says:

      Bouncer and Trouncer?

      [Get it? Like a bouncer at a bar throws out obnoxious customers? A gargoyle throws evil spirits out on their ears, and his partner gives them a good pummeling.]

      Reply
  9. fsdthreshold says:

    One more, and then I promise I’ll stop interfering in my own contest . . . for a while, anyway!

    Lyke and Wake

    (The Lyke-Wake Dirge is that one about “Fire and fleet [or ‘sleet’ in some versions] and candlelight / And Christ receive thy saule.” Some of us were really into it in high school — the Benjamin Britten setting in the album Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings. It’s a powerful, atmospheric dirge! “Lyke” is “lich/lych,” which basically means a corpse, so it’s “the dirge for the wake on behalf of the dead.” Did you know that the large doors in a church through which you could bear a coffin used to be known as “the lich-gate”?)

    Reply
    • Chris says:

      Wow. There’s a trip back to the distant past!

      I was just talking to a guy at work today about our trombone lessons and I was put in mind of the time when Mr. L. taught me baritone and then, when they needed a trombonist for jazz band, taught me the 1:1 correlation between baritone fingerings and trombone positions.

      Reply
  16. Preacher says:

    1. Frodo & Bilbo

    2. Urim & Thummim (“n the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before the Lord. Thus Aaron shall bear the judgment of the people of Israel on his heart before the Lord regularly.” Exodus 28:30)

    Reply
  20. Binsers says:

    Lingual and Ligurio because their tongues are sticking out
    Pete and Repeat
    Fric and Frac
    Frollo and Yvanna after the fairies that live in my house
    George and Walter
    Sid and Nancy

    Reply
    • Chris says:

      “Ronald and Nancy”? As in Reagan???

      How about:

      Ronald Reagan
      and
      Nancy Spungen

      that combines your suggestions with Binser’s! It’s win-win!

      And it’s an image I will treasure in my mind forever now.

      Reply
  30. Catherine says:

    Martin & Katie

    Irah & Tefan

    Fast & Furious

    Luther & Zwingli

    And, Mr. Brown Snowflake, I really, REALLY like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern!

    Reply
  32. fsdthreshold says:

    Jedibabe thought of “Gog and Magog” before she read that I’d thought of that, so that’s officially her (first) entry.

    Reply
      • fsdthreshold says:

        Thank you, Mr. Brown Snowflake! I love both of those pairs of mine that you just mentioned, but I don’t think they are quite right for the names of gargoyles. Yes, you’ve had some great ideas here . . . everyone is doing a fantastic job! I had no idea people would offer so many suggestions!

        Reply
  34. Binsers says:

    No, we have not met. I stumbled upon your blog and have truly enjoyed it. I love your pictures and stories. I have a fairy box in my kitchen and the fairies would leave notes and little trinkets for my kids when they were growing up. Ah, the good old days . . .

    Reply
    • fsdthreshold says:

      Binsers — First, an official welcome! I am absolutely delighted when someone finds the blog without knowing me or someone else who’s already a regular! Very well met indeed, and I hope you’ll stick around!

      I love that fairy box! It reminds me of To Kill a Mockingbird, but with fairies! Your kids were really blessed! (And I’m glad the fairies in your house were the good sort, not the perilous kind!)

      Reply
  35. Swordlily says:

    The first names that came to mind had to be

    Merry & Pippin (cause these gargoyles look so mischievous)

    Bjarg & Fell (Norse for Stone & Mountain)

    Hogo & Shinwa

    Tick & Tock

    Hades & Zeus

    Nook & Book

    Barnaby A & Barnaby B (if you haven’t read the Willoughbys please do, it’s hilarious)

    Reply
    • fsdthreshold says:

      Bjarg & Fell are really cool! Are there cathedrals in Norway? (Chris and Gabe will certainly know!) If there are, there must be Norwegian gargoyles named Bjarg and Fell!

      Reply
      • Chris says:

        Norway is more well known for Stavekirke (wooden churches), but there are some cool stone cathedrals around. We went to the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim and we visited an older church closer to the Stikelstad Battlefield where St. Olaf died. I don’t recall the details of that particular church. We hit the Mariakirken in Bergen. It’s a stone cathedral from the 13th century. Bland inside but had some cool artwork.

        However I don’t recall the nature of gargoyles in Norway’s church architecture, sorry!

        But there’s a church in Raisio Finland that was _supposedly_ built by two giants: Killi and Nalli

        It was locked up when I went there, so I couldn’t see inside. It was kind of bland.

        https://picasaweb.google.com/101511554251686571193/Suomi2010#5516825547693033074

        Reply
  36. fsdthreshold says:

    Can you believe that in all the years I’ve had these gargoyles, I never noticed that they’re sticking out their tongues?! It’s true! I always thought those were just their lower lips, but jhagman is right! (It was jhagman who pointed it out, right? I can’t find the reference now!) Fortunately, they’re not sticking them out very far!

    Reply
  37. fsdthreshold says:

    Gothmog and Khamul?

    [That reference has a pretty high nerd factor!]

    Fenris and Carcharoth?

    [That pays tribute to both Lewis and Tolkien!]

    Reply
    • fsdthreshold says:

      Heh, heh! “The room is devoid of furniture. And . . . there’s no furniture in it.”

      “This explains much.”

      “The times are ill.”

      “Griseld’s hackles are up.”

      “Will this hurt your homunculus?”

      “Mrisolm of Vandorlonenn has sent me hither!”

      Reply
      • Catherine says:

        There was a kid’s version I devoured as a child which added some softer “humanity” to the Aesir. I never quite got over realizing that in “real life”, everyone but Balder was really quite mean . . .

        Reply
    • Chris says:

      Oh I want in on this game! Leaving most of the “Mythology” behind but keeping in the same vein and more norse than norse!

      ICELANDIC!

      Vigdís Finnbogadóttir and Björk Guðmundsdóttir,

      Snorri Sturluson and Sigurður Nordal

      Reply
    • morwenna says:

      Catherine, I still have my very old — and very wonderful! — hardback copy of Norse Gods and Giants by Ingri and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire. I love that book!

      Reply
  41. fsdthreshold says:

    Anor and Ithil?
    Beezus and Ramona?
    Sturm and Drang?
    Thunder and Glory?
    Yin and Yang?

    [I’ll confess: this comment is silly!]

    Reply
  42. fsdthreshold says:

    I can’t resist talking about Gothmog and Khamul. Correct any inaccuracies I commit, O Tolkien experts!

    Probably Gothmog and Khamul are the only two names of Nazgul we know, and only one of them is certain. (What a great trivia question, eh?) After the fall of the Witch-King of Angmar in The Return of the King, Sauron’s forces are commanded by “Gothmog,” who we assume is Nazgul #2, but I don’t believe Tolkien specifies this. The name, of course, has a long tradition among the forces of Shadow, being the First-Age name of the Lord of Balrogs.

    We do know for sure, however, that “Khamul, Flame of the East” is one of the Nazgul.

    Reply
    • fsdthreshold says:

      For the record, I don’t think these are good gargoyle names. I want my gargoyles to be “bad,” but not “evil.” Do you see the distinction?

      Reply
      • Shieldmaiden says:

        I do see the distinction, you have to sleep at some point, ha ha. Reading these is fun! Loved Grin and Bearit, so funny! And it was Binsers who said the tongues were sticking out.

        I am still thinking… I hope you don’t choose yet.

        Reply
  43. Binsers says:

    Pain and Panic
    Cain and Abel
    To Pee or Not to Pee
    Dumb and Dumber
    Bert and Ernie
    Simon and Garfunkel
    Quasimodo and Esmeralda
    Thing one and Thing two
    Donny and Marie

    I should really go to bed . . .

    Reply
  46. morwenna says:

    Welcome, Binsers! The fairy box sounds delightful. And Shieldmaiden, it’s great to see you here!

    Fred, I like Aster and Isk.

    Swoop and Scoop.

    Win and Chester (for the Winchester Mystery House). Yes, I’ve visited it, so I loved Fred’s fine photo tour all the more!

    Reply
    • fsdthreshold says:

      Thanks on Aster and Isk!

      You know, the entry on the Winchester Mystery House continues to be the most-visited posting on this blog! Even now, it gets the most traffic every week. I think it’s just a popular subject that gets Googled a lot, and the search engine leads people to that entry.

      Reply
  47. Binsers says:

    I love Stabbem and Slabbem!
    How about Linus and Lucy and imagine them dancing around on top of Notre Dame to the Charlie Brown Christmas music.

    Reply
  48. fsdthreshold says:

    My apologies to Binsers! It was she who noticed that the gargoyles are sticking their tongues out. I erroneously attributed another worthy scribe!

    The contest is still open, Shieldmaiden, so you have plenty of time to think!

    Since everyone’s paying attention and I’m holding this mike, I’m going to tell a joke. This is my own original joke — I thought of it this morning. Here goes:

    Jenkins and Scottsdale are sitting in their leather armchairs, puffing on their pipes down at the Inattentive Readers’ Club.

    Jenkins: Oh, yes, I’ve heard of Harlan Ellison! Didn’t he write Invisible Man?
    Scottsdale: No, you twit. That was Orson Welles!

    Reply
  49. Kate Mergener says:

    Okay just throwing these out there.

    You could go architectural: Goth ( short for Gothic) and Roman (Romanesque)
    -or-
    Maybe go with Broadway lyrical composers like Hammie (Hammerstein) and Sondie (Sondheim).

    Reply
    • fsdthreshold says:

      Thank you, Kate! And welcome! It’s wonderful to see another new Player in the Game! (Unless I’m making a terrible faux pas, you’re also new to the blog, aren’t you? 🙂 Welcome, welcome!)

      (If the gargoyles are on Notre Dame or Chartres, they could be

      Faux and Pas

      — because it’s a faux pas to be sticking your tongue out atop a cathedral!)

      Reply
    • fsdthreshold says:

      Shieldmaiden, I REALLY admire the research you’re doing! (Shieldmaiden has shown me some of her thought processes in e-mail, and she’s really going at this in a serious way!)

      Reply
  52. Swordlily says:

    okay here are some more!

    Romulus & Remus

    Jekyll & Hyde

    Clock & Gear

    Fuzzy and Wuzzy (they do look cuddly for gargoyles)

    Guard & Ian

    Lock & Key

    I shall keep them coming 🙂

    Reply
    • fsdthreshold says:

      I like Romulus and Remus!

      But I’m really impressed with Guard and Ian! That one’s clever because guarding is what gargoyles do, and because “Ian” is a real name. “Guard and Ian” are definitely in the group of finalists, along with some others!

      Reply
      • morwenna says:

        Fred, we think alike. Even before I read your comment here, my favorite on Swordlily’s list was Guard and Ian. Great job, Swordlily!

        Reply
  55. Hannah says:

    Pippa and Zanthae? Or Zanther/Zantha/Zanthar
    Ken and Durby
    Dole and Pomarius
    Under and Hill
    Ding and Dong
    Evangeline and Charles
    Anneliese and Febret

    Reply
  57. Shieldmaiden says:

    So I’ve been trying to figure out as much as I could about Gargoyles, I knew lots of it already, but with the hope of finding some random bit of obscure information which would lead to a spark of inspiration, I looked some stuff up anyway. I hope I edited the information right, if I didn’t feel free to correct me if you know languages or Gargoyle lore better than me. This is what I found on several sites here and there:

    A true gargoyle is a waterspout designed to throw rainwater away from the walls of a building.The English word Gargoyle shares a common root with the word “Gargle”. The German term is wasserspeier (water spitter). Gargoyle derives from the French gargouille and comes from the Latin, gargula and gurgulio (meaning throat and the “gurgling” sound water makes as it passes through). A carved creature that does not serve as a drain pipe is frequently referred to as a “Grotesque”. Gargoyles and grotesques stand guard, warding off unwanted spirits and other creatures, and the ones with wings could fly and protect the village and church.

    Afrend & Orfoe

    Flotsam & Jetsam (it would have to be a very long, heavy rain)

    Minus & Morgul

    Gew & Gaw (or Knick and Knack)

    ENQ & ACK (I just liked Ack and Enq came along)

    Greg & Goros (“gregoros” meaning “watchful, alert”)

    Garg & Goyle

    If you can believe what you find online this is what it said for garg and goyle:
    GARG- fierce, angry, bitter.
    GOYLE : a steep narrow valley : ravine, gully. A goyle is a perverted and often smelly man, they have also been known to have a very short temper and can also perform magic.

    There will be more, but I may have to stop obsessing on Gargoyles for a couple days and think of other things while I break for Christmas. Wishing all of you a very happy one! Thanks for all the cool names, this has been fun. I have to go back and read some of them again, I know Mr. Snow had one I loved but I’ll have to look it up. And I also love Guard and Ian, and so many others. Hi Morwenna!

    Reply
  58. Swordlily says:

    Here’s me being silly:

    Lock & Ness (I think these would be great names for two iguanas 🙂

    I & Me

    Moe & Morris (both of these names mean ‘dark’ apparently 🙂

    Conniption & Kerfuffle

    Conniption: a fit of hysterical excitement or anger.
    Kerfuffle: commotion or fuss, especially one caused by conflicting views

    Reply
  61. Binsers says:

    Gaiman and Shadow
    Tiffany and Aching
    Madeleine and Hugh
    Meg and Charles
    Whosit and Whatsit
    John Ronald Reuel and Clive Staples
    Lilith and Phantastes

    Now you know who some of my favorite authors are!

    Reply
    • Daylily says:

      And you and me, no matter how they toss the dice, it has to be, the only one for me is you, and you for me, so happy together . . .

      Reply
    • fsdthreshold says:

      This one is really clever, too! 🙂 I like the idea of a gargoyle named “Eye”!

      Heh, heh! Can’t resist: “Jem and Scout.”

      Or, thinking of To Kill a Mockingbird: “Attic and Cuss.”

      Reply
      • Shieldmaiden says:

        Yes, I was actually thinking of Jem from that story when I thought of the name. I almost named them Jem an Eye, but at the last minute decided to stay with Gem. And I liked Eye better than I or Aye since he’s a watcher or guardian, I’m glad you like it too. How long until you close the post? I have some more coming.

        Reply
      • Chris says:

        It’s exceedingly hard not to. The fact that any neurons are dedicated to these names and not to something that might actually make me a better scientist or employee at my job is a greater mystery still.

        Reply
  67. jhagman says:

    Just a note why I think Chris and Brown Snowflake should be the names of your Gargoyles.First, you can put one on the LEFT side of a bookcase (they belong in my opinion on a bookcase), and the other on the RIGHT. Second, it is wonderfully in character that they are sticking out their tongues, and third; they make quite an entertaining pair.

    Reply
  70. fsdthreshold says:

    Remember, the contest officially closes at midnight on New Year’s Eve! (But don’t be glued to your computer that night waiting for results — I will announce the winner as soon as possible afterward, probably some time on January 1st.)

    Thank you again to all who are taking part! This response has been overwhelming! I’m truly grateful that so many of you are suggesting names!

    Reply
  74. Swordlily says:

    Apples & Oranges

    Glass & Gaze

    Book & Wyrm (like the dragon kind of wyrm, but also the book kind of worm ^^)

    Tattle & Tale ( those gargoyales look like the type of dark creatures who would sit atop building and whisper secrets into the dark)

    Scry & Ruin

    Reply
  75. Shieldmaiden says:

    As promised, one deep-geeking list of names coming up! I think my favorite, most Gargoyle sounding name so far is Mawveth from the word Maveth (maw’-veth) meaning: a death-like shadow, deep shadow, black gloom. “God of the Water and Death”. I like “maw” do to the way Gargoyles often have open, grimacing mouths or spit water from them. And I also like Sawlal from the word Tsalal (tsaw-lal’) meaning: fear, terror. The idea of vibration; to tinkle, i.e. rattle together (as the teeth in chattering with fear):–quiver, tingle. So, by pairing Maveth and Tsalal I got the water aspect of the origin of the Gargoyle, as well as the teeth chattering fear of those they are chasing away, not to mention the shadowy darkness that seem inseparably paired with them. Hopefully by changing the spelling they’ll sound closer to how they’re pronounced and more like a matching set of names.

    Mawveth and Sawlal (or Mawveth and Tsawlal)
    Gimcrack and Gewgaw (entering another set of shelf-sitter names)
    Jem an Eye (or Gem and Eye)
    Habeas & Corpus
    Nighton and Dayton
    Crag and Tail
    Vexatious and Irksome
    High and Dry (in reference to the rooftop and spout)
    High and Mighty (if they sit on top of a tall bookcase)
    Few and Far Between (on opposite ends of a bookcase)
    Hither and Yon (on one side of the shelf and the other)
    Grimace and Yawn (I just think it’s funny! but that’s me)
    Terrah and Harrah (terror and horror in a NY accent)
    Ebb and Flow (would these work for Untowards as well?)

    Fred: I noticed an overlapping of Untowards names as I was thinking of your nameless Gargoyles, and as you see, I used a couple of them above. Not in every case of course, but I found that certain pairs of names were interchangeable for the different sets of twins. For example, I think Steeple and Chase also work for Gargoyles because they sometimes sit on top of a church and they chase away the bad things that creep up in the night. Fire and Flood could work too because of the Gargoyle connection to dragons and fountains. Anyway, I made this list of a few possible Untowards names just for fun, most are too silly for an Untoward I know, but I couldn’t help myself. I hope there aren’t any here you’ve already used, my copy of Dragonfly is still packed or I would look it up (are there still rumors of sequel?) By the way, I absolutely loved “Attic and Cuss” and can imagine them high up in an attic and speaking cuss fluently.

    I know this is not an Untoward naming but I had to throw some in:
    Rise and Fall
    Toss and Turn
    Rough and Ready
    Aches and Pains
    Click and Clack
    Hill and Dale
    Footloose and Fancyfree

    Reply
    • Shieldmaiden says:

      I found this:
      “Legend has it, that a fierce dragon named La Gargouille caused much fear and destruction. Each year, the residents of Rouen would placate Gargouille with an offering of a victim, usually a criminal, though it was said the dragon preferred maidens. Around 600, the village was saved by St. Romanis, who promised to deal with the dragon. He subdued the dragon and led the beast back to town. La Gargouille was then burned at the stake, but his head and neck were well tempered from breathing flames and would not burn. These remnants were mounted on the town wall and became the model for gargoyles for centuries to come.”

      HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!!

      Reply
  77. Binsers says:

    Happy New Year! Loved the legend about Gargouille, Shieldmaiden. I am in bed reading Storm of Swords. Am loving this series. So Fred, what is the verdict??

    Reply
  78. jhagman says:

    Amidst the hundreds of entries, did anyone choose “Cheech and Chong”?-maybe they’re popular only on the West Coast!

    Reply
    • Shieldmaiden says:

      Hey Jhagman, I actually had them on my list but didn’t submit them. I am from California so maybe it is a West Coast thing? This is the list of names that didn’t make the cut:

      Cheech and Chong
      Peace and War
      Frick and Frack
      Castor and Pollux
      Cease and Desist
      Death and Taxis
      Yin and Yang
      Thunder and Lightning
      Untoward and Unruly
      Tsalal and Tselem (tsaw-lal’ and tseh’-lem)
      Khittaw and Khath (khit-taw’ and khath’)
      from: Chittah and Chath
      Muad’Deb and Muav’Veth (mu’addib and maw’-veth) from: Maveth (Muad’Dib from Dune)

      Reply
  79. Jedibabe says:

    Oh my gosh! Fred, have you ever had so many responses to a blog entry before? Most impressive. Obviously many are wanting that original review copy of Star Shard!
    I’m terrible at naming things, so I haven’t even tried but I am impressed with the variety and creativity presented here. I’ve been so busy anymore that you almost never hear from me, but I am still following along and miss you all! Happy new year!

    Reply
  81. Scott says:

    Yes it’s closed, but…
    Fiddle and Faddle
    Ike and Mike
    Peanut Butter and Jelly
    M & M
    #%^&$&$%^ and Bob (name the movie)
    Oh, now you’re just all being silly!

    Reply
  86. Daylily says:

    Mickey and Minnie, Donald and Daisy, Goofy and Pluto, Fredina and Ferdina, Alpha and Beta. Should we try to make it to 150 comments on this blog entry? Only twelve more needed!

    Reply
  87. Shieldmaiden says:

    Closed, CLOSED!

    Fore and Aft
    Watch and Ful
    Fort and Night
    Fore and Bearer
    Side and Kick
    Stand and By
    Here and There

    (I do love Merry and Goround!)

    Reply
  88. Swordlily says:

    Yeah closed, but I think we should go for the 150 ^_^

    Shew & Stone
    Riddle & Rattle (like all those mysteries that go bump in the night)
    Tongue & Twister
    Sky & Ward
    Air & Fowl

    Reply
  89. Shieldmaiden says:

    Totally, completely, absolutely, officially closed…

    Odds and Ends
    Fore and Shadow
    Moon and Scape
    Way and Ward
    Sent and Inel

    Reply
  90. Binsers says:

    Hamburger & Helper (very scary and yucky!)
    Toenail and Hangnail
    Bambi & Thumper
    Have we hit 150 entries yet?

    Hewed & Dewy but you would need to get a third to be Louie!

    Reply
  92. fsdthreshold says:

    I’m still here, watching like a gargoyle (and smiling and cheering a good deal more at these wonderful names!) — I’m in the midst of a busy day of work, but I will surely be posting the contest results soon! It may be late tonight, or it may be tomorrow, depending on how soon I can devote the necessary time to the (delightful) task of going once more through the long, long list of entries and selecting the best of the best. You have all done the most extraordinary job with this! We’ve got enough brilliant names here that we could all write ten books each, all populated with quirky, weird, funny, amazing pairs of characters suggested by these names!

    Here’s a story for you: the other night I came home after dark, parked my car, and on the steps leading to my door, I saw both a skunk and a cat! They seemed to be chatting as they foraged in my yard and in the alley — on friendly terms, or at least each unconcerned about the other’s presence. My neighborhood is strange indeed!

    It may be because I just finished reading Roger Zelazny’s A Night in the Lonesome October — yes, I did indeed finish it in a neat three months! Not too shabby, for me! — but it seems to me there are story possibilities there: a skunk and a street-wise alley cat who become friends and work together to defeat evil powers in a gritty Pittsburgh neighborhood. Wouldn’t that be cool?

    Reply
    • fsdthreshold says:

      And what happened then? Well, when the cat saw me approaching, s/he took off across the alley. The skunk, as if he were a honey badger, seemed not to care a whit. I stood at a respectful distance until he had ambled away from my steps and sidewalk, and then I passed him to my door. He appeared to notice me at one point and went to Yellow Alert, but he was at the edge of my yard by then and didn’t feel too threatened. I went inside.

      Reply
    • Jedibabe says:

      Fred, love the story! I was once driving through the Anza-Borrego desert, east of San Diego, when there appeared in the middle of my road through-the-middle-of-nowhere a coyote and a crow having a conversation. They were standing right on the line down the center of the road. There was no road kill in site and they were nose to nose. I stopped for several minutes while they conducted their business and then the crow took flight and the coyote trotted off into the creosote bushes and out of sight. That moment I sat in my car eyeballing that unlikely pair has always stuck in my mind. What were they talking about? I had to wonder if a hyperspace bypass might be headed that way sometime soon. I think there is much more to animals than we like to give them credit for. Thanks for sharing your story, and for a great contest that really got the creative juices flowing!

      Reply
      • fsdthreshold says:

        Jedibabe, I love your story! That’s an even more unlikely pair than a skunk and a cat! But then . . . perhaps not so unlikely, after all. One year at World Fantasy, one of the best panels was on the relationship between ravens and/or crows and wolves. Apparently these birds and wolves do cooperate at times and even play together. And if wolves, why not coyotes?

        Reply
  93. Swordlily says:

    Yes the contest is positively, decisively, in all five senses truly closed

    Lost & Found
    In & Out
    Black & Blue
    Paper & Scholar
    Watch & Wizard

    Reply
    • Swordlily says:

      sorry Fred. I hadn’t refreshed the page in a while when I posted this comment, and I hadn’t seen your post. I don’t mean to start things up again. . . .I was just throwing random names out ^_^

      Reply
      • Daylily says:

        I’m sure that no one needs to apologize to Fred for the fun we’ve been having with the names or for making this blog entry of his so popular! While waiting for the decision on the gargoyle names, we might try to name the skunk and cat. I’ll start: Pepe Le Pew and Miss Kitty. (One more comment needed to reach 150.)

        Reply
      • fsdthreshold says:

        Daylily is absolutely right, Swordlily! I didn’t even understand why you were apologizing! 🙂 Thank you and everyone else for sharing your imagination on this entry!

        Reply
      • Shieldmaiden says:

        I’m in if we are still throwing random names out…

        Fire and Cracker
        Fore and Shadow
        Taga and Long
        Inso and Far
        Now and Then
        Vise and Versa

        Reply
  95. fsdthreshold says:

    I believe I have some results! I think I’ll put them in a separate, new entry. Please stand by! (If you’re watching the chimney, the white smoke just started pouring out . . .)

    Reply
      • fsdthreshold says:

        Just one more delay, though — I’ll say it for us all: “Aaauugghhh!” — I have to be somewhere this afternoon/early evening, and I have a lot of information to communicate in the announcement post, so I won’t be able to do it until tonight. (I’ll say it again: “Aaaauugghhh!”) But I WILL get the announcement posted tonight!

        Reply
      • Shieldmaiden says:

        OK, so I am thinking that “some results” and “put them in a separate new entry” and “have a lot of information in the announcement” does sound intriguing. I am going to make a wild guess here and say that it’s probable there has not been one clear set of names chosen, and instead of announcing a winner there is a part two aspect coming, yes? Until tonight then. Standing by 🙂

        Reply
  100. fsdthreshold says:

    Heh, heh . . . Boygoyle and Girlgoyle . . .

    (Can you say that aloud even ONCE?) (Okay, after some practice, I can do it.) (Those aren’t the winning names!)

    Okay! I am back at my desk now and working on the post!

    A last few flurries:

    Grimoire & Caltrop
    Dire & Corby
    Smithwick & Harp

    Stand by . . .

    Reply
    • fsdthreshold says:

      But, Mr. Brown, that’s just counting, it’s not judging. I HOPE you weren’t deciding which votes you liked better than others! 🙂

      Reply

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