Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Help me name a town

I'm trying to name a (fictional) town.

The town was supposedly settled by a (also fictional) crazy-a evangelical preacher named Jeremiah West during the religious revivals of the 19th century. (the town is in the mountains somewhere in Ameria; the specific mountains are flexible. Appalacia is fine. The West is fine. Wherever. But there do need to be mountains.)

Here are some of my (lame?)ideas:

Hallowed Peaks
God's Hallowed
Enoch's Landing
Enoch City
Grove Hallow
New Hope
New Enoch
New Zion
Zion's Chosen
Rapture Hollow

You guys have any ideas? Like any of my ideas? I'm stumped so I'd love any ideas you have! (And if you're my student, I'll give you extra credit if you respond. ;-))

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really like Hallowed Peaks and Rapture Hollow! Good luck!

Barb said...

God's Hallowed sounds the craziest to me. If that's what you're going for. I also like Rapture Hollow (I like the double meaning in rapture).

Anonymous said...

HALLOWED PEAKS

Anonymous said...

Ephraim's Blessing
New Galilee
New Tabor
Aholiamah/Aholibamah/Oholibamah

It might help if you told us what doctrines or books of the Bible he's crazy for. Is he into eschatology? Spiritual gifts? Does he prefer the Old Testamant or the New?

Whatever you end up officially calling the town, I think a good disparaging nickname for it would be "Jerrytown." If there's anyone who lives in the area who doesn't like the Reverend West's little group, that is.

SWILUA said...

thanks, everybody! right now I have "enoch's hallow" in my manuscript, but I just might change it.

And, Jer, I really like "Oholibamah." My students keep telling me that they don't think Obama should win because then we'd be an "Obamanation." But they're glad that Hilary is out because, well, as we all know "Satan is a *broad* in the land."

Heh. Students.

SWILUA said...

Oh, and not into eschatology, you gross boy.

Lover of the bible. Old and New. Crazy-a evangelical is about as far as I've gotten with him.

fivewheeler said...

good luck with the name I read your list and immediately thought of a mtn. in my home town called "Molly's Nipple" so pretty much anything goes. ha

MaJaTo said...

Got some suggestions for you.The first is on the basis of your character using other sources of inspiration entwined with his strong religious belief, and the rest are religious but more based on historical influence than divinity.

Gaspard Cragg - named after 17th C artist Gaspard Dughet who painted religious scenes and landscapes. His work was very popular in 18th C.

Sacrifice Ridge

Abraham Fell

Launcells Brae (see http://www.paintedchurch.org/launcell.htm for the inspiraiton for this 'un)

Cansfield (Brian Cansfield (1581-1643), a Jesuit priest seized while at prayer by English Protestant authorities - http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel01.html)

Matthers Ascent (17th C puritans -same link as above.)

I look forward to my acknowledgement in your book!!!!

Craig said...

I like Rapture Hallow as well.

It sounds so... sexy.

Craig said...

I mean Hollow. Oops.

Anonymous said...

How about Hallowed Holler? Holler as a stand-in for hollow gives it the slightly creepy ya-hoo evangelical vibe.

I'm already counting the ways I'll spend those big royalty checks you'll be sending my way.

SWILUA said...

Molly's nipple?! how did I miss that?!

I've had "Jeremiah's Rapture" in the MS for a few months now, and I think I like it.