People generally respond to this introduction with 'So what do people call you?' Well, it's hard to believe I know, but my nearest and dearest do tend to call me by my full name Anna-Marie. All four syllables of it. Much to my disappointment, no-one has ever tried to shorten my name.
Perhaps it's the prudish English part of me that shies away from my long name. Europeans with their beautiful rolling Rs seem to positively thrive on long flowing names. Look at Isabella Rosselini and Antonio Banderas; don't those names sound perfectly divine? Although, when I hear the name Engelbert Humperdinck I am grateful for my own name. Did this guy really choose this for his own name? I bet if his parents had chosen this name for him at birth he would've given anything to be called Arnold Dorsey throughout his school days. Joking aside, it would seem that Humperdinck's ridiculous name has been the key to his success. Perhaps I am looking at this all wrong. In order to establish a writing career, perhaps I should consider a weird pseudo name. How about Ermintrude Tiddlywink? I'm serious; all suggestions welcome.
Now I come to think about long names, I can recall lots of book characters with four syllable Christian names. I'm guessing that if I mention the names Elizabeth, Penelope or Angelina you would be able to immediately think of a book character for at least two of them. I have never come across a book character with the name Anna-Marie though. It just doesn't roll off the tongue in the same way, does it? If you ever happen upon an amazing character named Anna-Marie, please let me know. Perhaps I just need to relate my name to a remarkable heroine in order to become assertive in my introductions. If Hermione Granger had only been called Anna-Marie Granger...
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