Carla Killough McClafferty: Hello. My name is Carla Killough McClafferty. It's a long name, and I've always had to spell it out for others.

Killough is my maiden name, and McClafferty is my married name. I grew up on a farm in rural Arkansas, and my family pronounces the name Killough, like K-I-L-L-L-O-U. But in Ireland, the name is pronounced Killough, which means "church by the lake." The L-O-G-H at the end of the name is a variation of the word "loch," as in Loch Ness. Today in Northern Ireland, there's still a small village named Killough.

Using both names, Killough and McClafferty, makes it a challenge for people to pronounce when they introduce me, and it takes me awhile to write it when I autograph books. I made the choice to include Killough as part of my professional name when my first book was published. I am the youngest of three sisters. Without a son to carry on the name, my father's line of the Killough name will be no more. I wanted to include Killough as a tribute to my father.

My father died while I was working on the book, so he never saw the book cover that said Carla Killough McClafferty, but I know he would be pleased.