Mudlady, has the author 'invented' some ancient Algonquian word possibly meaning "wide plateau above a running stream where berries grow in the Fall and the footsteps of the deer can be heard at sunset"?
If so pronounce the word Hoad'n'sawny and thereafter ignore it every time it appears on the page.

Veer--

Ah, the author does do a lot of reseaarch into the location of her plots. She creates fictional towns that are similar to the real places in her novels' locations. I am reading the Kindle form of the book. For all I know, the name was explained on the dust jacket of the "real" book.

I, too, would find it quite annoying. Can't think of any like examples, but when I find a word mispelled in a book, it bothers me immensely, and poor grammatical usage I find distracting, as well.

It can be very distracting to worry about such words. When I was a child I read a book where the main character was named Daphne, a name I had never heard it real life and had no idea how to pronounce. I struggled with that name throughout the entire book.

Come to think of it, I have never met anyone with that name. Rather a pretty name, now that I think about it. Perhaps it will come back into fashion as so many Victorian and Edwardian names have done in the past decade or two.

Rosefolly

I'd see it and think "Hauden." I'd also think less of the writer unless I find out it is some exceedingly clever play on words. Unnecessary complexity always, in my experience, signals an ordinary mind posing as greater.

Because I can't help myself, I did a search on Haudenosaunee and found that it is another name the Iroquois call themselves and means "People of the Longhouse". If I were you I would just think Iroquois when reading the word.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wikipedia Link

Nancy, those unpronounceable capital nouns drive me crazy, too. I suppose that's what Google is for, but I never want to stop reading and look stuff up. Like you, when I can't firmly decide on what I want to call a word, it continues to annoy me. I think Vee and Frances have the best solutions.

Wow Frances!! Thanks for directing me to the information about the Indians who lived in the area I have called home since 1970. I was born in Connecticut in the 40s and moved to the Finger Lakes area in 1970. So many words and names in the Wikipedia article are commonly heard in my area. I learned a lot from your link. I had just finished the book when I checked the forum and read your response. I think I will do some research into the history of the tribes of New York. I will also pay more attention to Spencer-Fleming's description of the location of her novels. So far, I have read four of the seven of the series. I am hooked on the future of the protagonist and won't stop until I have read all seven books in the series.

I am able to see such words and just think 'H-place'. I have been known to finish books and not know the actual names of some of the characters, only the letter they start with.

I have problems with Irish names both of people and places. I am going to get a CD of the book I am reading at present. I have been substituting for Clodagh and Grainne etc. but would like to know the correct pronunciation. I had to do that with the Ladies No 1 books too. The Botswana place names were difficult.

I read and enjoyed a whole series by an Australian author-Kerry Greenwood. The heroine is Phryne Fisher. I know, when I take the time, that her name is pronounced Fry-nee. But most of the time I read right over it as Frin.

cc, some of these books are now in a TV series. It is much easier to think Phryne/Fry-nee once you have heard the name pronounced on screen! BTW, I think the casting is perfect!