WHAT’S IN A NAME?

have just finished my second novel, by which I mean I have completed the final edit and am about to send it to my agent. When telling my best friend this, I mentioned that I have named the best friend in the story, after her. I expected her to be thrilled but she immediately demanded to read the manuscript before I sent it off and became annoyed when I flatly refused to let her do this. I have assured her that it is entirely a work of fiction and that the friend in the book is a lovely person – much nicer