Saturday, October 07, 2006

Stranger in the Shadows

After three days of back and forth, that's the title my editors approved for my sixth Lakeview book. I'm glad to have it titled and slotted, but it always takes me so long to get use to the titles. Not that that's a particularly bad title. My dear friend Brenda is stuck with TRUSTING HIM for her August 2007 release (a book you should all buy because it's an awesome story). Now, maybe you think TRUSTING HIM isn't bad. I don't think it's bad, but her original title was ROSE COLORED GLASSES. Personally, I would be much more likely to buy a book titled ROSE COLORED GLASSES than I would one titled TRUSTING HIM (but I will be buying many copies of the book to give as gifts, because it is a GREAT book despite the fact that I think the title is a tad boring).

Of course, that's just me.

One way or another, titles matter. They tell us something about the books. Not just the story, but the tone of them. My friend Debbie Clopton writes a really cute series for Love Inspired - The Mule Hollow series. Her books have cute titles and cutes cover - THE TROUBLE WITH LACEY BROWN, AND BABY MAKES FIVE, THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME, DREAM A LITTLE DREAM. It all fits together in a nice package that tells a reader what to expect when s/he opens the book.

Of course, authors don't make the final decision about titles. Well, maybe Nora and Linda and Debbie do, but authors like me don't. Our editors brainstorm with us, we come up with a list of titles, eventually one of those titles is chosen. And the book and the author are stuck with it.

So, don't get too attached to your working title. If you're blessed and that book appears on store shelves, it may have something completely different on the cover. Not that you'll care. Just having the book there will make up for having to change the title!

And I have to say, I've been very, very fortunate. All my titles are cool. Kind of mysterious and rather mainstream sounding. There was only one I really didn't like and now it's just about my favorite. Can you guess which one that was?

So, anyone want to share her working title?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is this book the one with characters from Even in the Darkness (or whatever the Thailand book's title is if I am mistaken)

Titles are so not my thing. I freely admit to reading many a book and wondering what on earth the title has to do with the story.

That said, my current and any other WIP's all bear the creative titles of Heroine/Hero's Name. Current WIP is Jessica and Zach. Keeps the files straight on the computer and lets me spend my creative energy elsewhere - like chapter 7!

Cheryl

Shirlee McCoy said...

No, the book with the characters from EVEN IN THE DARKNESS is VALLEY OF SHADOWS. STRANGER IN THE SHADOWS will be released after that. (one in July. The other in November).

I use the name title sometimes, too!

Anonymous said...

So have we met any of the characters from Stranger in the Shadows?

Not only do I use the name titles, almost every character starts out with the same name. :)

Shirlee McCoy said...

Yes, the hero is Ben Avery. Pastor in the other books.

I use the same name for all my secondary characters. It's unintentional. Sometimes I'll have three or four people with the same name!

Anonymous said...

Ohh, I can't wait. I liked Ben. He seemed like a real go-to kind of guy, not afraid of wading in the muck of people's lives. (or pond scum as it may be.)

Cheryl

Anonymous said...

Oh, BTW, I'm with you, I think Rose Colored Glasses sounded like a cool title.

As for thr title you liked least...I'm guessing - Die Before Nightfall. But I'd love to know which one it is and why you didn't like it initially.

Shirlee McCoy said...

You're right. I didn't like DIE BEFORE NIGHTFALL. I think just because I thought it was a negative title. My editor picked it and I wasn't so sure about it. Now, I love it!

Lynette Eason said...

My title is Mission of Love, which I just put in the mail YESTERDAY!! I like Stranger in the Shadows, but the first thing I thought of was Dee Henderson's first book DANGER in the Shadows...interesting your editors chose that...great title, though...

Shirlee McCoy said...

Yes, it is, Lynette. And maybe a good thing for my sales. LOL

You sent your baby out! Yay!

Anonymous said...

I didn't think of Die Before Nightfall as negative. But when I said all the titles, that one sounded different to me. wasn't sure why, but I went with the old Seasame Street 'one of these things is not like the others'

Cheryl