Hey, I need your help. I’m getting ready to self-publish my book and need a great title. Want to Help?
First things first. How many cliches did you find in the last blog?
Greatest thing since sliced bread–Originated in mid-20th Cent. meaning a useful new invention. Probably came from the armed forces and can be used sarcastically. Rona Jaffe used term in The Fame Game (1969). Of course there are numerous variations on this term, i.e. hamburger, indoor plumbing, but most common is sliced bread.
Ivory tower–an attitude or situation far from being practical. Originated in the French critic Sainte-Beuve’s description of Alfred de Vigny as living in an ivory tower (1837)= isolated from life’s harsh realities. Term has been used to describe academics writers, artists or anyone aloof from everyday affairs.
The whole nine yards–The entire distance; whole thing. Source of this term is lost, but several theories exist. From William Safire’s writings-nine yards was the entire amount put onto a bolt of cloth and for an ornate garment the “whole nine yards” was used. A large cement mixer holds 9 yards of cement.
How did you do?
I won’t go into all of the whys and wherefores of you helping me to pick a title for my book, but I would like to receive some comments.
What is worse than a nightmare, which is a dream that when you wake up it disappears; how about a night terror where when you awake, the dream continues. What is my book about?
Imagine waking up to find your bedroom on fire. You’re hopelessly trapped. The flames rush up the wall and eat into your beautiful wallpaper. You can’t scream for help, you can’t get out, and you know this fire was set deliberately to kill you.
Now imagine this has happened before. Not once. Not twice. But too many times to count.
Nights of burning terror consume pregnant KATHY HELLMAN’S world in a quiet Northern California town. The phone rings after midnight, waking her. The arsonist is calling yet again to play a recording of his victim’s screams as they’re burned alive.
The fires come ever closer to Kathy’s beloved Victorian home. First a Queen Anne destroyed on the outskirts of town, then a Gothic Revival two miles away. Her obstetrician’s Italianate style is burned down with his family inside less than a mile away. Finally her best friend’s bed and breakfast is reduced to ashes only three blocks from her home.
Kathy’s world spinsout of control when her arson investigator husband Jack is suspected of setting these fires. She has no choice but to to clear his name and solve these terrible crimes on her own. When she discovers the arsonist’s true identity, can love and faith save Kathy? Or will she, too, be burned in the night?
For the record, I do have some ideas of my own for this title. However, I’d like some feedback as to what you might think would be a good one. Try to make it a two-word title and catchy.
Thanks for helping and keep writing,
Julie
Got me stumped, but got totally pulled into your book—good luck!
thanks, Jean, appreciate the comment and glad you were pulled in.
Hi Julie! Great to see that you’re writing so much. I wish I were able to be as dedicated! Although I don’t know enough about your novel to really be of much help, here are a couple of brainstorming ideas for titles:
Fire Lights
FireLights
Love, Arson
Fire Flys
Best wishes!
Julie (Henig)
Thanks Julie, will keep in mind
Julie, this sounds like an adventurous novel. In playing around with title possibilities, I came up with these: Night Fires, Fire Alarms, Fire Passion (from the dictionary,) Burning Passion, Fire Fear, Night Terrors, Unfriendly Fire, Burn Madness, Kathy’s Fire, Burn Treatment, Flameout!
Thanks, Julie, for the fun exercise.
Arletta,
thanks so much for your ideas. I’m leaning toward Night Terrors
Julie
Here are some ideas so far.
thanks Anne
I lifted this from your post above “Nights of Burning Terror.” I think that words such as burn, burning, flames, fire, etc. belong because your book is about an arson. I would not use the word arson in the title as it gives it away, but some reference to the reason or type of terror is essential to your book.
I assume it will be lists and marketed under the thriller genre, right?
Deborah, Thanks for your comments. Much appreciated. Julie
Your book sounds fascinating and a bit scary. The name that immediately came to mind for me was “Death Spark.” I Googled it and found some kind of weird card game. However, if I were to write such a book, I would use the title “2,400 °Fahrenheit,” which is the approximate temperature of the flame from a Bunsen burner or a blowtorch. Maybe round it off to 2,000 °F so it’s easy to remember. Just a thought. Good luck with your book. I think there is more and more acceptance of self-published fiction, albeit slow to arrive. Charles
thanks Charles for your comments. Much appreciated. Julie
I like Deborah’s suggestion of Nights of Burning Terror and Charles idea of Death Spark. Sounds like a terrifying thriller. I can’t wait to read it!
Natalie,
Thanks. I looked up title Night Terrors on Goodreads and there were so many, I stopped counting so that title is out.
Julie