Karen Foley
Lynn Raye Harris
Ellen Hartman
Diana Holquist
Samantha Hunter
Shirley Jump
Dee Tenorio
Jeannie Watt
A Book by Any Other Name...and a Giveaway
Okay, first the good news...Able-Bodied is now on bookstore shelves! Yay!!! I was at the supermarket last week when the February books first came out, rearranging them to my satisfaction on the shelves. When my daughter and I went back yesterday, we found that all the copies of Able-Bodied had been sold, which completely made my day. Well, that and the two emails I received from readers who said they've read the book and really loved it(thanks, Sam and Heidi!). I absolutely love hearing from readers (hint, hint) :). So to show my appreciation, I'm giving away two copies of Able-Bodied to two random visitors, but you have to be registered to win! I'll announce the winners at the end of today.
And now the not-so-good news...
I still do not have a title for my November costume book. I never, ever thought that naming a book could be so difficult. I'm losing sleep over this. I've been having dreams about it. In my dreams, I come up with a fabulous title that really cinches everything together, but once I wake up, my brilliant title evaporates into nothingness.
To recap, my hero and heroine eloped five years before the story begins, but have been separated since their wedding night, each believing their marriage had been annulled. Now he's a Hollywood superstar, and People magazine has voted him America's Sexiest Bachelor, only she's just discovered that he's not a bachelor at all. He's still very much married...to her.
So the hook is that he doesn't realize they're still legally wed. She attends a celebrity fan convention dressed as a slave-girl and things get a little out of hand. My editor wants a title that reflects the fact that they're married, that he doesn't know they're still married, and that she's in disguise, conveyed in a way that's sexy. Easy, right?
I've been scouring movie titles, song titles, phrases...anything that might inspire me. Some of the titles that Sam am I have come up with:
Wrapped Around Your Finger
Wed and Wild
Something Sexy, Something New
A Little Bit Hitched
I think titles are important, especially in how they entice a reader into picking a book up. If they have relevence or a double-meaning, even better! How important are titles to you, as a reader?
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Hmmm....in general a title
Hmmm....in general a title won't determine me buying a book, and to be honest I don't usually pay much attention them. Unless it's really bad or really good lol To bad it's not a presents book, it can be the married bachelors surprise wife. I do like Something Sexy, Something New...it rolls off the tongue nicely.
Ashley
Titles
I don't know how much a title influences me into buying a book. I generally am most influenced by the author, the line and then the cover. I do like the cover and title for Able-Bodied. In general long complicated titles bug me a little so I have to think short for this. I have little imagination either so will just stick with the words you have used in telling us about your search for a title.
Slave to My Husband
The Star's Slave
Unknown Wife
Surprise Slave or Slave Surprise
Enough already--these are so lame. I truly hope someone will come up with something for you. I do like Something Sexy, Something New but maybe it should be Something Old, Something Sexy or just Old, New and Sexy.
WOW!
Wed and Wild didn't go? I thought that one for sure. Sigh.
I do think titles are important, but I don't think they are important enough to lose sleep over... this is the toughest one I have ever heard of, seriously.
I'm sorry Karen, but along with everyone else, we'll keep thinking!
Sam
Titles
Often titles run together in my mind. I remember the author and the cover usually before I remember the title. To get all those concepts in a title sounds tough. My suggestion:
The Worlds's Sexiest Surprise
Titles are important but...
I'm more likely to buy a book based on the first couple pages. The title or the cover might get me to pick it up, but I always read that first page or two to see if the book will annoy me or keep me reading.
What about something using bound? Bound to Him, Bound to Love. Or even Not Unbound or something along those lines (since they are bound by marriage, the whole slave/bondage thing?).
Okay, so titles aren't my forte ;-)
Shirley
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
In Stores Now: THE BRIDESMAID AND THE BILLIONAIRE
www.shirleyjump.com
Shirley, these are all good.
Shirley, these are all good. I really loved Bound to Please, but I think Hope Tarr used that in her historical Blaze a few months back. *sigh* Seems like all the good ones are always taken, LOL!
hmm
Not so good with titles myself. Covers pull me in.
Since I can't help with that I can say CONGRATS on the store selling out of your copies. That is awesome.
Thanks, Marcie! It was
Thanks, Marcie! It was pretty cool!
Titles
Like some of the others titles won't get me to by a book and most of the time even if I've read a book I won't remember the title. The story I will remember but the title no way. And I am no good at thinking up a title either. However how about "Secret Slave" or "Slave's Secret"
Mmm...both good titles,
Mmm...both good titles, Ellen! I especially like Slave's Secret, although I'm guessing my editor will still want something that indicates they are married. Maybe Secret Spouse, although that really doesn't have a Blaze ring to it.
Hmmm...
Hi, Karen,
I tend to agree with other commenters--while titles can stick in my mind, it's usually after I've read the book and loved it, rather than my buying the book on account of its incredibly clever title. A cute title helps, but it won't make or break my decision to acquire. And yes, incredibly dorky titles do stick, too ;p
Speaking of which... "Wife in Slave's Clothing"? Or "The Bound Bride"? "Still Married to the Slave"? ;p
Fingers Crossed
I haven't heard back from my editor yet on the latest suggestions, so fingers crossed that one of them goes through!
I should have said this before...
I got too distracted with the title issue, but I read Able-Bodied yesterday, and loved it -- it's very easy to see why it's selling out. ;)
Dee's new book is also out this month, and it's awesome... I've been able to read both and now on the hunt for Jeannie's, which wasn't at Wegmans yet!
Sam
Song titiles
There is an old song that's titled
Please Release Me, Let Me Go
which fits the criteria.
Also there is my feelings about today
His Wife, His Slave. LOL
Oh Kaelee!
Hugs on the slave-syndrome! That was me last night...I was a Super Bowl slave, bringing beer and munchies, and cooking and cleaning, and still trying to keep kids on schedule, etc. But thanks for the smile...
Hey Sam--Glad you're
Hey Sam--Glad you're looking. My book gets released on February 10th. :)
Jeannie
Awww...thanks, Sam!
Awww...thanks, Sam!
Titles
I really don't buy a book for it title, although I do think the title should go with the book. There should be something in the book that matches up with the title. I have read books before and wonder why it had the title, it just didn't seem to fit.
How about...
Unveiled
Chiming in for Karen...
yeah, that was an early one, but they said no one-word titles... LOL Seriously, it's been a trip titling these buggars...
Sam
Jeannie, great minds think
Jeannie, great minds think alike! When we were initially talking about one-word titles, this was my first choice! I love it and I think it works, but we've been told no one-word titles. :(
More words
Do That To Me One More Time
Encore Performance
Once is Never Enough
titles
I like the titles Bound Wife and Encore Performance. Maybe even Bound Wife: Encore Performance if you have to get the marriage aspect in there too. I do like the idea of having the marriage aspect in the title because that is the fun part of the plot that draws me to the book but Encore Performance is so very nice as a title.
Titles matter and then again they don't. When I am reading, I always underline the part in books where the title is given or there is a connection to the title. It's less important in books nowadays when authors sometimes don't get to choose their titles. With some lines of Harlequin romance, I totally ignore the titles or they kind of hit me as a joke, a kind of insider's joke or something kind of tongue-in-cheek and there is a kind of enjoyment in seeing how the author's romance plays with the themes in the romance. The best example of that is Promoted: Wife to Mother by Jessica Hart which is a title I really hate actually with its implication that mother is better than wife. Having read the book, however, I now really kind of like the title because her book is exactly not that but rather the heroine is seen in her totality as a woman. Now, that title feels like this wonderful inside joke to those who have read and loved the book because there is just so much more inside. So...even a horrible title can turn out to be good. :-) Merri
Command Performance
Command Performance
I love this title, and
I love this title, and although I can see how it relates to the story, not sure my ed. will agree. But Jeannie, I so want to use this for a future book!! If you don't claim it, can I have dibs on it?? I know...I have no shame.
It's all yours...
Karen--Consider the title yours, lol. My favorite title was Hidden Assets, but I didn't get to keep it. It wasn't a Super title.
Jeannie
I think it's time we peer pressure you into writing a Blaze. ;)
Sam
You know...I've been
You know...I've been thinking Blaze thoughts lately...
Lucky for Gary! ;)
LOL Feel free to drop me a note about that anytime... I think you'd love it.
Sam
It would be perfect
if you do Conor's story (from Able-Bodied) *G* Hint, hint, hint...
Sam
Yes, yes, yes!!
It would be perfect for Conor's story!! Okay, off to plot in my head...
How about (forgive me if I
How about (forgive me if I repeat any, I can't remember what everyone else has said lol)
The Love Slave
My Disguised Bride
A Wife to Unravel(or Unveil)
Ashley
Titles don't mean much to
Titles don't mean much to me, I never remember them anyway.
How about...
Whispered Vows, Not Quite Parted (ROFL, sorry, had a mental flash of a cover with crossed legs, lol), Her Secret, His Bride...
Or, how about Kiss From A Married Woman?
Good luck, hon!
Dee
HA! I love the Not Quite
HA! I love the Not Quite Parted, too, Dee!! Thanks for the suggestions and the moral support!
Hi Karen, I hope you're
Hi Karen, I hope you're getting some good suggestions for a title. I am really bad at titles, so I won't try or just end up with really lame-sounding ones! But I do love covers. That is what really catches my eye. I often skip the title and go straight to the back cover blurb/excerpt next. And Able-Bodied has one very fine cover. Congrats on your latest book release!
Titles
Congrats on the new release, Karen. Titles are important in catching my attention. I also like titles that are clever and have double meanings. I have bought and enjoyed books that have bad or cheesy titles, because it's the blurb that's most important.
titles..
Sensuality is more about what is not said than what is...
Re-reading the concept the only thing I can think of is-
Still My Master
Good luck!!
Liv :o)
I love hearing about new Blaze releases...
Sorry you're having so much trouble coming up with a title, Karen. My only idea was Bound and Bedded, but I don't think that covers all the bases. Good luck finding one!
Able-Bodied sounds great...can't wait to read it! :)
Cari
http://cariquinn.blogspot.com/
Oooh...I like this one,
Oooh...I like this one, Cari!
wow thats a toughie
That's a big order to come up with a title that reflects all of those aspects. here's a few i thought of, they're not very good. But it's what came to mind.
1-The Ball & Chain (My husband would like that one)
2-My bachelor, My Husband
3-THe bachelor's sexy Wife
4- Till death do us part
5-Blind date with my wife
like i said they're not very good.
but it's a suggestion right.
good luck
jody
I have some more
I figure the more bad ideas you get the more the good ones will stand out. LOL.
Veiled Vows.
Vows Unveiled.
His Sworn Slave.
Unexpected Wife.
After sharing dilemma with hubby...
who came up with some interesting titles of his own (most of which are too raunchy to share, except for his favorite title option: "I Got A Whut??"), I think I got it. Ready??
Wedded Miss
It's a thought, anyway!
Dee
hot cover, congrats on teh
hot cover, congrats on teh book, love men in unforms
hottie search
trapped into marriage
wedding suprise
hitched
lovers hitched
wediding bliss
not so imopotant. but clever of sexy catches my eyes/