Titles and Possessives
I think there is a trend in titles (at least in MY titles) toward possessives.
It goes back a long way -- maybe the mid-90s -- when I wrote Finn's Twins, shortly thereafter followed by Fletcher's Baby and Gibson's Girl.
Not to be outdone, the cowboys in my Code of the West series started getting possessive, too.
They went from titles like Cowboys Don't Quit
and The Cowboy and the Kid to A Cowboy's Tears and A Cowboy's Secret and A Cowboy's Pursuit.Not long ago back in Presents, I had Nathan's Child and McGillivray's Mistress as well.
And in October I have a reprint in a book called His Child (with Sharon Kendrick and Catherine Spencer). I don't know which story it is, but presumably the hero has a child (Nathan again? Or maybe my very first Presents, Lightning Storm, which also had a hero with a child, who is old enough, come to think of it, to be a hero now in his own right!).
His Child (whoever he is) will be followed immediately in UK and slightly later in the US by two more possessive heroes.
Antonides' Forbidden Wife (that's Elias's brother PJ's story) will be out in November in UK and January in the US. And then sometime next year we will see Savas' Defiant Mistress, which is what they are intending to call Seb and Neely's book.
This is all news to me.
I don't even try to come up with titles anymore. I just use heroes' names. It's easier. It's just their book.
I suppose the possessive angle makes it his book for marketing, too. And then they add on a couple of buzz words.
Do you think? Or is there more to it than that?
Whatever. It seems to work -- or they say it does. And sales seem to be improving (thank you, all of you). So who am I to quibble with them.
Though I did find admitting to having written something called One-Night Love Child a bit, er, dicey. I'm sorry but I generally still call it Flynn's book.
Flynn's book means something to me. But I realize it's not likely to get anyone to pick it up.
And hard as it is to admit it, Savas' Annoying Roommate doesn't have quite the same ring as Savas' Defiant Mistress, does it?
posted by Anne McAllister at 11:01 PM
7 Comments:
Anne, Somehow the titles that Harlequin picks always seem to fit the story, even if the author would have liked another title. Most of us who have gotten to know you, still think of your books as Flynn's story or Seb's story etc.
I think that we would buy your books, no matter what the titles are. When a reader has a favorite author, we automatically buy their books, reguardless of the title or the cover art. It's the author and her story that we're more interested in.
I might have to wait awhile for PJ's and Seb's story but, I know they will be well worth the wait. I'm definitely looking forward to reading them.
Mads:)
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mads. And yes, I know marketing knows what it's doing. I'm quite sure they would cringe at calling a book Savas' Annoying Roommate, no matter how accurate it was!
Just curious when Savas Defiant Mistress will be for sale??? My daughter is the model for the cover and our family and friends want to increase your sales!!
Carol, How exciting that your daughter is the cover model for Neely! I haven't seen that cover yet. Ask your daughter what it's like!
I know the book is a May 2009 release in the UK, but I don't know the date yet in the US. Sometime thereabouts, I should think, but no one has seen fit to tell me.
I'll ask! Stay tuned. And yes, by all means, tell all your family and friends to buy copies! I should have dedicated it to your daughter. Tell her thanks for me.
Cheers,
Anne
She had a blast. She's an aspiring model in NYC. Just been there since July. Still working on her portfolio. I miss her like crazy. We will pre-order the book as soon as it's available. Thanks for the reply!
Oh, she said the guy was really cute she modeled with, but it was strange giving a stranger a kiss! I said, "Yeah, right!"
Carol, Good luck to your daughter. I'm dying to see the cover now! I hope she has a great career and really enjoys NYC.
And the guy better be SERIOUSLY cute -- and be worthy of Sebastian, my hero!!!
And clearly they are kissing on the cover (even if they are strangers!).
Okay. I can live with that!
I'll post the cover when I get it -- should be early next year (with luck). Check the blog for updates or do a good alert for Savas' Defiant Mistress and you'll know when I post something.
So glad you let me know about your daughter being on it. It makes the book more special.
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