tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post115563458088234439..comments2024-03-26T01:10:13.720+00:00Comments on Teach Me Tonight: The Romance Reader as Connoisseur (2): Book TitlesE. M. Selingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426524354823232002noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post-1156263835272215782006-08-22T17:23:00.000+01:002006-08-22T17:23:00.000+01:00These days, American category titles all seem to h...These days, American category titles all seem to have the same rhythm and length, and they all seem to me to be both inane and dumbed down. I suppose the rhythm/length thing is part of the branding. And I've never felt like publishers really respect the readers, so inane/dumb is a longstanding frustration. But these titles are enough of a turn off that I don't pick a category up anymore, even though some of my favorite romances are categories.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post-1155712572767616212006-08-16T08:16:00.000+01:002006-08-16T08:16:00.000+01:00Which, as you say, is a reason why 'It's not alway...<I>Which, as you say, is a reason why 'It's not always such a bad thing if an editor wants to change a title'. It's not so good, though, if the author has strong views on the title and feels their artistic integrity is at risk, particularly if the original title tied in with important themes in the work.</I><BR/><BR/>In this case, I'd go to both my editor and my agent and complain (which, for the reasons we've already discussed, probably doesn't work with category romance). And I'd show the the old and new title to a number of people to get their reactions. If everybody hates the new title, I'll sure let my editor know! I mean, normally, editors aren't unreasonable people and they don't make unreasonable demands (well, okay, according to the stories I've heard, some of them do, but really, I most certainly would not rewrite a synopsis five times for <I>any</I> editor!).<BR/><BR/>Sometimes you come up with this great, wonderful idea -- but it simply doesn't work in this genre. Or carries negative connotations due to similarities to another title. E.g., I'm quite aware that the working title "Castle of Wolfenbach" for my current WIP will remain just that, a working title. It might be a nice reference to Eliza Parson's gothic novel "Castle of Wolfenbach" and the heroine might read that novel, yet it's just not a good title for a romance (and who would catch the reference straight away anyway?). Furthermore, it might evoke some unwanted associations with its similarily to the computer game "Castle of Wolfenstein".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post-1155684229671508062006-08-16T00:23:00.000+01:002006-08-16T00:23:00.000+01:00"The Mysterious Millionaire's Martyred Marxist Mis...<I>"The Mysterious Millionaire's Martyred Marxist Mistress" ("She found a capitalist pig to Socialize. He found a Revolution between her thighs...")<BR/><BR/>Now that sounds interesting. There aren't many romances with socialists in them. The 'martyred' bit suggests this particular socialist might be in trouble, but it's a romance, so she's guaranteed a HEA.</I><BR/><BR/>Oh, these women are almost always martyred, having to marry a rich man against their wills. It's for convenience or it's blackmail -- social, economic or emotional blackmail... As "Blackmailed into Marriage" would imply.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post-1155679800752503202006-08-15T23:10:00.000+01:002006-08-15T23:10:00.000+01:00if I had to come up with satirical names for roman...<I>if I had to come up with satirical names for romances, I couldn't do much better</I><BR/><BR/>The <I>Smart Bitches</I> had a generator up on their site recently into which readers could enter appropriate (or inappropriate) words and generate a romance blurb and title. The <A HREF="http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/i_am_so_gay_for_your_mad_libs" REL="nofollow">results</A> are not for the faint of heart or the easily offended by obscenity. The thing was, though, that there was something about the construction of the titles which made them instantly recognisable as 'romance' even though in many cases they were bizarre in the extreme.<BR/><BR/><I>"The Mysterious Millionaire's Martyred Marxist Mistress" ("She found a capitalist pig to Socialize. He found a Revolution between her thighs...")</I><BR/><BR/>Now that sounds interesting. There aren't many romances with socialists in them. The 'martyred' bit suggests this particular socialist might be in trouble, but it's a romance, so she's guaranteed a HEA.<BR/><BR/><I>Wild and Wicked in Scotland"? It's full of Presbyterians. It should have been "Wild and Wicked in Wales." </I><BR/>Not any more than Wales is full of Methodists/Nonconformists (if anyone's really interested in a quick intro to religious beliefs in Wales, there's one <A HREF="http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/religion/sites/timeline/pages/timeline.shtml" REL="nofollow">here</A> at the BBC website).<BR/><BR/><I>It seems to me that the somewhat strange titles of Harlequin/M&B have almost become part of their brand by now. </I><BR/><BR/>I agree, Sandra. I think it is about branding, and sales. And it obviously works. Which, as you say, is a reason why 'It's not always such a bad thing if an editor wants to change a title'. It's not so good, though, if the author has strong views on the title and feels their artistic integrity is at risk, particularly if the original title tied in with important themes in the work. Can you imagine if <I>Pride and Prejudice</I> had been marketed as <I>Sinful Passions</I> - well, pride and prejudice are both sins, so you could argue that the second title's saying the same as the original, but it'd give you a very, very different set of expectations about the content.Laura Vivancohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00906661869372622821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post-1155678377275858742006-08-15T22:46:00.000+01:002006-08-15T22:46:00.000+01:00. . . and often they don’t even have the final sa...<I>. . . and often they don’t even have the final say on the title</I><BR/><BR/>It's not always such a bad thing if an editor wants to change a title. I know that some people find this highly intrusive, but I thought it was a really good thing that my editor suggested we change the title for my first novel -- much to his surprise. But "Straight to the Heart" wasn't all that good a title, after all. (I'm really, really bad at titles!) <BR/><BR/>~*~<BR/><BR/>Have you noticed that there seem to be certain fashions in regard to how titles are formed? Among earlier Harlequin romances you find titles like "the honey is bitter", "high tide at midnight" (no capital letters!), or even just "Bellefleur", none of which is really descriptive. But you've already got titles like "no gentle persuasion" or "Hostile Engagement", too -- now, doesn't the latter sound downright modern to you? But it's a novel from 1979!<BR/><BR/>It seems to me that the somewhat strange titles of Harlequin/M&B have almost become part of their brand by now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post-1155676938660185922006-08-15T22:22:00.000+01:002006-08-15T22:22:00.000+01:00If I had to judge any of these books by their titl...If I had to judge any of these books by their titles alone, I wouldn't buy them. "The Bridal Chase" and "A Most Suitable Wife" are the best of the lot. Really, if I had to come up with satirical names for romances, I couldn't do much better. <BR/><BR/>How about:<BR/><BR/>"The Sultan's Supposed Slut"? (In which the heroine turns out not to be a slut at all, but a really nice girl with family values.)<BR/><BR/>"Virtually a Virgin" (That's a book you want to crack open, I know!)<BR/><BR/>"A Bustle Full of Lust" (A vuluptuous novel of Victorian England.)<BR/><BR/>"The Mysterious Millionaire's Martyred Marxist Mistress" ("She found a capitalist pig to Socialize. He found a Revolution between her thighs...")<BR/><BR/>"The Millionaire Texas Playboy Politician, the Schoolmarm and the End of the World as We know It." (An nail-biting thriller with terror plots, Elvis-impersonating villains and freak hurricanes... but, above all, a love story.)<BR/><BR/>How could I even bring myself to read "Baby of Shame"? "Wild and Wicked in Scotland"? It's full of Presbyterians. It should have been "Wild and Wicked in Wales." <BR/><BR/>I really prefer when titles keep it simple, like The Noun and the Noun, or The Adjective Noun. Or a title that seems mysterious, like "Touch Not the Cat," one of my favorites by Mary Stewart. Then there was "The English Heiress" by Roberta Gellis, which fooled you because the heiress was actually French! <BR/><BR/>On the other hand, the titles you mentioned are as good as caution signs, so I know I probably won't be missing anything soul-stirring.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post-1155658395241460862006-08-15T17:13:00.000+01:002006-08-15T17:13:00.000+01:00One of my favorite titles is "A Bride Most Begrudg...One of my favorite titles is "A Bride Most Begrudging" (by Deeanne Gist). It gives a hint of marriage of convenience/arranged marriage, while revealing a bit of the feisty nature of the heroine.Katie Hart - Pinterest Managerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14892763965326103296noreply@blogger.com