Friday, May 3, 2013

I've Been Through the Desert on a Book with No Name...

Sorry, I just couldn't help myself. I can't get that song out of my head.




Hello my little brainiacs!

I need your help. I'm polishing up the next story I'm planning to release, but there's only so much I can do at this point because I cannot come up with a decent title for it! I finished this book way back in 2009, and the title I've been using for it is Playing House. You'll see why in a sec. But I don't love Playing House. In fact, I kind of hate it. So I'm sending this one out into the cyberworld in the hopes that someone will be able to come up with the right title, the one.


If you happen to suggest the title that I end up using, here's what I'm thinking:

1) You'll get a mention on the acknowledgments page of the Book with No Name (yet)

2) You'll get a free copy of the Book with No Name (yet) e-book or print - your choice

3) You'll get a character named after you in one of my future books. It can be your first name, your last name or both. Or if you're not comfortable with this, I can use any other name you like. Want me to name a character after your dog or cat? I can work with that!


Sound good, I hope? Now, I need to tell you a little bit about the Book with No Name. Here's a rough description of the setup:



Does being in a couple make one a hot commodity in the eyes of would-be suitors?

Chloe Lane has her hands full. She runs a fashion wholesale business as well as managing her own boutique, so her love life (or lack thereof) is the furthest thing from her mind. When her childhood pal, Ethan Webster, asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend in order to test this theory, she reluctantly agrees. Not that she has any intention of trying to attract someone else. She just wants to help out her friend. Ethan already has his heart set on a woman he works with. However...

When Chloe agrees to judge a new reality show, she finds herself instantly smitten with fellow judge, William Shannon, a tech whiz millionaire who looks like Superman. Since opportunity is knocking, Chloe decides to test the theory herself, orchestrating a casually flirtatious relationship with William that gradually intensifies.

So things get increasingly complicated as Chloe maintains her faux relationship, attempts to lay the groundwork for a future relationship, works hard to keep her fashion business productive, carves out her new role as a television personality and struggles with keeping track of all of the lies. By posing as a couple, she and Ethan are lying to their families and their best friends, and the lies just keep stacking up, one after another. 


More information:

I chose Playing House as the working title because Chloe and Ethan have been friends since they were three years old. And there's this bit in the book when Chloe is musing on how it's sometimes difficult to separate Ethan the adult from Ethan the child. I'm sure you can see where I was going with the title, but... meh. I don't think it works.

I also considered Bizarre Love Quadrangle as a possibility. It works as far as the plot goes, and it's a twist on the New Order song title, "Bizarre Love Triangle". But it's definitely not the right title for this book. Unless you're familiar with New Order, it just sounds weird.

I thought I might play with the Superman theme in the title. William Shannon is repeatedly described as the "millionaire Superman". He looks like Superman (as portrayed by Christopher Reeve). Ethan is basically Clark Kent. Although not awkward and nerdy, he is unpretentious and somewhat wholesome. And also, he works as a journalist at the New York Times. As for Chloe... well, her last name is Lane. I think it could be really fun to work the Superman angle into the title, but so far I haven't come up with anything good.

I absolutely love book titles that sort of twist old titles or sayings (Misery Loves Cabernet, The Misfortune Cookie, The Kitchen Shrink).

And I really love titles that just sort of hit you with a POW (Dancing Naked in Dixie, Sleeping with Ward Cleaver). How could you not click to see what those books are about when they have such excellent titles?

I know this is a lot of information, folks. I hope some of you feel up to this challenge! I feel like that perfect title is out there somewhere, but I've been trying to catch hold of it for four years now and it's been out of my reach. So if you would put your thinking caps on, my little lovelies, and answer my call for help, I would be super, super grateful.

If you have any suggestions, please post them in the comments section. Thanks!

Oh, and just in case you're not sure what I'm talking about with the "been through the desert on a book with no name" post title, here's a link: America video. My parents were hippies. Sort of.

Love,
Libby

52 comments:

  1. Hmm...how about...
    FOR APPEARANCES SAKE
    ...or...
    LIES TO MEET YOU

    (Still brain storming ^_^)

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    1. Thanks so much for chiming in, Gina!! I especially like LIES TO MEET YOU. :-) Will def. keep these in mind.

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  2. How about "Reality Check" ? I love it!!! I will email you with the correct spelling of my name. ;)

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  3. Nice one, Angleterre71! Will def. keep it in mind. :-)

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  4. I am totally going to try to come up with something better but how about "Dating Double Duty" or "Taken Times Two"? (both plays on having two suitors, even though one is real and the other is fake). Will keep thinking!

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    1. I'm liking these! Love that alliteration. Thanks Meredith!

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  5. I like Lies To Meet You too.
    I'm horrible at titles, but I noticed "Hot Commodity" in the words you used above. Or could you do something with Faux? Faux Pairs?
    Sorry, this is clearly beyond me for a Friday afternoon!

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    1. Thanks Pauline! I'll ponder the "Hot Commodity" thing. And Faux Pairs is certainly catchy!

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  6. Book titles are my Kryptonite, too!(See what I did there?) But I'll brainstorm and see if I can come up with something. This contest is a great idea!

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    1. Heheh. Thanks for the giggle, Brea! Love where your mind's going! :-)

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  7. Hi Libby, sounds like a great story, congratulations! (Thanks for The Kitchen Shrink shout-out!) And just above me, great minds think alike, Brea B., I was thinking Kryptonite, too, in the title!
    -Kryptonite for Lovers
    (-or just Kryptonite)
    -Up in The Sky!
    (or, Look, Up in The Sky)
    -Lover's Lane
    Oh, boy--I'll keep thinking, too! Take care--have a great weekend!

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    1. Oh, my pleasure, Dee! I do love your title. :-) Really liking those Superman-themed ones, thank you!

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  8. I like LIES TO MEET YOU as well! I tweaked it a bit and came up with LYING TO MEET YOU.
    Will keep brainstorming!! This is fun! :)

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    1. Excellent! I like that little twist there. Thanks, Cat!

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  9. Replies
    1. Thanks, Karen! This one is definitely intriguing. Fabulous!

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  10. Chloe's Counterfeit Courtships?

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    1. Thanks Gaele! I'm digging the double whammy of intrigue and alliteration!

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  11. Replies
    1. And this one is definitely intriguing! Thanks, Gaele!

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  12. How about Playing Spouse? One Good Spurn Deserves Another? Life in the Middle?

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    1. Fabulous, Sharon! I like what you did with Playing House. I really like the other ones too. Thank you! :-)

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  13. Secret Identity of Love? Or something along that line, since like Superman, Chloe has 2 identities and lots of secrets?

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    1. Excellent suggestions, thank you, brifor789!

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  14. It amazes me how you write a book without a title. I never know how to make my books happen without a title. So let's see.... Uh... "Great Cesar's Ghost"? LOL! Kidding of course. Well there's always "Bizzarro Love Triangle"? "The Caped Crusade"... "Love You With Your Glasses On"... "Holding out for a Hero" "Heroes Welcome"... I will keep thinking. Because you know with gems like these... :-)

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    1. I only have one book out of seven that I already have the title for (How Jane West Was Won) and unfortunately, it's the one book that I can't seem to finish. :-) Love these suggestions, Francine, thanks!! :-)

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    2. Er... obviously my three published books have titles, but I mean HJWWW is the only one that had a title before the book was finished. :-)

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  15. I love Lying to Meet You.
    Sorry, I suck at titles but like the premise of your book.
    I'll try to think of something.

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    1. Thanks, Carmen! And thanks for what you said about the premise. :-)

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  16. Another song title... or sort of...
    Crazy Little Lie Called Love.
    See I suck at titles too!

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    Replies
    1. Aw, you don't suck! That's a good one, Annie, thanks!

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  17. Blowing Chloe's Cover
    Blowing William's Cover
    Judge Me By My Cover
    Superman's Blown His Cover
    Don't Blow My Cover

    I kinda had a 'Cover' thing going. Couldn't you tell! Good luck Libby.

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    Replies
    1. Interesting... I'm digging the cover theme. Thanks so much, Lilymalone!

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  18. With Chloe changing roles for different people snd using her surname, I thought about 'Changing Lanes'

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    Replies
    1. Nice one! I love the use of her name here. Thanks, iheartsbooks!

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  19. Love Before You Leap
    If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with
    She loves me, she loves me not
    Lover's Lane
    One plus one equals three

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much for posting, Marlene! These are great!

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  20. Taken not stirred (like shaken not stirred)
    Spoken For
    Relationship Status Quo

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  21. Ditto from above. I especially like Taken Not Stirred. (William Shannon is a martini drinker.) :-) Thanks so much!

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  22. Oh boy... titles are hard... Been pondering. I like the lying aspect of the story so like some of the faux/lies suggestions above. Here's what I came up with - "How To Succeed at Dating With Lots of Lying". Of course, a riff on "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" - but it's awfully looooong.

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    1. I really love this one, Jackie! I'm a big fan of those "how to" titles. True it's long though... will keep it in mind. Thanks so much!!

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  23. I love New Order! How about, "Every Time I See You Falling"?

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  24. It's definitely got a nice ring to it! (I love New Order too.) Thanks, marcshuster!!

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  25. Just brainstorming ....

    I'd love a twist on the Big Bang Theory, but can't come up with a word to insert for the "bang" LOL

    How about "Love, Lies, & Alibis" or "Kiss & Don't Tell"

    Still thinking .... xx, lauren

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    1. Ooh, I like these! Thanks so much Lauren!! xx

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  26. Just to throw a few more in the mix...

    "Fashionably Late"
    "Real Surreal"
    "Rules of Distraction"
    "Hot Commodity"
    "Pretending for Keeps."

    IDK if any of those work. Good luck with your title quest!

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    1. Excellent suggestions, Laura!! Thanks so much!

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  27. Stumbled on your blog through twitter. :) What about The Girlfriend Test? Or The Relationship Game?

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  28. Well, I'm glad you stumbled on over here, Buckeye Girl! :-) Thanks so much for the suggestions. Very nice. :-) I'm still pondering. I hope to decide soon!

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  29. What about IT'S COMPLICATED? Or QUADRANGLE CONFUSION? Or simply QUADRANGLE?

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  30. At long, long last, I've decided on a title for this puppy! It will be called LYING TO MEET YOU. Thank you, so, so much, Cat Lavoie for the suggestion. Yay!!!

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