26 February 2009

What's in a name?

My previously titleless novel has a title! And it doesn't contain ANY of the following words:

billionaire
millionaire
playboy
tycoon
Spanish/Italian/Greek
revenge
pregnant
virgin
mistress
bride
wife
ruthless
pleasure
claimed
inexperienced
hot

Which is slightly concerning since these labels must sell books. However the title is alliterative and does, at least, contain the word 'bought'. Phew.

The book is called.......wait for it.......

Bought: Damsel in Distress.

15 comments:

Lorraine said...

Ooh, I really like it Lucy and I'm quite glad there isn't a ruthless billionaire tycoon claiming his virgin mistress ;-)

How can you bear to wait until October to actually hold it in your hand? Here's hoping it's the first of many.

P.S. if you don't mind me asking did you get any feedback from your editor about the parent thing as conflict?

Rachael Johns said...

OOOOOOOOOOhhhhhhhhhhh I LURVE it! And I'm with Lorraine... I like that there's no tycoons, virgins or billionairres!!


Did you have any input in choosing it?

Rach!

Lucy King said...

Yes, I'm rather pleased about the absence of a vengeful hero and pregnant virgin. As for title input, there wasn't a lot. My editor suggested it and asked me what I thought, but am not sure what would have happened if I'd said I hated it. Anyway I was happy to leave it in their hands. They're the experts!

Lorraine, I sent in an outline for Book 2 yesterday - will report back on any feedback if/when I get it.

Suzanne Ross Jones said...

I really like that title, Lucy.

:-)

Joanne Coles said...

I must admit, I'm a bit of a fan of alliteration so it's a big thumbs up from me too.

Romy Sommer said...

Love the title! And as you say, it's a refreshing change from the pregnant virgins. LOL.

Romy Sommer said...

Love the title! And as you say, it's a refreshing change from the pregnant virgins.

Lucy King said...

Mind you, pregnant virgins could present a new medical miracle angle...

Apparently though these titles sell. I read they once tried to do something different with the Romance line titles, and sales bombed. Still, I guess the proof will be in the pudding :)

Anonymous said...

Great title Lucy .....understated and rather elegant, thank heavens.

It could have been worse, e.g. 'The Ruthless Stockbroker's unexpected Pleasure Purchase'.

Is it just me or do others out there also actively dislike some of the titles doing the rounds over the past few months?

I find them embarrassing and very off putting.

Probably why I buy so much off Ebay...at least then you can't see my red face and ears. :o)

Lucy King said...

I personally think that the covers and the titles are really off-putting (and in some cases down right misogynistic). Maybe the e-reader thingy will combat the embarrassment factor.

Penny Jordan has said that she's sold 180 million M&B novels worldwide but she's never seen anyone reading one.

Anonymous said...

LOL Lucy

That sounds like the reverse of Jasper Carrot's mother-in-Law. She has never had an accident, but she has seen thousands.

I know what you mean about the covers. These days I would feel more comfortable with a top shelf purchase from WH Smiths than with some of these books.

And it is not just the titles that are misogynistic. Forced sex, even aided and abetted by hot, sexy glances and primeval chemical reactions is still an ugly word.

I used to have high hopes of writing for M&B, but I have almost given up. I live in the 21st century, and I want my heroes to live here with me, thank you very much.

Sorry...bit of a rant going here...(blushing furiously).

Lucy King said...

Hopefully that's where Modern Heat comes in, Elisabeth!

Jackie Ashenden said...

Fantastic title, Lucy. And yes, I'm with Elisabeth re the titles. As much as anything else, they are completely interchangable and I always forget them. I was going to read the latest Nat Anderson on my laptop yesterday and couldn't remember what it was called. Opened about ten mistress/typcoon/inexperienced/billionaires until I found the right one.

Michelle Styles said...

MH has been experimenting a bit and so you get a few different words. Bought is the key word in your title. But do not knock key word titles. They do shift books. Ask Liz Fielding what happened when they tried to experiment...
You have to trust that marketing knows what they are doing.
And if you did not like the title...it depends. For the first book, there is perhaps more leeway. But ultimately it is a marketing rather than a keep the author happy decision.
Penny J may not have seen anyone reading her books, but this may also be a comment on how much she gets out...Actually many of the books are read at night or tucked in purses to be read on commutes or during quiet times at work or while they wait for the doctor or chemo. I certainly have seen people reading them.
As it is MH, and therefore not in the hardback programme, you will receive your copies around about the second week of August.

Lucy King said...

Oh, I totally trust the marketing department with titling and am more than happy with the title they've chosen for my novel! They know what sells books, and that's the point, after all. And I know (I think) they're just buzz words to give the reader an idea of the plot themes.

But I do think that some of the titles don't do many favours for the way non-readers view the brand. I guess, though, that doesn't matter as much as keeping the readers happy!