Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Don't Judge A Book By Its Title --Eve

Of course, if we all followed this rule, marketing departments of publishing houses wouldn't be making the big bucks, or even have jobs for that matter. Good titles are extremely important to me. In fact, I often refuse to read a book if it's got a bad or boring title. I'm shallow, I know. But I'm probably a good representation of how most of our consumer society behaves. That title's only got a split second to catch my ADD brain's attention and stick.

That said, the irony is that I'm terrible at coming up with titles for my books. And now I'm under the gun to come up with a title for my second still-in-progress book. My wonderful agent (hee-hee…saying “My agent” still sounds so funny and all professional and grown-up like) and I had lunch the other day and I nervously pitched the synopsis of my new YA book. She loved the idea, and said it is timely, commercial and compelling…love, love, LOVE her!

“So when can you have it done?” she asked. “Um…done?” I asked. “Yes, done,” she said. “Let's see, it took four YEARS to write my first book. Um, let's say…four MONTHS for this one,” I said (half joking). “Perfect,” she said. “Um…what??” I said. “What's the title?” she asked. “The what??” I said.

Girlfriend is so on the ball that I could see her wheels spinning immediately. She was already coming up with a list of potential editors in her head. Because I've got the outline in my head and am so in love with writing this book, I really believe I can crank out a respectable draft in four months. Problem is, I need a compelling title. So, I'm turning to the readers in Blogland for help!

I will send a very special prize to anyone out there brave enough to throw some potential titles my way. Please! I need help!! Post ideas in the “comments” section or e-mail me privately at: eporinchak@aol.com THANKS!

Here's my elevator pitch: Seventeen-year-old Cali has one year to live. She plans to spend her last 365 days fearlessly completing a list of adventurous tasks that she was previously too cautious to consider, while also keeping her friends happily in the dark about her predicament. Cali's meticulous plan is thrown for a loop when she meets and falls uncontrollably in love with a brilliant and free-spirited surfer who challenges her core beliefs about living and dying.

It's kind of “Road Trip” meets “Love Story” in that it combines fun and adventure with a heartbreakingly doomed love affair. There are also a lot of scenes/references to the ocean, fear of the unknown, and the tension of a ticking clock.

Thanks for the help, readers! Don't steal my idea!

Eve

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

LOVE TRIP
FINAL ADVENTURE
CALI'S DAYS
KEEPING THE SECRET
THE SECRET
CALI'S SECRET
LOVE ADVENTURE
LOVE, CALI
LAST CHANCE
SECRETS AND SURF
SURF, SECRETS AND LOVE SURPRISE
K I S S I N G

good thing you said "don't steal my idea" because I was just about to!
Laura

www.LauraLudwigHamor.com

Disco Mermaids said...

Holy Crap, Laura!!

Prizes galore for you! Great suggestions...that's about 12 more than I came up with.

Thanks!
Eve

Stephanie Roth Sisson said...

This may be lame, but I'll toss it out there...BOTTOMTURN - it's the term for the surfing meneuver you do when you've ridden from the top of the wave (close to the lip) and then are at the bottom and you use the momentum from the drop to propel yourself up again so you can keep riding the wave....I don't know how familiar you are with surfing, but that's why you see surfers so of zig zagagging down a wave if they shortboard.


Steph

Stephanie Roth Sisson said...

oops- that's actually 2 words- bottom turn.

Disco Mermaids said...

Eve, you know I've been rooting for the simple 365 Days for a long time. But I think some of the others are pretty dang good.

- Jay

P.S. Your agent sounds awesome!

Anonymous said...

OUT OF BREATH

NOWHERE TO GO BUT HERE

LOVE WASN'T ON THE LIST

CAUGHT INSIDE (a surfing term)

That's all I got for now. I'll come back if I think of more. Your book sounds WONDERFUL! Good luck!

Anonymous said...

LEAP YEAR

: )

Laura (again)

Stephanie Roth Sisson said...

CAUGHT INSIDE is taken...a pretty well known book about surfing by Daniel Duane....a really great read.

Anonymous said...

http://www.surfingvancouverisland.com/surf/lingo.htm

Eve, this is a link to surfing terminology.

I love
IMPACT ZONE -the point where the waves break for the first time.

Good luck!
Melanie

Anonymous said...

I also like 365, but here are some of my own suggestions:

the end, starting now.
GTG (got to go in email slang)
The year, the list, and Greg. (or whatever his name is.)
Wave Goodbye
On My List

My book is features an important list too... but it is a picture book, don't worry!
Kristen