A Title is Born

Having a good title for your manuscript is everything!

It sells the book, it draws the reader to look at it...it is the book. Giving the book a name is like naming your child (not that I'd know anything about that, but you get my meaning). And sometimes, its like naming your kid Cuthbert when clearly its Theopholus.

I remember buying so many books and being duped into it - solely because the name drew me in. What was on the cover belied its real name of Dull, Boring, and lets not forget: What The F Am I Reading? How many of us have gotten swindled that way?

And how many of us have found that perfect title to match that perfect book? I am hoping that my book is among those. In fact, what writer doesn't hope for that?

After writing the manuscript, I needed creative input - desperately. But not randomly. Since depending on my husband to read it was like depending on rain to fall in the desert - though I hear its been known to happen - I, instead, asked my friend who gave me that strategic kick in the first place to read it. However, her daughter used stealth tactics, grabbed it, and couldn't put it down. I remember feeling very happy about that - she practically raved about it. Talk about getting the right sort of inspiration to continue writing - and a little ego boost never hurt. With encouragement like that, public nudity didn't seem all that bad.

But the best part...she gave me the title! And so The Lancaster Rule was born.

I owe it all to her if the book sells on the name alone! Thanks J - you always rock!!

It was a fitting title, considering the content matter. Future fiction meets old world meets scary big bad world...I could go on but why spoil it, right?

I was happy with it. Very happy. And, it set the theme for the two future books I had planned on writing. Hence, The Master Key and The Eternal Knot were conceived in my already cluttered mind.

That aside, and ego nicely rubbed by J's rave reviews and - finally - my husband's (he didn't fall asleep!!), my next thing on the check list was: How to get it published?

Good question...