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Sunday 4 December 2011

Let's name the new book together!

Caution: This post contains spoilers if you haven't yet read Single in the City!







Single in the City's follow-up opens in Hong Kong, where Hannah is again on her back foot in an alien city. We need a fun title to convey both Hong Kong and Hannah's misadventures - a title that a woman will pick up and know immediately what the book is about. Since Hannah follows Sam to Hong Kong, we can't use the word single. We* thought about "(Something) in the City" but couldn't think of something that's fun, snappy, easy to remember, and conveys setting and storyline.

So what do you think, dear writing partners? Do you like one of the iterations in the poll at the top of the home page, or can you suggest something else? Please be sure to vote in the poll so that I can keep track of everyone's ideas.

Thanks!
Michele x

*When I say we, I mean my fabulous agent, Caroline, who's been my cheerleader and partner in my writing since we began working together on Single in the City. You'll hear a lot about Caroline in the coming months!

15 comments:

  1. I think "misfortune cookie" is a great play on words...but I don't know how "cookie" fits in. If her nickname was "Cookie" or something like that, then I would say I like it. But, otherwise, I don't. I'm still thinking of titles, but if Hannah and Sam are coming up against some major obstacles, how about "Up Against the (Great) Wall"

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  2. Hi Kary, thanks! Hannah will have got a fortune cookie just before she left London that seems to point to her future in Hong Kong, so that's the connection.

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  3. Plus, FWIW, "Cookie" is a slang synonym for "chick" or "babe" or "hot broad", or any of those other PC terms. What came to mind for me immediately was "Not So Single In The City" just because I like the idea of tying sequals to their origin.

    That said, I like yours *much* better. Again, FWIW, I like 'MissFortune Cookie' best of the above. It ties together all the delightful playfulness of the phrase, and it fits right into Hannah's personality.

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  4. Thanks so much AuVox, your reasoning for liking MissFortune Cookie best is SO useful because I'd love to know what each potential title makes the reader think of.

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  5. What about "Misfortune in the City"?

    If I had to pick of the options above, though, it'd be Miss Fortune Cookie or Misfortune Cookie. The MissFortune would make me think it's mis-spelt.

    I'm looking forward to this, an interactive novel. I'll definitely do a post for my site, too, to let people know about it.

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  6. Hi Leah, thanks, and thanks for posting for your site too! The more the merrier and I'd love everyone to spread the word.

    If you take the cover out of the equation, which will be chicklitty, could Misfortune in the City be interpreted as another genre? Ah, there are so many things to think about!

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  7. I actually like "Not So Single in the City" because it does tie back to the first book and you know its a series. I had thought of "It's Complicated in the City" (since it is a category on facebook... and Hannah's life is complicated... ) which might work too.

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  8. Thanks Allison, glad to see you here! I love the idea of tying the titles in, like 'the Shopaholic' books... actually, the original title of Single in the City was The Expat Diaries (Penguin changed it) and that was definitely meant to have series-like titles. In thinking about the title, it needs to be something very easy to remember, and to spell correctly based on what they hear when a friend says it, and I wonder if Not So Single... would be open to forgetfulness as to exact title?

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  9. Thank you everyone for your ideas and votes - keep them coming! On Thursday I'll do a blog post on title and we can discuss the nuances of book-naming ... and christen the sequel!

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  10. Hi Michele,

    While I like the play on words for the new title, I fear that those who are familiar with 'Single in the City' will not connect the two as the titles are so different.

    I like the idea of using more culture influences from Hong Kong like 'East meets West' or something similar?

    Perhaps 'Miss Saigon in the City'?

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  11. Thanks Nicole, how about if we use a tagline that ties in Single in the City explicitly? Something along the lines of (another Single in the City adventure)? Or something better! :-)

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  12. I do think that if one were to hear Misfortune Cookie, without seeing the cover, it kind of sounds like a mystery novel. I agree with the others that it would be hard to tie the novels together with such different titles. A tagline could definitely help with that.

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  13. I don't know misfortune cookie sounds so far away from single in the city. I like the Title someone suggested misfortune in the city it's catchy. I think the title needs to have a sense of adventure like single in the city does

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  14. Thanks Anum88, you're right, it is pretty different ... hmm, another thing to consider! Tomorrow I'll try to put together everyone's thoughts so far and we can hash them out together.

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