Richard & Elíane's book needs a title, guys, and I am titled out at the moment. Since you voted for it, I think you should have some input.
Okay, I'm desperate here. Please. Help me.
The theme of the story I have roughed out is transformation. Richard is changing, but so is Elíane, and with change comes discovery, conflict, and those universal shifts that shake the foundations of who we think we are. The old cliche of 'what doesn't destroy you only makes you stronger' never really worked for me. More like, what you think makes you stronger can destroy you in a heartbeat.
And that's all I'm going to tell you. I can't talk about it too much before it's written or I jinx it.
As for what to call it, I really don't know what I want for this book. I prefer short titles, and I adore one-worders. I like dark, obviously, but I like poetic, too. Evermore is one of my favorite titles, but so is If Angels Burn. The more original the title, the better I like.
So what do you think I should title Richard and Elíane's book? Post a title suggestion in comments (limit one suggestion, please) by midnight EST Friday, February 13, 2009 and if I choose your title, I will give you an acknowledgement in the e-book, send you a signed copy of any of my Darkyn print novels, as well as an advance .pdf copy of Richard and Eliane's story as soon as it's finished, which will probably this summer or fall, but definitely a month or so before anyone else can read it. This title contest is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.
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After much debate, I'm thinking Burning Bridges. Hopefully it conveys the idea you wanted.
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a tough one. Without much information on the story choosing a title is something I always had problems with. Thinking about what you just wrote I'd suggest something like "Revealing Changes".
ReplyDeleteOkay, that's just me. I'm curious what other titles will be suggested. Have a nice day and good look on the writing!
Revelation
ReplyDeleteThere's a Young Adult novel called Evermore just being released this month, so I'd probably steer clear of that, but I do like If Angels Burn.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry I can't help with titles Lynn, I'm really bad with them myself and have running titles like Girl Space Pirate. Then I go to friends and family and get loads of suggestions to help out.
Spiritburn
ReplyDeletecf: clutching at the heart - heartburn - soulburn - spiritburn
Metamorphosis
ReplyDeleteWhat you said, 'what you think makes you stronger can destroy you in a hearbeat' brought the image of a knife edge to mind. So, in the name of one-worders, I'm going to suggest:
ReplyDeleteEdge
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI suggest NIGHT LOVE. This has a few meaning in real life -good night when going to bed -good bye when leaving or signing off -could be a reference to vampire love or their love of the night.
Thank you for many happy hours reading
Poetic: Unquiet Dreams (from the opening of Kafka's The Metamorphosis)
ReplyDeleteOne word: Conversion
alt. one word: Transfiguration
Lynn,
ReplyDeleteWhile reading your post, one word came to mind. I did not even know for sure what the meaning was, but it is the state of change from caterpiller to butterfly. I even looked it up to be sure. So my suggestion is "Chrysalis." Richard and Eliane are both changing and can hopefully find their own "butterfly" inside themselves and each other.
Tami
Jacksonville
I'm tossing "Altered" into the ring.
ReplyDelete:)
theo
Ooh, I like "Chrysalis" that Tami suggested.
ReplyDeleteUm, here's a few more:
Reawakening, Break of Dawn --both signify a new day, new opportunities to me.
Good luck with the title hunt!
Rashda
Evolution of spirit
ReplyDeleteHow about "Broken Chains"
ReplyDeleteThis made me realize I need a better Thesaurus...
ReplyDeleteGrand Submission or Supreme Submission
Grand and Supreme becuase Richard is the king, and the last because I see Elíane as a submissive, but only for Richard. No one else.
"Dark Shift"
ReplyDeleteInspired by Red Shift, Blue Shift and shift as a synonym for transformation.
Space Between
ReplyDeleteas in between every heartbeat and and every breath people tend to forget the space between is where you need to live.
My Suggestion:
ReplyDeleteEmbracing Redemption
"Seeking to forget makes exile all the longer; the secret of redemption lies in remembrance."
~Quote by Richard von Weizaecker~
I am thinking of dancing on the edge of a sword (a little bit more dangerous than angels dancing on the head of a pin). You can fall one way or the other or get impaled on the tip of the sword or just keep dancing to delay the inevitable. Something must happen and things cannot go on as they are without cost to the soul.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
Pha
Charlene - good one!
ReplyDeleteMy try: Night Shift
Unmasked
ReplyDeleteNightsong
ReplyDeleteMirror Moon
The Ravenous and the Repentant
No real suggestions but I'm loving the ideas being thrown around! Especially "Burning Bridges", "Metamorphosis", and "Chrysalis". Just my two cents ;)
ReplyDeleteOkay I'm throwing a suggestion out there after I've seen some of my first thoughts are already submitted.
ReplyDeleteEvening Mirror
Hi I just started reading your books and I find them wonderfull reads. I would go with simply Changes since that is what is happening in the book
ReplyDeleteChange Eternal
ReplyDeleteRuptured Dawn
ReplyDeleteKaleidoscope
ReplyDelete"Dark Divide"
ReplyDeleteI'm having title problems of my own, but: Until Dawn is my suggestion.
ReplyDeleteWord verification: ephedery. Is that a word? It should be...
Reformation
ReplyDeleteI've just started reading your books, but I've ploughed through 5 of the 7 in just a few days, so I REALLY love them. It'll be interesting to hear about Richard from Richard and the one who loves him. Um, titles...actually, there's only the one, but it won't go away:
ReplyDeleteBurden of Darkness
Just with the whole 'in the shadows' thing Richard had going for a while, along with the whole 'Dark Kyn' thing, and how you mentioned how dangerous the things that might make you stronger can be.
Good Luck and best wishes!
Gina
Radcliff, KY
The Changelings
ReplyDeleteAltered After Midnight
Dark Developments
Evening Evolutions
“If Nature denies eternity to beings, it follows that their destruction is one of her laws. Now, once we observe that destruction is so useful to her that she absolutely cannot dispense with it from this moment onward the idea of annihilation which we attach to death ceases to be real what we call the end of the living animal is no longer a true finish, but a simple transformation, a transmutation of matter. According to these irrefutable principles, death is hence no more than a change of form, an imperceptible passage from one existence into another.”
ReplyDeleteQuote from Marquis de Sade
What about "An Imperceptible Passage"?
I don't know if this went through the first time, so if this goes through twice, sorry!
ReplyDeleteAs I Awake - this is a title of a poem I found while googling for a quote for something else. I actually think the poem works for Richard and Eliane - here it is in its entirety (author unknown, none listed on the web page I found it):
As I Awake
All of my senses are met by the morning
As I awake breathing in a new day,
Here by the window I opened last evening,
How the world changed while I drifted away.
Darkness is gone, though it seemed it would never;
Sunlight is smiling and nature survives.
I can believe that we all live forever
When I observe how the morning arrives.
Birds sing their concert and children are playing;
Flowers have scented the air and it’s free;
Life is renewed and it seems to be saying
There is a place in its promise for me.
There are some times in our lives when we savor
Being a part of a much larger plan.
Life is a feast and we each add a flavor;
I’ll make it better, believing I can.
As far as one-word titles go, I've got "Precipice" to throw into the ring.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great premise regardless!
I was thinking Eclipse.
ReplyDeletehmm. i love all of the suggestions, but how about:
ReplyDeleteA promise of forever?
Richard has been here forever, hes been through so much, hes gonna live longer too.. with eliane.
or (i know we should only submit one.. but : ) :
Lies revealed?
i dunno, i have the feeling richard lies alot, and there is alot about his past that you are going to say in the book... something along this line.
i love you lynn! i hope to be an author one day, i hope i can have as many accomplished books as you do!
Depth Perception
ReplyDelete"I can't talk about it too much before it's written or I jinx it."
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how thrilled I was to read that. I can't tell you how many weird looks I've gotten when I tell people I won't talk about a work in progress. It feels good knowing someone else is like that too.
As for a title, I'm going to throw Reborn into the ring.
In your description, what jumped out at me was "universal shifts." I like Universal Shifts for a title.
ReplyDeleteYou would hold a contest for titles when I'm so lousy at them ;).
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to come up with something all day just to play, but what strikes me is "Redemption."
My logic is simple...they're the villains. I mean, they've both played the blackhearted manipulators. They've made a lot of choices, good, bad, ugly, and necessary. Now they get their chance to air their dirty laundry and, we hope, work their way through it to a better beginning.
Sounds like seeking redemption for their past to me :).
Good luck finding the perfect title.
Ok, granted I'm "inspired" by watching Chocolat, so, iwth that said, I'll suggest "Winds of Change."
ReplyDeleteHmmm...the less information...the harder...How about Shifting Nightshadows?
ReplyDeleteThere are some really good ones here and here's my two cents:
ReplyDeleteChanging Perceptions
Unchained
I really like Unchained best, from my suggestions, but that's just me!
To make it simple and one word:
ReplyDeleteabeo -- its latin for change.
Elizabeth
Precipe? As in, on the brink of...
ReplyDeleteHmmm
ReplyDeleteI'll throw out:
Blackest Dawn
Indigo Phoenix
Dark Change(ling)
ReplyDeleteBrave the Darkness
Gah! I had 22 down until I realized that u only wanted one I hope u aren't offended that I put two down, I couldn't help it
~Athena W.
Shadows into Light
ReplyDeleteThe Touch of Time
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
Evermore -> Neverless? ;) Sorry, sorry.
ReplyDeleteUm. The line preceding "if angels burn" is "if fiends speak truth". Perhaps there is something there?
Of course, one of my favorites is "True Love Waits", which is the name of a Radiohead song, which itself is named after an international abstinence group...quite possibly not the right message. :D But the piano version of said song (as played by Christopher O'Riley) is awesome!
"predatormorphosis"? :D
Since there is a hint of danger involved and what makes you stronger can destroy you:
ReplyDeletePrecarious
I know, I know, you mentioned only one idea but a beautiful poetic transformation is the coy fish becoming a dragon. Can't really think of a way to make it a short, descriptive title but I wanted to throw that out to you.
Good luck!
I dunno why, but I keep thinking Kingdom Come. Partly because this is the last Darkyn novel (say it ain't so!) and partly because it's Richard, but also because I can just really see him losing it at some point and blasting everything around him to...well....
ReplyDeleteBut I liked both Kaleidoscope and Eclipse. Those were way cool.
ReVamped
ReplyDeleteHow Richard has continued to be king after all these years -
ReplyDeleteCompulsion
Ephemera
ReplyDelete(or Ephemerae)
Carve Out. Richard and Eliane carving out their own paths.
ReplyDeleteSo many wonderful possible titles!
ReplyDeleteHow about Dark Discovery?
Deidre
what about neverending or endlessly or Faithfully
ReplyDeleteDark Lord would work too.
Okay I am out of ideas.
Sounds like a great story Hope it's out soon
Ok, this is a not an easy task. I don´t envy you at all in this aspect. My suggestion is Illusion of Beliefs (in the aspect of, what you believe makes you stronger but can actually kill you).
ReplyDeleteOn the one word aspect, all I can think about is Alternance (is french for alternation and I don´t know if that fits what you want). Again, I don´t envy in this part. But I like a lot of the other suggestions here. Hope it helps.
Lia
Bound Within Change
ReplyDelete