Guest Author Post: Jami Alden and the Quest for a Great Title
Written by Sybil - November 6, 2007 at 11:00 am
My latest release is called Private Party, and damn, I love that title. It's catchy, fun, sexy without being trashy. And I can add "in my pants" to the end, which appeals greatly to my juvenile sense of humor.
If only I could take credit for it. But that honor goes to my editor, the ever brilliant Hilary Sares, who came up with the title last summer after forcing me (not that it was hard) to nix my own working title which was Nice Girls Do. But there are tons of nice girls, good girls, and bad girls doing and not doing all over the shelves already. My original title, The Best Man's Bride, wasn't even an option, for obvious reasons. Luckily Hilary was there to come up with something good, because I was coming up empty.
It's a problem I often have with titles. I think of all the books and novellas I've written, I've only had titles for - three of them when I started the books. Of those three, only one has ever stuck - Stripping it Down, the first novella in my Taste of Honey anthology. The other two titles 
were slapped on right before I turned the novellas in.
I'll just put it out there: I suck at coming up with titles. You'd think after spending months on a story and the characters, I'd have an idea of what to call them, but just as I suck at an elevator pitch, I suck at coming up with names for my books.
Here's an example: when Hilary told me I needed a title for my novella in the Built anthology, my suggestions included, Who Are You Calling a Hoe and She puts the "Whore" in Horticulture. Hey, the hero is a landscaper, so it was kind of appropriate. And when my friend and fellow author was busy trying to come up with titles for her Highlander trilogy, I helpfully chimed in with, Highland Man Meat, which I'm sad to say never made to her editor's desk.
Exchanges like these force me to admit that while I may amuse myself, these titles are not going to appeal to the masses.
Which leads me to my latest quandary. I'm about two weeks away from turning in my first book for Brava, a romantic suspense that will be out next fall. I'd love to tell you the title... but somehow I don't think you'll remember to look for Jami Alden Brava Book #1 on the shelves.
So, you readers out there, any suggestions?
I need something sexy, smart, sharp, suspense-y. Preferably with a hook that will lend itself easily to the next two books in the series, which are course titled Book #2 and Book #3, respectively. I can't promise Kensington will use any of the suggestions, but this time around I'm hoping to contribute something to the process, rather than just waiting for the email from Hilary that says, "By the way, we decided on a title. BIG MEN WITH BIG GUNS." (In their pants.) 
Whoever comes up with my favorite gets to choose a book from my backlist.
Titularly yours,
Jami Alden
Jami - in broad strokes, what is the book about? I presume it's contemporary and has a military bent?
coming dangerously, lol, made my roomy laugh
Jami,
You know how good I am at titles, LOL. I don't know why my publisher didn't go with HMM. It has such a nice ring to it.
Hi Jami...you're hilarious!! Our family doesn't do the "in your pants" thing, we do "at band camp" whenever someone says "this one time"...much to the frustration of my 9 year old son who just doesn't get it!
Anyhow...how about.."Is that a gun in your pants....or are you just happy to see me?" (Book 1)
"Is that a gun in your pants.....or are you wearing two pairs of underwear?" (Book 2)
and
"Is that a gun in your pants....why yes, it IS!" (Book 3)
It doesn't take much for me to crack myself up!
in good hands
big hands
handle me
handle bars
is that a gun in your pocket
in good taste
tasty hands
My suggestions are:
Bring It On
Sinister Seduction
Vivacious But Vicious
Sinfully Sensual
Gwen - really quick, it's about 2 private investigators trying to find a missing teenage girl, assumed to be a runaway. vague, yes, but I don't want to bias anyone!
Monica - what do you think, could HMM be used for this next trilogy? how about "Cambpell Man Meat"?
Sharmi - I crack myself up all the time. In fact, I recently wrote in an easter egg in my WIP for Monica, and I laughed all the way home, thinking of her reading it. Of course, she didn't laugh nearly as hard as I did. I particularly like title #2!
Kim, I kinda like In Good Hands... seriously.
ROFL!
Hmm...I am not very good at this (and keep in mind I have no clue what the story is about...LOL):
Suspenseful Seduction
Seductive Suspense
Edge of Danger
Fear of No Return
Beyond Danger
Running Scared
Gone in a Blink
True Fear
Shattered Seduction
Destined for Danger
LOL...I was posting while Jami was...not so sure my suggestions fit LOL...although oddly enough some do...LOL
Jennifer - I think Edge of Danger is Shannon McKenna's next book (which I can't wait to read!!!) but you have some good ones up there... hmmm Hilary, are you reading???
Maureen - sorry I missed you - those are some good ones too!
Hmmm...Gone, But Not Forgotten
unending bang
the clock is ticking
dangerously close
lol
Unending Bang... Becky, maybe that could be the title of my next book for Aphrodisia
lol, really? glad u like it!
Hey monica! I was begining to think I scared you away.
Jami is it shameful how much your post made Bev and Gwen giggle.
Oh and I have more books to give out... guess I should post that if you got a title suggestion really... throw it out. I need a lot of winners. And no gwen can't win.
Don't know how to make 2nd power indication on this post but...
PI (squared)
Search for Seduction
Search and Seduce
Searching for the End
Silent Search
Private Seduction
Search Party
Last one...I think...LOL.
[...] Jami Alden is getting down and dirty and talking… titles. Whatever did you think I was going to say? tsk tsk I said Jami not Gwen wrong four letter word… err name. [...]
Okay, I really suck at these kind of things but here's a couple:
Private Matters
Private Desires
I'll try to think of some more...but with the kids home from school today my brain is on the fritz!!!!
Dangerous sensation
Sense of Touch
Fearful seduction
One more (for now anyway): Private Heat
I know, I'm really stuck on the "Private....".
Jami--I have this book at the top of my wishlist! LOVE the cover!
Okay, here's mine...
Heat of Desire
Dangerous Desire(s)
Edge of Seduction
Hot on the Trail
Marked for Seduction
Jami - your post really did make Bev and I laugh. If we had been in the same room, we might have sounded a bit like Beavis & Butthead. I'm Beavis, of course.
So, Syb - we have two contests? The one in this post - the winner get a copy from Jami's backlist. And, using these comments and comments to the other posts, 25 people win a copy of Private Party? Sweet!
http://www.goodbadandunread.com/2007/11/06/got-title-get-book/
Okay, I may have a few titles ... in my pants. You started it Jami lol!
How about:
Just a Shot Away
Hide and Seek
Adrenaline
In for the Thrill
In Deep
or for all three:
Book 1 - Caught
Book 2 - Kept
Book 3 - Released
The in my pants thing works on all three too. Although, the last one could be unsanitary hehe. Sorry, once my mind is in the gutter it's so hard to get it out.
Hugs, Zara
ROFL at putting "In my pants" at the end of all the ones we have suggested so far
And you do realize that I will now be adding "in my pants" to every book title I read...LOL...I will think of Jami every time!
Sybil - thanks for inviting me on and pimping my books!
these are all awesome, and Zara, I think you came up with the best to pair with "in my pants" - Just A Shot Away...
then again, Pearl might win with "Dangerous Sensation"
Laura, so glad I'm on someone's wishlist
Andrea - those are seriously good ones too, but I think Shannon M might have used Edge of Darkness too (not sure about that though, but if not, she should).
Jennifer, I hope you think of me at the bookstore as you're buying all of my books
Gwen, so nice to know I amuse someone other than myself... heh heh, I said in my pants.
Lol Jennifer. It does kind of change the tone of the titles, does it not? I think Jami may have started something.
Oh damn! I just went back and re-read all of them with "in my pants" appended and it made me guffaw loudly enough my 8 year old asked me what was so funny. NOT a conversation I'm having with her now!
LOL Zara...it does!!! "Gone with the Wind (in my pants)," "Pride and Prejudice (in my pants)" See, it can make even classic titles fun. Jami definitely started something!
LOL Gwen...it does give them all a whole new meaning huh?
Jami,
I just wanted to mention that I loved your story in Skin on Skin. I am always drawn to friends to lovers stories, and I thought yours was one of the best I've read in awhile.
Hey, Beavis! I'm STILL not seeing the Johnny Quest tie-in! Unless Jami's new one for Brava has some man luvin' in it?
Okay, titles, huh? Two words popped in my head when I read your oh-so-helpful (not!) blurbie: Velvet and Steel. So I kicked around the concepts of velvet, steel, soft, hard because (assuming the PIs are the H/H) the heroine is soft on the outside but with a core of steel; the hero's manly part could be described as feeling like velvet covered steel; the hero makes the heroine go all soft and velvety; they carry hard steel guns... well, you get the idea.
Soft as Steel
Hard as Velvet
Hot Steel
Cold as Iron
Cold Steel
Stroking Steel
Stroking Iron
Stroking Velvet
Bound in Velvet
Bound in Steel
Packing Iron
A Pocketful of Steel (:D)
The Velvet Hood (:D)
Okay, I'll stop now.
I have a feeling, Jennifer and Gwen, that our next rip to the bookstore will be quite humorous. Of course, people will wonder why we are laughing at our books, but it will be worth it.
Hey Sybil, no not scared away . . . yet.
I've still been popping in, but have been trying to cut down on the internet and actually do some writing. Good luck, right? LOL. Anyway, Jami, I like "Fear of No Return" so far. Just "No Return" would be good, also.
Hi Jami can't wait to pick up Private Party ....Love the steamy set your fingers and your eyes on fire books. Thought I would add my 2 cents...
Out of Time
On the Edge
To the Limit
and I would so read the " In My Pants" series...lol
Hee I thought Fear of No Return was great too. And before the oh so helpful blurb of:
"it’s about 2 private investigators trying to find a missing teenage girl, assumed to be a runaway. vague, yes, but I don’t want to bias anyone!"
And isn't gwen sweet, her oh so nice way of saying sybil you are confusing people again. Yes 25 unsigned Private Party books, to be given out randomly or at my will. Whatever works at the time... okay I may let Jami pick a few winners too but really she is giving away a backlist book to her favorite.
In Good Hands has a good ring to it and you can still perv it up. Although your summary doesn't lend itself to being perved well, but in this crowd...
Can we post your next cover and laugh at the title, please?
And you can be happy Big Guns in Uniform has already been used. Hmmm although I think it was a Pocket antho.
Yeah, it was an anthology called Big Guns Out of Uniform. I thought of it too when reading Jami's post.
More title suggestions:
Scared Straight
Gone Missing
Thrill of the Chase
Thrill of the Hunt
Thrill of it All
Come Out, Come Out, Wherever you are(LOL)
Wish You Were Here
hahahahahahahaha!!
Jennifer Y - look what it does:
Scared Straight in my pants
Gone Missing in my pants
Thrill of the Chase in my pants
Thrill of the Hunt in my pants
Thrill of it All in my pants
Come Out, Come Out, Wherever you are in my pants
Wish You Were Here in my pants
Sorry - oh damn. This is cracking me up. Jami! WHAT have you DONE to me!?
Wild Desires
Treacherous Desires
Reckless Desires
Fierce Passion
Savage Passion
Ferocious Passion
Love's Devotion
Sweet Devotion
My Devotion
I like Fear of No Return too
It was mine...LOL But "No Return" works...you could use "No" as your hook for Book 2 and 3: "No Escape", "No Fear," "No More," "No Way Out," etc. Or you can use "Fear" as your hook for the other books "Fear of Failure," "Fear of the Dark," "Shadow of Fear," "Circle of Fear," etc.
Sorry...trying to be helpful, but I'm probably getting annoying...LOL
ROFL Gwen! I know!
Dangerous curves
Dangerous man
Dangerous night
Gee, I really really suck at this title thing.
Lol Jennifer and Gwen! I love that one - Wish You Were Here in my pants. Hmm, does Hallmark make a greeting card for that?
Okay, I've got to stop reading these.
Celebrating Left at the Altar.
I tried. lol
I'm not so good with titles either, but I'll give it a go.
Branded, Bonded and Breathless
Daring, Desired and Deadly
Passion, Pleasure and Pain
Shamed, Seduced and Sacrificed
Private Indulgence
Private Privileges
Private Service
Holy cow, I leave to take the kidlets for a walk and feed them dinner and the place goes wild!
Sybil, post the cover. Mock at will. I'm secure in the quality of the work between the covers (hahahahahaha - Monica and Bella Andre will SO appreciate that fiction.)
I'm going to have to print all these out and read them tonight.
And Zara, if you want the world's best ecards, go here:www.someecards.com
ohhhhhh I like to mock... I think you have to be prepared to be mocked for that title. BUT I do it with lurve
Chantal you did better than I did ;). And you must like dangerous things in pants *g*.
I sowry I am spending wayyyyyyyyy too much time around bev and gwen. They have warped my fragile lil mind!
You caught me. I have a dirty mind, hehe.
Sure, sure blame it on Bev and Gwen, lmao.
I didn't read the titles suggested (if I do that all I can think of are the ones I read already!) so, if any of mine are repeats~Sorry!!
Run To Me
In The Dark
The Search
Running Into Danger
I play the game when I read fortune cookies of adding "in bed" to the end. My favorite was when I got a fortune cookie that said, You will find great pleasure in this day" (in bed) *snickers* So in light of that...
Hide and Seek
Loaded Gun
Loaded Guns
Run Away to Me
Backing You Up
You go in Low, I'll go in High (you always hear that in the movies/tv when they're going to burst in on the bad guy/girl)
Going Low, Shooting High
Going Low
Back to Back
Running Blind
Blind Search
thanks jami.
BIG BAD BOINK
GUNS AND ROSES
HOT LOVE ROD MAN
KILLING ME HARDLY
Actually, we do have a winner...three winners! CAUGHT, KEPT, and UNLEASHED but not with THE GEMINI MEN as a prefix (there will, however, be a cover look and logo that will make the series link clear). Database boggles for three titles with identical phrasing otherwise.
so I guess that makes Zara the winner, with 2 for 3! good work. email me your snail mail and pick a book!
Congrats Zara!
Thanks so much Jami and Hilary! I'm sending you an email now Jami.
Thanks Jennifer, for the congrats!
wtg zara
WTG zara.
This post has been hilarious to read.
Congrats, Zara!!