Linsey Lanier
Sally Kilpatrick
Sia Huff
Romily Bernard
Darcy Crowder
Marilyn Baron
Tami Brothers
Sandra Elzie
Carol Burnside
Debbie Kaufman
Maxine Davis
Tammy Schubert
Susan Carlisle
Pam Asberry
Lindy Chaffin StartEmilie Richards on Being a Title Fiend
Petit Fours and Hot Tamales is thrilled to welcome award winning author, Emilie Richards. Richards has written more than 60 novels, appeared on national television and, has been quoted in Reader’s Digest, right between Oprah and Thomas Jefferson. Although in recent years she has broadened the scope of her writing to women’s fiction, she was awarded a prestigious RITA® Award, romance publishing’s Oscar®, for her earlier work in the genre. Romantic Times BOOKreviews magazine has presented her with numerous awards, including one for career achievement.
Richards is married to her college sweetheart, a Unitarian Universalist minister. They have three grown sons and a daughter. Born in Bethesda, Maryland, and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida, Richards has lived with her family not only in Virginia but in Louisiana, California, Arkansas, Ohio and Pennsylvania. They also spent two four-month sabbaticals in Australia.
When not writing or engaging in her other passion, quilting, Richards enjoys traveling and turning her suburban yard into a country garden. She is currently working on Sunset Bridge, the final novel of the Happiness Key trilogy for Mira Books, to be published in 2011.
TITLE FIEND
I am a title fiend. While some authors couldn’t care less what their books are titled, my editors know we’d better get this right at the very beginning, or I will be consumed with the desire to completely rewrite my growing manuscript to correspond to whatever the changes are. I will then be late for my deadline, out of sorts, and no fun to talk to on the telephone.
This isn’t rational, but since when is being rational a prerequisite for becoming a novelist? Truly, were we rational, we would have gone to law school or trained to become dental hygienists. We would not temporarily abandon family, friends and social interaction to explore the worlds of characters who will never hold our hands at the doctor’s office or retrieve our mail while we’re on vacation.
When the title Happiness Key occurred to me, I knew immediately that this book would really be about–duh–the key to happiness. My characters, four very different women, would all struggle unsuccessfully to find happiness, and discover by the novel’s end that all the time, the key was just within reach.
Then I was approached about doing a sequel. Trust me, when your characters have already achieved their own happily ever afters, what’s left to tell? Except that in this case, there were a lot of loose ends. Now, I like loose ends. I trust my readers to know all will be well, and to tie them up in their own imagination. I don’t think we have to follow characters to their graves and document every meal and grandchild. But this time, the loose ends were tantalizing to me, as well. Was Janya’s arranged marriage to a stranger now on the right track? Were Tracy and Marsh finally going to get it on? Was Wanda going to find eternal happiness serving fried shrimp to customers in flip flops and beach hats, or was there more in her future?
Now what could I call a book about characters who were already known to be closing in on their own keys to happiness?
Enter Fortunate Harbor. Once I began to delve into the story, I saw two themes emerging. One, that sometimes fate is kind, and we are fortunate for no discernible reason. Fate deposits us in the right place at the right time and our lives are better because of it. Two, that women throughout history have protected and helped each other, and sometimes paid dearly for their courage. With that in mind, and with word lists as long as my arm, I chose Fortunate Harbor as my title.
Then, and only then, could I finally get to work. Yes, I am a title fiend, but sometimes the whole story is right there on the cover, ripe for the reader to discern. Now I’m hard at work on the final novel of the trilogy, Sunset Bridge. I leave the meaning behind that one to your own fertile imagination. I promise the story’s all there.
I hope you enjoy each and every one of them.
To learn more about Emilie, her books, her blog, and her contests, visit her at www.emilierichards.com
Tags: Emilie Richards, Fortunate Harbor, Happiness Key, Sunset Bridge
About the author
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Debbie Kaufman | |
July 7th, 2010 at 7:31 am
Hi Emilie!
I LOVE all three titles. I haven’t read the books yet, but now I really want to. I’ve already added the first two to my wish list, but don’t think I’ll be able to wait for someone else to get it for me…grin…
I did have a question about your penchant for creating the title first. As new writers, we are told not to get too attached to our titles. Did you ever write a book to a specific title then have the editor change it on you? Just curious.
Thanks for blogging over here today!
Have a great week.
Tami
July 7th, 2010 at 8:40 am
Hi, Emilie!
I’m a title fiend, too. In fact, before I can even write the synopsis and get started on my story, I have to have a title that fits. I realize very few of us will have control over our books’ titles, but I need a focus for my story. Same with names of characters. I can’t just put in Jane and Max and expect the story to write itself.
How long did it take before you had some say in titles? Was it always this way for you?
Thanks for stopping by!
Anna
July 7th, 2010 at 9:17 am
Emilie, thanks for stopping by. I find your point of view fascinating because I am learning to do my title first. As an English major I never titled a paper until I finished it, and I did the same thing with all of my short stories. Waiting to the end of a novel, however, is impractical.
What is your process? Do you simply brainstorm with word lists or is chocolate involved? : )
July 7th, 2010 at 9:26 am
Morning, Emilie! Frankly, I have always sucked at titles in my previous stories. The funny thing is I have always seen this one series I wanted to write as titles. Now I’m trying to flesh out the stories, but it was the strong titles that started the process. And my current WIP, I saw the title quickly which surprised me. Now I think of them as the story’s theme and it seems to work better this way.
July 7th, 2010 at 10:42 am
Another title fiend! I am also a title fiend. That’s the first thing I come up with and the title is what gives me inspiration to write the book. It has to be marketable and it has to feel right. Some people react differently to the same title. One agent loved one of my titles and another hated the same title. But I think it sets the tone of the book, for me at least.
Thanks for blogging with us. I love your titles and wish you success with the series.
Marilyn Baron
July 7th, 2010 at 11:10 am
Yep, like most of the gals commenting, titles are important to me too. Of course, as un unpub, we’re told that any title we might come up with will most assuredly be changed by the editor.
So I make sure not to fall in love with a title…too much.
But like you said, titles are extremely important to most authors.
I came up with a title for a WIP that I really loved (and so do most editors and agents) SOPHIE WHITE AND THE SEVEN DRAG QUEENS.
Great title, but from the beginning of writing I knew the story was a true romance between a man and a woman and not a women’s fiction concerning a woman and her 7 gay friends.
Editors and agents requested fulls left and right for this book when I pitched it, but a lot of them were expecting the women’s fiction not the straight romance I wrote.
Unfortunately I’ve been getting rejections left and right with that explanation.
So, yes, a title is extremely important. Now I have to come up with an equally compelling title that ties my story up in a neat bow.
Tough one.
Thanks so much for visiting with us. I loved hearing about your books too. Can’t wait to pick one up!!
Have a lovely afternoon,
Tamara
July 7th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Ah, Emilie, you give me hope. I’m not as stuck on titles as I am on character names. I usually know immediately the main character’s names, but this last manuscript, I’m REALLY a fiend about the title. I hope it sticks and this one sells because IMO, the title both raises questions and hints at the story.
How cool to be able to pick your own book titles! Well, maybe. Now that I think about it, that could be daunting too.
July 7th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Oh, and I forgot to mention – your covers are gorgeous. Even if I didn’t recognize your name, they make me want to pick up the book.
July 7th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
Hi Emille,
I usually title my book before I start writing. After all, I have to save it to a title, so why not one that inspires the story.
I’ve sold two books and the publisher kept both working titles, so I guess they don’t always change them.
Thanks for joining us today and congratulations on your impressive career. (May we all be so blessed!)
Sandy
July 7th, 2010 at 4:29 pm
Hi Emille! Thanks for blogging with us today. Like the rest before me, titles are very important. They reflect the theme of the story for me. I’m going to be optimistic and hope that my titles are loved by my some-day editor.
I think no matter what the books are eventually titled, I’ll probably always think of them by the titles I wrote them under.
Love your covers and am looking forward to picking up your books!
July 7th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
Very interesting post. Those are some great titles, Emilie. Your books sound like terrific reads. I’ll have to admit I like a title that encompasses the whole story. Not as easy as to write as it sounds. I usually come up with my title as the book evolves and often end up changing it several times.
If I waited until I had a title to write, that would just be another excuse for not writing, LOL. Thanks so much for being with us today!
July 7th, 2010 at 9:52 pm
What great comments. Like some of you, I have the same attachment/obsession with or about character names as I do with titles. Can’t write a word until I know who my folks are. As for titles changing? Sadly, sometimes, yes, which is why I run the titles past my editors before I start the proposal. Remember I said I was a fiend. Even then, even after a go ahead, titles have been changed by marketing. So now, I ask if marketing likes a title, too. Sometimes you have to go with the final decision, but I make sure to plead my case well and try to be rational if I’m turned down. It’s only happened a time or two, thank goodness.
Good luck to all of you with your own projects. I’m rooting for you.
July 11th, 2010 at 4:45 pm
Ah, the eternal title question. I guess that I’ve spent enough time losing the title argument to know that what I have while writing my book is the working title. Especially after losing the fight for two of my very favorite titles. All I ask is that the title reflects the book(still trying to figure out what If Looks Could Kill has to do with an author who begins to see murders that mimic her books) and are memorable. But by the time that’s happened, the book is already written.