Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Title help needed!

I had some downtime this evening while I was waiting for slowpoke testers #1 and #2 to finish their freaking stupid math tests. Um, anyway, I spent the time brainstorming title ideas for my new project that I'm about to jump back into. Then I went and left the list at work, where it will confuse my coworkers utterly if I don't get at it before they do in the morning.

This is the book that's going to be a fun swashbuckling adventure, about a woman who's invited on an expedition to another world. The working title is--ick--Elfland by Accident, which isn't even accurate.

I think I can remember some of the better titles I came up with. I'd greatly appreciate any suggestions. For some reason, I got stuck on using Gray Dancer as part of the title--the gray dancer in question is a horse the main character is going to end up with, although it's not very important to the plot. Although I could make it important.

Possible titles:
Adventures in Zoology
A Land of Rain and Daggers
Gray Dancer and Dagger
Gray Dancer and Dragon

Hmm, I had a ton more than that. I don't remember any of the others. Obviously, I need a lot of help. Once I get a title, I'm going to finish the rough outline I've already started.

What do you expect from a swashbuckling adventure? The main character is a zoologist, but she's going to end up a lot more than that. I know I want her to rescue someone from a dungeon, although I'm not entirely sure how the someone gets into the dungeon in the first place, or why. Details, details.

10 comments:

Richard said...

Oh, I read a lot of swashbuckling. Got a Conan book open this very moment. 'Struth.

Thews. I don't think a swashbuckling yarn is complete without someone having thews--preferably of the Mighty variety. How's your zoologist fixed, thews-wise? Not so good? Mmmmm...better have a sidekick then.

And, um, well I'm not supposed to mention this sort of thing around relations but: swashbuckling requires a certain degree of, um, sex. Poon-tang. Humps like a camel. You know? Doesn't have to be gritty--a well-timed end of chapter suffices--but no one will believe the swash part unless a few buckles get opened, catch my drift?

K.C. Shaw said...

You're the only person I know who actually reads Conan books, so I bow to your wisdom.

My main character (currently named Terry) doesn't have much in the way of thews, but one of her expedition members is stuck all over with thews. He goes by Wolf and carries a sword. Hopefully he'll fit the bill.

And Terry is going to be humping like a bunny throughout the book. Tastefully, of course. And not Wolf, but the contentious mage who's also a member of the expedition. I think he's going to be the one she has to rescue from a dungeon, too.

Oh, this is going to be fun! I should be saving it for Nano, but what the hell.

Jamie Eyberg said...

I stink at titles.

BT said...

So thews wouldn't be a good title? How about Dancers, Daggers and Thews?

I'll leave now...

Anne Spollen said...

Not a genre I know too much about, but usually the publishers decide on the title so not to worry.

For what it's worth, I like A Land of Rain and Daggers.

Unknown said...

I like the land one best. Adventures in Zoology is fun too, but for some reason it makes me think of that Adventures in Babysitting movie.

Sounds like a fun read. More adventure is always good :^)

K.C. Shaw said...

Jamie--So do I, obviously.

BT--That's actually better than any of mine. :)

Anne--I'm actually tending toward that one too. On the other hand, it sounds a little too high-fantasy for what the book will be.

Horror Girl--I used to love Adventures in Babysitting. In fact, I was thinking about it when I wrote down Adventures in Zoology.

Cate Gardner said...

I have title block at the moment - the furthest I got was 'Gray'.

Oh, and I read 'Cult of the Butterflies' last night. No wonder you couldn't wait to see where others went with the theme, your idea was awesome. Fantastic story.

Aaron Polson said...

I'm partial to the "rain and daggers"...sounds dark. I like that. Maybe too dark for your book, though...

Word Verification continues to flirt with real words. Today: mation

K.C. Shaw said...

Cate--Thanks! I'm glad you liked the story. I can't even enjoy it anymore since I sweated over it and rewrote it so many times. I loved what you did with yours!

Aaron--'mation' is what the cool kids call animation these days. Sort of like 'rents for parents. Maybe.

I like the rain and daggers thing, but not for this book. To be honest, I think I'm liking Adventures in Zoology too much. I need to scratch it off my list before I go insane and pick that title.