When I look for a book on the shelf in a bookstore, I often pay attention to both title and the general looks of the cover. I think I was lucky when I published The Truth About Katie because my publisher actually let me choose the cover photo from a website she subscribed to, and I found the one for the book. But even before that I chose the title, not from a quote, but just because of the situation. My character had disappeared, leaving her husband and family. They had not heard from her for a couple of years, but then she showed back up and reunited with her family. As you can imagine, she was not well-received by some of her neighbors. But the reader soon learns that even she is questioning why she “panicked” and ran away from home. The reader is taken on a journey with her to investigate her past and learn why it happened. The title makes the reader curious, and the cover adds to the mystery and fits in well with what the character learns about her past.
Sometimes all we know about a book is its title. Recently someone gave me a book title and said, "I'm not sure who the author is," but it's a good book. Sometimes a title helps the reader to become interested. As writers, it's always important to give a lot of thought to the choosing of a title. When I mention The Truth About Katie, people almost always want to know more, and I consider that a good thing.
No comments:
Post a Comment