Friday, June 10, 2011

What's in a Title?

Recently my lovely publisher Sourcebooks decided to change the name of my book SCORE to CATCHING JORDAN. (I love it!)

But when I first heard we needed to find a new title, my heart stopped a little. I said to the intern in my office, "I need a new title asap. I'm supposed to brainstorm!"

Intern replied, "I'll get right on that!" and strutted off like he was going to war. An hour later, he sent me this email that I just have to share with y'all. And no, I'm not sure what all of these titles mean.

Dear Miranda:
Fear not! Despair not! I have many titles for you.

(Some are stupid, some are punny, some are innuendic (hehehe), some
are sexist kitchen/food themed, some are football jargony)

1.      10 Guys, 1 Girl
2.      Down, touch
3.      This gridiron ain’t in the kitchen
4.      Through the Uprights
5.      Her First Down
6.      All Four Downs
7.      Tightest End
8.      Punting and Receiving
9.      Little Miss Pigskin
10.     Hashbrown marks
11.     Sports Bra(wl)
12.     Quartrix-back
13.     Facemasque (cover art:  head on shot of girl in helmet, with
avocado masque-peel and cucumbers on her eyes)
14.     Homegirl Team Advantage
15.     Pre-season Dame, Post-season Fame
16.     Coached (cover art:  girl in football gear, carrying a Coach purse)
17.     Curves of Scrimmage
18.     Little Black Playbook
19.     You Can Put Lipstick on a Pigskin
20.     Pigtails and Pigskins
21.     Pigskinny Jeans
22.     Defensive Womaneuvers
23.     Pigtailgate
24.     Hometown Heroine
25.     Hail Jordan Pass (like Hail Mary, but the character’s name)
26.     Mixing Bowl Games
27.     Apple Turnover on the downs

7 comments:

tastocke said...

A little extra titling insight from the publisher's end - we also quite literally generated pages of possibilities (at least 3 or 4 different people worked on this), some of which were OK and some of which were truly, truly bad. But that's part of the critically important titling process. It is worth noting that the final title "Catching Jordan" doesn't appear on the brainstorm lists at all, it just came out of someone's mouth while looking at these long lists and we all said, "aha!"
--Todd Stocke, Ed Dir, Sourcebooks
***
Out of Bounds
Play Your Heart Out
On the Line
Off Limits
No Limits
Rival
The Games We Play
Game On
Game Time
Playing My Heart Out
Heart on the Line
Calling the Plays
The Playbook
Waiting for Fall
Holding On
This Is My Year
Watch Me Win
Leading the Boys
Leading the Guys
Waiting for Perfection
Winning Season
The Game Changer
Not Quite Normal
Act Like a Girl
Act Like a Lady
Just Us
Tackled for the First Time
Our First Game
Take Me Home
Trying Out
Making the Team
Making the Play
Catching Up
Loving the Enemy
Friendly Competition
Believing in Me
The Jersey Fits
Game Time
Loving the Game
Kick Off
You Can’t Stop Me
Warming Up
Extra Points
Interference
This Is My Team
Playing for Me
Worth the Risk
Too Scared to Kiss
All I Have
Everything in You
Everything in the Game
Leave it on the Field
The Game Is Everything
Stealing Positions
Playing the Game
Autumn Beginnings
The Fall I Fell in Love
When I Met You
Finding What Fits
Go for the Win
Winning the Game
The Final Score
Quarterback Sneak
I Call the Plays
Boy Season
Pretty Season
The Year I Wore a Dress
Throw Like a Girl
You Throw Like a Girl
Throwing Kisses
Fingertip Catch
Last-minute Catch
Truth or Dare
Third down
Third and Long
Trade
Triple Threat
Deep Threat
Practice session
Ty Me a River
Senior Bowl
Senior Season
Cheerleaders Suck
Not a Cheerleader
Scholarship Plan
Homecoming
Homecoming Game
Twice
Double
Split Backfield
Double Move
Head Fake
Deep Route
Playing Games
In the Zone
Games
Out of Bounds
Quarterback Crush
Playbook Crush
Backup Crush
Bruised Crushes
Play Your Heart Out
Long Bomb
Huddle
Crushing the Boys
Game Crush
Crushing Game
Tackle
Tackling Crushes
Holding Crushes
First Team
Opposing Crush
Team Crush
Throwing Crushes
Fight Song
One of the Boys (also a Katy Perry song)
One of the Guys
The Boys Club
Back with the Boys
Rumors
False Start
Playbook
Chasing Alabama
What I’ve Got
Saving the Play
Delay of Game
Waiting for Alabama
Try-outs
The Locker Room
Making the Cut
Little Black Playbook
Playing With My Heart
Quit Playing Games With My Heart
Scholarship Season
Playing Games
Open Field

Sara said...

*snicker*
*chortle*
*cough* *sputter* *cry* *laugh*
Todd, thanks for posting the Sourcebooks list. Little Black Playbook was on both lists, eh? *takes notes*

Oh yes, PIGTAILGATE won my heart right away.
*CHEERS*

E. Kristin Anderson said...

Pigtailgate was my favorite, too. And I love that Little Black Playbook was on both lists. Great insights, here. Though I will miss giggling about a book called SCORE. *Wanders off to come up with naughty football titles to give to Miranda.*

Sarvenaz Tash said...

Both lists are A-MAZING. I'm kinda partial to "Quit Playing Games With My Heart." Nothing like a Backstreet Boys reference. Also "Tightest End." Cause that is definitely less racy than "Score." ;-)

Shelli Cornelison said...

Nobody suggested "Roughing the Quarterback?" :)

Lynne Kelly said...

Can't believe they didn't go with Her First Down.

Lacey J Edwards said...

Quite the creative intern! I love the new title but seriously, his were good. Hashbrown Marks *giggle*

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