Thursday, November 17, 2011

Series Titles

Covers and titles can draw in readers is you're not an author known everywhere by your name alone.  I write my books in series and I try to make the titles not only indicative of the book content but also somewhat connected to the previous books.  Lots of authors do this and much better than I do.  For instance, does anyone doubt Alex Cavanaugh's upcoming book, Cassafire, is in a series with Cassastar?  The titles let you know the books are related without seeing the author's name.

I tried that in my very first romance series, The Chronicles of Solonia.  The series started with The Greater Good, followed by The Lesser Evil, A Ruthless Good and the wrap up novel, One Good Woman.  The titles weren't perfect matches but they were connected enough to seem like they went together.  

Today my clever publisher is running a special on that last book, One Good Woman, at $1.99, as an early promotion for the my next Tiger book coming out in December.  One Good Woman is the featured book today at New Concepts Publishing.  I hope you can check it out.

Do you write in series and try to give your book titles similar titles?  Do you know an author who is exceptionally clever with titles?

5 comments:

Jessica Bell said...

I'm scared of writing a series. I'm scared I'll get bored of my own characters! lol Good luck with this. I'll check it out.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I don't need to answer that because you did for me! Thanks.
Now the pressure is on to come up with a third name. Oh, and the story to go with it.

Anne Gallagher said...

I write series, but I'm not very clever with titles. The Lady's Fate, The Lady's Masquerade, The Captain's Lady, The Duke's Divorce. Don't know if they'll work or not, but I've always maintained, the simpler the better.

Obviously.

The Happy Whisk said...

Wishing you MUCH success.

Helen Ginger said...

So many of the mysteries seem to be series with similar titles. You're right about the way "matching" titles can draw in readers.

Will there be any more in your "The Chronicles of Solonia" series?