Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go in.
- Napoleon

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Title Bout Pt 2

To give you a little background, here are the books and their title ideas:

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Spectacle - Literary Thriller - 124K words and shrinking:

Logline: “When a renowned scientist’s deceit ignites a worldwide panic, a substitute anchorwoman and an obscure astrophysicist risk everything to fight for the truth and to save mankind—not from a devastating comet but from itself.”

Blurb: "After news breaks of a comet’s collision course with Earth, Dr. Michael Montgomery has proof the comet is harmless, but when his data threatens to interfere with Dr. Kingsley Hall’s plans to control the nation by manipulating our fear, Michael’s attempts to divulge the truth are blocked. Discredited by his peers and made to look foolish by the media, his last chance is Alexandra McKenzie, a reporter with the integrity to risk her job and the courage to risk her life. In a fight for the truth, Michael and Alex find themselves battling men who would rather see civilization destroyed than lose their control over it. In a spectacle of this magnitude, the real danger lies not in a comet’s path but in mankind’s ignorance of the facts."

Potential Titles: Fear Itself (thanks to Alex) / Absolute Certainty / The Fearmongers / Mass Hysteria (thanks to Jan for that last one)

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Caldera - Thriller - 91K words:

Blurb: "Beneath Yellowstone National Park simmers a volcano 2400 times more powerful than Mount Saint Helens. The question is when, not if, the volcano is going to blow, and when it does, millions of lives could be lost. As implausible as it may sound to the experts and politicians, Dr. Myke Hughes’ plan to drain the magma bubble will work. However, when eco-terrorist "Fisher" decides nature is more important than human life, Myke and a handful of allies face a disaster of a different kind, and this human eruption may be more than even Myke can divert." (Edited to delete unnecessary sentence.)

Potential Titles: Path of Destruction / Destructive Forces / YNP / The Nature of Destruction / Deadly Nature

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So, what say you out there in blogland? Any thoughts or suggestions?

(And yes, I know. The blurbs need work.)

5 comments:

Tia Nevitt said...

Spectacle - I liked FEAR ITSELF because that seems to be what it is about. Maybe you could include more of the quote: THAN FEAR, ITSELF

Caldera - Simple might work here, like ERUPTION. I'm think of the movie title, "Twister" here. Or maybe you can play off the name of the park.

I liked your blurbs except for the line "The caldera has to be stopped." I think you could just omit that sentence.

B.E. Sanderson said...

Thanks, Tia. You're right, that sentence could be chucked.

Janimé said...

OK, since you asked, here are my votes:

For Spectacle:
1. Spectacle - I still like this one best :)
2. Absolute Certainty
3. Fear Itself
4. The Fearmongers

"Panic Attack" just now popped into my head as a suggestion. Or maybe "Mass Hysteria", or just "Hysteria".

For Caldera:
1. The Nature of Destruction
2. Caldera
3. Path of Destruction
4. YNP
5. Destructive Nature
6. Deadly Nature

I don't have any alternatives for these. If I think of any though, I'll let you know.

B.E. Sanderson said...

Ooo. Mass Hysteria could be in the running. Thanks, Jan.

I think part of why I'm interested in changing titles is because, while Spectacle is accurate, people (namely agents) wouldn't get it unless they read the book. And Caldera is obviously accurate but doesn't imply anything thrilling.

Janimé said...

Glad you liked it! :)