In times of old, The Furies protected Mother Right. If a mother (or any woman) was harmed, The Furies swooped down and took their vengeance. They were one of the last vestiges of a world that existed before the patriarchy. When we feel righteous anger, it is The Furies who are calling out to us to make what is wrong right again.

Thursday, August 11, 2005

A Rose By Any Other Name 

OK. So remember I asked for your help to decide on another title to the novel I just sold? You were all very helpful, and I decided on Nadira's Moon, which looks great on paper, but every time I told someone the title outloud, they looked perplexed. This was very bad (in the grand scheme of bad it wasn't a tragedy or anything). This had happened with my second published novel. It was called Soothsayer and I had to change it because the publisher had just published a book with that title. So I picked Gaia Websters which was really clever and went with the novel so cleverly and I just knew my readers would get it and like the cleverness of it, but I was wrong. And every time I said the title outloud, people got this same perplexed look as when I mentioned Nadira's Moon. I knew I had to find a different title.

I went through dozens of titles and none of them worked or if I liked them my editor didn't. I finally decided what I should have known all along: creativity is not a democracy. I had to just decide. So last night I was stressing out about it, and I was having trouble sleeping. I said, "Nadira, honey, I need a beautiful title for this book. Give me a dream." I thought, I need a title that is poetic. A title that somehow conveys the feeling of the Arabian nights and this scarred woman who transforms herself to save her brother and all the other boys who have been thrown into the desert like so much garbage—like stars who have been tossed from the sky. And so it came to me in a dream: She Combs the Desert for Fallen Stars.

And so that will be the title of the book. I hope you like.

If I ever ask you for help in this area again, I promise I'll probably ignore everything everyone says again. I'm contrary that way. 2 comments

2 Comments:

I like it! Although I also liked Nadira's Moon...

By Blogger kevin, at 10:25 PM  

I love it Kim!
At the time of your request, I made a list of about a dozen possibles but I was too shy to send them. Amont them were Riding the Crecent Moon, and Enthralling the Shadows. But I was happy with Nadira's Moon when you chose it.

She Combs the Desert for Fallen Stars is just perfect. Can't wait to read the story!

love joy peace

By Blogger Joy Renee, at 5:10 AM  

Post a Comment

  • All photographs and written material copyright © 2003-2008 by Kim Antieau unless otherwise indicated. May not be used without permission.
  • This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?