Guest Post

Guest Chick: Lois Winston

We Chicks are delighted to welcome back fabulous author Lois Winston to celebrate the lucky-13th title in her Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries, SORRY, KNOT SORRY. She gives us the origin scoop on some of her most hilarious titles…

Anatomy of a Title

by Lois Winston

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? We’ll probably never know the answer to that question, but when it comes to book titles, the answer is always a resounding, “It depends.” For me, sometimes the title pops into my head before I have an inkling of plot. Other times, the title goes through many permutations before the book is published.

I sold my first book in 2005. It debuted in 2006. The book was humorous women’s fiction, known as chick lit back in the day, before that classification became the kiss of death in the publishing world. The story was about the relationship between a young woman making her way in the world and the mother who wants to drag her back to Iowa to marry the boy next door. I had called it Resurrecting Gertie, because as a coping mechanism, my heroine resurrects her imaginary childhood friend.

My publisher thought the title sounded too supernatural and asked me to change it. Resurrecting Gertie was published as Talk Gertie to Me.

The second book I sold was the first book I ever wrote. It had started life as a romance called Spilled Coffee. By the time it sold, it had morphed into a romantic suspense I’d titled Love, Lies and a Mocha Latte. My editor loved that title until a few months before publication when another book was published with almost the exact title.

Although titles aren’t copyrightable, having two books with the same or nearly the same title release around the same time can result in a marketing nightmare. It has the potential for confusing readers and hurting sales. Therefore, Love, Lies and a Mocha Latte became Love, Lies and a Double Shot of Deception. In retrospect, that was a much better title, considering the amount of deception in the book.

I learned a lot about titles from those two experiences. First, the title needs to reflect the genre and tone of the book. And secondly, no matter how much everyone loves a title, sometimes outside forces require a last-minute change.

When I was asked to write a humorous cozy mystery series with a crafting amateur sleuth, I first needed to research the genre. Moving from chick lit and romantic suspense into cozy mystery meant immersing myself in the conventions of the genre. Among other things, I discovered many cozy mystery titles were not only humorous but also often employed puns.

I could do puns. Puns are kind of my thing. Just ask my kids. They’ve perfected the eye roll, thanks to my punny sense of humor.

The first book in my Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series was Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun. My new publisher loved the title. I figured I’d finally gotten the hang of marrying titles to genre and tone.

I titled the second book in the series Mop Doll Murders, but my publisher felt the title should match the cadence of the first book’s title. They insisted on using Death by Killer Mop Doll. I wasn’t a happy camper. To me, that title sent off horror movie vibes, but at least the cover was lighthearted and fun. Hopefully, I was the only one with visions of Chucky invading my dreams at night.

For book three I gave them Revenge of the Crafty Corpse. That title pleased everyone.

After the publication of Revenge of the Crafty Corpse, my publisher offered me two new contracts, one for more books in the existing series and another for a second series. Unfortunately, the new contracts raised quite a few red flags for my agent, and the publisher refused to negotiate. My agent advised against signing, explaining why. I couldn’t disagree with her assessment. Even I, a total right-brainer who lumps legalese in with gobbledygook, could see those red flags waving around in gale-force winds. With her blessing, I walked away from the publisher.

Since then, I’ve continued to write the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries. Sorry, Knot Sorry is my latest release, the thirteenth book in the series. There are also three connecting novellas. In addition, I’ve also published several other mysteries, including two books in my Empty Nest series.

Many of my titles, like my newest one, rely on puns. What can I say? I can’t help myself. And neither can my amateur sleuth. Throughout the series, Anastasia’s sense of humor helps her cope with all the murder and mayhem I throw her way. And her sons have perfected their own eye rolls.

Readers, has a funny title ever sold you on a book? And authors, did the title of your last manuscript end up on the cover? Let us know in the comments below!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Magazine crafts editor Anastasia Pollack may finally be able to pay off the remaining debt she found herself saddled with when her duplicitous first husband dropped dead in a Las Vegas casino. But as Anastasia has discovered, nothing in her life is ever straightforward. Strings are always attached. Thanks to the success of an unauthorized true crime podcast, a television production company wants to option her life—warts and all—as a reluctant amateur sleuth.

Is such exposure worth a clean financial slate? Anastasia isn’t sure, but at the same time, rumors are flying about layoffs at the office. Whether she wants national exposure or not, Anastasia may be forced to sign on the dotted line to keep from standing in the unemployment line. But the dead bodies keep coming, and they’re not in the script.

**Craft tips included!

Buy Link for Sorry, Knot Sorry: https://www.loiswinston.com/sorry-knot-sorry

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

USA Today and Amazon bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is a former literary agent and an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry. Learn more about Lois and her books at her website where can also sign up for her newsletter and find links to her other social media: www.loiswinston.com

34 thoughts on “Guest Chick: Lois Winston”

  1. The working titles for my first four forensics mysteries: Thermally Dead, Chum, Tramp, and Cape Bones didn’t make the cut. Finally, my 5th book- out yesterday- reflects my working title: The Hungry Bones. Woot woot!

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  2. Thanks so much for guesting, Lois! Love the post – and the titles.

    I was three for three this year re: titles. The Witless Protection Program, A Very Woodsy Murder, and French Quarter Fright Night were all mine. But next year is iffier. Two books, not three, one title already shot down, and I’m questioning the second one myself.

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  3. Thanks, Ellen! I love the titles you came up with. Good luck on finding ones just as good for the books coming out.

    One thing I’ve done in the past is hold a contest on my newsletter. The reader who came up with the title that was eventually used, was rewarded with a mention in the book, an autographed copy, and a few other goodies.

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  4. Lois, we’re so excited you’re here today, and congrats on Sorry, Knot Sorry! THE JIG IS UP was the working title for my almost-here Irish-themed cozy –there’s a lot of Irish dancing going on (the victim is a Riverdance-type star turned hometown dance teacher), and I’ve always loved the expression. Fingers crossed my publisher will want to stick with CRIMSON IN CLOVER for Book 2 (I’m a fan of the song, and the vic shows up in a nice green field, lol.)

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    1. Okay, hoping third times the charm. All of a sudden WordPress doesn’t seem to like me! As I’ve been trying to say…

      Thanks, Lisa! I’m happy to be here. And I love both your titles. I hope you’ll get to keep Crimson in Clover. It’s a great song!

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  5. Lois: Yay for all your books and punny titles! Sorry, Knot Sorry is a great one!

    For me, my working title made it on the cover with Ill-Fated Fortune. But then I realized I’d started a hyphen trend. The next one in the series is a tweak on a title I thought of; its final version is Star-Crossed Egg Tarts.

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  6. I love the title “Sorry, Knot Sorry” SO much–ha! Titles are one of my favorite parts of the creative process, but also one of the hardest, and I often don’t decide on one until the very end of the process. (I think my favorite title for my Sally Solari mysteries is “A Measure of Murder,” since I managed to get cooking, music, and death all into it.)

    Thanks so much for visiting the Chicks today, Lois, and yay for your new release!

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    3. I love Sorry, Knot Sorry too, Leslie!

      Actually, Lois, I like all your titles. Talk Gertie To Me made me LOL! I usually don’t start writing until I have a title. I’m quite proud of Punning with Scissors in my Crossword series, and Police Navidad in my Mystery Writers series.

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  9. Lois, thanks so much for being here and sharing this behind-the-title peek–and some great laughs. I LOVE these titles and I super love Sorry, Knot Sorry. Ahhhhhhhhhmazzzzzing.

    I often buy books the same way I buy wine: hooked by a great name or visual concept. For my own books, I was happy with all of my titles except the second one: 39 Winks. Rather than seeing it as a clever nod to a bit shy of 40 winks, readers were mostly in the camp of “Wha?”

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  10. I love your Sorry, Knot, Sorry title. And I’m finding some titles are easy, but I’m struggling with the title for my current WIP. So this was a fun read:)

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