Working Titles
And a new Paranormal Museum mystery
It’s funny, the things that stump you.
Writing a mystery novel? No problem.
I mean, occasionally I find myself wrestling with a book after I haven’t plotted it out as well as I should. But I still get-er-done.
Coming up with a title and book description?
Eeep!
Titles matter.
The title needs to fit the genre. For cozy mystery that means preferably puns, or at least alliteration.
It should have something to do with the story. Murder Most Foul doesn’t tell you anything except it’s a murder mystery. On the other hand Murder Most Fowl would be great for a cozy mystery involving an out-of-control chicken (a plot point I used in The Bantam Menace).
But that’s nothing to the agonies of writing a book description. I don’t know a single author who doesn’t struggle with these. (I’m sure they’re out there though).
You need to hook the reader in the first line, capture the emotional tone of the book, and leave the reader hanging with the stakes involved. And if you’re writing cozy, you need puns—lots of puns.
Now, in the age of online sales, you also need SEO keywords. And if you can jam those keywords into the title, too, even better.
I know authors who write their book description before they start writing their novel. This is undoubtedly an intelligent idea.
But I never do it, because I hate writing book descriptions.
I do, however, love writing Paranormal Museum mysteries. So I’m happy to be at it with book 11 in the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum series.
The working title (which may well change), is Dead on Display.
Maddie and Herb are taking a short-course in modern museum exhibition. Herb’s taking it because he loves taking courses when someone else is paying. Maddie’s there, because she’s feeling a little insecure about her museum management skills now that the Paranormal Museum has expanded.
Her mother’s taking the class too — Ladies Aid has a private museum that needs some updating. And Mom’s brought Maddie’s high-maintenance, down-on-her-luck, opera-singer sister, Melanie, as entertainment for the swank reception celebrating the start of class. You can imagine the high-note Melanie’s going to hit when she discovers… a body.
I spent all last week plotting out the clues and red herrings. I’m excited about starting to write on Monday, because these characters and their world are fun.
I’m not excited about the title though. So if anyone has better ideas…
(Death on Display is already taken, FYI. And while book titles aren’t copyrighted, I prefer not to cause confusion by using an existing title).
In other news, it’s not too late to sign up for my Cozy Mystery Master Class: Writing Romantic Subplot!
It’s free. It’s February 12th at 9 AM PST, 10 AM MNT, 11 AM Central, and Noon EST.
If you can’t make the live, sign-up anyway, and I’ll send you a link to the replay and any handouts after the class.
You can register HERE.
P.S. Speaking of the Paranormal Museum, did you know it has its own Twitter feed?
P.P.S. Don’t miss the Raven(ous) Society’s full moon night on February 12th! We will be gathering in the south gazebo for an evening dedicated to exploring lunar magic. Members will discuss how the phases of the moon influence magical practices and share readings from classic mystery novels where the moon plays a pivotal role. Expect a blend of astrology, divination, and detective fiction, with a special focus on The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. See the Gardener for more details.
A Deathly Display
what are your thoughts on it