Mary J. McCoy-Dressel

What the heck?

What is Mary working on now, and why isn’t she writing blog posts? Easy question. Easy answer: 😉 #AmWriting and #AmRevising says it all. It sounds easy, but it entails much more than just revising a book. It sounds easy on paper. Next step: Editing.

Before I could get back to revising, it was necessary to search for another book title.

Think… Check. Double Check. (Good Thing I Do This)

Here I was, only one heartbeat away from sending images, title, subtitle, and tagline to my cover designer. Excitement ran rampant through my veins. Soon I’d have a cover.

Then…

I did one final search for my title at major retailers, as I always do. That search brought up another book with this title. Ackk! No, I mean ACKKKK! (Life was good when my first search didn’t bring up that title on another book.)

Now what?

I admit: The title was a song title, but I didn’t care about the song title. Another book with the same title? Well…no, but I almost said *%&* it and use it anyway. I remembered how awful a friend felt when his title was used not long after he published his own book, so I couldn’t.

Of course, I could use it because titles can’t be copyrighted, although they can be trademarked. This one wasn’t. I postponed my date with the cover designer while I brainstormed for a new title. This was not an easy feat, I tell you.

For months, I had my heart set on this title. It fit my book perfectly. This title sat proudly at the top of my manuscript. Each time I opened it, there it was, beaming back at me as it said, “You did it!” I had written a line in the book to go with the title. Imagine me with a frown on my face. 😦

Disappointment loomed in my soul

The only choice was to write different combinations of the title. An author friend brainstormed with me. Nothing else seemed to fit. Even my subtitle had been used as a title. Was I doomed? Not yet.

After I’d settle on what I thought could be a new title, I’d search retailers to see if it had been used. Most were already taken. Crimminy!

My heart was heavy. Insert four-letter word of your choice because I said a few. But…one search led to another and then it came to me.

Exploded into my psyche like fireworks was more like it. I had my new title!

Now, this new title sits at the top of my manuscript and says, “You did even better this time.” Truly, I came up with the perfect title for this book—even better than the first. It was meant to be. Guess what? The cover is finished and the title looks so fine with my cowboy. One day I’ll explain, not that it needs an explanation, but according to what my hero is, it falls into place.

I’m confident with the perfect model to fit my hero and the right title to fit his character and the story.

Many aspects of this job are hard, but nonetheless, this job is FUN. One I hope to do for the rest of my life—one freaking title at a time.

Onward…

By the way:

The History Channel is running a series about searching for the Lost Dutchman’s gold in the Superstition Mountains in Arizona called Legends of the Superstition Mountains.

I’m enjoying this show as I picture my characters from the series roaming through the Superstitions. The title for my Double Dutch Ranch Series isn’t a coincidence. Please don’t let the spooky accounts of past happenings in these mountains sway you about my series…

Remember, I write romance with happy endings. No spooky stuff here. 🙂

Thanks for reading.

UPDATE: Here is the cover and title this post talked about.

If you’re an author, have you ever changed your title because you didn’t want one someone else had?

@MaryJDressel

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