Wednesday, April 20, 2011

What's In a Name...or a Title?

I recently read an article about well known bands that had started out with names other than the ones we recognize. For instance, the Beatles were known as both Johnny & the Moondogs and the Quarrymen, the Doors were Psychedelic Rangers and Barenaked Ladies were originally Free Beer.

And, of course, we know about book titles that have changed. Gone with the Wind was originally Pansy,  Pride and Prejudice was First Impressions, and Treasure Island was The Sea Cook



It made me think of how my titles have changed over the years. Many (if not most) of my books started out as something else entirely. Here are just a few of the changes:

Original Title                                                          New Title
Becoming Cinderella                                             Riches to Rags Bride
The Rancher and the Runway Model                    Cowgirl Makes Three
The Frenchman's Cinderella School                       The Frenchman's Plain-Jane Project
One More Dance                                                   Her Millionaire, His Miracle
Running Toward Heaven                                       The Maid and the Millionaire
Heartthrob Hotel                                                   Marrying Her Billionaire Boss
The Soldier's Choice                                             Much Ado About Matchmaking
The Lone Wolf Claims His Bride                            Saving Cinderella!
Murphy's Magic                                                     The Daddy List
In Gabriel's House                                                 The Baby Wish
The Bachelor, the Beauty and the Baby                 At the Billionaire's Bidding
Substitute Sweetheart                                           Contractually His
The Billionaire's Cinderella School                          Bought by the Billionaire
Her Summer Valentine                                           The Billionaire's Bargain
The Saint and the Sinner                                        The Scandalous Return of Jake Walker
Fantasy FiancĂ©                                                       The Secret Groom

There were other changes and some titles that stuck, but...you get the idea. Things change, and hopefully when they do, it's for the best. Had the Beatles stuck with Johnny & the Moondogs who knows what would have happened? The world might not even be the same place today!

Have a fantastic day! 


2 comments:

Mary Preston said...

I'm surprised at so many changes. Was this the result of moving with the times or re-marketing?

marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Myrna Mackenzie said...

Mary, it's really just the result of trying to find a title that most marketable. I think a lot of heads are put together on these titles. Harlequin has marketing info that they utilize (for example, with the title "Murphy's Magic," they said that the word magic had not sold well in the past, most likely because it sounds a bit paranormal). The title, the art, the back cover blurb are all about selling the book, so they want titles that get readers to pick the book up and read the blurb.