What do you do when you finish a book (finished except for the last chapter which still needs more work) and the sales department doesn’t like the title and wants you to come up with a new one? Fast? Again?
You do what I’m doing. You beg for help and dangle some fun incentives to reward your readers and friends for brainstorming ideas with me.
My July ’09 book about Tiana Tomlinson, the entertainment host of America Tonight, needs a great pithy title. Everyone at my publishing house still gushes over the title, Flirting with Forty. In their minds, its the perfect title and they’d name all my books Flirting with Forty except we’ve used it already and can’t use it again. So what we need is a great, punchy, catchy, commercial, fun, title for Tiana’s book and we need it soon.
To thank you for your help brainstorming, everyone who makes a suggestion gets entered to win the Title Me! prize of a plush tropical Pottery Barn beach towel, a signed copy of The Frog Prince, a $15 Starbucks drink card and my JP summer water bottle.
If my publishers actually pick your suggestion as the new title for my book, that contributor would win a signed copy of Mrs. Perfect, a handblown blue glass ornament from Murano, Venice, and a $50 B&N gift card, and a sneak peek at the book before it’s released.
So there’s two ways to win something fun, and most importantly, you’d have my eternal gratitude.
A little more on Tiana’s story which is set in Los Angeles: She’s a 38 year old beauty who has hosted America Tonight for seven years and has been single since being widowed as a newlywed. She’s dating a hot young actor in the beginning of the book but behind the tabloid pictures things aren’t going so well. Her show ratings are down and she’s losing her younger viewers. Management wants to overhaul her show and bring in a younger female anchor to co-host. Her agent is pressuring her into getting her face done. Her hot sexy boyfriend is behaving strangely. And things unravel from there.
So, ideas? Suggestions? I’m hoping to put together a brainstorm list for my editor and send to her on Monday. Email me with you ideas or put them here in the comment section. I appreciate all your help as always. You guys rock.
How about simply “America Tonight”?
Hi, Jane. *waves* Here are a few suggestions…
Loss of Face
Losing Face
Hosting the Thirties
Losing the Thirties
Here’s a some..
“Enticing Youth”
“Chasing Youth”
“Sinking in the Fountain of Youth”
“The Aging and the Restless”
“Youthful Takeover”
“Sinking Youth”
“The Young Takedown”
Facial Expressions
It’s Not All It’s Cracked Up To Be
FACING FORTY
Youthful Age
Ageless Youth
The Young and the Rested (I know, weak!)
This is fun and will be on my mind for a while so if I think of anymore, I’ll let you know.
OH, and my neighbor said you mailed her something else and she was thrilled! Thanks for keeping her on your mailing list! : )
America’s Not So Sweetheart
Some suggestions:
Turning Back Time
Turning Back The Clock
Growing Down
Cheating Time
Underneath It All
Facing It
Skin Deep
In This Skin
My Façade
My Façade Life
Beauty Mark
Looks Are Everything
Fending Off Forty
Battling Beauty
The Beauty Battle
Yearning For Youth
By the way, my suggestion of “My Facade Life” was supposed to have Facade crossed out, but the strike through feature didn’t translate when the blog comment posted.
Here are a few. This is a very fun idea. Whatever the title is I cannot wait to find out what happens to Tiana.
Testing Tiana
Troubling Tiana
Tianas Triumphs
or
Better with Age
“Pretty Face in the Public Eye”
A couple of suggestions from me:
“Behind The Scenes Of America Tonight”
or
“Unraveling America Tonight”
Good luck with your book.
What fun!
Hope you find something perfect!
How about
Figuring it out fast- Again!
Your own words from your blog made me chuckle : )
“The Botox Memo”
Hmm… Sounds like Tiana’s going to have lots of
confrontations with her boyfriend, agent, and
the show’s producers, as well as her own insecurities, maybe?
She’s also facing (gulp) aging in a youth-oriented
business. So starting with your original “More Than A Pretty Face”, and the confrontation issues, I came around to “FACE-OFF”
I ran “FACE-OFF” past thesaurus.com and got this:
Face-off
Main Entry: confrontation
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: A face-to-face, usually hostile meeting.
Synonyms: encounter
Seems to hit all the points you gave us. Whatcha think?
Title for Jane’s new book:
American Girl
How about “Goodnight Beauty”
I am going to try to think of better ones!
Hey Jane,
Here’s some fun titles!
Tiana’s TV Talk
Tonight with Tiana
Tiana…Time’s Up
Time’s Up Tiana
Hi Jane,
How about…
The Seven Year Switch
Hi Jane, best of luck:
Shiny Veneer
Rusty Veneer
Lip Gloss
Sugarcoat
Semblance
how about:
Eluding the Illusion
Under The Microscope
Tiana’s Illusion
Hi Jane! I happen to like your original title and think it works well but I guess I don’t know as much as the pubs do
Anyway, here goes:
The Age of Grace
Tempting Tiana
Don’t Judge A Book…
Tossing Pennies in the Fountain of Youth
Young Again
Laugh Lines
I’ll try to think of some more. Good luck!!
Jane,
I’m someone who happens to love the original title – you can tell your publishers that!
However, that being said, what about …
DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL
DON’T TOUCH THAT REMOTE
SAVING FACE
FIXING THE TV PRINCESS
REALITY QUEEN
REALITY PRINCESS
38 AND HOLDING
LETTING GO
TACKLING TIANA
RE-FACING REALITY
IT’S MY FACE AND I’LL CRY IF I WANT TO
FACIAL FEAR
ONCE UPON A PRETTY FACE
Okay, Jane, here are some suggestions (my husband helped). If you like any, they’re mine. If you don’t, they came from him.
-Kathleen Irene Paterka
ok here’s a few titles I was thinking about:):)
*Tiana Tomlinson’s Troubled Thirties
*Where do I go from here?
*Don’t Make Me A Has been
*Once A Beauty Queen, Always A Beauty Queen
*It’s not too late at thirty-eight (or 38 whatever you prefer)
that’ll do….:):) good luck love Jenn:):)
Tiana triumphs
Tiana’s Dilemma
Tiana’s Promise
Heart and Soul
Star Queen
Facets of Beauty
Starting Over
Hi Jane! here’s some ideas…
About Face
Skin Deep
Something to Talk About
Botox Battles
Talk is Cheap
Forty Winks
Hmmm…
Saving Face
Prime Time
Whoops…I see Kathleen already suggested Saving Face.
Ah, gee, I’m terrible at titles!
America’s Sweetheart- or- Hollywood Sweetheart
The Trouble With Tiana
38 Special
This Side Of Thirty
Forty Becomes Her
Good Luck! I’m sure you’ll find a fabulous title with everyone’s help!
“Hollywood Shuffle”
Ooh… titles are so hard!! What about a TV-themed title?
In Full Color
Close Up
[or does Tiana have a signature saying on her show that could be used for a title?]
Camera Shy
Exposure
Tuning In
Tuning Out
That’s all my brain can come up with now!
Wow, there are some really good titles listed above…
here are my thoughts
* Fade to Forty
* Time and Beauty Pass
* The Superficial Blues
* Passing Beauty
Good luck Jane!
Well here are a few of my thoughts for the title:
- “Facing Reality”
- “Not so hot, tonight”
- “Fearing Fourty”
Thats all I can think of.
Take care Jane.
Shelley
These are really not as good as some listed above but here are few thoughts:
Fading Gracefully
Fading into Forty (since they like Flirting With Forty)
Losing Her Luster
ok here’s some more..
A Fine Line
Top Priority
Prime Time
In her Prime
Defining Beauty
Hi Jane!
How about one of these:
All This And A Bag Of Chips
Widowed in Wonderland
Tabloid Tales
Tiana Tabloid
Good luck!
Cheers,
Christine
a couple off the top of my head
Who said 40 is the new 20?
Surviving Hollywood (when youre past your prime)
Fade out
The used to be IT girl
38 and holding
Almost forty and still fabulous
When fashion meets forty
Anyway, good luck!
Robin
ok here’s a few more:):)
*What’s Wrong With Just Me
*Beauty Queen to TV Queen,Now What?
*Beauty Always Fades?
*Hollywood Throw-Out
Ok done:):) Jennifer:):)
Okay heres a couple off the top of my head.
Exposed
Upgrade
negative image
okay there a bit dark, but it sounds like she’ll be thrown for a loop.
good luck
jody
Almost Forty Finally Fine
Pushing Forty Feeling Fine
Figuring it Out Before Forty
Alright at Almost Forty
Lost (Youth) and Found (Happiness)
Tiana Gets Tough Enough
“Pretty Face Facade”???
~ Disappointed Passions ~
~ Defining Moments ~
~ Passions of Despair ~
~ Living the Dream ~
with
passion and despair
~ Moment of Truth ~
Thanks Jane!! You’re the BEST!!
“Another Pretty Face”
Hi Jane! Here’s a couple from me:
“Untangling Tiana”
“Hollywood Has-Been”
Good luck finding one that works!
Kelli
Hi Jane!
The camera never lies
Beauty and the (can’t think of a word to substitute for Beast)
Facing the Camera
Right Side to Camera
Cracking Forty
Cracks Starting to Show
Cracks Beneath the Surface
More > Skin Deep
Beauty in the Spotlight
Laughter Lines
Papering over the Cracks
Beauty under Pressure
Wrong Side of Thirty
Beauty spots (some kind of play on spotlight)
Knocked off the Pedestal
Thirty the new forty
Frozen at Forty
Beneath the Surface
Beauty unanchored
Holding back time
Wrong Side to Camera
Caught on Camera
Sue
I’m supposed to be ironing, but:
Facing Forward
Best Face Forward
Camouflaged on Camera
Flirting with a FaceLift
Ok, definitely going now.
Sue
I also loved the original title…so boo to the publishers who thought it wouldn’t work!!
More Beautiful With Age
Ageless Beauty
Fear of Aging
What Matters Most
Finding the Fountain of Youth
Wow! This is hard! Hope you get some good feedback and find a great title
Really looking forward to reading the new book
Have an awesome weekend!!
Melissa
I have one more idea- you could use a title that is one of the tabloid headlines, something really outrageous and eye catching like- “Tiana Tomlinson has Sex on the Beach!” or, whatever fits with the story
)
Hi Jane,
I received my groovy hot pink bag, beach towel,book, and fun stuff! Thanks so much.
As the happy winner of the last contest, here are my suggestions:
It’s a Wrap
Leaving Thirty Eight(or whatever number you like in the thirties)
Script Change
Beyond the Camera
Suggested titles:
Flavor of the Month
Flirty, Fabulous and . . . Almost Forty?
Show Stopper
Prime Time
Passing Prime Time
Hanging On
Prime Time Panic
Media Darlings
What Have You Done for Me Lately?
The REDO
Redux
Fabulous Forty
Fighting Forty
Camilla
Class Act
The Next Face
Entertaining Tiana
The Entertainment Myth
The Beauty Myth
Lessons in Beauty
How about….
More Flirting with Forty
Flirting with Forty-one
Flirting with Forty again
Don’t know if you can use this because of the “b-” word, but it sounds like Tiana has a lot to “b” about! –
The Seven Year Bitch(fest)
Hi Jane,
Okay, I’m thinking, too!
Taking Off The Tiara
More Than A Pretty Face
The Next Half
This is harder than I thought !
Julie
Titles are so hard when you haven’t read the book, but if the character really embraces the changes/growth she goes through by book’s end, I think an apt title would be:
Aging Gratefully
how about:
newsworthy or just “old” news
beauty can be a beast
classy news
Tiara sounds:
“Fabulously Fallible”
or
“Fallible and Fabulous.”
~k…
or
“Finding Fabulous”
or
“Chasing Fabulous”
Hi Jane,
I agree – I love the title Flirting with Forty!
My suggestions & good luck finding the right title.
Yesterday’s News
Almost a Has Been
Ready For Her Close-up
Close-up and Personal
Loose Lips
Again, good luck
Debra
Tarnished Tiara – Tiana’s Story
or just Tarnished Tiana
Good luck – LOVE your books and can not wait for this one.
Okay, Jane, I’ll give you one if you give me one for my latest. LOL. The title has to start with the word ALL.
As for you . . .
TINSEL TALK
In reading through your site, I see lots of changes in your life!
Stef Ann
“Skin Deep”
“like a find wine..”
“underneath it all”
“turning the page”
“single, sassy and senile?”
“over the hill? NOT!!!”
How about…
“Skin Deep” ?
Forty is the New Thirty
Back again
Unreeling the Anchorwoman
Anchorwoman Unreeled
Reeling from the News
Breaking News
Reeling in the Limelight
Entertaining 40
Miss America Tonight – Unreeled
Reeling from Reality
Reality Check
Sue
Just for Show
Not for Real
Jane,
Congrats on having this kind of problem! My humble suggestions:
Tiana Tonight and Tomorrow
Tiana Tonight…but Tomorrow?
An Irreplaceable Face (with the “Ir” crossed out)
An Unforgetable Face (with the “Un” crossed out)
Facing 38
BTW: I thought your first title fit fine. It’s so inspiring to read about your books and your career, as one chick lit writer who “made it.”
Show Host vs Co-Host
Life Beyond America Tonight
TV Hostess Shares Duties
Bring On The Show!!
Beauty Vs Brains
Age Versus Beauty
Age Versus Youth
One For the Money, Two for the Show
Lights, Camera, Action(I think there is a book titled this)
Tiana’s Spotlight
Going, Going….Here to Stay
Tiana’s Comeback
* I read all the entries, honestly, and hope I never suggested some of them.
Jane, I find one of the hardest parts of writing is coming up with titles. Hope these help:
Once Upon a Star
Shooting Star
To Catch a Falling Star
To Catch a Fallen Star
Once Upon a Kiss
Kiss & Tell
Sitting Pretty
Pretty Baby
Hi Jane:
Here are my suggestions.
America’s Beauty
Not Just Another Pretty Face
Coming Attraction
Beauty Mark
and…just for fun
Tits-Talk
(sounds like a porno..ha)
Good luck!
Traci
Hi Jane, this is my first post how about
Hollywood has been
Mrs. Hollywood
Helpless in Hollywood
Saving Face
Hollywood Hotshot
Simply Hollywood
Hollywood Hottie
Oops I meant Ms. Hollywood
hey jane…
t.a.b. (tiana american beauty)
Fronting up to Forty
Harsh Light of LA
Fixed Smile
Smile for the Camera
Trouble for Tiana
Tiana’s Tinsel Town
Behind the Scenes
My first idea is:
Thirtyish and Thriving
But then I looked up stuff on film slang, and this is what I came up with:
1) Second Banana (cute)
2) Overexposed (Tiana is obviously this!!)
3) Above the Line (usually refers to that part of a film’s budget that covers the costs associated with MAJOR creative talent–is Tiana “above the line”? or “below the line”?)
4) Redlighted (refers to a film project that was in production, but lost its financial backing – resulting in a premature abandonment by the studio–sounds like Tiana to me!)
5) One Woman Show
6) Fading In (from complete black to full exposure; a ‘fade in’ is often at the beginning of a sequence, and a ‘fade out’ at the end of a sequence–so it’s an optimistic title–Tiana’s life is being re-created–ironically “fading in” at the end of the book??).
7) Flash in the Pan (very cute)
9) Magic Hour (the optimum time for filming romantic or magical scenes due to ‘warm’ and ‘soft’ lighting conditions–perfect for aging” actresses!!!! But the phrase also has such hopeful overtones. Tiana is entering “the magic hour” of her life)
10) Cross-over–(something that appeals to more than one genre, which is what you sometimes have to do to survive in the entertainment business! Maybe Tiana gets a new audience by the end of the book, thanks to her resourcefulness. But Tiana is also “crossing over” that divide from young woman to mature woman–cool concept)
I don’t think it’s been said yet…it’s simple & combines two major elements of the story:
Tiana Tonight
Sounds like a book I’d love to read.
Younger, skinnier, me
Aging Audrey Hepburn
My life behind the camera
Ageless beauty
Avoiding the fall
Replacing Tiana
Age does matter
This is hard work! Lynn
Putting on a Brave Face
Goodnight from Ms America Tonight? (bit confusing)
Two Faces of Tianna
Tianna’s Two Faces
Two-faced Tianna (I just think the artwork could be fun with this with Tianna holding up a mask or something)
Face Of(Or Off with the second ‘f’ struck through) Forty
Sue… fast running out of ideas
American Sweetheart
Face-Off
Do-Over
Saving Face
Tiana Tonight
Behind the Scenes
A Change of Scene
Hi, Jane! I interned at Entertainment Tonight back in college. It was fun! How about…
Under the Spotlight
Jane,
How about:
Chasing Fame
Goodnight, America
Fame and Forty
Does she have a tag line that she ends her show with? That may work.
GOOD HEAVENS JANE!!!
So many titles! So of course I’ve got to add some!
How about . . .
Blame it on High Def
Camera, Ready, Fake!
Botox or Bust
Camera, Action, Plastic Smile
Perpetual Smile
Pretty Face
Pretty Is
Faking Out
The Big Fake
The Big Reveal
Plastic Lies
Love or Bust
Flirting with Disaster
Flirting with Botox
Courting Plastic
Courting America
Courtship with America
Have Fun!
MARIAN
Make Me Over
Making Tiana Over
Don’t Make Me Over
No Makeover Required
Making Myself Over
Stop the Makeover
Perfectly Perfect
Practically Perfect
Imperfectly Perfect
Perfectly Flawed
Under Pressure
Chasing Ratings
Tiana’s New Show
Getting worse as I go,
Anna
Purrfect Thirty
Being in YOur Prime is Not a Crime
Delicious Innocence
Tiana in Training
Looking for Me
Living on the Edge
Tiana’s Treasure
Tiana’s Little Secret
Bright Lights, Big Lis
My Time to Live
From here to Maturity
Hi Jane!
There are some fantastic suggestions here. So many, in fact I hesitate to add mine to the pile. But, nothing ventured nothing gained, so her goes.
* Just Below the Surface
* A Moments Passing
* Prime Example
* Just Don’t Ask “What’s Next?”
Best of luck, I’m sure you’ll find the perfect pattern of words to form the title for Tiana’s story.
Dragon
Hey everyone, these are all so good! I love ‘em and am compiling a huge list to send to my editor in the morning. I’ll keep you posted on results. Thank you to all!!
Jane
Hi Jane, you have some great suggestions on here already. I’m been thinking about this for a few days, in fact I had to get up the other night to right down my thoughts LOL!
Here are a few thoughts:
The Struggling Cougar
The Cougar Lossing Her Edge
Cougar No More
Thirty, Flirty and Thriving
The Cutting Edge
Falling of the Edge
Falling From The Top
Cuts Like a Knife
The Botox Babe
Hollywood Hottie
Beauty and Brains in LA
Little Miss Can’t Do Wrong
Little Miss Can’t Do Right
Good luck and I’ll keep thinking!
Dethroning a Primetime Princess
Fading Spotlights
The Prime Time Coup
Past Her Prime Time
Wishing on a TV Star
Limelight Lessons
A Change of Scenery
I’m not sure exactly where the story goes, and if these may sound too negative, but a couple more:
Scooped
D-Listed
Good luck with the title!
Tiana Tonight
Behind the Scenes
Behind Closed Doors
Holding Onto Hollywood
LA Limbo
Miss Informed
Miss Understood
Life in the Fast Lane
This is REALLY hard! Here are some ideas to run with…..or not
Take 38
Generation Tinsel
Tinsel Tinted Lip Gloss
The Tinsel Age
Dancing in Tinsel High Heels
Tinsel Colored Glasses
The Woman Behind the Tinsel
Tinsel Dreams
Show Me The Tinsel!
Tinsel Sparkle
Keeping the Faith
Keeping the Face
I hope I didn’t suggest something that someone else said…
Sorry, one more…
Can I stop smiling now?
How about “The Backside of 30″?
Cheers!
Hi Jane!!
How about America’s Sweetheart? or
I Am Not Dead Yet?
Barb
P.S. it was great seeing you tonight.
How about “Love Forty”
Title Me!
1.Face This: I will survive, just Watch & See.
2.So Tell Me What You Really Think about Me? 3 Decades of excellence.
3. Beauty;Only Face Deep, So What!
4.Survival; One Day In The Life of a Talk Show Host.
5. Face First& @ My Prime
6. You have Got To Be Kidding Me!30 Something is Poppin!
Jane,
URGENT!!!!!!!
I am a huge fan & thank you for forwading your care packeages w your up & coming latest arrivals.Currently Odd Mom Out, love it.But as my neighbor Stepahnie Elliott shared w/you my all time favorite is Flirty With Forty. I have lent it out 4times.I had to go to Maui & Surf this summer. Lucky for me it was an awards trip.It was a must! “Kai” was all I could think about, I was deranged.However I was w my husband & 3 Children. My instructor’s were pretty good looking, my husband kept asking me if I saw the Bulldog Tatoo,like Kai’s? Joking of course. “Kai” was our standing joke.Where do you come up w these stories? I have a many. Especially w/in the Pharmaceutical Industry. Some jucy ones too. Any how take care & keep those can’t put down books coming! It makes my day & I love to laugh when I read, thank your inspiration.
Hello Jane,
Whatever you title your book…I’ll read! it:)
Coming in at #101…
Station Break
Changing Channels
Remote Control
Late Night Channel Surfing
Wishing you only the best…
Mary J.
Hi Jane, Here are a few title ideas:
CALIFORNIA BEAUTY
BEACH BEAUTY
CALIFORNIA DREAMS
TINSELTOWN BEAUTY
LOST IN TINSELTOWN
TINSELTOWN SWEETHEART
Love your books Jane! I too like your original title. I know I’m a little late but thought I’d throw this out there.
“More Than You Know”
How about:
Tick Tock
or
I Can’t be Old, I Still Feel So Young
Hey Jane –
Great idea and I hope I am not too late…
“Temptations”
“Hollywood Hangups”
“Flirting with Fame”
“Reality Check”
“Flirting with Temptations”
“Struggling with Perfection”
“Struggling with Secrets”
“The Hidden Truth”
Okay there are a few off the top of my head! Good luck~
Cheryl
Secrets of a Hollywood Anchor
Facing Forty
“Cover Girl”, “Beyond Me”,
Hi Jane,
I finally found where I am suppose to post the suggestion, Yeah. I suck at the internet.
Well here it is:
Oh So Pretty!