Happy December! I’ve been working with my editor on the backcover copy for my new women’s fiction book out in September from Berkley. So far the title is my own working title, The Good Woman, and I’m hoping they keep it. I thought I’d share the back cover blurb with you, but remember that it will probably change before the book comes out. Editors have to get approval from sales and marketing folks on everything from cover art, to title, to that all-important back copy before the book his the shelves.
The backcover copy that we’re playing with right now:
——————
Is it possible to leave it all behind?
Meg Brennan Roberts is a good woman…a successful publicist, faithful wife, and doting mother
of three. She is also the eldest daughter of a large Irish-American family and takes her role as
the first born very seriously, priding herself on making the right decisons. But the years of being
‘good’ have taken a toll. While her career at Dark Horse Winery is thriving, Meg’s tired and
empty, and her husband has never seemed more distant.
After an emotional weekend with her mom and sisters during their annual Brennan Girls’ Getaway
at the beach house, Meg returns home with a desperate need to connect with her husband but
he’s distracted and pushes her away. Lonely, Meg accepts the opportunity to attend the London
Wine Fair with her boss, the ruggedly handsome vintner, Chad Hallahan. In London, Chad
confesses that he’s attracted to her.
Shocked, Meg can’t believe someone like Chad would want her, and returns home questioning
her life and marriage. Suddenly Meg wants to escape…but for more than a weekend this time.
When one risky decision leads to another, Meg’s world comes crashing down. Meg’s sisters are
horrified, unable to believe that virtuous, do-gooder Meg would do so wrong. Now with her
marriage in tatters, and her sisters shunning her, Meg must make the choice of her life.
——————-
Now what I need from you (and everyone that makes a suggestion gets entered to win a Regency Escape prize, which includes Mary Balogh and Elizabeth Boyle histoical romance novels, 2 Jane Austen movies, and more wonderful goodies) is a tag-line that could go on the front and back of the book that says something about sisters, since this is a sisters trilogy…and I’m so bad about this sort of thing.
Are any of you clever? Want to pretend to be clever for my sake? Here’s my best attempt:
Sisters…can’t live with them, but can’t live without them
You can suggest one, or three, or three hundred. Anything and everything that might have something about being a sister in it, or being a Brennan sister will be added to the list. Suggest something and you’ve got a chance to win the Regency Prize. And if this isn’t your thing, I get it. It’s not my strength but I’m trying…I’m trying!
PS This is a super short contest–just a day–as I’d like to compile a list to send to my editor by Friday afternoon!
Sisters have the courage to tell you what you don’t want to hear.
Especially when you don’t want to hear it.
Sisters. You can’t hide anything from them. Especially the truth.
Sisters can see right through you.
Sisters will tell you what no one else will.
Only sisters will say to your face what everyone else says behind your back.
Happy Writing Sistah Jane!
I loved this one:
Sisters. You can’t hide anything from them. Especially the truth.
My sister’s keeper
Sisters in crisis
Tears and trials of sisterhood
I think more and get back to you
Sounds like a great series. Can’t wait to read the books!
Sisters, keeping secrets and passing judgement
Sisters tell you what you need to hear
Caring sisters, daring secrets
I keep thinking of that Irving Berlin song about sisters: “Lord help the mister who comes between me and my sister. And, Lord help the sister who comes between me and my guy!” or something like that.
Good luck Jane, hope you find what you need.
Last attempts:
No matter what, they are still sisters!
Family ties that bind can trip up sisters!
Sisters can make family ties into a knot!
Love me, love my sisters, too!
Sister troubles, life turned upside down!
Sisters are forever, no matter what.
A sister will always tell you like it is.
Destiny of sisters.
That’s all I can think of right now.
Based on your book description, all I can think of is:
Sisters want only the best for you… but do they always know what that is?
The book sounds great, I can’t wait until it comes out!
Blood is thicker than water…unless you happen to be one of Meg’s sisters
Sisters should stick with you through thick and through thin. Too bad Meg’s sisters didn’t get the memo.
You can pick your friends…too bad you can’t pick out your sisters.
When is being the good sister bad for you?
Why is it that being the good sister sometimes means doing bad things?
Why is it that sometimes when you’re the bad sister, it feels so good?
I’m sure you’ll rock it Jane! : )
Brennan Sisters heart and soul
Sisters will get to the heart of it.
Sisters always know.
Sisters love from the heart
Hard to do this without more details about the book. Is it going to be part of a series?
Sisters can be your best friend or your biggest critic.
No one knows what is best for you
like your sister…whether you
like it or not.
I see a lot of quotes about sisters so is this a series? Because I don’t get that from the blurb..
I would go with something like
Choices from the heart
or
Good or bad…whatever choice she makes her life is changed forever..
The Brennan Sisters Rock….always there for each other.
No escaping your sisters…they are forever in your heart.
Sisters….Super smart and full of heart.
Jane,
Happy December 1st! 🙂
I smile because you’re my sister … I laugh because there’s nothing you can do about it.
Brennan Sisters … Good Brennan gone bad
Sisters will be there through thick and thin … but sometimes there is only so much one can take
Good sister gone bad
Can this sister be saved?
When the going gets tough, the Brennan sisters get going.
Brennan Blood is thicker than water … but will Meg’s actions push everyone over the edge?
Sisters…bound by blood, loved by choice.
Hi Jane,
I´ll give it a shot. I do have a sister so I should now a little about it 🙂
When I think about my sister the following comes to my mind:
– My true best friend
– Best friends by choice
– Very different but always sisters
Looking forward to your new book.
Hi, Jane, Happy December!
Something like: They say that
SISTERS ARE FOREVER (or SISTERS ARE FOREVER FRIENDS) …(followed by the cover copy)
I also keep thinking of the lyrics to “Sisters” from ‘White Christmas:” ‘Heaven help the man who comes between me and my sister(s), and heaven help the sister(s) who comes between me and my man!”
There’s a wonderful quote by Linda Sunshine that goes like this: More than Santa Claus, a sister(s) no when you’ve been bad or good!
I’m not good at this at all…but I wanted to check in and say hi!!
Great title!!! How ’bout
The problem with sisters is they want to pick your Mr.!
A sister is the first friend you will have
Jane, I love the back cover copy! Nice!
Three sisters, three lives, one heart.
Sisters are forever, men not so much.
The Brennan’s three….break one heart and you break three.
Sisters for a lifetime, even when you don’t want them.
Sisters: all good until one does something the others don’t like.
I can’t wait to read this book. I don’t have a clever blurb at the moment–feeling brain dead! But some of the above are very good!
I especially loved what Gin said:
Sisters. You can’t hide anything from them. Especially the truth.
Sisters are forever friends.
Sisters share and sisters keep secrets.
Jane,
Sisters are supposed to help each other through the big things and cherish together the little things.
There is no problem that sisters cannot confront, combat, plot against, ignore, make fun of, drown in chocolate sauce, or run over with the car.
Those are 2 I found on second floor…will look for more tomorrow.
Book sounds awesome! Can’t wait to read it!
Cindy
A sisters love, the hardest to lose.
The jealousy of sisters, wishing it could be you.
The tests of unconditional love between sisters.
Sisters know how to hurt the deepest.
How could this happen, they are sisters.
Okay just a few thoughts, what ever you choose I am sure the book will be great and a good read.
Sisters: born into the same family, but a world apart.
Hiding secrets isn’t easy when you have sisters.
Meg might want to escape her life, but her sisters won’t make it easy.
Sisterhood, a club from which there is no escape.
Sisterhood, a club that has no secrets.
Jane,
I know you will come up with something fabulous. The book and series sounds wonderful.
The first thing that came to my mind was a twist on marriage vows…..
“Sisters, for better or worse, good times and bad, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health……sisters will always be sisters
Can they put Sisters before Misters?
Is there any person in your life more blunt than your sister?
You can run but can you ever hide from your sister?
Sisterhood, the bond you can’t break, even with an axe.
Sister, the one who is always there with the bad news.
You can always count on your sister to rip those rose colored glasses off your face.
The best of times combined with the worst of times equals sisterhood.
When a sister’s lies can break family ties
sisters forever friends for never
You don’t need your sister’s approval when making life decisions but sometimes you want it when their not willing to give it……..
Sisters will always have your back when no one else does
Sisters are just like a mother
I may not be great with tag lines, but I have to tell you that I want to read this one!! 🙂
How about…
You can escape everything…except your sisters!
sisterhood never ends
sisters are your forever friends
Sisters tell it like it is-no holding back, stand united, blood is thicker than water,will listen to you no matter what-I don’t have any sisiters but my cousin Joanne is like one to me and were quite close so she’s has been my sounding board for me and I’ve been their for her. We pray for each other.
“Sisters…womb-mates forever!”
Had to write this first before reading others and chickening out…just know there are some fabulous titles listed.
Although I grew up with two older sisters, one lovely to me…the other not so much(understated), it was only when friends Linda then Teresa came into my life at separate times that I began to realize and understand the “sisterhood” I had been hearing existed in many people’s lives, yearned for, yet missing for decades in my own. Bless all women who have room for just one more “sister-by-choice”.
If you want the truth about life… ask your sister.
Submitted by my daughter about her sister. 🙂
Gigi
Looking forward to reading about the Brennans…when will it come out?
You might not always like them, but you always love your sisters.
A good sister tells you what you need to hear… not what you want to hear.
Sisters always there when you need them… even when you don’t.
Sisters from the heart
Like hearts that beat together
Sisters- love you even when doubting you
Sisters through thick and thin
Sisters till the end
love the blurb!
I have 3 sisters and 2 sister’s-in-law…and I can’t think of anything better than some of the ones I’ve seen already posted here. I’ll noodle it over for a little while and see what I can come up with.
Good luck, dear. I can’t wait to read this new series!
Sisters or Misters, who will prevail?
Ah, the perfect procrastination exercise for a novelist/copywriter ;- )
Here you go, Jane:
Because being a Brennan has its privileges…except when it doesn’t.
The Brennan Sisters…don’t try this at home.
Because being a Brennan means never having to say you’re sorry…more than X times.
Being a Brennan means never having to say you’re sorry…more than X times.
So many sisters, so little time.
The Brennans…so many sisters, so little time.
The Brennans…sisterhood with a twist.
Meet the Brennans…sisterhood with a twist.
Because a little sisterly love goes a long, long way.
Because a little sisterly love goes a long way.
The Brennans…taking sibling rivalry to a whole new level.
The Brennans…sibling rivalry just got interesting.
The Brennans…giving sibling rivalry a new name.
The Brennans…sibling rivalry times X.
The Brennans…putting the sibling in rivalry.
The Brennans….anything worth doing is worth doing again. And again…
The Brennans…anything worth doing is worth doing X times.
Sisters in arms, partners in crime.
The Brennans…sisters in arms, partners in crime.
The Brennans…giving sisters in arms a whole new spin.
The Brennans…what one sister can do well, X can do better.
Sisters driving you crazy? Meet the Brennans…
For the sister who has everything…introducing the Brennans.
For the sister who has everything…meet the Brennans.
The Brennans…giving new meaning to family time.
Because when it comes to sisters, you can do hard time or you can do easy time.
Because when it comes to family, you can do hard time or you can do easy time.
Because sisters always have your back…except when they’re riding it.
Because sisters always have your back…except when they’re stabbing it.
Because sisters are always on your side…except when they’re not.
In the Brennan family, sisterhood is forever…and a day.
In the Brennan family, sisterhood lasts forever…and a day.
Ooh, Kim’s suggestion – The Brennans – sibling rivalry just got interesting
Love it – it gets away from the emotional aspect (cos lets face it, a lot of us do not have great relationships with our siblings), it is punchy and really hints at some darn good stories in this series.
And I echo the others – I want to read that book based on that blurg. Go Jane!
Wow! I love all these great tag lines!! You guys really came through for me. Thank you so much!
I put all the numbers in a hat and today’s winner is #38 Gigi! Shoot me an email with your info and I’ll get the prize in the mail next week!
Thank you all, for your fantastic help! You’ve given me so much food for thought. Love it!!
Sisters. Can’t live with them. Can’t blame someone else without them.
Sisters. Can’t live with them. Can’t play mind games without them. (though that’s one I usual use to describe men)
Sisters. The women who know you best and love you in spite of it/nonetheless/anyways.
Sisterhood…unbreakable and inescapable
Don’t get between sisters and their misters
Sisters…sharing tears, cheers, and snarls
Thank you so much Jane.
I sent you an email with the mailing info.
Hi Jane…just read this so I’m not worried about the contest being over. As the youngest of four sisters, I speak from vast experience:
Sisters. There for you when the truth hurts…and always ready to tell you why!