Titles, Titles Everywhere...

Paul's weekly mishegoss...

Seems like all the Naked Authors have been crushed on deadline the last couple weeks. I just sent off the manuscript of my fourth "Solomon vs. Lord" novel, entitled "_____________."

No, it's not a secret. It's just not yet titled. Hmmm. If you go onto the Random House website, you'll find "The Lawyer Who Couldn't Lie," due out next June. Same thing on the Amazon site, and several other on-line booksellers.

But if you look at the manuscript, the title is "Solomon's Rib."

The story involves an animal liberation raid (dolphins) that goes bad, resulting in a death. Steve Solomon defends a murder trial...and through a legal quirk, his lover Victoria Lord is the prosecutor. Yep, an homage to "Adam's Rib," the battle-of-the-sexes Spencer Tracy/Katherine Hepburn picture from 1949. And who says I'm behind the times?

So what's the title to be? How about some help? Some titles that have been in and out of the hopper include "Shark Bait," "Court Date," "The Shark and the Mermaid," "Love Kills," "Nice Lawyers Finish Last," "And Justice for None," "Flirting with Contempt," "A Kiss Before Closing," "The Second Best Defense," "Solomon's Song," and "The Advocate's Devil."

Ordinarily, the writer chooses a title that is approved by the editor without much fuss. (That's my history, anyway. Fellow Naked Authors may have something to say here). If there's a problem, you're asked to come up with some alternatives. This is my 12th novel, and we've never come this close to publication (June 2007) without a title carved in stone.

I'll keep you posted and I'm open to suggestions, criticisms, and witticisms.

KEEPING A SERIES FRESH

At a writers' conference last weekend, I was asked how to keep series' characters fresh.

GREAT question.

You'd think I'd have a ready answer. I've written seven books in the "Jake Lassiter" series and now four in the "Solomon vs. Lord" series. I struggled with the answer and came up with this.

Your characters must grow. Just as in real life, events must make a lasting impact. If your protagonist is wounded by a gunshot or dumped by a lover or loses a parent, that should carry forward to the next book.

This contrasts with the typical television series, particularly crime procedurals. Prosecutor Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) hasn't changed anything, including his hairstyle in the 179 years he's been playing hardball with criminals. (He also hasn't smiled). I guess there's something reassuring for the viewer, dozing in front of the TV, when characters say and do the same things week after week.

But isn't it more fun and challenging for the writer and the reader if the characters evolve over time? A great example is "White Sister," Stephen J. Cannell's fifth Shane Scully novel. The relationship between homicide detective Scully, his wife (fellow cop) Alexa, and their adopted son Chooch continues to grow, sometimes in dangerous directions.

(The Shane Scully series mixes authentic police lingo (think Joseph Wambaugh) with violent action (think Lee Child) and an unusual amount of introspection (think Michael Connelly).

I can't tell you what happens to one of the Scully family about 1/4 of the way into "White Sister" without spoiling the jolting impact. But...I usually see things coming, and I was so shocked, I stopped and re-read the chapter. It propelled me through the rest of the book, and it will forever change the series. Sorry for the vagueness, but I hate it when reviewers (or book jackets) give away too much.

COMING SOON

I'll be at the Miami International Book Fair (Nov. 18-19) for both "Kill All the Lawyers" and "Miami Noir." More later.

By Paul