Hi everyone! Sorry for my long absence--between the Antioch residency (amazing), wedding planning (fun but hectic), starting the summer session at UCR and other various life-related distractions, I haven't had time to blog. I hope you are having a wonderful summer!
I heard from my PEARS editor yesterday. I guess I can't really call her my PEARS editor anymore because Ballantine wants me to change the name of the novel. I'd grown very attached to PEARS (I'm even going to have marzipan pears on my wedding cake), but I know how important it is to have a resonant title, so I've been listing potential alternatives, and would love some input. I am hoping the title will speak, even subtly, to both threads of the story--those following the mother and daughter who end up at a pear orchard in the Sacramento Delta, as well as the pairs figure skating team bound for the Olympics. And of course I want something that will inspire people to pick up the book (Ballantine thought that PEARS wasn't evocative enough.) These are my top picks so far:
--How to Pick the Perfect Pear
--Lifting
--Compulsory Moves
--Picking Pears
--Pear Season
--Pears on Ice
--Ripening (or maybe Ripeness or Ripe)
Let me know what you think, or if you have any other suggestions. If I come up with other top picks, I'll let you know
I have a pub date now, which is exciting--July 10, 2010, almost exactly one year away. The book will be released as an original trade paperback instead of in hardcover first. With the economy the way it is, this makes a lot of sense to me (USA Today featured an article titled Trade paperbacks thrive in tough times earlier this year.) Most readers I know tend to wait until a paperback is released to buy a book, so hopefully this will bode well for the novel; my editor told me that if a hardcover doesn't do well (and none of mine have), bookstores are less likely to order many copies when the paperback comes out a year later--original trade paperbacks have more of a clean slate. So we shall see how this goes!
Thanks in advance for your help--I love the idea of this being a collective experience...
20 comments:
What about instead of How to...,
Picking the Perfect Pear
or,
Picking a Perfect Pear
?
Can't help but think of the two homophones of pear: pare and pair.
Pare is to break down, pair is to couple up.
Is there a way you can draw on the novel's theme with one of these homophones?
Hmm..
Chilled Pears? The Chilled Pear?
Pare is also to remove the outer layer.
A Pareable Season
or
A Season, Pareable
Cover art could be five pears loosely arranged like the Olympic rings with one pear having a coil of peal and a paring knife off to the side.
The double entendre of pareable would catch my eye immediately off the shelf.
The Paring Season
I like "Ripe" . . .
Hi Gayle,
You've just got to have pears in the title -- the fruit -- for sure!
So with that in mind I like the first title best, How to Pick the Perfect Pear. Or maybe just The Perfect Pear? Or Perfecting Pears? I'll keep thinking about it!
Yay on the publication date! Can't wait to get my hands on it.
xoxo
I'm not sure you've found it yet, but I agree with the editor that "Pears" by itself isn't evocative enough.
"Ripe" to me sounds more promising, or maybe some variation on Hamlet's "ripeness is all"...but I confess the right phrase hasn't come to me, either.
Paring pairs
Paring pears
Pairing pares
Pairing pears
pears that pair after paring
pears that pare after pairing
Ripe ice pairs
Complimentary paring
Pair season
Pear lifting
pared pears pair on ice
pear necessities
Picking pears
How to pare the perfect pear
ripe ice pears
talking pears
Solid Pear
Glacial Paring
Frozen paring... break time
I'm drawn to both How to Pick the Perfect Pear and Ripening. But I'd buy (in hardback) anything with your name on it anyway, so...
Best to you always!
Hmmmm. I'm really drawn to Pears on Ice, but also Ripening.
I also like Hibernia's suggestion of Picking the Perfect Pear. And Catiporter's idea of shortening to simply The Perfect Pear.
Having a little trouble concentrating after reading about your marzipan pears on the wedding cake. Mmmmmmmm. This marzipan lover says heavenly. Absolutely heavenly.
Hey Gayle -
Ugg - titles. :-) I still am not in love with Writing Begins with the Breath -- so I totally understand this new conundrum. I'm sorry they don't like Pears. I think Pears is the best of all -- but I know that's not an option. My second choice would be Pears on Ice. I'll keep thinking as well -- or, here's the best :-) -- Skating Begins with the Pear. LOL.
xoxo
Laraine
Oh wait - what about Iced Pears?
My vote goes for Perfect Pears or The Perfect Pear ... which sends me directly into the double meaning.
Have been thinking about your pears all morning as I strolled the Farmers Market (and you know how I feel about that experience!). Kept coming back to The Epitaph of a Peach, which I'm sure we must have talked about, as it's one of my faves and reminds me of you.
Wow--thanks so much, everyone! I'm bowled over by your creativity and support. You are all so wonderful!
I heard from my editor today that the publisher doesn't like any of the proposed Pear titles, which makes me sad--I would hate to lose Pears from the title completely (and you all came up with such great ones!) I'll keep you posted...
Thanks again!
xoxo
gayle
Pearing
I know you will come up with the perfect title but please incorporate pears...I see the cover so clearly, a close up of the gentle curve of a ripe pear.
Oh, there it is. Curve of A Ripe Pear
Hi Gayle--hope all is well. May be a bit late, but these are just some ideas based on the description of the book in this post.
The Figure Of Pears
The Shape Of Pears
The Golden Pear
Green Ice
That was fun, and I look forward to reading your book!
I liked the last post-- The Shape of Pears and also Ripening.
Pears on Ice makes me think of penguins ice-skating...not sure why.
I'm with Laraine, I love the simple 'PEAR'...how about 'PEARS WITH ICED CREAM' nahhh, just 'PEAR'... In Oaxaca went to a marvelous restaurant on the Zocalo, 'Como Agua Pa' Chocolate'...after the novel, 'Like Water With Chocolate'...and I had the Quails in Rose Sauce...wow, I actually felt dizzy eating it, will post a photo of it on Facebook. Hope your wedding is wonderful, to pears...Almaluz xoxo
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