What's in a name...

You'd think as a writer, actually composing 90K plus words would be the hardest part of the process. Naming characters, figuring our how the story flows together and making sure you keep days and clothes straight are all challenges you face in order to make a novel more than just a collection of words. But picking a title, child's play.

Or is it?

After getting four contracts in a month, the hardest thing I've faced is having to rename two of my books. Yup, twice the dreaded email has popped up... title change requested. But what's the big deal?

For many, I'm sure it's nothing. They sprout great titles as easily as dandelions grow in my yard. But for me. I might as well try to cut off a limb as come up with another name. After all, I've probably spent more time agonizing over the first one than I did writing the damn thing. And if not, it was close. So how do you pull an amazing title out of the proverbial hat?

If you're me, you don't. You think, and you ponder and when all else fails, you ask for help. Hopefully from one of those title making machine people. But in the end, you pick something that goes with the book, knowing that for you, it'll never be anything other than the name you chose the first time. But heck, I guess no one else will know.

So the next time you read a novel take a second to wonder if there could've been another title once upon a time. If the one you're reading is merely second fiddle.