the trouble with titles

Tomorrow may be THE BITE BEFORE CHRISTMAS‘s Big Day (one of them, anyway šŸ˜‰ ), for which I am very excited, but today I’m having a problem with a different vampire book.

las vegas sign Pictures, Images and PhotosKensington’s sales department isn’t thrilled with the working title of my second Brava release, VAMPS IN VEGAS. šŸ˜„ Ā  There’s more than a little boo-hoo in this, because I happen to love that title, & have also been living with it for…oh, about four years.Ā  So this is pretty much like asking me to rename my child.Ā  (Or my cat. :cat2: )

But if Marketing ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy, which means I need to come up with handful of other ideas that would work for this story.Ā  Preferably by the end of the day. šŸ˜›

Here’s a brief overview:

Part 1 — ā€œVampnapped” — As a reporter for the Sin City Tattler, Charlotte ā€œChuckā€ Lamoreaux is used to investigating the bizarre and outrageousā€”everything from alien abductions to potato chips that look like Elvis Presley. But this time, sheā€™s on to something big . . . and something she believes might actually be true. Which is why she decides to switch places with her identical twin sister, a showgirl for the Infernoā€™s dance troupe, Lust. All she needs is to get closer to Sebastian Raines, the billionaire owner of the Inferno Hotel and Casino, and find proof that he is what she suspectsā€”an honest-to-Dracula vampire.

Barbie Showgirl Pictures, Images and PhotosSebastian Raines isnā€™t sure why his brotherā€™s so-called fiancĆ©e has been following him, but heā€™s pretty sure sheā€™s up to something more than simply picking out bridesmaids dresses. Fearing that Chloe Lamoreaux is trying to get her hands on the hefty Raines coffers by dragging his younger sibling to one of Las Vegasā€™s many all-night wedding chapels, Sebastian vows to stop her by any means necessary . . . and to keep her from discovering the secret theyā€™ve kept for the past hundred years. But how was he to know she had an identical twin sister? Or that when he grabbed the fully-garbed showgirl on her way off stage, he was abducting Chuck instead of Chloe?

Part 2 — ā€œMarried . . . with Fangsā€ — Although sheā€™d like to deny it, Chloe Lamoreaux is exactly what Sebastian Raines believes her to beā€”a gold digger. As much as she loves dancing, sheā€™s tired of the long hours on her feet and the men who think ā€œshowgirlā€ is synonymous with ā€œhigh-priced hooker.ā€ She needs stability; a man with money who can support both her and her young son. And sheā€™s pretty sure sheā€™s found just that in millionaire playboy Aidan Raines.

For the last hundred years, both before he was turned and after, Aidan Raines has played second fiddle to his older brother, Sebastian. He wants something of his own; to make his mark on the world without being overshadowed by Sebastianā€™s wealth and accomplishments. Then he meets Chloe and begins to think that being the first to settle down might be the perfect way to set himself apart from his unattached, lone wolf brother. Of course, when Aidan pops the question, he doesnā€™t bother telling Chloe that heā€™s a vampire. But then, she never told him she had a kid, so he figures that makes them even. The question is, can he adjust to instant family life (just add water), or will Chloe freak out and start sharpening her stakes when she learns that her new husband is moreā€”much moreā€”than he seems?

So, um…any ideas?

As an added incentive for all of you Darlings of the Dungeon to put on your thinking hardhats, I offer you…

#1 — A sneak peek at tall, dark, sexy, rich, fanged, & luscious casino owner Sebastian Raines.Ā  You know, for inspiration. :-*

#2 — Should your suggestion for a new title be chosen by Kensington’s Powers That Be, your choice of either an Advanced Reading Copy of my first vampires Brava, THE BITE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, now…or the promise of an ARC of the newly titled VAMPS IN VEGAS later.Ā  (It’s currently scheduled for October 2011, so we’re looking at a year from now for delivery of that prize.Ā  I’ll send you a cyber-coupon or some such that you can redeem when the time comes. :mail: )

All right, folks!

Hardhats on. :skywalker:

Brains engaged. :poop:Ā  I mean,Ā  :hypnotized:

Let the reconstruction begin! :bomb:

Comments

31 Comments  •  Comments Feed

  1. Laura J says:

    So far I got. Vegas Bites! I’ll see what else I can come up with. It’s still early, no caffeine and it’s Monday.

    On September 27, 2010 at 7:40 am

  2. Laura J says:

    Two more……

    What Happens With a Vampire…..

    Luck Be A Vampire

    And totally off topic but after returning home from taking the kids to school there were two deer in our subdivision. We are close to a couple of wooded areas but it’s an area that has (unfortunately) built up and we haven’t seen any this close to our house in a few years. I think the morning is off to a better start than I originally thought. šŸ™‚

    On September 27, 2010 at 8:21 am

  3. Dee says:

    Vegas After Dark?

    Taking a Bite Out of Vegas

    Gambling on Vamps

    Gimme a Vamp After Midnight [Okay I admit I have ABBA stuck in my head]

    That’s all I got for now….

    On September 27, 2010 at 12:21 pm

    • Laura J says:

      I love ABBA. Hmmmm maybe I need to go watch my Mamma Mia DVD. Mmmmmmmmmm Skye! :drool:

      On September 27, 2010 at 2:04 pm

    • Heidi says:

      I love ABBA, but wasn’t a big fan of Mamma Mia. The songs were pretty much the highlight for me, but I’m still trying to figure out who told Meryl Streep she could sing. šŸ˜Æ Just not my cuppa, I guess.

      On September 27, 2010 at 10:02 pm

      • Dee says:

        I saw the Broadway show before the movie and I give the edge to Broadway. All of the cast there ARE known for their voices and it was just a campy good time.

        On September 27, 2010 at 10:43 pm

        • Laura J. says:

          Broadway version (or the touring version that I saw and get to see again–yes, I’m a good mom. I’m taking B’girl when it comes back here.) is really much better. Some extra songs that were cut from the movie are in it. Although, I do like Christine Brysanski in the movie. She was hilarious.

          On September 27, 2010 at 11:29 pm

  4. Hollie says:

    Tall Dark and Vampy…..
    Fangs for the Memories…. (or mammories…if she has big boobage) LOL!!!
    ok…just cracked myself up!!! :laugh:

    On September 27, 2010 at 1:48 pm

  5. Dee says:

    Viva Vamp Vegas?

    Fangs and the City

    Sin City Bites

    On September 27, 2010 at 2:41 pm

  6. Jane says:

    I suck at this stuff, but my suggestions are Desert Bites and Sin City Vamps.

    On September 27, 2010 at 2:45 pm

  7. Heidi says:

    Good ideas, guys. I’m taking note.

    And now they’re not sure they want to reference Vegas in the title, just something clever & vampirey. Sigh….

    On September 27, 2010 at 6:25 pm

  8. Jessica Lemmon says:

    Oh man am I late to this party or what?

    Here’s my contribution, since they sound pretty fabulous… less vampires more like…

    Glampires! :rotfl:

    Erm… I also love Dee’s “Luck be a Vampire” or something like that – a Vegas song turned title…

    On September 27, 2010 at 8:53 pm

  9. Jen E says:

    My heart goes out to you Heidi..so here is my stab at it.

    Into the Inferno

    Gambling with Darkness

    Darkness at Stake

    Mirrored Darkness

    Sorry I am on a darkness kick…good news I already pre-ordered The Bite Before Christmas..
    can’t wait to read it……Good Luck šŸ˜›

    On September 27, 2010 at 9:04 pm

    • Heidi says:

      Thanks, Jen! Hey, I’ll take any suggestions at all at this point. And I have been playing around with “dark” cuz you never know what might click.

      Thanks so much for pre-ordering BITE. It will probably be shipped out tomorrow…& we’re celebrating big here in The Dungeon. Hope you’ll stop by to join the fun. I can’t wait! :party:

      On September 27, 2010 at 10:00 pm

  10. Michael says:

    Ive got some great party ideas from this. Halloween is going be a scary one! Thank you

    On October 20, 2010 at 2:25 pm

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