TELEMAKOS THE VAMPIRE

[ewein2412]

This is a follow-up to my post requesting suggestions for a subtitle for the paperback edition of The Mark of Solomon. Viking has moved on again leaving me gasping in its wake, and maybe the idea of a subtitle is redundant (certain of you will be suitably rewarded for effort when the dust clears; I have not forgotten); in the meantime I'm throwing this out to the great collective brain again for further input.

Here's the gist of the note I had last week from sdn:

Your work is terrific but somehow it is just not getting into the right hands. So we're going to try this: We need to position this book as commercial, classy historical suspense. Something not forbidding, something not mass market, something not fantasy. How to do this?

1. New title. THE MARK OF SOLOMON sounds religious. THE LION HUNTER and THE EMPTY KINGDOM sound like nonfiction and fantasy respectively. We need to brainstorm. I am tempted by something as simple as THE EMPEROR'S SPY, but what do you think? Should we play up the King Arthur angle?

2. Cover image. Something strong and singular.

3. Blurbs. Whose readers would like this book? I'd like to try to for the boy market, and also wonder if there are both children's and adult authors we could recommend. M.T. Anderson comes to mind; are there others?

And here's the gist of my response:

Not a single librarian or child reader that I spoke to last summer could figure out the sequence of my books. Giving these books a FOURTH title is going to make the issue EVEN MUDDIER.

To me "The Emperor's Spy" is bland. It just doesn't say anything--it's neither exciting nor informative nor catchy. If you want to go for something sensational then how about "Spy Prince" (or one word... "Spyprince"? ...eh) or, ummm.... "Red Sea Spy" or "Lion Spy" or something. You know I used the word "spy" a total of SIX times in The Sunbird, so using it in the title smacks to me a little of prostitution. But hey. I'll stoop to that. "Telemakos the One-Armed Spy"!

Kingcatcher? Red Sea Kingcatcher? (sounds like a bird!) I'm brainstorming here... King of the Pearl Fishers. Red Sea Spy Prince, Spy Prince of Africa. Do any of those ideas spark the imagination?

OK, Next Question: "whose readers would like this book."

Readers of darkish action/adventure surely? Readers of Garth Nix, Anthony Horowitz, Lancelot Dulac JK Rowling, Philip Reeve, Philip Pullman, Kenneth Oppel, Cornelia Funke. Megan Whalen Turner (hmm, most of them are fantasy writers). Do we have some other examples of "commercial, classy historical suspense" or are we creating a new genre here? And of course I've undercut this entire project, curse me, by writing this article about my books as "historical fantasy" for the next issue of the Horn Book.

Cover image. I always say GO FOR VIOLENCE. or malevolence, at least. How about Abreha looming over Telemakos and Athena with his Unibrow lowered?

So, anyway, I am here and ready to engage. Fire away and I will try to fire back something sensible.

well, maybe something sensible.

Comments

[tigertrapped.livejournal.com]

Damn this business is tough. I hope you hit on something - between you - that sells the book you've written (which is, after all, the book your readers want to read). I like Red Sea Spy.

[ewein2412]

the book you've written

the book I've PUBLISHED, thank you very much! It *is* a tough business. Actually I really, really wish I had a real job right now, partly because what I do seems so self-serving and inward-looking.

the problem is I keep getting new ideas. and then I have to write them down. as you can appreciate, I know!

[rj-anderson.livejournal.com]

I actually like THE EMPEROR'S SPY? *cowers*

However, what I think is great in all this is that your publisher is clearly behind you and looking for a way to get your work into the right hands (and more of them), rather than dumping you and going for the obvious bottom line. Good on them! And good for you, I hope.

I rec your books every chance I get. Eventually, all these silly people who have not read you will surely catch on!

[ewein2412]

I rec your books every chance I get.

You are my hero! As to The Emperor's Spy, my agent liked it too, so maybe I am just too close to the damn thing. Noted and tallied...

[estara.livejournal.com]

Promo ideas: Unshelved has a new daily changing banner spot which particularly caters to the Librarian crowd. Explanation here
http://www.unshelved.com/blog.aspx?post=1300

Write an article on the book for Scalzi's Big Idea
http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/02/28/publicistseditorswriters-im-seeking-big-ideas/

As for genre: how about "alternate Arthurian history"

And a catchphrase on a blurb like "See an Ethiopia you never imagined" - being as the average person I know would think of starving children first. Or "Arthur's Descendents" as a collective name for the series...

my two cents right now, off the top of my head

[ewein2412]

you are *awesome*. I am going to send all your comments straight to my editor.

[erinbow.livejournal.com]

"Pendragon's descendents" has a ring to it. (It's the dactyls!)

Tanita Says:

[(Anonymous)]

Ooh, the Scalzi idea is a verrrry very good one.

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

Is he an abstinent vampire? Because that sells....safe for moms and daughters.

Oh, wait...

[ewein2412]

*chokes*

i need a "Telemakos the Vampire" icon.

[rainbowjehan.livejournal.com]

IIIIiiii should not have laughed as hard at your reply as I did. UNIBROW OF DOOM.

I'm responsible for Telemakos the Vampire, right? I feel like I am.

/useless comment

[ewein2412]

i feel sure you are too.

wouldn't it be a good title?

[cc-lemon.livejournal.com]

I've devoured every one of your books since I ran across the Winter Prince, and made it my personal mission to bring the entirety of my circle of friends into your fandom. I've bought up every copy I've found of any of your books, wherever I've found it to give as gifts and it's been really difficult finding them in actual brick and mortar stores.

It's good to hear you finally have a publisher who's willing to push for you, because your work is amazing and needs to be out there, where people can stumble across these books, the way I did, and get drawn in to these brilliantly wrought tales and fall in love with your complex, loveable, hateable and always fascinating characters.

[ewein2412]

your words and praise mean a lot to me. I check out your blog from time to time and have been too shy to say anything to you because I'm a complete stranger and you had such a rough year in 2008. But I thought of you a lot and hope your heart is healing.

I am happy and honored to be able to write books that people like yourself love.

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

When I was a kid I would have INSTANTLY picked up a book entitled THE EMPEROR'S SPY.

[ewein2412]

see, what I said to rj_anderson. I am too close to the darn thing. I probably would have too.

[harukami]

Putting in my vote for "The Emperor's Spy" here too. *g* It gets across key details (He's off somewhere spying for some emperor) and raises intrigue without being campy. (I'd deeeefinitely avoid something like "Spyprince" as that ends up sounding more "Spykids" and makes me think... camp with lots of cool technogizmos; if you include 'emperor's' it gives a time period feel as well). But then, I was a kid who picked up anything with "Assassin", "Thief", or "Spy" in the title or subtitle, so grain of salt.

[ewein2412]

boy, that is definitely getting all the votes. I'm glad I asked!

[mhari.livejournal.com]

I have no useful input, sadly, but I ♥ you.

(Bird and Badger! That should bring in the Redwall fans... I'll just be going now.)

[ewein2412]

I once wrote a picture book (unpublished) called "Badger and Moose go to the Beach."

my kids are nicknamed Badger and Moose.

[rymenhild.livejournal.com]

I would pick up The Emperor's Spy.

[ewein2412]

you and everybody else, so it seems! I am warming to it.

[tiboribi.livejournal.com]

I'm not particularly useful, either, since I don't regularly pick up books that I don't know anything about (I will read just about anything that someone I trust recommends). Covers usually sell me better than titles, though, unless the title appeals to my sense of "oh, hey, that is a clever reference to (whatever)".

Also, having stood in the YA fantasy section with a friend for a while the other day, I would read anything that's not about faeries, if it grabbed me enough to look at it.

And I push your books on all my friends to such an extent that I mailed one to Africa to a friend who was in the Peace Corps at the time.

[ewein2412]

well, you know me, I went thru a vampire phase when I was about 25 but OMG I am sooooo sick of them now.

when we went to Ethiopia my aunt had 2 copies of A Coalition of Lions stolen from her suitcase on the way. Nothing else was missing. I love that.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

I think The Emperor's Spy is a great title.

[ewein2412]

noted! thank you!

dropping in to say hi

[sdn.livejournal.com]

... and thanks. i'm looking forward to other thoughts and comments. (it's frustrating being the editor of a brilliant writer whose work isn't getting into the right hands! believe me!)

i am having my many many teen readers read and suggest as well. and librarians. and booksellers. anyone who can help.

ONWARD!

Re: dropping in to say hi

[ewein2412]

hello sdn! you are welcome.

[firiel44.livejournal.com]

I'll dissent and say you're right about The Emperor's Spy - it has no information whatsoever to distinguish it from anything else out there. It's just not memorable enough to make me want to hunt up a copy, as a librarian or a reader. How about Morningstar: Spy Prince of Two Kingdoms? "Beloved prince. Hated spy. The heir to two legendary kingdoms must balance between his loyalties and his life." Hmm, that may sound a bit overdramatic. For the whole arc, Heirs of Artos - "Camelot ends. The story doesn't." (Or, "The story has just begun"?)

The scene with Abreha holding Athena in his lap, hand around her throat, is appropriately looming and yet subtle. Bonus frontispiece art: what exactly does a Red Sea Kingcatcher look like? A variety of sunbird, I suppose.

People whose blurbs would make me buy things: Neil Gaiman, Robin McKinley, Ursula LeGuin, Naomi Novik, Garth Nix, Eoin Colfer (sometimes), Pamela Dean, Katherine Paterson, Alma Alexander, Sherryl Jordan (the last two also tragically under-appreciated, imho).

[ewein2412]

I think "Beloved prince. Hated spy" is simply inspired and have forwarded this to my editor, too. Thanks also for the excellent blurb suggestions. Back in the day when my agent worked for Neil Gaiman's agent we tried to get him to blurb my books but he was just too busy... which might be a problem with all these people! However, ONWARD, as sdn says.

I'm sure a Red Sea Kingcatcher looks a lot like a kingfisher, only with red feathers instead of blue...?

[oracne.livejournal.com]

I wish I was good at titles!

I love these books and would love to see them get more readers.

[ewein2412]

thank you! looks like The Emperor's Spy is getting the most votes.

[elswhere1.livejournal.com]

Re. blurbs: Nancy Farmer also writes sort of historical fantasy, and also has written books set in Africa, and is really really good and there are many rabid fans of her Sea of Trolls and its sequel, whatsitcalled, Land of the Silver Apples, and maybe she would blurb it and people who like her would like you?

[ewein2412]

thanks, that's a good idea. sdn edits her for Firebirds, so maybe there's an easy connection.

Tanita Says :)

[(Anonymous)]

Oh, I'm so sorry to be no help whatsoever; every title suggestion I've ever had, my agent and my editor have looked at me, smiled at me kindly, patted my head, and then ignored whatever I've said in favor of their own choices. I do think you're on the right path -- the verging-on-violence cover, the amped up language in the title (Pendragon's Agent! Now With Unibrow!), and the like, but I wonder if you, with your mad skillz with the Playmobile set ought not think of doing a book trailer.

Read up a bit what the SLJ has to say: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/1340000334/post/1280013128.html

I'll keep thinking on this one...

[rilina.livejournal.com]

Spy of Aksum? The Emperor's Spy just sounds a bit too bland to me, though I love the idea of the word "spy" being somewhere in the title.

I work as a teen librarian, and most of the teen readers I know look mildly bored or openly pained when they tell me they have to read historical fiction for an assignment. Adventure, fantasy, and contemporary realistic fiction is an easier sell to that audience. So to me, pitching this as historical fiction is really shooting for the adult audience rather than the teen audience.

I especially like your suggestions of Anthony Horowitz, Philip Reeve, Philip Pullman, and Megan Whalen Turner for blurbs. Maybe also Iain Lawrence. Nancy Farmer, who has already been mentioned. Carolyn Meyer, who does those pirate books. Eoin Colfer? (Though his name will evoke 11-year-old boy more than classy historical fantasy.) Eleanor Updale--not a personal favorite, but is sort of working the historical and classy angle.

[ewein2412]

belated thanks for these comments, which I've also forwarded to my editor. It's very pertinent (and a little scary) to know what a turn off the H word is. I feel SURE that if I included Troll Boogers in my books they would become an instant hit with the 11-year-old Male Readership, but can't quite bring myself to do it...