I’m going to serialize my sixth full-length Marla Mason novel next year, but I can’t decide what to call it. It’s set mostly in Hawai’i, and involves (basically) a group of powerful old enemies who try to kill Marla while she’s in exile and relatively unprotected. Some title contenders are below, as suggested by me, my wife, and our friends Greg and Jenn. Let me know what you like best! I might even abide by the winner.
If you have a better suggestion, you can put it in the comments! (Since the responses to the “other” section are only viewable by me, as far as I can tell.) To be consistent with the other books in the series, two-word titles are best.
Hmm, something with Undertow is a good idea, as one of the “Other” commenters suggested.
Or Black Tide. I kind of like that one. Except some have pointed out that it might be seen as having unfortunate racial overtones. Shadow Tides could be good.
Oooooo. I kind of like Black Tide! If I had another vote, I’d vote for that one.
Most of the other novel titles are dark and aren’t normal phrases. Spell Games lacks something dark and Broken Mirrors sounds like an ordinary phrase, but they still fit.
So of the ones above, I voted for Doom Tides . . . but now I see your comment and I feel Shadow Tides (or Shadow Tide?) is at least as good and probably better. Black Tide[s] might be a distant third for me. All three of these fit best with the other novel titles, IMHO — especially with the first three titles — compared to the others above.
The other options above don’t work for me because (a) two are normal phrases without a twist (Tidal Forces and Rip Tides); (b) two are too on-the-nose (Outcast Tides and Exile Tides; she’s an outcast/exile and it takes place in Hawaii); and (c) Murder Island sounds cheesy (sorry, you/wife/friends!).
Undertow might work, but I’m so focused on “tide[s]” now. . . . 😉
Sorry to ramble; thanks for asking the Marla Mason/T.A. Pratt fans what we think!
Bone Shop (dark adj/noun:noun, arguably verb)
Blood Engines (dark noun:noun)
Poison Sleep (dark adj/noun:noun, arguably verb)
Dead Reign (dark adj/noun:noun, arguably verb)
Spell Games (dark noun:pl noun, arguably verb)
Broken Mirrors (dark adj: pl noun, arguably verb)
Doom Tides (dark noun:pl noun)
Exile Tides (dark noun/v:pl noun)
Outcast Tides (dark adj/noun:pl noun)
Murder Island (dark noun/verb: noun)
Tidal Forces (adj:pl noun)
Rip Tides (adj:pl noun)
I guess if you wanted to keep with the previous structures, you’d likely use a (dark adj/noun:noun, arguably verb) combination. So “Tidal Forces” and “Rip Tides” would be out.
What about “Derelict Beach” or “Maroon Sands” (maroon, see what I did there)