Name That Book Part Two
Okay, so it’s final decision time which means it’s also indecision time because damn, it’s a really hard thing to name a book when you’re working on it, but it’s even harder to know that the name you choose is it. As in, it will be on the cover and in your hands 7 months or so from now, never to change again. And I need this set by Tuesday morning.
I cannot thank you enough for the first round of input and I have narrowed the list while adding a few more from the suggestions. Many more were fantastic suggestions, but didn’t gibe with the book (and you’ll see why after you read it) or I couldn’t figure out a way to weave the title into the text in the first edit. And one suggestion is actually the working title of the next book! What would help me the most now is for you to choose one from the list below and say why it’s your favourite and choose one from the list below and say why you dislike it. So one like and one dislike and why. Unless you don’t like any–and then say that. I realized that was what helped the most in the first round.
Once again, what you need to know–it’s about a blogger, rebuilding her life in the year after her divorce and can be summed up with one sentence: it’s the story of a woman who stops waiting for happiness to find her and starts cooking it herself.
Here are the key words: cooking…blogging…marriage…divorce…love…
- Pots and Plans
- Sunny Side Down
- Eating Words
- Eating Her Words
- Eating My Words
- Cooking Up Happiness
- Banana Split
- Mincing Words
- Licking the Spoon
- Life from Scratch
62 comments
My favorite:
Pots and Plans – I associate this title with cooking, family life and building a future. There’s an underlying feeling of possible chaos, it’s a “loud” title. Interesting that pots have a double meaning of cooking and growing. I also think it has a mischievous sound to it.
Least favorite:
Licking the Spoon – sounds like a bad harlequin novel.
I’m not a fan of “Licking the Spoon.” It sounds a little smutty, like it’s a thinly-veiled euphamism for oral sex on the kitchen table or something.
My favorite is “Cooking up Happiness” because… well, there’s no real reason why. I just like the way it sounds.
Cooking Up Happiness and Life From Scratch are my two likes. I know you said one – but I like both. Life From Scratch makes me think she is starting over FRESH and new and shiny with the tags still on it. Full of possibilities. Hopeful. I like Cooking up Happiness for the same reasons PLUS it has the word happiness in the title and that makes me happy.
I don’t like Mincing Words because mincing has a negative connotation for me – like when someone minces my words I’m usually upset about it and we are at odds. Does that make sense?
I like ‘life from scratch’ as it is all about beginning again.
I dont like ‘eating my words’ – its sounds like you have done something wrong previously
Big fan of “Pots and Plans,” but even bigger fan of “Life from Scratch.”
Not so much a fan of any of the rest of them.
Good luck!
I love “Life From Scratch” because it connotes a meaning of stumbling along as she figures out the ingredients, from scratch, of a new life.
I don’t like “Licking the Spoon.” Because it kinda sounds like a Harlequin title that failed. *grin*
I like #1 and #2, esp Pots and Plans, not a fan of 5,7 or 8.
I loke Pots and Plans — sound fun and love the play on words and also Life From Scratch because I think that is a perfect description for both the cooking and the starting over aspects. I don’t like Eating My Words or Eating Her Words because it does sound like she’s done something wrong and I’m with the others on Licking the Spoon as well.
These are all so great I can imagine how tough it will be to choose. For me the last word in a title sort of tips the author’s hand, so I like Cooking Up Happiness a ton. And applying this rule, Sunny Side Down makes me the slightest bit bummed even though the first word is upbeat and it’s otherwise cute. Can’t wait to get a copy around the holidays!
I really like Life from Scratch – it speaks of having the strength to start over to create something really beautiful.
I don’t like Mincing Words. It sounds painful and aggressive.
Sunny Side Up – I love the idea of sun=positivity and cooking.
Licking the Spoon – I agree with the others.. very pornographic. Although I would buy the book. 😉
I love the title Life From Scratch for the exact same reasons everyone else mentioned.
And, although I can find enjoyment in a bad Harlequin, I don’t think that’s what you want your title to sound like so no to Licking The Spoon.
Count me as another yes vote for Life From Scratch. It really jumped out at me on the list.
And I didn’t like Banana Split the most, just seems like a story that should be about a ice cream shop – not a blogger who cooks.
Jumping on the “Life from Scratch” bandwagon. I can relate to it (and think others will, too) because it evokes a time when I was knocked down and had to pick myself up and start over.
I hope there’s a yummy picture on the cover, too.
I don’t like any of the suggestions with “Words” in the title. Takes away the yum factor.
I liked Eating My Words or Eating Her Words. (Not that I know I single thing about naming books.) It seemed like the one that wraps up the key words best … the sensation of being forced to alter expectations and world views on your way to a new place, a new understanding … the disappointment of failed relationship, failed anything … the sustenance/soul food of writing/blogging (in the context of blogging, it turns the phrase to more of a positive expression than a negative experience and I like that it has a flip side … just like personal challenges always have a flip side, if you can find it) … and then, of course, the point of cooking is eating.
As an art director, I also liked the potential to play with visuals. That’s the title I’d choose to design a jacket for. Not that this is the priority in making your choice.
Pots & Pans … Too generic?
Sunny Side Down … too depressing?
Cooking Up Happiness … too simplistic?
Banana Split … I get the split … the banana part just confuses
Mincing Words might be okay. It could grow on me.
Licking The Spoon … hmmm. ???
Life From Scratch … not intriguing enough?
Go Mel. XXOO
I’m one of the many who likes “Life from Scratch”, because to me that title speaks of a new start, but I like the cooking/baking reference “from scratch”.
I’m also one of the many who’s least favourite title is “licking the spoon”, because that just doesn’t invoke any idea of what kind of book that could be. Not even dirty ideas 😉 It’s just… meh!
Life from scratch!
I like Mincing Words because of the many layers and meanings.
Cooking up Happiness seems too literal.
Life from Scratch is my fave because I would pick it up off the bookshelf. #3-7, and #9 seem like really sickly trite chick lit to me. Don’t get me wrong, I like chick lit, but not the ones that seem forced which is what those scream to me. Lots of luck to you!!!
“Life from Scratch!!!!!”
I like Life from Scratch. It plays on the cooking theme without being too cutesy. 1-9 seem too cutesy to me, too obvious. I read chick lit sometimes, but never with titles that seem a bit cliched. Also, please make sure the title is bigger than your name on the front of the book. I never read books when the author’s name is bigger than the title. I have a theory that if your name has to be bigger than the title, then it’s the author selling the book rather than the book’s content itself, and the book probably sucks. This probably isn’t always true, but I won’t even look at a book if the author’s name is bigger than the title.
One of the things I loved about your last book was that the title was incredibly clever. It had sort of a dual meaning. Good luck naming this one! It’s a little hard to give you input without knowing more about the book, but since you are intimately familiar with the contents, I know you will pick the perfect title.
I like Cooking up Happiness and Life from Scratch best.
Pots and Plans and Mincing Words aren’t bad either.
I really don’t like any of the other options though.
Congratualtions again on your new book! So exciting! Good luck choosing your title!
And yes, that request re: the size of your name on the book really was totally random. . .can you tell it’s a pet peeve of mine?
Oooh – Life from Scratch!
Oh, I love “Life from Scratch”! When I read your description it sounds to me as though she is sort of rebuilding her life from a different perspective, rediscovering herself and her priorities…and to me this sounds like it fits the bill.
As for not like’s, I’m really not crazy about “Licking the Spoon” or “Banana Split”. I get the concept behind the former, but it strikes me as being a bit cheesy. The latter I just don’t connect to, hard to get the meaning, and not a title I would see and want to pick up the book.
I think I like Pots and Plans the best too. It just has a good sound to it. My least favorite would probably be Banana Split because I can’t see how it relates and I hate banana splits.
Life from Scratch!
LIKE: Pots and Plans- I like the P and P sounds, its cute and catchy.
Also LIKE: Life from Scratch- It seems to sum up the book well, a new life, cooking.
DISLIKE: Pretty much all the others, but Licking the Spoon makes me cringe for reasons already stated! (EW!) And Sunny Side Down to me is negative, when this is about finding new happiness.
I really like “Life From Scratch”. Ties in the cooking theme with the starting over after divorce and making your own happiness. After seeing that one, I’m really not too fond of any of the others.
Anyone else just so excited that we’re helping to name the Fabulous Mel’s next book???
Well, I like Life from Scratch, because (immodestly) I helped contribute to that one!
I don’t like any of the Eating Words variations because they sound a little negative to me. Also, Licking the Spoon is a little gross.
well, I happen to love banana split, primarily because a banana split sounds delightful right now, and I like the idea of turning something sucky (divorce, “split”) into something great (banana split!!)
I dislike any eating of words, or words in general, cuz they all sound like there is a lot of fighting and tension.
I do like Life from Scratch… not as much, but I do like it 🙂
Actually. I think the reason i don’t like it as much is it gives it away up front to me… not bad but not my fav… k I’m done now 🙂
When I read the list and was thinking about it I mixed up one and was thinking it said “cooking from scratch” which I like but it doesn’t have double meaning that life from scratch has. Sorry for making up a new title at the last minute. I think life from scratch is the best – don’t like any of the word ones or the banana split. Cooking up happiness is okay – maybe a little cutesy?
The spoon one – that’s for your next sexy kitchen novel!
It’s so exciting thst you’re at this point already! Woohoo!
Congratulations!
Love- Life from Scratch- It make me think of rebuilding or starting over
Dont Love- Eating words- It makes me think of regret
Hope this helps! 🙂
I like, Licking The Spoon. Something about it, just makes me smile. Kinda like when I get to lick the spoon. 🙂
I dont like, Sunny Side Down. For some reason, it depresses me.
I like Life From Scratch, because it says it all.
I dislike Licking the Spoon because it sounds like erotica, not what you’re looking for.
Oh Oh Life from Scratch is the best. It totally jumoed out at me like that is what it is suppose to be.
The one I dislike the most would be Sunny Side Down because it sounds like the opposite of what she is trying to do. It sounds sad and like things will not work out…I guess unless that is how the book is going to go.
I like Pots and Plan because it sounds reminds me of all the key words. It also just draws my attention more than any other title
I don’t like Licking the Spoon. I agree with a previous comment that it sounds like a romance novel or something of the sort.
Good luck!!! Can’t wait to hear what you decide!
I like eating her words or eating my words. Works on several levels without being overly punny.
Cooking up Happiness and Life from Scratch sound like titles I would grab. It sounds like a woman who makes something for herself, which is what I like to read.
Sunny Side Down sounds like it has a not-so-happy ending, and at this point in my life, that’s not a book I’m grabbing. And while I like Licking the Spoon, it doesn’t seem like it fits what the book is about, even from that brief description.
I can’t wait to add you to my Goodreads “to read” section! 😀
I like:
Cookie
Cooking Up
Cooking Upwards
My least favourite is Pots and Plans.
I totally made new ones up, but I’m excused because I’m so happy and excited for you XOXOX
I prefer Eating Words and Life From Scratch.
Pots and Plans is really…perky. Too perky? I guess it depends on the audience you’re looking for…personally speaking, it’s not a book I would look at because I don’t generally care for chick lit. Sorry!
ok so I just sent the link to M so he could see it too — he’s good at this kind of thing, even though he’s a dude — and he said the same exact thing I was writing at the same exact moment.
we both think life from scratch is beyond a doubt the best title.
cooking up happiness is too literal, I agree with leah about licking the spoon, pots and plans is a little too cute, mincing words sounds like an argument, I don’t get banana split. I might like either eating my/her words (depending on whether its written in 1st or 3rd person).
but life from scratch is just clever, and I like the double meaning of cooking from the heart and starting over in her life. our two cents makes four.
I like “licking the spoon” it’s a little bit naughty! And really that’s the best part about cooking, and especially baking – licking the spoon!
I don’t like “sunny side down”, the word “down” brings depressing thoughts.
I have been wracking my brains on this for days, and the best I could come up with was “A serving of happy”. Not that great.
Life From Scratch. It has multiple meanings–the cooking part, the fresh start, the idea of creation. I’m not wild about any of the others because I think there’s a fine line between clever and cheesy and I fear the others are dancing just over the line in the wrong direction. But it’s not my book, obviously–just my two cents!
Banana Split sounds fun. That’s my vote.
As for dislike, I’m having trouble choosing between 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9. Although I’m not totally sure on 2 and 10, either. 2 and 10 sound serious… not what I usually look for in chicklit… the first group I just plain dislike.
Bea
Bea
Pots and Plans.
Or Eating Her Words.
Both are strong, but fun. Like you.
I really liked Life from Scratch. It jumped out at me.
I really disliked Licking the Spoon for the reasons stated by others. It just seemed all sexual innuendo and phallic overtones, and I didn’t get the sense from your blurb that this was what the book was about!
I have liked Pots and Plans since the beginning…so I’ll stick with it.
Cooking up Happiness is my 2nd favorite.
and in defense of “Licking the Spoon” (since I gave it to you..sorry) it was more like a fun title…I am no prude , but I wasn’t thinking phallic when I gave it to you at all…it was suppossed to be about her “licking the spoon” while cooking, that sweet taste of “extra stuff and testing it out before the batter becomes a cake” I mean who doesn’t like “licking the spoon”? I know all of you have a point, but I wanted to defend my title…even though it really shouldn’t be the title of this book.
HUGS and good luck
Favorite – Cooking Up Happiness – This is the closest one to the one sentence summary of the plot and I like it. Although, I would suggest making it a little longer so that it said “Cooking Up Happiness with a side of Independence” or something like that.
Least favorite – Sunny Side Down – It sounds too depressing, especially if the main character is looking for happiness on her own.
Good luck! Can’t wait to see it on the bookshelves at my local store.