Stop naming books "The <profession>'s <relation>"!!!

[JSWolf]

I think we should use the following title...

The MobileRead User's Wife

It's the story of an abandoned wife who has to go to sleep alone as her husband reads just one more thread before going to bed.

[BeccaPrice]

In my case, it's the MobileRead User's Husband.

"just one more thread..."

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

"just one more thread..."

Columbo?

[BeccaPrice]

more like the xkcd cartoon about someone being wrong on the internet... someone's being interesting on the internet!

[cghipp]

Now we can look forward to these:

The Daughter's Bonesetter
The Infant's Memory Keeper
The Uncle's Saddlemaker
The Ex-Wife's Witch Doctor
The Cousin's Shoemaker
The Widow's Anatomist

[Apache]

The Wife's Second Cousin Twice Removed Hitman.
Apache

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by Rizla

What about "The <profession>'s Mistress"? There must be some, shirley?

For professions such as "Greek Tycoon" and "Billionaire", and "Italian Boss", yes, Harlequin Presents is turning out those titles like they're going out of style.


No-one wants to publish my trilogy "Annoying People" -- The Paper Boy's Little Sister, The Dog-Walker's Big Brother, and The Web Developer's Sister-In-Law.

[rkw]

Originally Posted by JDK1962

I would argue that, by now, the use of that form of title shows a significant lack of imagination that will likely be reflected in the content.

I will set aside my bias and tackle Obreht's The Tiger's Wife soon. But only because it was so well-reviewed. And because "tiger" is not a profession. Unless you're Hobbes.

Or Tiger Woods' current I've-in pincushion...Ask Elin it paid pretty well. Plus turns out she also learned how to swing a 1-iron and as the minister said while waving a 1-iron over his head running unscathed down a fairway during a lightening storm "see even god can't hit a 1-iron!!"

[AlexBell]

Originally Posted by Catlady

A lot of them are mainstream fiction, rather than romance, though certainly they seemed to be aimed at female readers. That only makes it more disconcerting--why would a title that categorizes a woman by her relationship to a man be expected to appeal to a female reader?

Please don't be offended, Catlady, but I wonder if the more basic question is 'why does a title that categorises a woman by her relationship to to a man appeal so much to female readers?' If they weren't bought by women with that kind of title the title would surely be changed.

I should perhaps point out that I have been married for over fifty years to a very formidable lady. Indeed, I'm generally known in our social circle as 'Carol's husband.'

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by AlexBell

Please don't be offended, Catlady, but I wonder if the more basic question is 'why does a title that categorises a woman by her relationship to to a man appeal so much to female readers?' If they weren't bought by women with that kind of title the title would surely be changed.

I should perhaps point out that I have been married for over fifty years to a very formidable lady. Indeed, I'm generally known in our social circle as 'Carol's husband.'

I don't know if it's possible to say for sure that such titles appeal to female readers--after all, they may be buying the books in spite of the titles. But I think it is clear that the authors/publishers/marketers believe they appeal to female readers.

Congrats on being Carol's husband for more than 50 years!

[morriss003]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Oh the horror!

And the humanity!

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by morriss003

And the humanity!

[Solitaire1]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

In my case, it's the MobileRead User's Husband.

"just one more thread..."

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Columbo?

Wouldn't that mean that a mystery is afoot, one where Columbo has already figured out who the criminal is?

I wonder what the crime is?

Bad punning?
Eating turkey out of season?
Exceeding the maximum ebook editing speed?
Elegant polka disco waltzing?

[BeccaPrice]

My crime is multiplying threads. I'm still trying to figure out when it's appropriate to start a new one and when I should resurrect an old one.

and it doesn't take Columbo to figure out who dunnit on that one!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by AlexBell

Please don't be offended, Catlady, but I wonder if the more basic question is 'why does a title that categorises a woman by her relationship to to a man appeal so much to female readers?' If they weren't bought by women with that kind of title the title would surely be changed.

I should perhaps point out that I have been married for over fifty years to a very formidable lady. Indeed, I'm generally known in our social circle as 'Carol's husband.'

Well, my wife call's me her husband and I call her my wife. My wife defines herself. Sure, I do help, but overall, she does it herself and that's the way it should be.