Numero Uno!

[erastes]

Very pleased to report that Trilogy No 111 Speak Its Name is the  number one bestseller on Linden Bay Romance!

Woo Hoo!

I need some help. The Macaronis are creating a disc of excerpts to give away at events etc and we are having REAL TROUBLE with inventing a title for it.

Main title: The Macaronis.  No problems.

But we want to add another subtitle, such as "Gay Historical Fiction" or "GLBT Historical Fiction" and there's been an awful lot of discussion about this. We have a writer who writes stories including three people, and although we don't have any f/f writers yet we anticipate that we will have at some point, Queer Historical Fiction might be seen as offensive - and so on... We don't want to exclude, or offend, but we don't want to be really anachronistic either.

I must have some marketing gurus on my flist - any ideas?

Comments

[alankria.livejournal.com]

I'm not a marketing guru, but I think "GLBT Historical Fiction" would be the most inclusive and straightforward. The term GLBT is pretty modern, but so are your readers and I think they'll appreciate the advertisement of your writing being modern even though the writing itself covers a historical period.

All in my in-experienced opinion, of course.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I agree too - plus the first event will be me talking about gay historical fiction so they are going to know what to expect.

Thank you!

[marquesate.livejournal.com]

Historical Fiction Out of the Box

or

Closet?

[erastes.livejournal.com]

OH - i really like that!! Thank you! Will put it forward!

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

I like that.

My own preference is to shy away from anything with initials, because in the 30-odd years (yes, some of the very odd) of my experience, it's gone from Gay to Gay-Lesbian to GL, to GLB, to GLBT... and in Canada there's (don't try to pronounce this one, you might hurt yourself)
LGBTTTSIQQ* communities and allies.

* Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transexual, Two-Spirited, Intersex, Queer and Questioning

Though I suppose if you put LGBTTTSIQQ you'll get some folks looking at it just out of curisity.

[jessewave.livejournal.com]

I live in Canada (Toronto actually, which is the most gay friendly place in North America next to San Francisco) and I have never heard of LGBTTTSIQQ. Are you sure someone isn't putting you on? Or maybe I have been living under a mushroom cloud LOL.

On another topic, I bought Speak its Name a few days ago and can't wait to read and review it because I have heard so many good things about this book. I'll send you the link when the review is ready. By the way Erastes I read and reviewed Captain's Surrender and I don't know that I agree with you about the middle section of the book, but that's a discussion for another day :)

Have a good day.

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

No, it's for real -- there's a GLBTetc library in Guelph

http://www.outontheshelf.ca/index.html

and that acronym is right from their homepage.

It may be a case of description by committee--it's certainly inclusive, but by adding "questioning" that includes almost any adolescent... and a lot of adults. Which may have been their point.

Hope you enjoy Speak!

[jessewave.livejournal.com]

Well what did I know. My only excuse is that this organization is outside the Greater Toronto Area in a small city (Guelph). I like the "inclusiveness" :)

I hope to finish Speak by the weekend.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I really like "Historical Fiction Out of the Closet". That title along with the pictures really should make it clear for everybody what it's all about. From a marketing point of view: people will look at pictures rather than at titles, anyway...

Not very fond of "... out of the Box" because being "inside the box", usually in a negative way, would be plain ol' straight folks like me. ;)

Emma

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Hurrah - your suggestion won "The Macaronis - Historical Fiction out of the closet" Thank you kindly!

Would you like something? a download of Speak Its Name? Copy of Standish? Let me know.

[marquesate.livejournal.com]

Ohhh that is super! And I don't need anything, was a pleasure to be able to help.

But ... if you are really happy doing this, ten I'd love a copy of Standish. That's the regency one, isn't it?

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Excellent! Yes, Regency. Email over your address, and I'll get one posted on Monday.

Thanks again!

[marquesate.livejournal.com]

Whoot! What a brilliant surprise!

[adventurat.livejournal.com]

I like marquesate's suggestion, but also thought of "Historical Fiction, with a GLBT Focus"

Yes, I suck at such things. But I do so like to (try to) help!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

That's good too - it emphasises that we want the historical aspect to be important.

Thank you!

[zamaxfield.livejournal.com]

Well. My first thought was "Not Your Mother's Historical Romance." But I really like "Out Of The Box" too... Or you could do The Macaronis/Speaking It's Name. That's different from the title of the book but there are few people if any who wouldn't know that the quote refers to LGBT stories. Still that doesn't have that Historical Romance label except by implication, maybe... Hm...

[erastes.livejournal.com]

The trouble is that these days, it IS our mother's historical romance, mine loved it (although she did skip the smut!)

:D

[zamaxfield.livejournal.com]

I haven't had the nerve to share mine with Mom. I let her read the Y/A novel I was working on and she told me (she's pragmatic, is my mom) that she was very relieved because you have to say something when your kid writes a book and she was worried she wouldn't like it. Completely surprised, she added that it was actually like a real book... *grins*

[cbpotts.livejournal.com]

Hey, I'm not just a marketing guru, I've played one on TV.

I really like the out of the closet line and absolutely HATE the out of the box reference. You could do an everything under the rainbow tag line as well.

For creditibility & ease of communication, I'd go for GLBT Historical Fiction in your title. It is well established in usage and also frees everything up for anyone in the spectrum to write for you. A little anachronism is ok -- because honestly, what's the option? The Catamite Chronicles?

[erastes.livejournal.com]

*giggling.*

now if it were just ME.... I'd DEFINITELY go for The Catamite Chronicles.

[cbpotts.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to think of something clever that include the words Invert in it, but then I think that reference might go over (under?) too many heads.

That would be a great anthology title for serious writers of historical fiction (which clearly I am not!) The Catamite Chronicles, all stories set within a given era/set of locations -- maybe intertwining?

[mysid.livejournal.com]

maybe intertwining?

The plotlines or the characters? :D

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

I've made a list of the suggestions so far:

The love that dares to speak its name.
Historical Fiction Out of the Closet.
GBLT Historical Fiction.
Gay and Bi Historical Fiction.
AnOther kind of historical fiction!
High class slash.

And to be honest I'm happy with any of them :)

thanks hun

[erastes.livejournal.com]

me too.

[mzcalypso.livejournal.com]

That last one would be a bitch to pronounce. It's a genuine tongue-twister.

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

Yes, and possibly may confuse some people who don't know what 'slash' is and are expecting horror.

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

Yes--it's aimed at fanficcers who are also reading 'pro slash,' but I don't think it would give the right impression to non-fans, gay or otherwise.

[enolabloodygay.livejournal.com]

If you were Igor, it would be a nightmare!

High clath thlath.

*Wipes spit from face*